15 Popular Dishes At Indian Restaurants In The US

One of the most distinctive and praiseworthy elements of the United States culinary landscape is its diversity. Within a short drive, you can find ever-popular Mexican fare, Southern soul food, and dazzling Italian eateries, to name a few. However, one cuisine — lauded for combining timeless tradition with compelling new flavors — is gaining increasingly more traction. Can you guess which? You got it: Indian food.

Particularly in cities, Indian cuisine has put itself on the map in a big way. New York and Los Angeles have seen an influx of Indian fine dining, and some restaurant have even gained prestigious Michelin stars. Smaller cities have restaurants brimming with more plates than you could picture, plus bijou curry houses with tempting takeout options.

Although Indian cuisine harbors a wealth of scrumptious choices, some dishes have found more devotees than others (think butter chicken and naan, for example). But is your go-to order in the top 15 Indian dishes in the U.S.? Here's which dishes have more than tantalized Americans' tastebuds — and don't blame us if you develop a sudden desire to get Indian takeout!

We owe the creation of beloved crowdpleaser chicken tikka masala to a curry-loving country — but it's not the one you may expect. The pioneer of chicken tikka masala, Ali Ahmed Aslam, was a Pakistani-born British citizen who spent most of his life in Glasgow, Scotland. While working in a local restaurant, he notoriously invented the dish that would soon take over the U.K. — and later the U.S.

While chicken tikka masala doesn't have quite the same celebrity status in the U.S. as in its birthplace, the saucy dish is undeniably in demand. Likely one of the Indian dishes foremost in people's minds, it's not only become a restaurant staple but has also worked its way into the world of prepared grocery-store meals and airplane fare. After all, the dish is indisputably appealing. With tender, succulent pieces of chicken marinated in yogurt that's tangy, aromatic, creamy, and only mildly spicy — some restaurants infuse notes of sweetness, too — classic chicken tikka masala is one of the most delicious common Indian dishes, boasting complex yet non-overwhelming flavors.

Marked by its blazing red color and rich, deep, and intensely meaty sauce, rogan josh is a restaurant mainstay. Originating in India's northwestern state of Kashmir, the dish has stayed a regional secret within India. By contrast, thousands of miles away in the U.S., rogan josh has only increased its mainstream appeal. Its moniker gives hints to the genesis and taste of the dish; "rogan" translates to "oil," while "josh" means "to braise," hence "to braise in oil." The slow cooking draws out the powerful savoriness of typical Kashmiri seasoning — dried ginger and fennel — while rendering the goat meat soft and juicy, ready to fall off the bone.

Part of the appeal is the layer of red oil floating on top of the dish — a pleasing indication the dish is cooked well. In traditional Kashmiri households, the distinctive color arises from a herb known as ratan jog combined with fruity Kashmiri chili powder and freshly strained curd. Modern restaurants replace the sourness of yogurt with tomatoes simmered until the sauce is thick and glossy, ideal for serving with rice.

Few dishes, Indian or otherwise, are as iconic as butter chicken. Despite being a relatively modern dish compared to other quintessential Indian dishes — court cases over the true inventor of butter chicken indicate a history stretching back only about 70 years — butter chicken has a devoted following both in India and abroad. 

Butter chicken is indulgent, rich, and creamy, and it's no wonder that it's never failed to impress. The chicken pieces boast an unbelievably tender and succulent texture, yet unequivocally, the sauce is the star of the show. Enriched with aromatic spices such as cardamom, mace, and garam masala, it's punctured with bitter fenugreek leaves, creamy cashews, honeyed sweetness, and rich tomatoes. One of our favorite renditions of this archetypal curry dish comes from Maneesh Goyal, restauranteur and principal owner of Manhattan-based fine-dining restaurant Sona. This exclusive butter chicken recipe is a time-honored family heirloom, first served in his parent's first restaurant, India House, in the '70s. It's a fabulous way to recreate your restaurant favorites from the comfort of your own home.

If you're craving spicy, piquant food, vindaloo is for you — and countless others feel the same way. Notorious for its eye-watering spice level, many curry lovers gather to see who can brave the bowls and come out the champion. Of course, vindaloo isn't all about heat — it has an undercurrent of warm spice accented by vinegar, too.

Interestingly, vindaloo has complex origins dating back to Portugal's colonization of India — and, more specifically, the southwestern state of Goa. The dish's name — and subsequent transliteration — has led to much confusion, with foodies debating whether the dish should contain wine and garlic (as with the original Portuguese dish, vinha d'alhos) or vinegar and potatoes (stemming from the Hindi name for potato being "aloo"). Most Western restaurants opt for the latter, packing the bowl with hearty chunks of buttery, fall-apart spuds alongside the slightly sweet pork. While few of the original Goan flavors remain in the U.S. version today, its evolution isn't inferior to the source recipe; the thick, fiercely spicy sauce is enough to make your mouth water all on its own.

No spice tolerance? No problem. If you prefer rich, indulgent dishes with more aroma than heat, look no further than korma, which has become a best-selling Indian restaurant dish. The Western version is mildly spiced, subtly sweet, and laden with ghee, boasting a creamy, velvety texture from its coconut powder, coconut block, almonds, and heavy cream. Often, restaurants will give you the choice of lamb, paneer, vegetable, or chicken korma.

However, in South Asia, korma has a very different connotation. Pakistani and North Indian variants often involve more than a dozen spices, yogurt, and kewra water for pleasant, perfumed notes. Veggie-packed navratan korma (meaning "nine jewels" for the dish's nine vegetables) follows the Mughlai white gravy style, involving a paste made from poppy and melon seeds, almonds, and cashews. Fresh and zesty cilantro scattered on top seals the deal.

While the Western version remains slightly more widespread in the U.S. (probably due to the lower spice levels and gentle sweetness), if you're an Indian food fanatic, it's worth grabbing the opportunity to taste authentic korma if you spot it on the menu. Why not try both versions and compare them based on your personal taste?

Indian restaurants don't receive nearly as much recognition for their bread selections as they should, with menus frequently advertising laccha paratha, rumali roti, puri, bhatura, and sweet, lentil-stuffed flatbread — at a minimum. Most diners, however, have an unwritten rule about Indian dining — you must order at least one naan (and yes, that's naan, not "naan bread").

While most Indian breads are unleavened (flatbreads without yeast), naan is an exception. It's fluffy, pillowy, soft, and bubbly. In other words, it's perfect for mopping up creamy sauces, scooping vegetables, or swaddling kebabs. Nearly all Indian restaurants have a built-in tandoor, especially for cooking naan. The technique delivers an irresistible char and specific smoky flavor that only adds sophistication to every mouthful.

Since naan is a bestseller, it's no surprise there are usually countless variations to tempt. We're talking about chili-infused, stuffed with sweet nuts and fruits, naan oozing with gooey cheese, plain, and naan brushed with rich, salty butter. Our nation's favorite? Without question, garlic naan with fresh cilantro.

Of all global cuisines, Indian food likely ranks highest for vegetarian-friendly fare. With a study from the Pew Research Center showing that 39% of respondents identify as living vegetarian lifestyles, it's no wonder Indian chefs and home cooks have invented some truly lip-smacking meat-free dishes. Primary among them is malai kofta, an adaptation of traditional meat kofta. Soft potato mixed with grated paneer, stuffed with nuts and dried fruits, seasoned to perfection, shaped into balls, and fried until golden will make you forget the minced meat version ever existed.

And the sauce? It's a dreamy affair. Whole spices — think woodsy cinnamon, pungent cloves, floral cardamom, and many others — are sautéed in butter to draw out their flavors and fragrances before building a foundation with onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, and dried spices. Once passed through the blender and combined with cream, you've got the silkiest, most buttery sauce imaginable. Malai kofta is wholesome and robust, meaning it's generally relished as a main course, and it's often ordered with naan, raita, pulao, and salted lassi for the best experience.