If you cook plant-based food at home, Indian cuisine is one of the best places to start.
Lentils, beans, vegetables, spices, rice, and flatbreads already form the backbone of so many traditional dishes.
With a good vegan Indian cookbook, you can move beyond the same three curries and start building a wider rotation of weeknight dinners, packed lunches, and family meals that actually feel satisfying.
For busy households, having a reliable cookbook on the shelf makes a real difference. Instead of scrolling for recipes, you can turn to trusted methods, flavour combinations that work, and clear instructions that help you build confidence over time.
The books we’ve shared below are all fully vegan. Each one offers something slightly different, from homestyle classics to modern Instant Pot cooking.
1. Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen
Richa Hingle, the blogger behind Vegan Richa, brings her experience of growing up with Indian food into this well-known vegan Indian cookbook.
In Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen, she shares traditional flavours adapted carefully for a fully plant-based kitchen, covering everything from dals and curries to flatbreads, snacks, and desserts.
This is a strong choice for home cooks who want authentic flavour without feeling overwhelmed, and it’s one of the first we bought when we started exploring more plant-based recipes.
The recipes are approachable but still grounded in regional Indian cooking. If you’re looking for one book that offers a wide range of plant-based Indian recipes in one place, this is a reliable starting point.
2. Vegan Richa’s Instant Pot Cookbook
Richa Hingle turns her attention to pressure cooking in Vegan Richa’s Instant Pot Cookbook, adapting Indian flavours specifically for the Instant Pot and similar appliances.
The book includes dals, biryanis, bean dishes, and spice-forward mains designed to cook efficiently without sacrificing depth.
It’s especially useful for busy households that rely on batch cooking or need dependable weeknight meals.
If time is limited but you still want proper flavour and variety, this format makes plant-based Indian cooking far more manageable.
3. The Indian Vegan Kitchen
Madhu Gadia, a physician and longtime advocate of plant-based living, draws on traditional homestyle cooking in The Indian Vegan Kitchen.
Born and raised in India, she brings lived experience of regional food traditions while adapting recipes to suit a fully vegan lifestyle.
You’ll find staples such as dals, vegetable curries, chutneys, and breads that reflect familiar family meals rather than restaurant-style dishes.
This book suits cooks who want a straightforward, practical approach to Indian food at home.
It leans into simple techniques and dependable recipes that can easily become part of your regular meal rotation.
4. The Essential Vegan Indian Cookbook
Priya Lakshminarayan, a food blogger and recipe developer known for sharing vegetarian and vegan Indian recipes online, brings her home-cooking style to The Essential Vegan Indian Cookbook.
The book focuses on plant-based Indian meals designed for everyday kitchens, drawing from both North and South Indian influences and including gluten-free options.
It’s a good fit for beginners who want structure and clear guidance. The recipes are laid out in a way that helps build confidence, especially if you’re still learning how to balance spices and textures in Indian cooking.
5. Plant-Based India
Dr. Sheil Shukla, an internal medicine physician and lifelong vegetarian raised in a Gujarati family, blends cultural heritage with a whole-food, plant-based approach in Plant-Based India.
The book draws from regional Indian traditions while often reducing oil and focusing on nourishing ingredients without compromising flavour.
This works well for readers who are interested in health-focused cooking rooted in authentic Indian food culture.
It’s particularly helpful if you’re looking to cook meals that support long-term wellbeing while still feeling satisfying and familiar.
6. Zaika: Vegan Recipes from India
Romy Gill, a British-Indian chef who has worked in professional kitchens and frequently appears in food media, shares her interpretation of plant-based Indian cooking in Zaika: Vegan Recipes from India.
The book brings together regional dishes adapted for a fully vegan kitchen, including curries, rice dishes, breads, and street food-inspired recipes.
It’s a strong option for cooks who want variety and slightly more contemporary presentation.
If you’re comfortable with the basics and ready to broaden your range, this one offers plenty to work with.
7. Veganbell’s Indian Vegan Cookbook
Neelam Pokhrel, the creator behind Veganbell.com, shares her approachable plant-based take on Indian home cooking in Veganbell’s Indian Vegan Cookbook: 90 Easy, Plant-Based Recipes from India.
Drawing on her experience developing recipes for real home cooks, this book covers a wide range of dishes, from comforting dals and curries to rice plates, breads, and desserts.
The recipes are designed to be accessible, with step-by-step instructions and straightforward ingredients, making them ideal for cooks who want uncomplicated plant-based Indian meals.
If you’re slowly building your spice collection and prefer clear guidance, this book keeps things practical and achievable.
8. Vegan Indian Cooking: 140 Simple and Healthy Vegan Recipes
Anupy Singla, founder of the Indian As Apple Pie cooking school and author of several Indian cookbooks, adapts traditional Indian recipes for a fully vegan kitchen in Vegan Indian Cooking.
Many of the dishes focus on lentils, vegetables, and rice-based meals that work well for batch cooking and family dinners.
It’s particularly useful for households looking for dependable staples they can rotate through the week.
The emphasis stays on consistency and home-style cooking rather than restaurant-style complexity.
9. The Vegan Indian Cookbook for Beginners
Caterina Milano puts together an entry-level collection in The Vegan Indian Cookbook for Beginners, as part of the Caterina Milano Cookbooks series.
The focus is on learning the basics through 50+ plant-based recipes, with a mix of classic curries, sides, mains, and desserts.
This one is best for newer cooks who want a gentle starting point and simple techniques they can repeat.
If you’re trying to get comfortable with Indian flavours without taking on anything too complicated, it’s designed to keep things clear and achievable.
Final Thoughts
We’ve included some of our favorite vegan Indian cookbooks above, but the best option for you will depend on how you cook at home and how confident you are in the kitchen.
If you want one comprehensive guide rooted in tradition, Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen or The Indian Vegan Kitchen are strong foundations. If speed matters, the Instant Pot version can make Indian meals feel far more manageable during the week.
For families trying to expand beyond basic curries, these books offer structure, variety, and clear guidance.
A good cookbook helps you move from repeating the same dishes to building a reliable rotation of plant-based Indian meals that everyone can enjoy.
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