Help keep One Green Planet free and independent! Together we can ensure our platform remains a hub for empowering ideas committed to fighting for a sustainable, healthy, and compassionate world. Please support us in keeping our mission strong.
Happy Holi to all our Indian friends! Holi is a festival of colors that marks the end of winter and the beginning of summer. It’s celebrated with joy by Indians across the world. People apply colors on each other, have fun with water balloons, share sweets, and perform rituals together.
There are so many delicious, plant-based recipes that are full of masala (Indian spices) that you should try on this occasion. Check out this list of our favorite vegan masala recipes, and let us know your favorite in the comments!
We also highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help you get healthy! And, don’t forget to check out our Masala Recipes Archives!
1. Mushroom Butter Masala
Source: Mushroom Butter Masala
If you’ve been to an Indian restaurant, chances are you’ve seen butter masala on the menu. It’s a rich and delicious gravy curry with a sauce made creamy through the addition of milk or cream and butter. This Mushroom Butter Masala by Kushi is a spicy, creamy, and delicious dish that is the perfect accompaniment for steamed rice, flatbread, or even dosas.
2. Tempeh Tikka Masala 
Source: Tempeh Tikka Masala
This Tempeh Tikka Masala by Brittany Mullins will leave you with all the comfort feels minus all the heavy feels. Make this delicious Indian dinner right in your own home.
3. Onion and Pepper Masala
Source: Onion and Pepper Masala
Bursting with flavor, this Onion and Pepper Masala by Kushi is a delicious and complex-tasting addition to any bowl of plain, white rice. It is spicy and savory, with layers of herbs and spices bringing out the best of the flavors of the vegetables. Use it as a side dish or paired with naan as an appetizer.
4. Chickpea Masala Curry
Source: Chickpea Masala Curry
This spicy, creamy Chickpea Masala Curry by Taryn Fitz-Gerald has a smoother sauce than the traditional chunky dish, which allows the texture of the chickpeas to stand out! This recipe won’t break the bank on top of being delicious, nutritious, and affordable. The best thing about curries, in general, is that they taste amazing, if not better the next day! So it’s great to cook a big pot of this and have the leftovers for lunch the next day. Dinner and lunch are sorted!
5. Masala Mushroom Bhuna: Indian Spicy Sauteed Mushrooms
Source: Masala Mushroom Bhuna: Indian Spicy Sauteed Mushrooms
This Masala Mushroom Bhuna: Indian Spicy Sauteed Mushrooms by Rinku Bhattacharya takes just 15 minutes to make, but it tastes like it has been slow-cooked for hours. It’s made using a slow-cooking technique called kasha or bhuna, which is cooking without water. This dish applies the same method without the wait time and the result is tender, spicy mushrooms that are ready to be served with rice or flatbread.
6. Portobello Chana Masala
Source: Portobello Chana Masala
Chana masala is one of the healthiest Indian dishes you can make. Because of the entree’s heavy use of chickpeas, it is a nutritional powerhouse, packed with fiber, protein, and potassium. This Portobello Chana Masala by Gin Butters takes traditional masala and puts a twist on it by adding mushrooms and peanut butter. Yum!
7. Tandoori Sweet Potato and Tofu Masala
Source: Tandoori Sweet Potato and Tofu Masala
This Tandoori Sweet Potato and Tofu Masala by Laura Grosch is the ultimate plant-based tandoori masala. Sweet potato and tofu are combined with aromatic ginger, garlic, and chili in a creamy, spiced yogurt sauce that is punctuated with a squeeze of lime juice. Then, it’s baked until fragrant and crisp and served with cardamom-scented basmati rice.
8. Red Lentil Tikka Masala
Source: Red Lentil Tikka Masala
Everything about this Red Lentil Tikka Masala by Kristen Genton is wonderful. The flavors are on point, the texture on point, the satisfaction on point … everything! Red lentils are cooked in a creamy, spicy sauce that will delight your palate and keep you full. Plus, it cooks in just 30 minutes! Such a delicious and filling meal––you have to try it!
9. Masala Oatmeal
Source: Masala Oatmeal
This Masala Oatmeal by Gunjan Dudani is perfect for brunch! This is such a cool recipe to share! It’s warming, spicy, and so hearty!
10. Tandoori Masala Mushroom Curry
Source: Tandoori Masala Mushroom Curry
This Tandoori Masala Mushroom Curry by Preeti Tamilarasan is brimming with wholesome vegetables. This particular recipe uses carrots, pumpkin, and bell pepper, but you can swap these for your favorites! The coconut milk and ginger-garlic paste give this Indian entrée a uniquely complex flavor. Serve this one hot and with plenty of roti to dip!
11. Tofu “Meatball” Masala
Source: Tofu “Meatball” Masala
This Tofu “Meatball” Masala by Jacinthe Vigneault is a perfect blend of Indian cooking and vegan food, it’s so full of flavor, you won’t believe it’s meat-free.
12. Zucchini Tikka Masala Curry
Source: Zucchini Tikka Masala Curry
Looking to add some flavor to your day? Try this Zucchini Tikka Masala Curry by Lorana. Made with zucchini, this recipe is perfect for the fall. Infused with onion, pepper, curry, garlic, and coriander, this recipe will thrill your taste buds. Best of all, it’s surprisingly easy to make!
13. Chili Masala Tofu Scramble
Source: Chili Masala Tofu Scramble
Scrambling tofu is a great way to recreate the taste and texture of scrambled eggs. It’s great as leftovers too! Eat this Chili Masala Tofu Scramble by Kinda Vegan, Adams Media in a sandwich for a brunch. Make some vegan pancakes, pour a fresh glass of almond milk…and you’ll be ready for anything.
14. Tofu Tikka Masala with Mushroom and Spinach
Source: Tofu Tikka Masala with Mushroom and Spinach
Blending what is essentially two amazing recipes into one, the result is the most delicious and mouthwatering Tofu Tikka Masala with Mushroom and Spinach by Dan Waters with mushroom and spinach, deep in flavor and rich in texture. This is a must for everyone that enjoys Indian cuisine.
15. Tandoori Masala Burger
Source: Tandoori Masala Burger
Ever crave two cuisines at the same time? Say… Indian and a burger? Well, this Tandoori Masala Burger by Maria Koutsogiannis is the perfect solution! Made from quinoa and chickpeas and flavored with all sorts of yummy Indian spices, you can enjoy the flavors of curry in hand-held burger form. Yum!
Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home!
Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental well-being, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health, and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, and prostate cancer, and has many side effects.
For those of you interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.
Here are some great resources to get you started:
For more Animal, Earth, Life, Vegan Food, Health, and Recipe content published daily, subscribe to the One Green Planet Newsletter! Lastly, being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing high quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
