Here's a collection of Easy Holi Recipes to celebrate this festival of colors. These sweet and savory Indian vegetarian recipes include drinks, snacks, easy lunch dishes, and desserts that can be made ahead of time with minimal effort.

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What is Holi?
Holi marks the passing of winter and the arrival of spring and harvest season. Based on the lunar calendar, it typically falls in the month of March.
Holi is often referred to as the festival of color, and it signifies the triumph of good over evil. We celebrate it with a bonfire the previous night (Holika Dahan), followed by playful festivities in the morning (Rang Wali Holi).
Out of all the Indian festivals, Holi is my absolute favorite! We spend the day with family and friends, an assortment of bright colors, water balloons, and endless fun.
And since no Indian festival is complete without a variety of finger-licking good food, I am sharing some of the most popular Holi snacks, sweets, and drinks recipes.
From fragrant milk called Thandai, and lip-smacking good Dahi Bhalla, to sweet empanadas called Gujiya, I've got you covered for all your cravings!
I hope you enjoy these recipes. On behalf of the Spice Cravings Team, I wish all the readers a happy Holi!
Drinks Recipes
Thandai Powder
Thandai Recipe
Jaljeera - Cumin Spiced Indian Lemonade
Mango Lassi
Nimbu Pani / Shikanji (Indian Lemonade)
Jal Jeera Mojito | Indian Spiced Mojito Cocktail
Popular Sweets & Dessert Recipes
Baked Gujiya (Baked Indian Dessert Empanadas)
White Chocolate Bark with Indian Sweets
Rasmalai Tiramisu
Easy Kalakand Recipe
Easy Rasmalai Recipe
Khoya Gujiya (Deep Fried)
Carrot Burfi
Besan Ladoo Recipe - Microwave & Stovetop
Coconut Ladoo (Nariyal Ladoo)
Badam Burfi
Kulfi Ice Cream (No-Churn Indian Ice Cream)
Rava Laddu (Rava Ladoo)
Carrot Halwa | Gajar Halwa
Badam Halwa
Instant Pot Moong Dal Halwa (Indian Lentil Pudding)
Easy Kheer (Rice Pudding) Recipe
Badam Halwa in Instant Pot
Mango Cheesecake Recipe
Indian Milk Cake Recipe
Easy Kalakand Recipe
Suji Halwa | Sooji Halwa
Holi Snacks
Samosa Recipe - Air Fryer, Fried & Baked
Dahi Bhalla (Dahi Vada)
Samosa Chaat
Aloo Tikki
Samosa Chaat Phyllo Cups
Pigeon Peas Dip | Matar Chaat in Instant Pot
Bombay Masala Toast (Grilled Vegetable Sandwich)
Samosa Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers
Pinwheel Samosa
Air Fryer Chickpeas (& Oven-Roasted)
Curry Puff Recipe
Holi Lunch Menu
Since everyone ends up spending the morning playing Holi with friends and family, easy one-pot meals are a norm for lunch.
I focus on heavy snacks and a variety of sweets along with a simple main course for lunch. In this section, I include easy and satisfying meals that I serve buffet style.
1. Chole Bhature
Punjabi Chole in Instant Pot (Tangy Chickpeas Curry)
Bhatura Recipe (Indian Fry Bread)
2. Sarson Saag & Makki Roti
Sarson Ka Saag | Spiced Mustard Greens
Makki ki Roti (Spiced Corn Flatbread)
3. Pav Bhaji
Pav Bhaji
4. Aloo Tikki Burger
Aloo Tikki Burger
5. Paneer Pizza
Tandoori Paneer Naan Pizza
6. Vegetarian Biryani Recipes
Easy Instant Pot Vegetable Biryani Recipe
Egg Biryani
Achari Paneer Biryani
7. Kadhi Chawal
Punjabi Kadhi Pakora
8. Paneer Wrap
Paneer Kathi Roll (Paneer Frankie)
Frequently Asked Questions
Fried or sweet and spicy snacks are often the highlight in holi menu. These include Samosa, Chaat, Pakora or Dahi Bhalla (Dahi vada).
Depending on region, Gujiya, Kheer, Rasmalai and Kalakand are popular sweet recipes that people make on Holi.
Dahi Bhalla, also known as Dahi Vada is a must-have on holi. These are lentil fritters that are soaked in seasoned yogurt, then garnished with tamarind and cilantro chutney, and other toppings like sev, cilantro and pomegranate arils. All over the north, people have slight variations in how they make this delicacy.
If you've watched Bollywood movies with Holi songs, you might think white is the official color of holi 🙂 In reality, you can wear anything that you're willing to get color on and let go since once it's stained with all the colors, there's no recovery 🙂
I hope you enjoy this collection and have a wonderful Holi celebration with your loved ones. If you try any of these recipes, leave a comment below or share them on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest by including #spicecravings in your message!
Madhavi says
Beautiful & Colorful collection for Holi. I want to try the pinwheels and the jalapeno poppers. Looks so good.
Aneesha says
Thank you Madhavi, I hope you enjoy both! I'd love to hear your feedback!