Baisakhi, also known as Vaisakhi is the popular Indian spring harvest festival which is celebrated on April 13 or 14 in northern India, especially by the Sikh/Punjabi community. The same festival is also celebrated pan India in various regions under different sobriquets. This year Baisakhi will be celebrated on April 13, 2024. I have created a special collection of 50 Recipes for Baisakhi here. Check it out.
Significance of Baisakhi
The most significant aspect of Baisakhi or Vaisakhi is that it marks the Sikh New Year along with being the spring harvest festival.
This festival holds special importance for the Sikh community as in 1699, the foundation of the ‘Khalsa Panth’ or the ‘order of the free/pure ones’ was laid down on Baisakhi by the tenth Guru of Sikhism, Guru Gobind Singh. The Khalsa was founded by him at Anandpur Sahib, Punjab in front of thousands.
Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of Sikhism had refused to convert to Islam under the command of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Thus, Baisakhi also commemorates the birth of Sikh order that began after the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur.
This festival is important for Hindus too. On this day in 1875, Swami Dayanand Saraswati founded the ‘Arya Samaj.’ This Hindu reform movement promotes practices that are based on the reliable authority of the Vedas.
Baisakhi is a holy day for Buddhists as well. It is believed that Gautam Buddha attained nirvana on this day.
More Regional Indian Spring Harvest Festivals
Traditionally, Baisakhi or Vaisakhi has always held special importance for farmers as this day marks the time for harvest of Rabi (winter) crops. This day also celebrates the beginning of the Hindu solar new year. Thus, in addition to the Sikhs, this festival is noteworthy for many other communities under different names throughout India.
For instance, as we travel through the length and breadth of India, we will find Baisakhi being celebrated as Pohela/Poila Boishakh or Nobo Borsho as the Bengali New Year, Vishu marking the end of the spring equinox in Kerala, Bohag Bihu in Assam, Puthandu as the Tamil New Year and Vaishakha in honor of Surya, the Sun God in Bihar.
Baisakhi Food and Celebrations
Baisakhi is a day of thanksgiving to Mother Earth for the abundant harvest. This day is celebrated with fervour, joy and devotion by farmers as well as other people from the Sikh community.
They visit the Gurudwara for a special prayer meet with ‘ardaas’ and discourses. This is followed by the distribution of the famous ‘kada prashad’ by the sevaks/volunteers and a delicious ‘langar (a traditional communal meal of the Sikhs),’ which is relished by all. Golden Temple at Amritsar, Punjab is a main attraction especially on this day.
Baisakhi is also a vibrant day, full of colors. Traditional folk dances like ‘bhangra’ and ‘gidda’ are performed by men and women in villages.
Vaisakhi is a day of bounty and hence, food plays a very important role in the celebrations. Also, because the Sikh/Punjabi community loves to eat and drink. So, just like for any other community, their festivals are also all about delectable food and beverages.
Here, I am listing some of the popular and favorite dishes from the Punjabi food repertoire that can be made during Baisakhi. Check these 50 Recipes for Baisakhi, prepare your menu and celebrate the festival with love, laughter and happiness. Wishing that the festival brings peace, prosperity and well-being to one all!
50 Baisakhi Food Recipes
Main Course Recipes
These variety of curries, gravies and vegetable dishes are some of my personal favorites. You can pair these with your choice of breads, rice or any other sides.
Moderate
4 hours hrs
Peppery, pungent and healthy, Punjabi Sarson ka Saag (or Sarson da Saag) is a favorite meal during the cold North Indian winters, especially when paired with Makki Ki Roti. Making this authentic dish is not difficult, but it does take some time.
Moderate
9 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
One of the best Chana Masala Recipe that you can make. This Chole recipe is made with freshly powdered spices, onions, tomatoes, herbs making the curry taste like the ones you get on the streets of Delhi.
Moderate
9 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
This Rajma recipe is a creamy, tangy and spiced curry made with dried kidney beans. This restaurant style Rajma Masala is made in a base of sautéed onions, tomatoes, spices and cream making it truly delicious. Best served with steamed hot rice (called chawal) or soft roti or flaky paratha.
Moderate
9 hours hrs
This Dal Makhani recipe is a restaurant style version with subtle smoky flavors and creaminess of the lentils. Dal Makhani is one of the most popular lentil recipes from the North Indian cuisine made with whole urad dal (black gram) and kidney beans.
Moderate
1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Kadhi is a popular North Indian dish of onion fritters dunked in a spiced yogurt sauce. Also known as Kadhi Pakora this dish is best relished with steamed rice.
Easy
1 hour hr
Aloo gobi is a comforting, delicious North Indian dish made with potatoes and cauliflower. Here I share two unique but equally tasty aloo gobi recipes: A creamy restaurant style version, and a simple home style dry variation.
Moderate
45 minutes mins
This creamy, spiced, flavorful Dhaba style dal fry is inspired from the dal served at Punjabi dhabas. The recipe is made more healthy and protein rich as it features 5 different dals or lentils.
Moderate
30 minutes mins
Matar Paneer is a popular North Indian curried dish featuring green peas and paneer (Indian cottage cheese) in a masala base of onions, tomatoes, cashews, spices and herbs. I’m sharing our family recipe of a flavorful and simple home-style Mutter Paneer. I have also shared making Matar Paneer in the Instant Pot and in a pan or pot on the stovetop.
Moderate
45 minutes mins
Bhindi Masala recipe is a North Indian, Punjabi style curried dish made with tender okra pods, piquant onions, tangy tomatoes, bold spices and herbs. It is one of the most popular dishes served in many Indian restaurants.
50 minutes mins
Baby potatoes simmered (dum cooked) in a spicy yogurt sauce or gravy. An authentic recipe from the Kashmiri cuisine.
Moderate
40 minutes mins
Paneer Butter Masala Recipe is one of India’s most popular paneer preparation. This restaurant style recipe with soft paneer cubes dunked in a creamy, lightly spiced tomato sauce or gravy is a best one that I have been making for a long time. This rich dish is best served with roti or chapati, paratha, naan or rumali roti.
Moderate
8 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
Amritsari Chole is a delicious variation of the Indian chickpea curry from the city of Amritsar. This recipe of Amritsari Chole is vegan and gluten-free.
Moderate
30 minutes mins
Kadai Paneer is a tangy, deeply spiced paneer dish that is perfect for enjoying all year round. Made with Indian pantry staples like onions, tomatoes, capsicum (green bell peppers) and Indian spices, this bright dish comes together in 30 minutes.
Moderate
9 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Chole Bhature is a spicy chickpea curry that is served with leavened fried bread. Chole refers to the curry and Bhatura is the crispy and soft fried bread. This dish is popular in Punjab and parts of North India.
Bread Recipes
Apart from its robust curries, Punjabi food is also known for its yummy range of breads and flatbreads. This section is exactly what you need to pick your chosen one, prepare it and serve with the flavorful gravies.
Moderate
40 minutes mins
Makki ki roti is a popular unleavened bread made with maize flour (cornmeal). This Punjabi recipe of makki ki roti is made on a tawa (flat skillet) with some ghee or oil. It is also called as makki di roti in Punjabi language and is always served with sarson ka saag.
Moderate
9 hours hrs
Bhatura or Bhature is a thick leavened fried Indian bread made with yeast or without yeast. These soft and fluffy no yeast bhatura are made with whole wheat flour (atta) and curd (dahi).
Moderate
40 minutes mins
Poori or Puri is a traditional Indian fried unleavened bread made with only whole wheat flour, salt, and water. Make crispy, fluffy, and soft poori to enjoy with your favorite meals.
Moderate
45 minutes mins
Paneer paratha is a popular North Indian flatbread made with whole wheat flour dough and stuffed with savory, spiced, grated paneer (Indian cottage cheese) stuffing. Paneer paratha is one of the most popular stuffed paratha varieties from Punjab and usually made for breakfast.
Moderate
2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
This recipe of Butter Naan does not require a traditional tandoor (a clay oven) to cook it. It is also a simpler and healthier version that is made with whole wheat flour and is brushed with butter before serving.
Moderate
1 hour hr 40 minutes mins
My Garlic Naan recipe make for soft and tender textured breads which are doubly flavored with garlic. Not only the naan bread is brushed with garlic butter but the naan dough is also infused with fresh garlic.
Moderate
2 hours hrs 50 minutes mins
Easy naan bread recipe without yeast on tawa or stovetop – soft, chewy and delicious naan bread made on stove-top and on a griddle.
Moderate
1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
This simply delicious, soft, chewy Tandoori Roti is one of my favorite Indian flatbread of all time. I share 2 different methods to make this yummy butter roti without tandoor.
Moderate
3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Aloo Kulcha is a crisp and soft leavened flatbread stuffed with a spiced mashed potato filling. The dish is from the North Indian cuisine and is very popular in Delhi as well as Punjab.
Moderate
3 hours hrs
Paneer kulcha are leavened flatbreads stuffed with a spiced and savory Indian cottage cheese filling. These flatbreads are made on a skillet or tawa to make for crispy yet soft and tender kulcha.
Moderate
2 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
Kulcha is a popular soft leavened North Indian flatbread. It can be made in the tandoor as well as on a tawa or skillet. Serve Kulcha with a robust and spicy Chana Masala or Chickpea Curry.
Snack and Appetizer Recipes
Tasty tikkas, crave worthy chaats and more! Here’s a selection of the choicest of snacks and appetizers that’s going to take your Baisakhi celebrations, a notch higher. What’s more? These are easy to make and absolutely hassle free too.
Moderate
2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
This Restaurant Style Paneer Tikka is a popular and delicious tandoori snack where paneer (Indian cottage cheese cubes) are marinated in a spiced yogurt-based marinade, arranged on skewers and grilled in the oven.
Moderate
8 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
Fluffy, tender, tangy and sweet Dahi Vada are a combination of all your favorite flavors and textures in one tasty snack. Dahi Vada consist of homemade fried lentil dumpling fritters, dunked in creamy whipped yogurt and topped with both spicy and sweet chutneys.
Moderate
55 minutes mins
The vegetarian version of the famous Amritsari Fish Tikka is Paneer Amritsari where paneer cubes are marinated in a spiced, tangy, gram flour mixture, together with spices, herbs and golden fried. Extra firm tofu can be used as a substitute for paneer.
5 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Popular and Tasty North Indian snack of dahi bhalla papdi chaat.
Moderate
1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
A Samosa recipe that is your popular and classic Punjabi Samosa (or Aloo Samosa) with a super flaky, crispy crust and a savory, tangy potato and green peas filling. You can also choose to air-fry or bake these samosa instead of deep frying.
Moderate
40 minutes mins
Aloo Tikki is a popular North Indian street food snack of savory, spiced and crispy potato patties. A basic Aloo Tikki Recipe is made with potatoes, spices, herbs, breadcrumbs or a binding flour and can be stuffed with a filling of mashed cooked green peas or cooked chana dal or paneer.
Moderate
1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
This Punjabi style Namak Para or Namak Pare are crispy, spiced and savory fried bites made with wheat flour, spices, fat and seasonings. These are a popular snack across North India that you can make as a tea-time snack or for festivals like Diwali.
Moderate
45 minutes mins
Vegetable Cutlet are crisp, savory, tender patties made with a mix of hearty veggies, savory spices, fresh herbs and crispy breadcrumbs. Cutlet is a popular snack in Indian cuisine.
Moderate
25 minutes mins
Golgappa is a favorite snack all over India. this recipe shares the North Indian way of making golgappa pani along with the stuffing – specifically the golgappa you get in Delhi.
Moderate
9 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
Papdi chaat is a popular North Indian street food snack filled with a variety of mouth-watering textures, flavors and consists of papdi (fried flour crackers), boiled chickpeas, potatoes, chutneys and curd (yogurt.
Sweets or Dessert Recipes
What’s a festival celebration without ending the meal on that perfect sweet note? This assortment of sweets/desserts is going to make it very easy for you to include your favorite and enjoy Baisakhi like never before.
30 minutes mins
Kada prashad is a super delicious halwa that is served in gurudwaras as prasad.
Moderate
25 minutes mins
Panjiri is a traditional Punjabi sweet made with whole wheat flour, powdered sugar and ghee.
Moderate
25 minutes mins
Gulgule (singular Gulgula) are crispy, fluffy, soft, fried Indian doughnuts made with whole wheat flour, banana, sugar or jaggery and fennel seeds. It is a special and unique sweet from the North Indian cuisine and is also referred to as pua, pooda, or puda in Punjabi.
Easy
30 minutes mins
Phirni is a classic creamy slow-cooked sweet pudding made with ground rice, sugar, milk, almonds, saffron and cardamom powder. It is a popular North Indian sweet made during festive occasions.
Moderate
1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
A Carrot Halwa recipe made in the traditional way and slow-cooked – with just grated carrots, whole milk, ghee, sugar and some nuts. You will love this evergreen and popular Gajar ka Halwa recipe. Make this rich sweet for special occasions or during festivals.
Moderate
15 minutes mins
These wheat ladoo make for a good sweet snack for kids as well as for the whole family. Easy and quick to prepare delicious ladoo made with whole wheat flour, sugar and ghee.
Moderate
30 minutes mins
Besan Ladoo or Besan ke Laddu is a popular Indian sweet made during festivals. These are round sweet balls made with gram flour a.k.a besan, powdered sugar and clarified butter (ghee).
Moderate
50 minutes mins
Rice Kheer is a popular Indian sweet dessert made with basmati rice, whole milk, nuts and saffron. Kheer recipe is easy and is made with a one pan or one pot method. Rice Kheer is basically Indian rice pudding and makes for a creamy delicious sweet dessert.
Drinks Recipes
These lovely beverages are refreshing, cooling and very, very festive! Also, get done within minutes. Perfect way to chill yourself after a round of heavy dancing and merry-making.
Easy
10 minutes mins
Lassi is a cooling, refreshing, probiotic drink perfect for the warm summer months made essentially with curd or yogurt, fragrant spices and sugar or salt. Popular in Punjab and North India, there are many variations of this sweet lassi recipe. Find three easy, energizing and flavorful lassi recipe variations.
Moderate
20 minutes mins
Aam ka panna is a cooling Indian summer drink made with unripe green tart mangoes. It is slightly sour and sweet to taste and is flavored with cardamom, cumin and black salt. This recipe post shows the method of making both aam panna syrup concentrate and the drink using the method of boiling as well as roasting mangoes.
Easy
15 minutes mins
Mango Lassi, an all time Indian favorite summer drink is a creamy, thick, refreshing and delicious variation of lassi. Make this easy Mango Lassi recipe in less than 15 minutes with ripe mangoes, yogurt and your choice of flavorings – cardamom, saffron or rose water.
Moderate
20 minutes mins
Jaljeera is an Indian spiced, tangy and savory cooling drink, which is also served as an appetizer. This North Indian, non-alcoholic, vegan beverage is made with water, cumin and other amazing spices and herbs.
15 minutes mins
Rose lassi is a fragrant, refreshing and cooling lassi variety made with fresh curd, rose petals and rose syrup.
Easy
5 minutes mins
Nimbu Pani and Shikanji are the Indian versions of lemonade or limeade made with fresh lemon juice, water, sugar, salt and optionally a few ground spices.
Easy
10 minutes mins
The classic Chaas (Chaach/Mattha) also known as the Indian version of buttermilk is a refreshingly cooling summer drink made with creamy yogurt and seasonings. It is an excellent body cooler, digestive and appetizer. Find two easy chaas recipes – Masala Chaas and Pudina Chaas.
This Baisakhi recipes from the blog archives was first published on April 2013. It has been updated and republished on December 2022.
Superb.
Hi Dassana 😀 Amazing collection of delicious food you have 😀
I wanted to ask that can you please [ please, please, please] put the recipe of How to make Veg marshmallows at home? Just asking :))))
Thank you for the lovely recipes 😀
thanks arpita. i will add the recipe in some time.
Yay! Thank you 😀 😀 I am eagerly looking forward to the recipe.. :)))))))))