Diwali 2025: 4 vegetarian dishes to add to your festive menu for guilt-free indulgence

To spread this year’s festivities, Vegetarian Snacks are coming to the forefront, like interesting spins on traditional sweets or high-end gourmet dishes. But all of them promise gastronomic excitement while also being cruelty-free.

Also read: Diwali 2025: 4 special lighting hacks to make the festive atmosphere cozy

We’ve created 4 chef-approved snack recipes that are vegan that you can add to the menu, ensuring that every guest feels welcome, no matter their dietary restrictions.

1. Gram Flour Laddu Rochers

Recipe: Pooja Masurkar, chef and culinary innovator, founder of Pause in Mumbai

A. Gram flour laddu base-

Material:

• Gram flour (gram flour) – 60 grams
• Khandsari sugar – 40 grams
• Water – 50 grams
• Cashew butter – 20 grams
• Cardamom powder – ⅛ tsp (a pinch)
• Nutmeg powder – ¼ tsp
• Vegetarian butter – 10 grams

Method:

• Roast the gram flour slowly until it becomes dark golden brown and nutty.
• Heat sugar and water in a separate pan until the sugar melts completely.
• Mix syrup and vegan butter with roasted gram flour.
• Add cashew butter and spices, mix well until smooth and combined.
• After resting (4 hours or overnight), divide into balls of ~20 grams.
• Place a hazelnut in the center of each, roll smooth, cling-wrap, and freeze for an hour before glazing.

B. Chocolate Glaze-

Material:

• Dark Chocolate (70%) – 80 grams
• Neutral oil – 10 grams
• Cocoa butter – 20 grams
• pinch of salt
• Roasted chopped hazelnuts – 50 grams

Method:

• Melt the chocolate and cocoa butter gently.
• Mix oil and salt until smooth and shiny.
• Stir in roasted hazelnuts.
• Temper before coating – glaze the chocolate completely and snap by cooling to ~31°C and heating slowly.

Final Touch:

• Once glazed, allow the Rochers to set until the chocolate hardens and catches the light with a soft glow.

2. Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse

Recipe by Chef Shreyas Bhatt, Culinary Director of Gaia in Bengaluru

Material:

• Silken Tofu – 200 grams
• Soya milk – 50 grams
• Vegetarian Dark Chocolate – 200 grams
• Brown sugar – 50 grams (optional)

Method:

• Blend tofu and soy milk in a blender with brown sugar until smooth
• Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave or over a hot water bath.
• Add the melted chocolate to the blender along with the whipped tofu and blend until smooth.
• Pour the mixture into a mold of your choice or in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.
• Serve with sea salt, extra virgin olive oil, roasted pistachios, macerated figs and berry coulis.

3. Coconut Pudding with Blueberry Compote, Salty Crunch and Rose Cookies

Recipe by Chef Karan Upmanyu, chef and partner of Parttu in Bengaluru

Material:

• coconut pudding
• Coconut milk – 400 grams
• Coconut water – 350 grams
• Coconut Cream – 200 grams
• Lemon peel – 20 grams
• Kaffir lime leaves – 10 grams
• Lemongrass – 10 grams
• Galangal – 3 grams
• Agar-agar – 4 grams
• Coconut pulp (chopped) – 300 grams
• Blueberry Compote (or any berries of choice)
• Blueberries – 440 grams
• Kaffir lemon – 6 grams
• Brown sugar – 60 grams
• Orange zest – 4 grams
• Lemon juice – 4 grams
• Sherry vinegar – 10 grams (instead of any fruit vinegar)
• Salted Coconut Crunch
• Sugar – 250 grams
• Flour – 250 grams
• Fresh Roasted Coconut – 250 grams
• Coconut oil – 250 grams
• Salt – 8 grams
• Rose Cookies (readily available at hot chip shops or bakeries)
• Rice flour (fine) – 166 grams
• Sugar – 15 grams
• Coconut milk – 30 grams
• Salt – 1 gram
• Oil – 2 grams
• Sesame seeds – 3 grams
• Water – 5 grams

Method:

A. Coconut pudding

• Combine coconut milk, coconut water and coconut cream in a saucepan.
• Add lemon peel, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass and galangal. Boil for 5-7 minutes on low flame to enhance the taste.
• Strain the mixture to remove the aroma.
• Return the poured liquid to the pot, add the agar-agar and continue whisking on medium heat until dissolved (2-3 minutes).
• Fold in the shredded coconut pulp.
• Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate for 2-3 hours until set.

Bee Blueberry Compote

• Combine blueberries, brown sugar, and sherry vinegar in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Add citrus zest and lemon juice.
• Cook gently until berries break down and mixture thickens to jammy consistency (8-10 minutes).
• Cool completely before using.

C. Salted Coconut Crunch

• Preheat the oven to 160°C.
• Mix flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add roasted coconut.
• Add melted coconut oil and mix until evenly coated.
• Spread on a parchment-lined baking tray.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp.
• Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

D. Rose Cookie

• Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl until smooth and lump-free; The batter should coat the back of the spoon.
• Heat oil in a deep frying pan and preheat the rose cookie iron.
• Dip the hot iron halfway into the batter, then immediately lower it into the hot oil.
• Stir gently until the cookies separate and turn golden brown.
• Drain on paper towels and cool completely.

to assemble

• Top the set coconut pudding with a tablespoon of blueberry compote.
• Sprinkle cooled salted coconut crunch on top for texture.
• Delicately place a rose cookie on top.
• Optional garnish: edible flowers, micro mint, or a drop of reduced blueberry syrup.

4. Vegetarian Tres Leches with Rose Petals and Pistachios

Recipe created by Chef Suresh Kumar, founder of Marcelli in Bengaluru

Material:

A. for cake

• 1½ cups flour
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup plant milk (almond, soy, or oat)
• 1 teaspoon apple vinegar
• ½ cup neutral oil (such as sunflower or canola)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

B. to soak (“three milks”)

• ½ cup vegan condensed milk (coconut based or oat)
• ½ cup full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream
• ½ cup plant milk of choice
• 1 teaspoon rose water (optional but recommended)

C. For topping

• 1 cup vegan whipped cream
• 2 tbsp ground pistachios
• 2 tbsp edible rose petals

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8×8 inch baking pan.
• Make vegan buttermilk: Combine plant milk and vinegar; Leave it like this for 5 minutes so that it settles a little.
• Prepare the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add oil, vanilla and buttermilk mixture; Stir gently until smooth.
• Bake: Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes.
• Soak: In a separate bowl, whisk together the triple milk and rose water. Poke small holes all over the cake with a fork, then slowly pour the milk mixture evenly over the top. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight, to allow the cake to absorb the liquid.
• Finish and serve: Spread whipped cream over cooled cake, then sprinkle with pistachios and rose petals. Serve chilled.
• Chef’s Tips: Use food-grade rose petals and pure rose water for the best aroma. A little goes a long way. To enhance the nutty flavor, add 1-2 tablespoons of finely ground pistachios to the batter. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; The texture improves upon resting.