Planning a party can be really stressful. Many people get overwhelmed by the decisions on what to cook, which dishes pair well, what appetizers to serve, and what drinks to offer.
A common question I get from readers on Instagram around the festive season is “What is a typical Indian dinner?” and “What do you serve at an Indian dinner party?” In this post, I share my tried and tested North-Indian recipes for appetizers, mains, and desserts. Whether you are planning a big Diwali party or a cozy get-together, the sample menus below will give you ideas for the main menu items you should have for a dinner party. Most of these dishes can be made in the Instant Pot, oven, or air fryer using easy hands-off recipes, so you can divide your workload and enjoy your own party!
How to Create an Indian Party Menu
Let’s checkout menu ideas now:
Get a Headcount: Total number of guests Dietary Preferences: Total number of vegetarians and meat-eaters What kind of meat: Do the non-vegetarians prefer chicken or lamb (pick one). I avoid fish incase people have seafood allergies. Dietary restrictions: How many guests prefer gluten-free, dairy-free etc.) Allergies: Check for any food allergies
Drinks: 1 Cocktail/Mocktail + Soda, Juices, Wine, Water 3 Appetizers: 1 filling item + 1 dip & Chips or light appetizer + Assorted spiced nuts 3 Entrees: 1 chicken/Lamb dish + 1 Dal/Chickpeas + 1 Paneer or Vegetable dish Rice & Naan: 1 Rice dish + store-bought Naan (or homemade garlic naan) that can be heated in the oven. 2 Desserts: 1 dry dessert + 1 wet dessert, or Indian flavored ice-cream
Popular Indian Appetizers
Elaborate & filling appetizers are pretty common in Indian parties since dinner is often served later than usual. Here are some appetizers that are most enjoyed by my family and friends and are a breeze to put together:
Samosa Chaat Cups or Samosa Jalapeno Poppers or Samosa Pinwheels Paneer Tikka Dahi Bhalla Chaat: Serve with mint and tamarind chutney Samosa Chaat Aloo Tikki Stuffed Mushrooms (Bharwa Kumbh) Samosa-Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers Crispy Samosa Tandoori Chicken or Chicken Tikka Tandoori Fish Tikka Chicken Seekh Kebab
Check out the full range of Indian Snacks
Indian Drinks
No party is complete without a signature drink or two. Here are two popular choices in my home:
Mango Lassi, this easy blender recipe can be made with fresh or frozen mango or using canned mango puree. Prepare a few hours before the party and refrigerate. Shikanji / Nimbu Pani: a refreshing Indian spiced lemonade with a perfect balance of sweet, salty and tangy flavors. Jal Jeera: A popular mocktail made with vibrant herbs and spices. Adrak Wali Chai (Ginger Tea): Make a big pot of ginger tea and serve in an insulated flask. The detailed make-ahead instructions are in the post. Masala Chai: Or treat your guests to this aromatic Indian tea. Make ahead instructions in the post. Jaljeera Mojito (Cocktail): enjoy this spicy Indian-flavored mojito with hints of mint, cumin, and other warm spices.
Lentils & Bean Curries (Indian Dal)
Typically, I serve at least one dal (lentil) dish or one beans curry (chickpeas or kidney beans). Here are the recipes for Dals, Chana, and Rajma:
Dal Makhani Chana Masala Dal Tadka/ Dal Fry Punjabi Chole Rajma Masala
Check out the full range of Lentil Recipes and Bean recipes
Paneer & Vegetable Entrees
Here are some Indian vegetarian dinner recipes to pick from:
Paneer Butter Masala/ Paneer Makhani Paneer Tikka Masala Saag Paneer/ Palak Paneer Kadai Paneer Matar Paneer Vegetable Korma Saag Aloo Aloo Gobi
Check out more Indian vegetarian recipes
Non-Vegetarian Entrees
Unless a majority of guests in my party are vegetarian, I include one of the following dishes in my menu. Here is a list of popular, restaurant-style entrees.
Chicken Tikka Masala Restaurant-style Butter Chicken / Murgh Makhani Chicken Curry Saag Chicken Chicken Korma Chicken Vindaloo Dhaba Style Keema Lamb Korma Mutton Curry Chicken Karahi
Check out more curry recipes: 50+ Popular Instant pot Indian recipes
Rice and Biryani
Rice pairs really well with most Indian dinner recipes. Instead of serving just plain basmati rice, I like to serve a slightly dressed-up dish like cumin rice or saffron rice. You can also serve a biryani, which serves almost as an additional entree.
Cumin Rice Saffron Rice Lemon Rice Spinach (Palak) Rice Vegetable Biryani Chana Masala Biryani Achari Paneer Biryani Egg Biryani Chicken Biryani Lamb Dum Biryani
Check out the full range of Instant Pot Rice Recipes
Indian Desserts & Sweets
Depending on the occasion and type of party you are hosting, you can serve a classic Indian dessert like halwa with Indian-flavored ice cream, like Paan, or Kesar Pista. If it’s a Diwali or Holi party, you can also serve sweet meals like burfi, ladoo, or gujiya. My fondest memories of Diwali are about all the sweets we used to eat during the festival season. Over the years, I figured out shortcuts so that I could make these sweets easily at home. Here are some of our favorites that are on repeat for celebrations:
Moong Dal Halwa Rasmalai Rabdi Rasmalai Tiramisu Kesar Badam Halwa Rabdi Gulab Jamun Carrot Halwa / Gajar ka Halwa Kheer (Rice Pudding) Mango Cheesecake Mawa Gujiya Baked Gujiya Kulfi ice cream
Check out the full range of Easy Indian dessert Recipes
How To Make a Mithai Platter
I love to keep a large tray filled with single-serving Indian sweets (Mithai) for guests to sample during the evening. Here are some burfis and laddos that make a great mithai platter:
Mawa Burfi (Milk Burfi) Carrot Burfi / Gajar ki Burfi Besan Ladoo Coconut Ladoo Kalakand Milk Cake Rava Ladoo
Sides and Condiments
Most Indian appetizers are served with fresh Cilantro Chutney. And nearly all Indian dinners are served with pickle, and a yogurt side dish, called Raita. Yogurt adds a cooling contrast to the spicy curries. Here are some simple and easy recipes for popular sides and condiments:
Dahi Vada/ Dahi Bhalla Cucumber Raita, Boondi or Avocado Raita Cilantro / Hari Chutney, or Pudina Chutney (mint chutney) Nimbu ka Achaar / Lemon Pickle
Tips for Hosting a Stress-free Indian Dinner Party
Here are some tips and a rough timeline that work for me when hosting a Diwali party or any elaborate Indian dinner party. Using this plan and timeline, I am able to stay on top of things and enjoy the party without any stress.
8-10 Days before Party: Gather information on headcount, dietary restrictions and preferences. Refer to details listed above. Weekend before the party( 5-6 days before): Shop for non-perishable, refrigerated or freezer items, like drinks, spices, chutneys, store-bought frozen naan, Yogurt, lentils & chickpeas, Paneer blocks. Buy aromatics like onion, garlic, ginger, green chili. Prepare ginger & garlic paste: Using a mini food processor grind 1 cup chopped ginger + 1 cup garlic cloves + 2 tablespoon olive oil to a semi-coarse blend. Store in ice-cube trays and freeze. 2 days before the party transfer to refrigerator and defrost. Here is a detailed recipe for ginger garlic paste. 2-3 days before the party: Shop for all remaining items like fresh produce, chicken or meat. If preparing fresh paneer, make it, cube it and refrigerate it. Here’s a quick and easy recipe for homemade paneer. 2 days before the party: Chop/blend aromatics like onions using a food chopped or a food processor. Store in air-tight containers and refrigerate. Wash, dry and cut vegetables and store in air tight containers or ziplock bags. Chop paneer or anything that can save you time and store in air tight ziplock bags or containers. You can also prepare this Onion-tomato masala (master curry blend) and store in the refrigerator. Soak chickpeas/beans or pigeon peas (if using) Prepare chutney and refrigerate. 1 day before the party: Pressure cook chickpeas or split peas if using those dishes. Marinate meat. Sauces like tikka masala and Korma can be made ahead (they taste richer the next day). Few desserts like Kheer, or Halwa, can be prepared a day ahead. If using frozen naan, transfer to refrigerator to defrost overnight. The Day of the party:Morning Prepare or assemble the entrees in the morning. Cool and refrigerate. Cut naan in half and wrap in aluminum foil, keep aside. Assemble the raita and refrigerate. 2 hours before the party Remove the food from the refrigerator and transfer to oven safe serving dishes. Final Hour Assemble and start cooking rice 30 minutes before the party. Warm up the food in a pre-heated oven at 275F for 20 minutes. This time may vary depending on your oven. Transfer halwa to an oven safe dish, and an hour before serving simply re-heat in a pre-heated oven at 275F for about 15-20 minutes, or until warm.
Checkout: More Indian Recipes for your Party
Tips for Hosting Any Dinner Party
Always use recipes that you have tried before. I choose popular and known menu items. They are more successful than the ones that are too regional, or people have never tried before. I stay clear of shell fish. In a large gathering, there are strong chances that someone is severely allergic to them (unless you get a green signal from your guests). If you have a party of 20, don’t cook every single entree for 20. In parties, people eat appetizers, plus there are more choices than one can eat, so unless you want to have a ton of leftovers, account for 70% of your headcount for each main dish. This above rule does not apply to Butter Chicken or Chicken Tikka Masala 🙂 These dishes are loved by kids and adults alike, so everyone takes a helping or two 🙂 For parties, I set up the dinner buffet-style. Even if I have seating for all, it is much easier to keep track and replenish items when food is in one central place. Don’t forget to setup an area for water and drinks.
What to Bring to a Diwali Party
Whenever I get invited to a Diwali Party, I always wonder what to take for the host.
Chances are, when you ask the host, most people decline and say something nice, like “oh, just bring yourself”, or ‘bring a good appetite’, but, it is polite to take a little something… a little gesture! Here are some options that are safe to take to a Diwali Party:
Box of chocolates, or, Indian sweets, if you have access to an Indian store or sweet shop. When picking Indian sweets, Besan ladoo (chickpea flour fudge), Burfi (milk fudge), and Kaju Katli (cashew fudge) are some popular choices. If you’re up to it, blow them away by making a simple dessert like Coconut Ladoo. Take some scented decorative candle sets, it is the festival of lights after all 🙂 Most of the Indian Diwali parties I have been to, serve alcohol. Check with the host and don’t be shy to take a good bottle of wine. If nothing else works, take a medium sized bouquet of flowers. I recommend not to take artifacts or decorative idols of deities.
What to Bring for an Indian Themed or Office Diwali Party
Here are some dishes that most people enjoy and are easy to carry to work. You don’t necessarily have to cook them. Check with any Indian catering shop and you’ll find plenty of choices:
Samosa or Samosa Chaat Kalakand/ Burfi Besan ladoo Rasmalai Indian dip and chips Vegetable Biryani Kheer Rava idli with coconut chutney
Popular Indian Recipe Collections
I hope you find these tips and sample menus useful. I would love to hear your feedback or any tricks that work for you. Simply comment below and we can all share our secrets to hosting the BEST Indian Dinner Party. Cheers! For more Quick & Easy recipes, JOIN ME on Facebook or Instagram, Youtube and Pinterest.
