One-Pot Indian Recipes: 25 Easy Meals with Minimal Cleanup

Delicious Indian Meals in Just One Pot

One pot, maximum flavor, minimal cleanup! These 25 authentic Indian recipes cook everything together - from biryani to khichdi. Perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, or when you hate doing dishes. Easy cooking starts here! 🍲

Why One-Pot Cooking Works

• 🧹 Easy cleanup: Just one pot to wash
• ⏰ Time-saving: Everything cooks together
• 🌶️ Flavor fusion: Spices blend perfectly
• 💰 Energy efficient: One burner only
• 👨‍🍳 Beginner-friendly: Simple techniques
• 🍱 Meal prep ready: Make large batches

Essential One-Pot Spices

• Garam Masala - All-in-one flavor
• Turmeric - Base spice
• Cumin Seeds - Tempering essential
• Biryani Masala - Complete blend
• Pav Bhaji Masala - Ready mix

25 One-Pot Indian Recipes

Rice & Lentil Combos

1. Khichdi - The Ultimate One-Pot

Time: 25 mins | Serves: 4

Rice + moong dal + turmeric + garam masala

Perfect for: Sick days, comfort food, easy digestion

2. Vegetable Biryani

Time: 45 mins | Serves: 6

Rice + vegetables + biryani masala

Get kit: Complete Biryani Spice Kit

3. Chicken Biryani (One-Pot)

Time: 50 mins | Serves: 6

Chicken + rice + biryani masala + yogurt

Layered: All in one pot, dum cooking

4. Pongal

Time: 30 mins | Serves: 4

Rice + moong dal + cumin + black pepper

South Indian: Comfort breakfast or dinner

5. Pulao (Vegetable)

Time: 30 mins | Serves: 4

Rice + mixed veggies + garam masala

Aromatic: Whole spices, one pot

Dal Dishes

6. Dal Tadka (One-Pot)

Time: 30 mins | Serves: 4

Toor dal + turmeric + cumin tadka

Protein: 18g per serving

7. Dal Makhani (Slow Cook)

Time: 4 hours | Serves: 6

Black lentils + garam masala + cream

Set it: Forget it, one pot magic

8. Sambar

Time: 35 mins | Serves: 4

Toor dal + vegetables + turmeric

Complete meal: Protein + veggies

9. Rajma (Kidney Beans)

Time: 40 mins | Serves: 4

Kidney beans + garam masala + tomatoes

Sunday favorite: Serve with rice

10. Chole (Chickpeas)

Time: 35 mins | Serves: 4

Chickpeas + chole masala

Get it: Weekend Cooking Combo

Curries

11. Chicken Curry (One-Pot)

Time: 35 mins | Serves: 4

Chicken + chicken masala + tomatoes

Rich gravy: All in one pot

12. Paneer Butter Masala

Time: 25 mins | Serves: 4

Paneer + tomato gravy + garam masala

Creamy: Restaurant-style

13. Aloo Gobi

Time: 25 mins | Serves: 4

Potato + cauliflower + turmeric + garam masala

Dry curry: Perfect with roti

14. Mixed Vegetable Curry

Time: 30 mins | Serves: 4

Seasonal veggies + garam masala

Versatile: Use any vegetables

15. Egg Curry

Time: 20 mins | Serves: 4

Boiled eggs + garam masala gravy

Quick protein: Easy weeknight meal

Pasta & Noodles (Indian Style)

16. Masala Pasta

Time: 20 mins | Serves: 4

Pasta + veggies + garam masala

Fusion: Kids love it

17. Vegetable Hakka Noodles

Time: 15 mins | Serves: 4

Noodles + veggies + garam masala

Indo-Chinese: One wok wonder

Soups & Stews

18. Tomato Soup (Indian)

Time: 20 mins | Serves: 4

Tomatoes + cumin + black pepper

Comforting: Perfect for cold days

19. Rasam

Time: 25 mins | Serves: 4

Tamarind + tomatoes + black pepper

Digestive: South Indian soup

20. Kadhi

Time: 30 mins | Serves: 4

Yogurt curry + turmeric + cumin

Tangy: Serve with rice

Breakfast One-Pots

21. Upma

Time: 15 mins | Serves: 4

Semolina + cumin + veggies

Quick breakfast: Filling and healthy

22. Poha

Time: 12 mins | Serves: 4

Flattened rice + turmeric + peanuts

Light: Perfect morning meal

23. Vermicelli Upma

Time: 15 mins | Serves: 4

Vermicelli + cumin + veggies

Quick: Kids' favorite

Special One-Pots

24. Pav Bhaji

Time: 30 mins | Serves: 4

Mixed veggies + pav bhaji masala

Mumbai street food: One pot wonder

25. Keema Pulao

Time: 40 mins | Serves: 4

Minced meat + rice + garam masala

Complete meal: Protein + carbs

One-Pot Cooking Tips

• 🥘 Heavy-bottomed pot: Prevents burning
• 🔥 Layer properly: Dense items at bottom
• 💧 Right water ratio: Not too much or too little
• 🌶️ Quality spices: Fresh garam masala makes difference
• ⏰ Don't peek: Keep lid closed while cooking
• 🧂 Season in layers: Add spices at different stages

Best Pots for Indian Cooking

• 🍲 Pressure cooker: For dals, rice, beans
• 🥘 Dutch oven: For curries, biryanis
• 🍳 Kadhai: For dry curries, stir-fries
• 🫕 Instant Pot: Modern one-pot solution

Meal Prep with One-Pot Recipes

Sunday Batch Cooking:

• Make 3 one-pot dishes
• Portion into containers
• Refrigerate 4-5 days
• Freeze extras for 2-3 months

Best for freezing:

• Dal Makhani
• Rajma
• Chole
• Chicken Curry
• Vegetable Biryani

Get Your One-Pot Spice Collection

Complete kit: Festival Special Pack - ₹999

Starter: Indian Spice Starter Kit - ₹399

Biryani: Biryani Spice Kit - ₹599

Weekly One-Pot Meal Plan

Monday: Khichdi
Tuesday: Vegetable Biryani
Wednesday: Dal Tadka + Rice
Thursday: Chicken Curry
Friday: Chole
Weekend: Pav Bhaji or special biryani

The Bottom Line

One-pot cooking is the ultimate hack for busy people who love good food. With quality spices from Phoran, every one-pot meal tastes restaurant-quality!

Ready to simplify cooking? Get our complete spice collection! 🍲