10 Quick Indian Curries, Soups, and Dals That Taste Like They Stewed for Hours

Smart techniques and pantry shortcuts make bold Indian flavors possible on busy weeknights.

By
Emily Johnson
Emily Johnson
Emily Johnson
Emily has worked as a food writer and editor for ten years, across publications such as Lucky Peach, Epicurious, Bon Appétit, and The New York Times Cooking.
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Published January 21, 2026
A bowl of tofu tikka masala with rice and garnished with fresh herbs accompanied by naan bread lime wedges and a small bowl of chopped herbs

Serious Eats / Jatin Sharma

Maybe you're craving the rich, nuanced flavors of Indian cuisine—beautiful combinations of sour tamarind and creamy coconut or the uniquely complex savoriness of a tahdig-topped dal—but you don't have time to wait for a long simmer. Not to worry: We've got just the right recipes for you. Below, you'll find curries, soups, and dals come together in less than an hour, but taste as if they take much longer to cook.

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  • Andhra-Style Tomato Curry

    Overhead view of tomato curry recipe

    Serious Eats / Kanika and Jatin Sharma

    This tomato curry comes together in just 25 minutes. While various versions of this dish are served across India, they all feature a beautifully spiced, thick tomato-based sauce with large chunks of vegetables. This recipe uses both canned and fresh tomatoes—the canned variety reduces into a thick sauce, while the fresh tomatoes are sautéed with onion only until softened.

  • Toor Dal (Indian Pigeon Peas)

    Serious Eats / Kanika and Jatin Sharma

    Toor dal—a term that refers both to this lentil stew and the legume itself (also known as pigeon peas)—is a staple that transcends economic and social boundaries, and is eaten twice a day in many Indian households. Here, contributor Rachel Gurjar recreates the version she grew up eating: She adds onion and tomato to the stew after the peas have softened, ensuring they don't completely disintegrate into the broth. A final tadka of spices and curry leaves infuses each bite with a warm, complex flavor.

  • Tofu Tikka Masala

    A bowl of tofu tikka masala with rice and garnished with fresh herbs accompanied by naan bread lime wedges and a small bowl of chopped herbs

    Serious Eats / Jatin Sharma

    With its rich, tangy, and luscious tomato sauce, tikka masala is a beloved classic of Indian takeout menus. In contributor Antara Sinha's entirely vegan version, she swaps the usual chicken or paneer for firm tofu. The tofu is a versatile sponge, readily soaking up the rich, spiced sauce. Best of all, the dish comes together in under 45 minutes, making it as fast—if not faster!—than most takeout.

  • Palak Paneer

    Bright green Palak Paneer in a white bowl one an orange back next to some roti

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    Palak paneer is a weeknight staple for many Punjabi families, but it is also a fixture of celebratory meals and is almost always served at Punjabi weddings. Here, cookbook author and Serious Eats contributor Chetna Makan shares her mother's version, which keeps spices to a minimum and allows the true flavor of spinach to shine.

    Continue to 5 of 10 below

  • Tomato-Coconut Soup

    3 bowls of rice and Tomato Coconut soup, dutch oven on the side, and green tabletop.

    Serious Eats / Jatin Sharma

    In this riff on her grandmother's soup, Serious Eats contributor Kaumudi Marathé skips boiling and peeling fresh tomatoes and reaches for canned tomatoes instead, which also means you can make the soup year-round. Shallots stand in for India's small, sweet onions, while ginger, cumin seeds, and Kashmiri chile powder give the soup its deep flavor. Serve it with rice or pieces of griddled bread like chapati for dipping.

  • Ultimate Chicken Curry (Tamatar Murghi)

    Ultimate Chicken Curry
    Lucy Schaeffer

    This chicken curry from Raghavan Iyer's Indian Cooking Unfolded beautifully demonstrates how layering spices and fresh aromatics produces deeply nuanced flavors. The spice blend resembles a Madras curry powder: savory and warm, with a touch of heat from cayenne. Blitz it into a rich sauce made with tomatoes and half-and-half, then use it to coat tender chunks of chicken.

  • Moong Dal

    Bowl of Moong dal in a bowl, with a bowl of white rice next to it. Bowls are on a wooden board on top of green textured surface, and larger bowl of Dal is in the side of the frame.

    Serious Eats / Kanika and Jatin Sharma

    Moong dal stands out among other dals for its exceptional creaminess—mung beans become soften more than other pulses, developing a velvety texture than sturdier varieties like black or French lentils, which retain some bite even after a long cook. A two-hour soak is essential for achieving that luxurious texture, so if you're making this on a weeknight, be sure to plan ahead.

  • 10-Minute Chana Masala

    Overhead view of 10 minute chana masala

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    If you have the time, a long-simmered channa masala is absolutely worth the effort. But here, a few smart techniques deliver deep flavor with less work. Tomato paste, already reduced, speeds up the cooking process. Blooming spices in oil builds layered complexity, and simmering chickpeas with baking soda softens them more quickly, yielding the creamy texture you're after—fast.

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  • Tamarind Fish Curry

    2013.09.01-Indian Tamarind-Fish-curry.jpg
    Prasanna Sankhe

    This dish is chock-full of bright, fruity tamarind, which provides a welcome contrast to the savory seafood at its center and bold spice blend of coriander, chili powder, cumin, fennel seeds, and turmeric. The recipe calls for kingfish, but you can use any kind of firm fish available to you.

  • Kerala-Style Shrimp Curry

    20110202-135298-kerala-shrimp-curry.jpg
    Max Falkowitz

    This recipe draws inspiration from cookbook author Madhur Jaffrey’s shrimp curry, among others. True to the curries of Kerala, it's seafood-rich and distinctly sour, with a good dose of chile heat and the warm fragrance of fresh ginger. You’ll love the balance between piquant tamarind and rich coconut in the sauce.

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