10+ Quick and Easy Indian Dinner Recipes for Busy Weeknights

If you’re looking to spice up your dinner routine, you’ve come to the right place. This collection of quick and easy Indian dinner recipes will help you prepare flavorful meals without spending hours in the kitchen. Indian cuisine offers a variety of dishes that are not only tasty but also simple to make after a long day.

These recipes are perfect for busy weeknights when you want something delicious without the hassle. With a few staple ingredients and some straightforward steps, you can bring the vibrant flavors of India into your home, impressing your family and friends with ease.

Butter Chicken

Butter chicken is a delicious and creamy dish that’s easy to make at home. It’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner. You can serve it with rice or naan for a complete meal.

To prepare butter chicken, you will need chicken, tomato sauce, cream, butter, and spices. The dish is rich in flavor and very satisfying.

First, cook the onions and spices in a skillet until they soften. Then, add the chicken and cook until it’s no longer pink.

Next, pour in the tomato sauce and cream, and stir until everything is well combined. Let it simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors.

This recipe cooks up in about 20-30 minutes, making it a great choice when you’re short on time.

Ingredients

• 1 pound (450 grams) chicken, diced
• 1 cup (240 ml) tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• Spices (like garlic, ginger, and curry powder)

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat (350°F or 175°C).
2. Cook onions until soft.
3. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink.
4. Stir in tomato sauce and cream.
5. Simmer for 10 minutes, then serve warm.

2) Paneer Tikka Masala

Paneer Tikka Masala is a delightful Indian dish that is perfect for a quick and easy dinner. This dish features paneer, a type of fresh cheese, cooked in a spiced tomato sauce. You can serve it with rice or naan.

To make this recipe, you’ll first need to prepare the marinade for the paneer. Use yogurt and spices like cumin, coriander, and garam masala. Soak the paneer cubes for a few minutes before cooking.

After marinating the paneer, cook it in a pan with some oil until golden. Then, prepare your sauce by sautéing onions and adding tomatoes. Blend until smooth and combine with the cooked paneer.

Enjoy the rich flavors of this dish. It’s sure to be a favorite at your dinner table.

Ingredients

• 250 grams paneer
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon oil
• Salt to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Marinate the paneer in yogurt and spices for 20 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat (350°F or 180°C).
3. Cook the marinated paneer until golden.
4. Sauté chopped onions until translucent.
5. Add chopped tomatoes and cook down.
6. Blend the sauce until smooth and mix with the paneer.
7. Simmer for a few minutes and serve hot.

3) Chana Masala

Chana Masala is a delicious and simple Indian dish made with chickpeas. It’s packed with flavor and can be ready in about 30 minutes. You can enjoy it with rice or flatbreads like naan.

To make Chana Masala, gather your ingredients. You’ll need chickpeas, onion, garlic, ginger, and spices like cumin and garam masala. This dish is healthy and perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.

Cooking this dish is straightforward. Start by sautéing the onion, garlic, and ginger. Then, mix in the spices and cook for a minute. Finally, add the chickpeas and simmer. It’s tasty and filling!

Ingredients

• 2 cups chickpeas (canned or cooked)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 inch ginger, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons oil
• Fresh cilantro for garnish

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat (350°F / 175°C).
2. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened.
3. Stir in garlic and ginger; cook for 1 minute.
4. Add cumin and garam masala; stir.
5. Mix in chickpeas and simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Serve hot, garnished with cilantro.

4) Aloo Gobi

Aloo Gobi is a delicious and comforting Indian dish made with potatoes and cauliflower. This vegan curry is simple to prepare and perfect for a weeknight meal. It features aromatic spices that add great flavor.

To start, gather fresh cauliflower and potatoes. You can use cumin seeds to enhance the taste. Cooking this dish in a pan with some oil helps to make it rich and satisfying.

You can serve Aloo Gobi with basmati rice or naan bread. This makes it a versatile option for your dinner table. Chopped cilantro adds a fresh touch as a garnish.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cauliflower florets
• 2 medium potatoes, diced
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• Salt to taste
• Chopped cilantro for garnish

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat (350°F/175°C).
2. Add cumin seeds and fry until golden.
3. Stir in onion and sauté until soft.
4. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook for a minute.
5. Mix in the potatoes and cauliflower.
6. Add turmeric, garam masala, and salt. Stir well.
7. Cover and cook for 15–20 minutes until vegetables are tender.
8. Garnish with cilantro before serving.

5) Dal Tadka

Dal Tadka is a comforting and flavorful Indian dish made with lentils. It’s quick to prepare and perfect for a weeknight dinner.

Start by cooking lentils until they are soft. You can use moong dal or pigeon pea lentils. Once cooked, mash them slightly for a creamy texture.

The next step is to make the tadka. Heat ghee or oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, garlic, and chopped onions. Sauté until golden. You can also add tomatoes and spices for extra flavor.

Pour the tadka over the cooked lentils. You can mix a little or leave it swirled for a beautiful presentation. Garnish with fresh coriander before serving.

Serve your Dal Tadka with steamed rice or soft chapati for a delightful meal.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dal (lentils)
• 2 tablespoons ghee or oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• Spices (like turmeric, salt, and chili powder)

Cooking Instructions

1. Cook lentils until soft.
2. Heat ghee or oil in a pan.
3. Add cumin seeds, garlic, and onions. Sauté until golden.
4. Add tomatoes and spices, cook briefly.
5. Pour the tadka over the lentils and mix gently.
6. Garnish with coriander and serve.

6) Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer is a popular Indian dish made with fresh spinach and paneer cheese. It’s packed with nutrients and flavor, making it a perfect choice for a quick and easy dinner.

Start by boiling spinach until it wilts. Drain it and let it cool. Then, blend the spinach into a smooth paste.

In a pan, heat some oil or ghee, and sauté onions until soft. Add garlic and spices like garam masala for extra flavor.

Next, mix in the spinach paste and add cubed paneer. Cook everything together for a few minutes until the paneer absorbs the flavors. Serve it hot with naan or rice.

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 1 cup paneer, cubed
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons oil or ghee
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• Salt to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Boil spinach in water until wilted.
2. Drain and blend into a smooth paste.
3. Heat oil in a pan and sauté onions until soft.
4. Add garlic and spices, cooking for 1 minute.
5. Stir in the spinach paste and cubed paneer.
6. Cook together for 5 minutes and serve hot.

7) Chicken Vindaloo

Chicken Vindaloo is a flavorful dish that brings a spicy kick to your dinner table. It’s perfect for anyone who loves bold flavors. You can make it in under an hour, making it a great weeknight option.

Start by creating a vindaloo paste with ingredients like red chilies and spices. Marinate your chicken pieces in this mix for a richer taste.

Once marinated, cook the chicken in a hot pan until it’s tender. You can serve it with rice or naan for a complete meal.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs (800 grams) chicken, cut into pieces
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1 onion, diced
• Vindaloo paste (made with red chilies, garlic, ginger, vinegar, and spices)
• ¾ to 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp turmeric

Cooking Instructions

1. Prepare the vindaloo paste by blending red chilies, garlic, ginger, and vinegar.
2. Marinate the chicken with the paste, salt, and turmeric for at least 30 minutes.
3. In a pot, heat 1 Tbsp oil and sauté the diced onion until soft.
4. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 20-25 minutes until tender. Serve warm.

8) Rogan Josh

Rogan Josh is a flavorful Indian curry that you can quickly make at home. It typically features a rich mix of spices and is known for its warm, comforting sauce that pairs perfectly with rice or naan.

To start, prepare your choice of meat, usually cut into bite-sized pieces. Whole spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves add depth to the flavor.

You can have this dish ready in under an hour. It’s great for busy weeknights and impresses anyone you serve it to.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or lamb)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-inch piece ginger, grated
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Whole spices (cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaves)
• Ground spices (paprika, ground coriander, cumin)
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• Salt to taste
• Fresh cilantro for garnish

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
2. Add whole spices and sauté for a minute.
3. Add chopped onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook until golden.
4. Stir in the ground spices and cook for another minute.
5. Add meat and brown on all sides.
6. Pour in tomatoes and season with salt.
7. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.
8. Serve hot, garnished with cilantro. Enjoy your meal!

9) Baingan Bharta

Baingan Bharta is a delicious and smoky Indian dish made with roasted eggplant. You will love how simple it is to prepare and how full of flavor it can be.

To start, you roast the eggplant until it is tender. You can do this over an open flame or in the oven at 400°F (200°C). Once cooked, peel it and mash it.

Next, sauté onions, tomatoes, and spices in a pan. Mix the mashed eggplant with this flavorful mixture. Serve it hot with rice, chapati, or naan for a complete meal.

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2-3 green chilies, chopped
• Salt to taste
• Spices (cumin, coriander, garam masala)

Cooking Instructions

1. Roast the eggplant over an open flame or in the oven at 400°F (200°C) until soft.
2. Peel and mash the roasted eggplant.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions; sauté until golden.
4. Add tomatoes and green chilies; cook until soft.
5. Mix in the mashed eggplant and spices; stir well.
6. Cook for a few minutes and serve hot.

10) Fish Curry

Fish curry is a delicious and quick meal you can make for dinner. The combination of fish with flavorful spices makes it a favorite for many. You can use any white fish, but options like cod or tilapia work very well.

Start by preparing your ingredients. Chop some fresh tomatoes and herbs like coriander. You’ll want to gather a good curry paste to give your dish a bold flavor.

In a large pan, heat some oil over medium heat. Add the curry paste and tomatoes, stirring until the mixture smells fragrant. Then, add the fish, cooking it gently until it’s cooked through, about 4 to 6 minutes total.

This dish is perfect with rice. Serve your fish curry warm, topped with fresh coriander for an extra touch.

Ingredients

• 1 lb (450 g) white fish (cod or tilapia)
• 1 tablespoon curry paste
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• Fresh coriander, for garnish
• 1 tablespoon oil

Cooking Instructions

1. Prepare the ingredients: chop tomatoes and coriander.
2. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.
3. Add curry paste and tomatoes. Cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add fish. Cook for 4-6 minutes, until done.
5. Serve with rice and garnish with coriander.