Here is a comprehensive list of popular Indian curries that are easy to spot on restaurant menus, and even easier to make at home. Get all your curry questions answered, with plenty of recipes to inspire you.

Curry is a staple dish that has taken the world by storm.
While curry exists in all parts of the world, from Thailand to Japan to the United Kingdom, today's focus is on some of the Best Indian curries. These are the ones you are going to spot on Indian restaurant menus.
Classic, refined, and always delicious, it's a deep dive into Indian curry recipes. Let's get started!
Interested in learning more about curry? Check out What is Curry, What Curry Tastes Like, and How to Thicken Curry.
Popular Types of Indian Currys
Most homestyle north-Indian curries start with a master sauce known as onion tomato bhuna masala. It is used as a base for dal (lentils), legumes, chicken, and vegetables.
Here is a breakdown of the most popular Indian curries:
- Tikka Masala: in this famous dish, grilled pieces of meat (tikka) are simmered in a creamy onion-tomato gravy (masala).
- Makhani: a dish in which meat or vegetables are simmered in a rich tomato sauce, and finished with heavy cream.
- Korma: Meat or vegetables are braised in yogurt, cream, or a nut-paste-based sauce.
- Saag: saag is a generic term used for curried greens such as spinach, mustard greens, or collards, that form the base of the curry.
- Vindaloo: an adaptation of the famous Portuguese dish 'carne de vinho d'alhos' in which meat is marinated with dried chiles and vinegar.
- Jalfrezi: an Anglo-Indian infusion, jalfrezi (hot fry) is a dish of either chicken, fish, paneer, or vegetable stir-fry.
- Dhansak: dhansak is a sweet and sour dish made with meat, lentils, and vegetables.
- Rogan Josh: rogan josh is an aromatic meat dish from the Kashmiri region, made with red meat, and Kashmiri red chiles.
- Sambar: also known as 'Sambaar', this South Indian lentil stew is made with Toor dal (split pigeon peas) and vegetables.
- Dal: also spelled 'Daal', 'Dhal', or 'Dahl', this is a naturally vegetarian curry made with dried pulses, lentils, beans, and dried peas.
Best Indian Curry Recipes
If you are looking for an Indian chicken curry recipe or any other homemade version, I have got you covered with plenty of meat and vegetarian options.
The following are my favorite, and most popular, Indian curry recipes on the blog:
Chicken, Meat & Seafood
Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken Curry Recipe in Instant Pot
Butter Chicken: Authentic & Easy Murgh Makhani in the Instant Pot
Chicken Korma- Instant Pot | Stove
Chicken Saag (Chicken Spinach Curry) | Palak Chicken
Chicken Vindaloo
Keema Matar - Instant Pot | Stove
Kadai Chicken (Chicken Karahi)
Creamy Lamb Korma
Instant Pot Mutton Curry | Goat Curry
Coconut Fish Curry
Coconut Chicken Curry
Dhaba Style Keema
Vegetable & Paneer Curries
Creamy Vegetable Korma
Saag Aloo
Paneer Butter Masala | Paneer Makhani
Saag Paneer | Palak Paneer in Instant Pot
Homemade Matar Paneer (Mutter Paneer) - Instant Pot & Stove
Paneer Tikka Masala in Instant Pot
Chilli Paneer (Dry & Gravy)
Kadai paneer
Punjabi Kadhi (Yogurt & Gram Flour Curry)
Legumes & Lentils
Chana Saag (Curried Chickpeas and Spinach)
Chana Masala
Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas Curry - Lobia
Punjabi Chole in Instant Pot (Tangy Chickpeas Curry)
Rajma Recipe - Rajma Masala
Chana Dal in Instant Pot
Kala Chana in Instant Pot
Dal Palak / Spinach Dal in Instant Pot
Dal Makhani
Green Moong Dal
Moong Dal
Dal Tadka | Dal Fry
Instant Pot Sambar (Lentils & Vegetable Stew)
I hope you found one of your favorite curries in this collection. Be sure to bookmark it for later. And if there's a curry that you'd like to see added to this collection, simply comment below and let me know.
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Paul says
Can’t find the Dhansak recipe
Aneesha says
Hi Paul, Dhansak recipe is in the Curry Cookbook which is available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3iXjtUM. I hope you enjoy it!