Never Cooked A Diwali Feast? Start With These 12 Recipes!

Diwali is a wonderful reason to gather friends and family around a table filled with delicious food. Creamy curries, richly spiced vegetables and beautifully charred chicken make a festive dinner feel extra special.

These 12 recipes offer plenty of inspiration for the celebration, whether you’re planning a generous party spread or a smaller dinner at home. Pick a few favorites and let the feast begin.

#1. Palak Paneer

Soft paneer cubes nestle into a rich spinach sauce flavored with ginger, garlic and warming Indian spices. Every scoop is creamy, comforting and packed with flavor.

Get the Recipe: Palak Paneer

#2. Tandoori Chicken

A yogurt marinade loaded with ginger, garlic and spices gives this chicken its bold flavor and juicy texture. Cooked until beautifully browned and lightly charred, it makes an impressive addition to a festive table.

Get the Recipe: Tandoori Chicken

#3. Vegetable Korma

A colorful medley of vegetables simmers in a silky cashew sauce finished with cream. Rich without being fiery, this korma makes a lovely centerpiece for a vegetarian celebration.

Get the Recipe: Creamy Vegetable Korma

#4. Rogan Josh

Goat or lamb slowly simmers with yogurt and Kashmiri spices until meltingly tender. The gorgeous red gravy gets its distinctive flavor from fennel and dried ginger, with a warmth that’s gentler than its bold color suggests.

Get the Recipe: Rogan Josh

#5. Paneer Jalfrezi

Paneer and colorful bell peppers come together in a thick, tangy tomato masala. The peppers keep a little bite, giving this delicious stir-fry a welcome contrast to softer, slow-simmered curries.

Get the Recipe: Paneer Jalfrezi

#6. Aloo Gobi

Tender potatoes and cauliflower soak up a deeply flavored onion-tomato masala. The spices cling to every piece, turning simple vegetables into a wonderfully satisfying meal.

Get the Recipe: Aloo Gobi

#7. Dal Tadka

Yellow lentils get a delicious finishing touch from spices sizzled in ghee. That final tempering brings incredible depth to this creamy, comforting classic.

Get the Recipe: Dal Tadka

#8. Prawn Moilee

Plump prawns simmer in a creamy coconut milk gravy flavored with ginger, curry leaves and mustard seeds. This Kerala favorite is milder than many Indian curries, with a delicate richness that makes every spoonful irresistible.

Get the Recipe: Prawn Moilee

#9. Chicken Masala

Tender chicken thighs cook in a thick masala of golden onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic. Warming spices give it incredible depth, while a finishing touch of lime and cilantro brightens up this hearty, homestyle curry.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Masala

#10. Chicken Tikka

Bite-sized chicken pieces soak in a spiced yogurt marinade before cooking until beautifully charred and juicy. Bring a platter to the table and watch how quickly these tender morsels disappear.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Tikka

#11. Aloo Palak

Potatoes and spinach cook together with Indian spices in this hearty vegetable favorite. Tender potato pieces tucked among the seasoned greens make every forkful comforting and delicious.

Get the Recipe: Aloo Palak

#12. Gobi Matar

Cauliflower and sweet green peas cook in a thick onion-tomato masala with ginger, garlic and warming spices. The peas bring little pops of sweetness that balance the richly seasoned sauce.

Get the Recipe: Gobi Matar