Skip to content
Open menu Close menu

Feed your appetite for cooking with Penguin’s expert authors

10 Delicious Diwali Recipes

by Rachel Deeley

published on 9 November 2023, last updated on 17 October 2025

The Festival of Lights is an important time to celebrate new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil, as well as gathering with loved ones to mark the occasion with delicious food.

Ahead of the main day of celebration, we’ve rounded up some of the best recipes for cooking, sharing, and feeding a crowd this Diwali – from crispy, savoury snacks like murukku, samosas, and bhajis, to classic sweet treats such as burfi and gulab jamun.

Murukku

Murukku

This simple snack recipe uses just a few ingredients to create a deliciously savoury and moreish party staple.

Spiced Elephant Foot Yam Diwali Recipe

Spiced Elephant Foot Yam – Suran Masala

by Camellia Panjabi

Ideal for serving as part of a celebratory meal, this vegetarian dish combines the nutty, earthy flavours of elephant foot yam with a warming masala blend.

Paneer Butter Masala Recipe

Paneer Butter Masala

by Maunika Gowardhan

As Curry author Maunika Gowardhan says, “celebrating Diwali is all about feasting on delicious curries and this recipe is the perfect crowd pleaser. It’s veggie and the flavour from fenugreek, chilli and saffron all come through in the gravy. No Diwali dinner at my home is complete with this recipe. If you want to impress your guests, this needs to be on the menu!”

Leek, Pea and Mint Samosas

Leek, Pea and Mint Samosas

Meera Sodha’s light and fresh take on the humble veg samosa is perfect for feeding a crowd.

Asma Khan’s Aloo Bonde

by Asma Khan
from Ammu

These potato-based Indian street food snacks are crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and quick and easy to whip up for guests.

Baked Onion Bhajis (pyaz ke pakore)

Baked Onion Bhajis (pyaz ke pakore)

Crispy and light, this baked alternative to traditional onion bhajis pairs beautifully with a cooling raita or sweet and sticky mango chutney.

Lamb Raan

Lamb Raan

If you’re looking to serve a feast centrepiece or roast with a twist, look no further than this leg of lamb marinated overnight in a warming mix of spices.

Sweets for Diwali

shahi tukda recipe

Shahi Tukda

by Anurag Aggarwal

Flavoured with saffron, cardamom, honey and milk, these decadent sweets are made with crunchy sweetened bread and topped with pistachios and (optional) gold or silver leaf, making them the perfect celebratory edible gift.

Rukmini Iyer's Coconut Burfi

Coconut Burfi

Rukmini Iyer’s three-ingredient take on a classic Indian sweet is fudgy, indulgent, and packed with coconut flavour.

Gulab Jamuns in Saffron Syrup

Gulab Jamuns in Rose Syrup

Drenched in a delicate yet decadent rosewater syrup, these pistachio-topped milk donuts are the ultimate sweet treat.

Share

You might also like


View all

Recipe Collections

8 must-try Ottolenghi pasta recipes

9 simple and delicious pasta recipes from Ottolenghi for week-day suppers and weekend entertaining.

Recipe Collections

New and classic Mary Berry recipes you’ll love from Mary 90

It would be an understatement to say that Dame Mary Berry has influenced the way we cook. With a career spanning decades, dozens of books, and countless TV appearances, the...

Recipe Collections

10 recipes you’ll love from Vegetables: The Indian Way by Camellia Panjabi

As the bestselling author of 50 Great Curries, and culinary director of restaurants including Amaya, Chutney Mary, Masala Zone, and Britain’s oldest Indian restaurant Veeraswamy, Camellia Panjabi is one of...

newsletter

Subscribe to The Happy Foodie email newsletter

Get our latest recipes, features, book news and ebook deals straight to your inbox every week