Holi Recipes (40+ Holi Recipes Collection)

The festival of colours, Holi, is all about celebrating the spring season. We have a collection of the best Holi Recipes and expert planning tips to make your celebration memorable.

The Festival of Holi

Holi is one of the most popular Indian festivals after Diwali. It is also known as the festival of colours. It is mainly celebrated in North, Central, and Western India.

People play with colours and water, along with tons of good food in the company of family and friends.

The festival of Holi is all about welcoming the spring (Basant Ritu) and harvesting season in India. And like many other Indian festivals, food is an integral part of the Holi celebration.

My Tips For Hosting Holi Party

Festivals are a great time to unite, share good food and fun moments, and make memories.

As with any event, planning (or at least a little in advance) is the key to success.

Here’s a list of things to plan a perfect Holi party:

Party Theme: Holi is all about joy and colours, so choose a fun theme for the guest. A few popular ones are – the Bollywood theme, Banaras Ki Holi theme, colour-based themes, Chaat party theme, and so on.

Whatever theme you choose, remember that your food, music, and decor must revolve around the theme.

The theme gives your Holi party synchronization, makes menu planning much easier, and leaves a long-lasting impression on the guest.

Guest List & Invitations: Holi parties aren’t for the faint-hearted. This is an event that is going to bring out the wild child in everyone. So invite over fun-loving, like-minded people who won’t play spoilsport or pass judgemental comments.

You can design hand-written invites or make digital ones using mobile apps like Canva, Picasa, Keynote, etc. which have a lot of options for beginners to try their hand at designing.

Party Décor: Try to venture out of your comfort zone and pick up pieces that will lend a festive aura to the party. It doesn’t have to burn a hole in your pocket either – paper plates, disposable placemats, and cups with colourful prints are all very affordable and readily available at party shops, stationery stores, or even Amazon.

Some fun decor ideas for the Holi party:

Chalkboard menu or colourful poster announcing the menu
Paper plates and cups in striking colours/designs.
Buffet arrangement of chaat and drinks
Big bowls of colour/flower petals around the place so that multiple guests can reach in at once
Try to use organic and safe colours to celebrate the festival. Alternately, you can play with flower petals and organic mixes of sandalwood and fuller’s earth (Multani mitti) – these are great for the skin.
Fun/disposable sunglasses available for guest selfies

Party Music: There is no memorable Holi party without good music. Prepare the playlist well in advance, choose some fun Bollywood numbers to play (there are Holi playlists on Youtube as well), or have one person be the designated DJ for the day. The karaoke Holi party is also fun and interactive.

Must-Try Holi Recipes

Holi is all about good food. It is always best to keep the Holi party menu fun and hearty by adding classic favourites and fusion flavours. A potluck is also a great idea for the Holi party.

Prepare the pre-made snacks and thandai powder a few days in advance. Finish the prep work for other dishes a night before the party and put your partner in charge of the drinks station.

Here are 40+ Holi Recipes that you must try at home.

Holi Snack Recipes

Dilli Style Aloo Tikki Chaat is one of my favourite Holi recipes. Get Recipe

Aloo Tikki Chaat is a delicious Indian street food of crisp potato patties loaded with curd, chutney, and spices

side shot of moradabadi moong dal in a bowl

Serve Moong Dal Chaat as a lip-smacking vegetarian snack for Holi Party. Get Recipe

Papdi Chaat is a must-try Holi recipe. Get Recipe

aerial shot of dahi papdi chaat in a cream color ceramic platter

Side shot of bread basket chaat on a black tray.

Have you ever tried making chaat using bread? Try this Bread Basket Chaat. Get Recipe

Lobia Chaat is a delicious, healthy chaat recipe made with black-eyed peas (lobia) and vegetables. Get Recipe

Lobia Chaat With Toasted Peanuts, Pomegranate Seeds

Chinese Bhel or crispy noodle chaat is a perfect munching snack for Holi party. Get Recipe

Matar Chaat or Ghugni is a delicious vegetarian, one-pot Holi recipe. Get Recipe

aerial shot of paneer tikka skewers stacked on a vintage platter

This is the best restaurant-style Paneer Tikka Recipe made at home. Get Recipe

Gobi Tikka is one of the best ways to stuff yourself with the goodness of cauliflower. Get Recipe

side close up shot of gobi tikka in a black serving platter

side close up shot of kele ke kebab arranged in a platter

Serve Kele (banana) Ke Kebab with mint chutney and sliced onions for snacks. Get Recipe

Dahi Vada brings everyone so much joy that it would be criminal not to indulge in them on Holi. Get Recipe

Aerial shot of suji cutlet in a black tray with green chutney on the side.

Cheese Rava Cutlet is a delicious vegetarian snack made with suji (semolina). Get Recipe

Mixed Vegetable Cutlet is an all-time favourite teatime snack. Get Recipe

side shot of mixed vegetable cutlet along with ketchup in a bowl

Corn Paneer Cutlet in a Black Tray With Green Chutney Blur In The Background

Paneer Cutlet has a mouth-melting texture with a perfect crunch of corn kernels. Get Recipe

Potato Cheese Balls are a crisp, cheesy, and crunchy Holi party snack. Get Recipe

Side shot of stacked potato cheese balls in a frying basket.

Side shot of aloo bonda on a black plate.

These Cheese Batata Vada are the perfect Holi snack for a potato lover like me. Get Recipe

Serve mini Dal Samosa with a variety of chutneys as a delicious Holi snack. Get Recipe

Matar Kachori is more than just a snack, it’s a feeling of pure ambrosia.Get Recipe

This Mathri Recipe is super tasty, with a hint of crushed fenugreek leaves. Get Recipe

aerial shot of mathri stacked on a white platter

Nimki is always a favourite munching snack for the festive season. Get Recipe

Crisp and crunchy Aloo Pakora makes a perfect snack for Holi. Get Recipe

side shot of aloo pakora stacked on a platter with chutney

aerial shot of chilli bajji stacked on a brown wooden platter with tea, and chutney

Cheese-stuffed mirch pakoda or chilli bajji perfectly satisfies fried food cravings. Get Recipe

Whole Wheat Khasta Kachori stuffed with dal filling. Get Recipe

Corn Chaat is an easy and tasty snack for a Holi party. Get Recipe

Air Fryer Sweet Potato Chaat is a guilt-free snack. Get Recipe

side shot of sweet potato chaat served on a paper plate

aerial shot of crispy chana served on a white ceramic bowl

Crispy Chickpeas are a delicious, crunchy, and healthy snack. Get Recipe

Nothing can beat classic Peanut Chaat, when it comes to snacks for Holi parties. Get Recipe

aerial shot of peanut chaat in a white bowl

side shot of malai broccoli served on a ceramic platter

Broccoli Malai Tikka is a fantastic vegetarian snack for parties. Get Recipe

Spicy Murmura is one of the easiest pre-made Holi recipes. Get Recipe

aerial shot of spicy murmura on a silver bowl

Holi Drink Recipes

This Thandai Recipe will help you make super delicious thandai at home for Holi from scratch. Get Recipe

Paan Thandai is a chilled and refreshing flavour of the classic thandai. Get Recipe

Basundi is a traditional Indian sweet drink made with milk, dry fruits, and saffron. Get Full Recipe

This Aam Panna recipe is super simple to follow and requires less than 20 minutes. Get Full Recipe

Side shot of aam ka panna in a glass garnished with mint leaves.

A home brewed iced tea with orange flavor

Make a large batch of this Orange Iced Tea to quench thirst while celebrating Holi. Get Full Recipe

Mango Lassi is the perfect drink to make on the occasion of Holi. Get Full Recipe

A tall glass of Masala Chaas is a refreshing and fabulous digestive drink. Get Full Recipe

Virgin Mango Mojito is a refreshing non-alcoholic summer drink perfect for Holi festival. Get Full Recipe

side close up shot of badam milk in a glass mug

Badam Milk is an Indian drink made with almonds, milk, and sugar. Get Recipe

Instagram Famous Sugarcane Juice is indeed the best drink for a Holi party. Get Recipe

Holi Main-Course Recipes

aerial shot of murgh curry in a white bowl

If you are looking for a traditional Chicken Curry recipe for Holi, bookmark this one. Get Recipe

Mathura Style Aloo Ki Sabzi with poori is a popular main course choice for Holi party. Get Recipe

aerial shot of aloo ki sabzi with poori on a platter

Aerial shot of rajma chawal in a white ceramic bowl with sliced onion and lemon wedges

Who could resist the temptation of Punjabi Rajma Chawal on a festive occasion? Get Recipe

Delhi Style Chana Masala is perfect for dipping naan, poori, chapati, or jeera rice. Get Recipe

Aerial shot of Indian chole in an oval white serving bowl

Mutton Keema Curry is undoubtedly one of our favourite Holi recipes. Get Recipe

The simple and unique flavours of Punjabi Kadhi Pakora never fail to impress. Get Recipe

Kadhi Pakora is a gluten-free Indian curry prepared with gram flour and yogurt (curd).

The combination of Matar Kulcha is a must-try at the festival of Holi. Get Recipe

Dhaba Style Matar Paneer with naan will take your Holi celebration up a notch. Get Recipe

If you are bored of paneer makhani then Soya Chaap Tikka Masala is the perfect Holi Recipe for you. Get Recipe

Pahadi Style Potato Fry will add great variety to your Holi menu. Get Recipe

aerial shot of aloo gutka in a cast iron skillet

Vegetable Pulao is a perfect one-pot meal for a large gathering. Get Recipe

Rajasthani Kadhi is a perfectly comforting main course for a Holi party. Get Recipe

aerial shot of soya chaap masala in a kadhai

Punjabi Soya Chaap Masala — the ultimate vegetarian comfort food. Get Recipe

This Chicken Pulao is easy to make and big on flavours. Get Recipe

An Indian thali meal for festivals is a testament to the grandeur of our heritage and rich food culture.

If you want a festive Indian thali meal idea, try my 10 Indian festival Thali Meals.

The festive menu is different from the everyday Indian meal. It is rich, and indulgent, mainly including regional dishes and traditional recipes.

aerial shot of Indian festival thali meal

Holi Dessert Recipes

Gujiya is a traditional Indian sweet made on the festival of colours – Holi. Get Recipe

aerial shot of phirni in a wooden bowl garnished with nuts and saffron

Serve Phirni chilled for a delicious Mughlai style Holi dessert. Get Recipe

The Kesar Pista Kulfi is the best way to beat the heat while enjoying Holi. Get Recipe

Aerial shot of two kesar pista kulfi on a black tray filled with crushed ice.

aerial shot of nariyal laddo in a stainless steel round plate

Instant Coconut Ladoo is the tastiest and easiest dessert for Holi. Get Recipe

You will be surprised to know that only 5 – ingredients are required to make this Paneer Kheer. Get Recipe

Side shot of mango ice cream scoops in a white serving bowl.

This 3 Ingredient Mango Ice Cream is always a super hit at my Holi party. Get Recipe

Makhana Phirni Parfait is the most stylish and elegant Holi recipe. Get Recipe

side close up shot of phirni parfait in a glass

A bowl of chilled Mango Shrikhand will never fail to impress your guest on Holi. Get Recipe

These homemade jalebis will remain crisp for hours and taste delicious. Get Recipe

side close up shot of jalebi in a black platter

Mint Pineapple Popsicles are topping the flavour chart on Holi. Get Recipe

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter or follow us on Instagram for video recipes.