Opening an Indian menu for the first time can feel like reading a novel in a language you half know, especially when it is packed with popular Indian dishes you have heard of but never tried. There are dozens of curries, a whole section of breads, and names that sound alike but taste completely different. Which ones are actually worth ordering?
We have been cooking for Amsterdam for more than 20 years at our family-owned Indian restaurant in the Jordaan, and we watch the same dishes win people over night after night. So we put together our list of the most popular Indian dishes every food lover should try at least once, with a little background on each and a few tips on how to order them.
If you want the deeper history of India’s regional cooking, our guide to the best dishes of India covers curries, biryani and street food in more detail. This post is more practical: what to order, what to pair it with, and how to build a great meal.
1. Samosa
Every good Indian meal starts with something crispy, and among popular Indian dishes, the samosa is where most people begin. Britannica describes it as probably the best-known snack in South Asia, a triangular pastry with a crisp shell and a spiced filling.
Ours are filled with mixed vegetables and served with chutney. If you are sharing with friends, add onion bhajee or paneer pakora to the table. Our guide to samosas, pakoras and onion bhajis explains how the starters differ.
Try it if: you want an easy, crowd-pleasing start to the meal.
2. Tandoori Chicken
Tandoori chicken is the dish that made the clay oven famous. Britannica explains that tandoori cooking uses a cylindrical clay oven heated by charcoal, with meat marinated in yoghurt and spices before it goes in.
The result is smoky, charred at the edges and juicy inside, with no heavy sauce. From our tandoor you can also order chicken tikka, lamb tikka, seekh kebab, fish tikka and tandoori prawns, or try the mixed grill if you cannot choose. Vegetarians can go for tandoori paneer tikka. Read more about our authentic tandoori food in Amsterdam.
Try it if: you prefer bold, grilled flavours over creamy curries.
3. Butter Chicken
If one curry has converted more people to Indian food than any other, it is butter chicken. Its story is usually traced to the Moti Mahal restaurant, which opened in Delhi after 1947, according to Chowhound.
In our kitchen, the chicken is cooked in the tandoor first and then finished in a rich, creamy sauce with almond slices and Indian spices. It is mild, comforting and a safe first choice for anyone nervous about heat. We have a full guide on where to find the best butter chicken in Amsterdam.
Try it if: it is your first Indian meal, or you simply want comfort food.
4. Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken tikka masala often sits right next to butter chicken on the menu, and plenty of guests ask us about the difference. According to Wikipedia, it is roasted, yoghurt-marinated chicken in a creamy, tomato-based sauce, and its exact origin is still argued over. Several restaurants in Glasgow claim to have created it, and in 2001 the UK Foreign Secretary Robin Cook famously called it a true British national dish.
Wherever it started, it is now one of the most ordered Indian restaurant dishes in Europe, and it is a regular favourite with our guests too. Not sure which one suits you? Our comparison of butter chicken vs chicken tikka masala breaks it down.
Try it if: you like a slightly tangier, more tomato-forward sauce than butter chicken.
5. Lamb Rogan Josh
For lamb lovers, rogan josh is a must. Wikipedia notes that it comes from Kashmir, where it is one of the main dishes of the wazwan, the region’s traditional multi-course feast. Its deep red colour comes from Kashmiri chillies rather than fierce heat.
Our lamb rogan josh is a medium-hot curry cooked with tomato. If you want to explore the rest of our lamb dishes, including lamb kurma, lamb saag and balti gosht, take a look at our guide to lamb curry in Amsterdam.
Try it if: you want depth of flavour with a moderate kick.
6. Korma
Korma is the gentlest curry on most Indian menus. The name comes from the Hindi-Urdu word for braising, and the dish was cooked in the Mughal court kitchens, according to Wikipedia. Meat or vegetables are simmered slowly with yoghurt and spices into a thick, mild and aromatic sauce, often enriched with nuts or cream.
We make it with chicken tikka, lamb, king prawn, fish and mixed vegetables, so everyone at the table can find a version they like. To see how korma compares with hotter curries, read our guide to korma, madras and vindaloo.
Try it if: you love creamy flavours and want almost no heat.
7. Palak Paneer
Palak paneer is one of the most popular Indian dishes for vegetarians, and it proves that meat-free cooking is anything but a side note. Wikipedia describes it as cubes of paneer, an Indian cheese, in a thick sauce of pureed spinach cooked with onion, tomato, ginger, garlic and spices such as cumin and garam masala. Palak simply means spinach.
It is fresh, earthy and filling, and it pairs perfectly with garlic naan. On our menu you will also find paneer butter masala, paneer makhani and matter paneer if you want to keep the paneer theme going. Paneer is a dairy product, so if you have an allergy, read our guide to eating Indian food with dairy, gluten and nut allergies first and always tell your server.
Try it if: you want a vegetarian main that holds its own against any meat curry.
8. Chana Masala
Chana masala is a chickpea curry from northern India, cooked in a spicy, tangy sauce built on onions and tomatoes, as Food and Spice explains. Chana means chickpeas, and masala refers to the spice blend.
It is hearty, packed with flavour and naturally free of meat, which makes it one of the dishes we recommend to vegan and vegetarian guests. Ask your server which of our vegetable dishes can be made vegan. Chana masala comes from the same Punjabi kitchen tradition as many of our favourites, which we explore in our guide to Punjabi food and its regional roots.
Try it if: you want something plant-based, filling and full of spice.
9. Biryani
Of all the popular Indian dishes on this list, biryani might be the most loved. In India it was the most ordered dish on the Swiggy delivery app for the tenth year in a row in 2025, with 93 million orders, as reported by Storyboard18.
Unlike plain rice, a biryani is a complete meal, with spiced meat or vegetables layered through fragrant basmati rice. We serve chicken tikka, lamb tikka, lamb, king prawn and vegetable biryani, each with raita on the side to cool things down.
Try it if: you want a full meal in one dish, perfect for takeaway too.
10. Naan
No list of popular Indian dishes is complete without naan. Baked against the hot walls of the tandoor, it is soft, blistered and made for scooping up sauce. Britannica lists filled versions such as keema naan, stuffed with spiced lamb, and the sweet Peshawari naan among the classics.
We bake plain, butter, garlic, onion, cheese, kulcha, keema and Peshawari naan, plus roti and paratha. If the bread section of the menu confuses you, our guide to naan, roti, paratha and kulcha explains the difference.
Try it if: you are ordering any curry at all. Trust us.
How to Order Popular Indian Dishes as a Balanced Meal
The best way to enjoy Indian food is to share. For two people, we usually suggest:
- One starter to share, such as samosas or onion bhajee
- Two different curries, one mild (like korma or butter chicken) and one with more heat or a vegetable base (like rogan josh or palak paneer)
- One rice dish, either pilau rice or a biryani
- One or two naans, because there is always sauce left over
Most of our dishes can be cooked from mild to very hot, so just tell us how much heat you like. If you would rather not choose at all, our set menus pair starters, mains, rice and naan in one go. Our guide to set menus vs individual dishes helps you decide.
Want to know what separates a genuine kitchen from a generic curry house? Read our 10 signs you are dining at an authentic Indian food restaurant, or browse more posts on North Indian food.
Taste These Popular Indian Dishes in Amsterdam
You do not need to fly to Delhi or Kashmir to try every dish on this list. At Shah Jahan, we cook vegetarian, vegan and meat dishes with fresh ingredients, traditional spices and our own family recipes, just as we have for more than two decades.
Visit us at our cosy Indian restaurant in Amsterdam, or stay in and order online for takeaway and delivery. Craving a quiet night on the sofa? Here is why Indian takeout is always a good idea.
- Address: Eerste Anjeliersdwarsstraat 18, 1015 NR Amsterdam (Jordaan)
- Phone: 020 624 0122
- Email: info@shah-jahan.nl
Contact us to book a table. We look forward to cooking for you.
FAQs About Popular Indian Dishes
What are the most popular Indian dishes to try first? Butter chicken, chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken, biryani and naan are the dishes most first-timers love. Add a samosa to start and you have a complete introduction.
Which Indian dishes are not spicy? Korma and butter chicken are the mildest choices on most menus. At Shah Jahan, most dishes can also be adjusted from mild to very hot.
What are the best vegetarian Indian dishes? Palak paneer, chana masala, tarka dal, vegetable biryani and paneer tikka from the tandoor are all excellent vegetarian options.
What is the difference between butter chicken and chicken tikka masala? Both use grilled chicken in a creamy sauce. Butter chicken is richer and milder, while tikka masala has a more tomato-forward, slightly tangier flavour.
What should I eat with an Indian curry? Rice and naan are the classic partners. Pilau rice soaks up the sauce, while naan is perfect for scooping. Raita and papadum are great extras.