10 Recipes for a Festive Diwali Dinner

Welcome guests into your home with this easy and sweet masala chai recipe with hints of cardamom, ginger, and rose water. It can be served hot or iced and tastes amazing both ways. Make it dairy-free with oat milk.

Chana chaat is a snack that layers chickpeas, potatoes, tomatoes, and onions with zippy chutneys and yogurt. This no-cook recipe takes just 20 minutes to put together and the impressive final product is colourful and filling.

What’s Diwali without samosas? Just the thought of crisp, savoury, fried samosas is enough to make our mouths water, but they can also be a lot of work to get right – especially the dough. This baked, puff pastry version brings you all that good flavour in a delicious package that’s much easier to prepare.

Like samosas, pakoras are also an ever-present snack at Diwali. These deep-fried veggies can be made in large or small batches based on the size of the group you’re feeding. Pakoras are a tasty appetizer, a perfect accompaniment for tea or cocktails, or great on their own. Serve with a bright and fresh cilantro chutney for bright flavour.

An iconic Indian street food, the Bombay sandwich can be made vegan and still be packed with spicy flavour. It’s also the perfect snack to make for a group — double this recipe, or even triple it, and serve up the sandwiches as halves that can be grabbed and eaten by hand. 

Another popular street food, these chicken malai tikka rolls are a burst of herby, tangy flavours. The smoky, yogurt-marinated chicken is rolled in chutney and nestled inside a warm paratha.

This nutritious pulao recipe is a great option if you’re looking for something less snack-y and more filling — and it’s gluten-free and vegan! Fragrant spices dress up this comforting dish of rice and vegetables. Serve with raita and onions for even more texture and flavour.

This Caribbean staple is brushed with butter and can be paired with curries and stews for a heartier Diwali meal. Don’t forget to shake the roti to give it some texture, and serve hot!

This classic South Indian dish of marinated chicken in a spicy, warming tomato sauce is perfect for a dinner party. Though this dish is usually paired with rice or dosa, you could serve it up with the roti shared above.

This recipe will make 20 sweet, cooling mango lassi popsicles — the best way to follow up the hot and spicy snacks you’ll be eating all Diwali. It requires only 15 minutes of active prep time but a few hours to freeze, so make it the night before you have company!