Looking for a list of Indian appetizers? You’ve come to the right place! These are my best-ever Indian Appetizers for a Party (25+ Vegetarian Recipes).
Explore incredible Indian flavours with my collection of Indian vegetarian appetizer recipes. They’re perfect for parties, potlucks, festivals and well… any celebration!
Not only are there loads of quick Indian starters for a crowd, there are also easy Indian starters to make ahead.
That means you’ll have more time with friends and family. You’ll even find plant-based options.
From Air-Fryer Samosas to the most mouth watering Paneer Tikka, there’s something for everyone.
Some of the most popular recipes in this list include Curry Pasta Salad, Hakka Noodles, Vegetable Manchurian and Tandoori Hasselback Potatoes – a Delicious Magazine favourite!
Indian Appetizers for a Party (25+ Vegetarian Recipes to Feed a Crowd)
Indian Appetizers for a Party (25+ Vegetarian Recipes)
Looking for a list of Indian appetizers for a party? You've come to the right place! Explore incredible Indian flavours with my collection of Indian vegetarian appetizer recipes that are perfect for parties, potlucks, festivals and well... any celebration! Not only are there loads of quick Indian starters for a crowd, there are also easy Indian starters to make ahead. That means you'll have more time with friends and family. From Air-Fryer Samosas to the most mouth watering Paneer Tikka, there's something for everyone.
Learn how to make the most delicious Tandoori Paneer Tikka, just like your favourite Indian restaurant! Pieces of paneer (cottage cheese), peppers and onions are first marinated in yoghurt and spices, and then skewered and grilled to smoky perfection. Serve with naan and mint yoghurt. Here's an easy to follow recipe and video.
Here's a delicious recipe for the crispiest air fryer samosas. You won't believe these lightly-spiced, vegetable parcels aren't deep fried! They're vegan-friendly too.
Feed a crowd with this vibrant and flavoursome Curry Pasta Salad. It's loaded with freshness, crunch and mild spices. The perfect Indian-inspired salad dish to serve alongside burgers, sandwiches and your favourite bbq dishes. This easy pasta salad recipe is so simple to make in batches for packed lunches, picnics and meal prep. Feel free to switch up the veggies to whatever you have in the fridge!
Try this easy recipe for golden fried mogo chips with hot chilli 'bomb sauce', Indian East African style. Mogo, also known as cassava or yuca is tasty and simple to make. Think of it as a more flavoursome and robust potato chip. The outside is so crispy it's almost flaky, and the inside is soft, with a starchy fluffiness. The bomb sauce is a spicy lemon butter with tonnes of flavour. Perfect for dipping. Serve as an appetizer, side dish or snack.
Golden Punjabi samosas drenched in refreshing pink yoghurt sauce and green chutney. The samosa chaat is topped with tender chickpeas, red onion, boondi pearls, sev and crispy spinach leaves before serving. Samosa Chaat is a total crowd pleaser; An Indian appetizer with incredible flavours and a vibrant finish.
Crispy paneer cubes wok-fried in a chilli and garlic sauce with crunchy peppers and onions. A real Indo-Chinese crowd pleaser and Indian restaurant favourite. This dish is perfect as an appetizer, or as part of a larger meal with rice or noodles.
Make the most of sweet, seasonal squash with this celebration of Indo-Chinese flavours. The crispy pumpkin wedges are tossed in a fiery chilli and garlic sauce.
My Pull-Apart Samosa Bread is packed with spicy vegetable samosa filling. If you’re craving those ever-popular Indian snacks, but want something a little out of the box for your next party, this is the recipe for you.
Crispy, spiced nuggets of okra served with a hot and spicy vegan mayo. Put the natural stickiness of okra to work by creating a "glue" for crunchy panko breadcrumbs and coconut. Fry or bake for a delicious, golden snack. Once you start, you won't be able to stop eating. Dip them in my Atomic Red Chilli Mayo for addictive heat!
Gyoza Bhajia are the ultimate Asian mashup when it comes to tasty vegetarian finger food. Crispy dumplings covered in a spicy bhajia batter.
Gujarati Handvo is a golden, fermented rice and lentil cake with vegetables and spices. Some call this delicious tea-time snack Ondhwo, but it has many different names.
Follow my video tutorial and make this easy Garlic Butter Khichu (Papdi no Lot) recipe. It's a delicious steamed rice flour snack from Gujarat, India.
A fragrant chilli crisp stir fry with tempura aubergines and homemade chilli oil. This is a flavour explosion, so serve it with plain, steamed Jasmine rice or noodles.
Inspired by India's royal kitchens, this Paneer Tikka is packed with chunks of grilled cottage cheese and apricots. Serve inside flaky saffron paratha, along with mint chutney and pink pickled onions.
A tasty 2-in-1 way to enjoy the Gujarati snacks Patra and Dhokla, together! A layer of tamarind-spiced colocasia rolls baked into spongy dhokla (khaman) batter. A tempering of spices goes on top and this snack is ready to slice and serve. Enjoy with your favourite chutneys for a light and flavoursome Indian snack at any time of day.
Hot and spicy Indian masala fries in restaurant-style Jalfrezi sauce. Big flavours! This makes for an amazing starter or side dish.
The only recipe you need to make a deliciously easy garlic bread! This simple garlic bread recipe is perfect for sharing. Use any type of flatbread or crusty loaf you have to hand. My favourite is to have it on Afghani Naan or French baguette. Top with cheese or keep it plain. It's delicious with gooey, melted mozzarella. Pro tip: Add a touch of fresh lemon zest for lemon and garlic bread.
XXL potato wedges with a crispy spice and rice coating. Serve these curry leaf-topped wedges with your favourite dips.
Crispy fried spinach leaves topped with a monsoon of Mumbai chaat favourites including masala yoghurt, red, green and tamarind chutneys, onions, tomatoes and crunchy sev. They get more addictive with every bite! If you're a lover of nachos, try this Indian-style chaat.
This Tandoori Stuffed Mushroom Tikka is filled with cheesy garlic and corn stuffing. Make a delicious tandoori marinade, skewer the mushrooms and grill for a smoky finish. A stunning appetizer.
Never underestimate the power of Masala Cheese Scones and a mug of hot tea. This casual comfort combo is my go-to for when I need a dose of nostalgia.
Make light work of preparing Indian samosas with this simple but show-stopping Giant Sharing Samosa. Stuff this super-size samosa with a classic combination of potatoes, peas and mixed spices.
Top with a mountain of Indian chaat favourites like crunchy sev, masala yoghurt, more onions, tomatoes, chaat masala and three kinds of chutney. I won’t even tell if you choose to sprinkle in some crushed crisps.
Flavour bomb incoming! For the ultimate Vegetable Manchurian, I toss crispy vegetable dumplings in a hot and garlicky Indo-Chinese sauce. It’s fiery, loaded with flavour and gives your favourite Asian restaurant a run for its’ money.
American Chinese takeout favourite General Tso's Chicken gets a vegetarian makeover with this Desi Chinese-inspired paneer (fresh cheese) version. Crisp-coated creamy paneer nuggets tossed in a sticky spicy, sweet and sour sauce.
These Easy Vegan Curry Puffs are light, flaky and perfectly addictive. They’re stuffed with Asian-style curried vegetables, soy sauce and coconut milk.
Indo-Chinese cuisine is a treasured part of India’s food culture. The Chinese immigrant community in India began centuries ago, and many Hakka settlers lay down new roots around the ports of Kolkata and Madras. The vibrant and flavoursome cooking of India’s Chinese communities has carved a place in all our appetites.
You can make many of these delicious Indian starters in the air fryer. Recipes for dishes like Paneer Tikka, Sesame Mogo Toast, Curry Puffs and Samosa Chaat are air fryer friendly Indian recipes.
If cooking Indian snacks in an air fryer, be sure to spray the food liberally with oil or coatings may burn before they have a chance to crisp up.
You may also need to reduce the cook time since air fryers cook food quite quickly.
Some of these ideas are great make-ahead appetizers. If you have a festival or special occasion coming up, try pre-making things like Popcorn Bhindi and Halloumi 65 and freezing for later.
This will really help you get ahead with your cooking.
Tell me your favourite Indian Party Snacks in the comments below! I’d love to know what you enjoy feasting on at parties.
I’ll choose some of the best ones and share the recipes!
Sanjana