Diwali dinner menu ideas: Five easy recipes to enjoy with your friends and family

Preparing a Diwali dinner feast could be a lot of work. Do not fret! We have got you covered with some easy dishes to impress your guests.

People across multiple cities in the United States are looking forward to hosting grand parties at their homes to celebrate Diwali this year. Just like selecting the right outfit for the occasion, another equally important thing to decide is what to include in your party menu. Your guests should be treated to some of the best traditional delicacies that are not just rich in taste, but also easy to make. Here are five recipes to feast on this Diwali:

Diwali dinner menu ideas: Five recipes to enjoy with your friends and family

Diwali 2025: Easy to make dishes for friends and family

Paneer Tikka

While tikkas are usually associated with chicken and mutton, you cannot underestimate the potential of their vegetarian variant, paneer. Since many Hindus are vegetarians, these quick tikkas are spicy and tangy, making them a must-have at Diwali parties.

You can prepare the marination and store it in a separate bowl. Freeze the marinated paneer and vegetables so that nothing much is left for the final evening.

Dice paneer, capsicum and onion into squares and marinate them with gram flour (besan), curd, chilli powder, mustard powder, turmeric, coriander powder, salt, ginger-garlic paste and dried fenugreek leaves.

Leave it in the fridge for an hour. Now, use a skewer to arrange the cottage cheese and vegetables and grill them in a pan, tandoor, or on the stove. Serve with the chutney of choice and enjoy.

Corn and Cheese Balls

The mouth-watering combination of corn and cheese is certainly loved by all. These make for an addictive snack and are an instant hit at any party.

Take a bowl and add boiled sweet corn, boiled potato, mozzarella cheese, ground black pepper, salt and oregano. Mix it all well.

Now, prepare a slurry of two tablespoons of corn flour and water, keeping the consistency of the batter a little thick. Prepare balls from the potato and cheese mixture, dip them in the slurry and coat them with breadcrumbs properly.

Do the coating twice if required. Deep fry and enjoy.

Beetroot Tikki

If you have health-conscious guests at your party, they won't be disappointed! Healthy beetroot tikkis are perfect for snacking separately or sandwiching between burgers.

Instead of breadcrumbs, you can use oats or flattened rice (poha) powder to make the dish a little healthier.

In a bowl, mix grated beetroot, grated paneer and boiled potatoes. Add finely chopped onions, cooked rice, salt, cumin powder, pepper, garam masala, amchur and chopped coriander. Mix everything properly.

Now, prepare a corn flour slurry and coat the tikkis with either oats powder and fry the tikkis using sunflower or refined oil. Serve hot with green chutney or ketchup.

Air fryer stuffed mushrooms

Mushroom lovers will certainly love this one. These crispy, juicy, and cheesy snacks are easily made in an air fryer and require fewer ingredients.

Take button mushrooms and remove their sticks to hollow them with the help of a spoon. Prepare the filling by adding grated garlic, cheese, finely chopped spinach, mozzarella cheese, butter, salt, black pepper and oregano.

Fill the hollow caps of the mushrooms with the filling, top it with mozzarella cheese. Air fry at 180 degrees for 8-10 minutes and it is all done.

Bread chat

This recipe is going to satiate the hunger of all chat lovers at your party. Consider this a cross-over between ‘sev puri’ and ‘dahi vada’ - famous dishes from India.

Add curd, sugar and milk in a bowl and whisk. Take two slices of white/brown/multigrain bread on a plate. Spread coriander and mint chutneys on the top of the slices.

Now, add boiled potatoes (cut into small cubes), chopped onions, grated carrots and the curd mixture. Drizzle more chutneys on top and garnish with ‘aloo laccha’ or sev of your choice.

FAQs:

When is Diwali 2025 in the US?

People across the United States will celebrate the festival of lights on October 20, 2025.

Is Diwali celebrated all over the world?

Yes, the major Hindu festival is observed in multiple cities around the world.

Where to celebrate Diwali in the US?

Multiple cities in the US, including New York and San Francisco, are hosting Diwali celebrations this year.