A Vegetarian Indian Dinner Party Menu (With a Cooking Plan)

Whether you have vegetarian guests or simply want a meat-free dawat, Indian cooking makes it easy to put on a feast where nobody misses the meat. This menu serves about eight people and is planned so most of the work happens the day before.

The menu

Starters

• Dhokla, cut into small squares with green chutney
• Sev puri, assembled at the last minute

Mains

• Paneer butter masala: mild, creamy and loved by children
• Palak paneer or malai kofta: a green or a rich second curry
• Dal makhani: the slow-cooked centrepiece
• Kashmiri dum aloo (optional, for a bigger crowd)

Rice and breads

• Zeera rice or matar pulao
• Naan, lachha paratha or Malabar parotta

Sides

• Kheera raita, kachumber salad and a pickle

Dessert and drinks

• Shrikhand with fruit, or kaju katli
• Masala chaas or mango lassi with the meal; masala chai or kesar pista milk after

Why this menu works

It balances textures and flavours: one tomato-based curry, one green or creamy curry, a rich dal, a crunchy starter and a cool, sweet dessert. Spice levels are moderate, so it suits guests of all ages. And almost everything can be made ahead.

The cooking plan

Two days before

• Soak the urad dal and rajma for the dal makhani.
• Hang the yogurt overnight for shrikhand.

The day before

• Cook the dal makhani completely. It tastes better the next day.
• Make the tomato-cashew gravy for paneer butter masala (without the paneer).
• Make the spinach purée for palak paneer, or fry the koftas for malai kofta.
• Finish the shrikhand and chill it.
• Make green and tamarind chutneys.

The morning of

• Steam the dhokla and add the tarka.
• Chop salad vegetables; make the raita.
• Soak the rice.

One hour before guests arrive

• Cook the rice.
• Reheat the dal, adding hot water to loosen it.
• Warm the gravies and add the paneer at the last minute.

When guests arrive

• Assemble the sev puri.
• Warm the breads.

How much to make

For eight people, double the recipes for the paneer curries and dal (each serves 4–5), make 3 cups of raw rice, and plan on 2–3 breads per person. The scaler on each recipe page adjusts the quantities for you, and our dawat planner can help estimate costs.

Tips

• Keep one dish mild for children and add chilli to the others.
• Serve everything family-style in the middle of the table.
• If you have Pakistani or Indian guests, nobody will mind if you buy the naan.

For more menu ideas, see our guides to dawat menu planning and dawat on a budget.