Indian cuisine is known for its complex flavors and aromatic spices. Many classic Indian dishes rely on ingredients like ghee, yogurt, milk, and cream to create their signature taste and texture. However, with dairy allergies and intolerances becoming more common, more people are looking for ways to enjoy Indian food without the dairy. Luckily, there are many naturally dairy-free Indian dishes that are just as delicious.
What Makes a Dish Dairy Free?
A dairy-free diet completely excludes milk-based products like milk, butter, ghee, cream, yogurt, paneer, and cheese. When determining if an Indian dish is dairy-free, avoid anything prepared with:
- Milk
- Cream
- Butter
- Ghee
- Yogurt
- Cheese such as paneer or chhena
- Khoya or mawa
- Cream-based sauces like shahi gravy
If a dish uses coconut milk, nut-based milk like almond or cashew, or vegan yogurt or cheese substitutes, it can still be considered dairy-free. When dining out or purchasing pre-made dishes, check the ingredients list to ensure no dairy products are included.
Common Dairy-Free Indian Ingredients
Many staple Indian ingredients are naturally dairy-free, making it easy to adapt traditional recipes. Common dairy-free ingredients include:
- Vegetable oils like canola, coconut, mustard, sesame, or sunflower oil
- Nuts and seeds like almonds, cashews, peanuts, and pistachios
- Legumes like beans, lentils, and chickpeas
- Rice
- Vegetables like potatoes, cauliflower, okra, and spinach
- Fruits like mangos, bananas, and tomatoes
- Spices like cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, chilies, coriander, ginger, and garlic
- Herbs like cilantro, mint, fenugreek, curry leaves
- Grains like quinoa, rice, buckwheat, millet, sorghum
- Tofu and other meat substitutes
With these staple ingredients, it’s easy to adapt traditional Indian dishes to be dairy-free without sacrificing flavor.
Naturally Dairy-Free Indian Dishes
Many authentic Indian dishes are already dairy-free or can be made dairy-free by omitting ghee, milk, cream, or yogurt. Here are some classic Indian dishes that are traditionally dairy-free:
Dal
Lentil dals are a dairy-free Indian staple. Varieties like masoor dal, chana dal, toor dal, and moong dal are cooked with spices like cumin, turmeric, chilies, and garlic. Serve dal over rice or with roti.
Vegetable Curries
Curries made from vegetables like potatoes, cauliflower, okra, spinach, beans, peas, and tomatoes are dairy-free. They are cooked in vegetable oil and spiced with cumin, coriander, ginger, chilies, and garam masala.
Chana Masala
Chickpeas cooked in an aromatic sauce of onions, tomatoes, and spices like coriander, cumin, garam masala, ginger, and chilies. Serve chana masala with rice or roti.
Aloo Gobi
Potatoes and cauliflower cooked with turmeric, cumin, chili powder, and garam masala. It’s a flavorful vegan dish.
Baingan Bharta
Smokey mashed eggplant cooked with spices like mustard, cumin, and chili powder. Traditionally dairy-free and delicious.
Vegetable Biryani
Mixed vegetables layered with fragrant basmati rice, whole spices, herbs, and cooked “dum” style. Enjoy it dairy-free without ghee.
Vegetable Pakoras
Crispy vegetable fritters made by dipping chopped veggies like potatoes, onions, spinach, and cauliflower in a spiced chickpea flour batter and deep frying. Traditionally dairy-free.
Samosa
Savory, crispy pastries stuffed with spiced potatoes and peas. The pastry wrapper and filling are both dairy-free.
Idli
Fluffy, steamed rice and lentil cakes. Naturally vegan and perfect served with dairy-free sambar and coconut chutney.
Dosa
Crispy, thin crepes made from rice and lentil batter. Stuff them with spicy potato masala for a satisfying dairy-free meal.
Upma
Savory porridge made from semolina, spices, peas, carrots and other vegetables. Add coconut chutney for extra flavor.
Plain Rice
Steamed basmati rice, perfect for enjoying with dal, curries, and vegetables.
Roti/Chapati
Flatbreads like roti and chapati are traditionally dairy-free and ideal for dipping in curries and dals.
Tips for Making Indian Food Dairy Free
With a few substitutions and omissions, Indian dishes that traditionally contain dairy can easily be made dairy-free. Here are some tips:
- Use oil instead of ghee – For cooking, swap ghee for vegetable oils like canola, coconut, or sunflower.
- Skip the cream – Avoid pouring heavy cream over dishes like vegetable korma or makhani gravies. Opt for coconut milk or cashew cream instead.
- Substitute the yogurt – In marinades, raitas, and curries, replace dairy yogurt with plant-based yogurt made from soy, almond, or coconut.
- Omit the paneer – Skip the paneer in dishes like saag paneer or palak paneer. Swap in extra spinach or tofu instead.
- Skip khoya/mawa – Some sweets like gulab jamun and rasmalai use the dairy product khoya/mawa. Enjoy other dairy-free Indian desserts instead.
- Avoid dairy chutneys – Chutneys may be made with yogurt or cream. Opt for coconut chutney or cilantro and mint chutney instead.
15 Dairy-Free Indian Dishes to Try
Here are 15 phenomenal dairy-free Indian dishes to enjoy on a dairy-free diet:
1. Chana Masala
Chickpeas cooked in a delicious onion-tomato sauce, flavored with warming spices like coriander, cumin, ginger, and garlic.
2. Aloo Gobi
This classic dish combines potatoes and cauliflower cooked with turmeric, cumin, garlic, onion, tomatoes, and spices.
3. Vegetable Korma
Mixed vegetables simmered in a creamy coconut milk or cashew cream sauce flavored with spices like cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and chilies.
4. Dal Makhani
Hearty black lentils and kidney beans cooked slowly and enriched with aromatics like bay leaves, ginger, and cardamom. Serve with rice or roti.
5. Veg Biryani
Aromatic basmati rice layered with potatoes, carrots, peas, and spices like cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves. Cooked “dum” style.
6. Baingan Bharta
Smoky roasted eggplant mashed and cooked with onion, tomatoes, cumin, garlic, and chili powder.
7. Paneer Tikka Masala
Swap the paneer for extra chickpeas or tofu in this richly spiced curry of tomatoes, onions, garlic, ginger, and warming spices.
8. Navratan Korma
A medley of vegetables simmered in a creamy, coconut milk sauce scented with cloves, cardamom, cumin, coriander, and bay leaves.
9. Matar Paneer
Replace the paneer with extra peas to make this traditional dish dairy-free. Features peas and spices like cumin, coriander, turmeric, and garam masala.
10. Vegetable Samosas
Crispy, fried pastry shells stuffed with a spicy filling of potatoes, peas, and spices. Completely dairy-free and delicious.
11. Palak Paneer
Omit the paneer and double up on the spinach in this flavorful curry sauteed with garlic, ginger, tomatoes, and spices.
12. Shahi Paneer
Swap the paneer for extra vegetables in this rich curry made with cashews, almonds, spices, and coconut or dairy-free cream.
13. Malai Kofta
Replace the potato-cheese balls with baked potato and chickpea balls for an indulgent curry made with tomatoes, cashews, and spices.
14. Vegetable Pakoras
Chopped veggie fritters made from a lightly spiced chickpea flour batter. An addictive Indian snack.
15. Aloo Paratha
Flaky, buttery flatbread stuffed with a spicy potato filling. Swap ghee for olive oil when cooking.
5 Dairy-Free Indian Sides and Accompaniments
Enjoy these dairy-free side dishes, condiments, and breads alongside your favorite Indian mains:
1. Cucumber Raita
Cooling cucumber yogurt dip. Substitute dairy-free yogurt for a vegan version.
2. Spiced Roasted Cauliflower
Cauliflower tossed in oil, cumin, turmeric, chili, and garlic then roasted until caramelized.
3. Baked Onion Bhaji
Onion fritters with chickpea flour, rice flour, and spices. Baked instead of fried.
4. Roasted Eggplant
Eggplant slices seasoned with chili, garlic, and spices then oven-roasted.
5. Chapati
Whole wheat flatbread perfect for dipping in curries. Naturally dairy-free.
10 Dairy-Free Indian Desserts
Finish your meal on a sweet note with these delectable dairy-free Indian desserts:
1. Gulab Jamun
Traditionally milk-based doughnuts soaked in rosewater syrup. Enjoy dairy-free versions made with coconut milk.
2. Rasmalai
Substitute almond or soy milk ricotta for the traditional chhena in this dessert of ricotta balls soaked in sweet milk.
3. Carrot Halwa
Shredded carrots simmered in coconut milk or vegan condensed milk with nuts, raisins, cardamom and saffron.
4. Kulfi
Traditional Indian ice cream flavored with pistachios, cardamom, or rosewater. Enjoy dairy-free kulfi made with coconut or almond milk.
5. Besan Ladoo
These chickpea flour sweets are naturally dairy-free. Made from roasted chickpea flour, sugar or jaggery, ghee, and nuts.
6. Coconut Barfi
Coconut condensed milk fudge cut into diamonds and flavored with cardamom. Naturally dairy-free and perfect with tea.
7. Gulab Jamun Cake
Spongey vanilla cake soaked in rose syrup, mimicking flavor of gulab jamun without the dairy.
8. Badam Burfi
Almond fudge made from ground almonds, sugar, cardamom, and saffron. Dairy-free and irresistible.
9. Anjeer Barfi
These fig and walnut coconut milk fudge bars are naturally vegan and full of fruit flavor.
10. Gajar Ka Halwa
Carrots simmered in non-dairy milk and sweetened with jaggery, nuts, and spices. Serve warm or chilled.
Conclusion
From rich curries and dals to crispy pakoras, Indian cuisine offers endless options for those avoiding dairy. With so many naturally dairy-free dishes, as well as easy substitutions like oil for ghee or plant-based yogurt for dairy yogurt, you can still enjoy all the exotic flavors of India. Experiment with dairy-free versions of favorites like paneer dishes, korma, biryani, and gulab jamun for an authentic Indian meal without the dairy.
