From rich flavours to vibrant colours and aromatic spices, Indian cuisine provides variety in every dish. Whether a person is a fan of spicy curries or sweet desserts, Indian foods have it all.
In this blog, we will discuss some of the best Indian food dishes, diving a little bit into what makes them so popular.
So let’s get started!
The Top 10 Best Indian Dishes in 2025
1. Balti Butter Chicken
2. Vegetable Samosa
3. Basmati Biryani
4. Garlic Naan
5. Gulab Jamun
6. Zafrani Paneer Tikka
7. Tandoori Chicken
8. Lamb Rogan Josh
9. Mango Lassi
10. Palak Paneer
The Most Popular Indian Dishes
1. Balti Butter Chicken
Balti Butter Chicken, or Murgh Makhani, is Balti Indian Restaurant’s signature dish. It is also one of the most popular Indian dishes hailing from Delhi-known around the world for its creamy and mildly spiced curry made with marinated chicken in a tomato-based sauce. Enmeshed in butter and cream, it has tender chicken with this luscious sauce that makes it so popular among hundreds of thousands of Indian food lovers.
2. Vegetable Samosa
These heavenly appetizers are crispy on the outside and stuffed with a spiced mixture of potatoes, peas, and aromatic spices. They are essentially triangular pastries deep-fried to perfection, usually served with tamarind or mint chutney. Samosas could take the lead among the popular street foods in India and is an equally popular starter around the world.
3. Basmati Biryani
Basmati Biryani is a fragrant rice meal cooked in spices with meat or at times just vegetables. As it was a delicacy devised during the Mughal era, it is simply perfect—a combination of flavours and textures all packed into one serving. With variants of different regions available all across India like Hyderabadi Biryani, Lucknowi Biryani, and Kolkata Biryani, biryani easily becomes one of the most popular dishes in Indian restaurants.
4. Garlic Naan
Garlic Naan is definitely an absolute scene-stealer in Indian cuisine. This light flatbread, soft at the core, finds its way into the tandoor (clay oven) and comes out only to be spread with garlic and butter. Its taste and texture are such that it complements any curry or spicy kebab or even a tandoori dish while being eaten together. Interestingly, garlic is also one of the major reasons why Indian food is so spicy.
5. Gulab Jamun
No Indian meal is ever well-rounded without some sweetness to finish it off, and Gulab Jamun just happens to be one of the most beloved Indian desserts. These soft, deep-fried dough balls are soaked in a fragrant sugar syrup flavoured with cardamom and rose water. Light in texture and steeped in sweet, aromatic-flavoured syrup, that is what gulab jamun stands for to so many who love desserts.
6. Zafrani Paneer Tikka
Zafrani Paneer Tikka is a creamy, aromatic vegetarian recipe of marinated paneer cubes grilled, baked or charred to a smoky perfection. The marinade, which includes yogurt and other seasonings, gets soaked well into the paneer to give it rich flavours. Generally, paneer tikka is served with mint chutney and is a great appetizer or even a main course for some!
7. Tandoori Chicken
One of the popular dishes in Indian cuisine, tandoori chicken is made by marinating chicken in yogurt mixed with spices and then baking it in a tandoor, a traditional clay oven. The effect attained will be juicy, flavorful chicken imbued with a smoky flavour. Served with naan, or Indian flat bread, and mint chutney, it is the perfect tandoori meal for all meat lovers out there.
8. Lamb Rogan Josh
Lamb Rogan Josh is a flavourful and fragrant lamb curry that hails from Kashmir. This curry preparation features rich gravy made with yogurt, tomatoes, and a blend of spices that attributes the deep red colour to it, using Kashmiri red chillies. Rogan Josh happens to be one of the famous Indian dishes as it is both filling and palatable.
9. Mango Lassi
Mango Lassi is a refreshing and popular drink from India, made with ripe mangoes, yogurt, and a touch of cardamom. Creamy and sweet, it is a drink that soothes when the mercury shoots up, and it agrees very well with spicy Indian dishes. The creamy texture from the mix of mango and yogurt is simply delicious and quite frankly, irresistible!
10. Palak Paneer
Palak Paneer, is a delicacy of Indian cottage cheese and spinach, especially for vegetarians. The soft and chewy pieces of paneer go well with velvety spinach sauce flavoured with garlic, ginger, and various spices. Many Indian families enjoy this healthy yet flavoursome dish as a staple food. It is usually eaten with naan or rice.
Conclusion
From creamy curries to spicy snacks and sweet desserts, the list of Indian dishes is sure to raise anyone’s curiosity. The Indian dishes mentioned above perfectly showcase how rich the heritage of food is in India and how versatile the use of spices and ingredients really is—the uniqueness and taste of Indian foods lie in their differences.
So whether you are just looking to start eating Indian food or are simply tired of the same old dishes every time out, these top 10 Indian dishes should help you get started. Can’t wait to try? Order it online for delivery or takeaway, or give our Indian Restaurant in Whitby or our Indian Restaurant in Niagara Falls a visit.