Easy Vegetable Raita Recipe (15 Minutes!)
Learn how to make Raita with this easy and traditional recipe! Raita is a classic yogurt salad that completes many Pakistani and Indian meals. I’ve included my family’s trick for avoiding the cucumber’s bitterness, plus optional add-ins to give you an idea of the endless possibilities.
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“Thanks for the quick and simple Raita recipe. It went well with the Instant Pot Chicken Pulao recipe of yours that I made.”
Talha
What is Raita?
Raita is South Asian-style whisked yogurt often made with spices and vegetables such as cucumbers, onion. It is versatile and serves as perfect accompaniment to many South Asian dishes such as biryani, pulao, and vegetarian curries (especially dry ones like this Mixed Vegetable Curry).
Raita harmoniously balances a meal: yogurt for cool and creamy acidity, vegetables for crunch and texture, and herbs for vibrance and freshness.
Though restaurants will often serve this blended Mint Cilantro Raita (also called Dahi Chutney), this simple raita of mixed vegetables Raita is more common in South Asian homes.
P.S. Prefer Raita sans yogurt? Try Kachumber Salad.
A Key Tip for Using Cucumber in Raita
I remember when I first saw my husband chop a cucumber. He cut off about half an inch from the stem and rubbed both parts against each other. He explained that he does it because his mom did it, and he’s not sure how it works but it’s supposed to remove bitterness.
I thought it was a typical ‘grandma’s pot roast’ scenario. When you call mom to ask why she cuts the ends off the pot roast and she says because that’s the way grandma did it. You ask grandma only to find out she cut it off to fit it in her oven.
But then I came to find out Julie Sahni in Classic Indian Cooking recommends the same trick – rub the stem end against the cucumber until a white film starts to build. Epicurious echoes this, explaining how cucurbitacins (a bitter compound) accumulate at the peels and ends. They suggest you cut off the ends before peeling it to avoid spreading the bitterness.
If you’re able to find young Persian cucumbers, you likely won’t have the bitterness problem. But if you do, now you know how to remove it. It wasn’t just a weird thing my in-laws did after all.
How to make Raita
To make this raita:
- First you’ll whisk together the yogurt, milk, salt & spice powders.
- Next, stir in the chopped vegetables and herbs. Taste and add salt to taste, more red chili for heat, and cumin for earthy flavor.
Tips & FAQs
I remember googling how to make raita many years ago when I would always eyeball the salt and it would always be too much. So exactly how much salt do you need? And how many vegetables? Should the cucumber be peeled or unpeeled? I had questions. Here are some answers:
I like to keep the salt subtle. Start with 1/4 tsp sea salt or table salt per cup of yogurt, then add up to 1/8 tsp more, if desired.
I always use plain, whole milk yogurt. I wouldn’t recommend using Greek, but if you do, you’d need to increase the milk to make it thinner for a raita-like consistency.
If you aren’t using organic cucumbers, I’d suggest peeling it due to pesticide residue. Also peel if the skin is waxy or bitter, or if you just prefer it that way.
Of course, this is a preference, but I found each of my vegetables to measure in between 1/4 and 1/3 cup. If using more vegetables, use less of each.
Here are some recipes that you can pair with Raita:
- Instant Pot Chicken Pulao
- Pakistani Chicken Pulao (Yakhni Pulao)
- Chicken Biryani
- Chana Pulao and Aloo Ki Tikki
- Easy Spinach and Potato Curry (Aloo Palak)
- Pakistani Seekh Kebab
- Chapli Kabab
Tried this recipe? If you have a minute, please consider leaving a comment telling me how it was! If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I truly love hearing from you. Thank you!
Easy Vegetable Raita Recipe (15 Minutes!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 g) plain whole milk yogurt
- 1/4 cup (59 ml) whole milk, or water, depending on desired consistency
- 1/4 tsp table salt or sea salt, more to taste
- 1/4-1/2 tsp cumin powder (roasted or regular)
- 1/8-1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/8 tsp red chili powder or red chili flakes
- 1 small (60 g) Persian cucumber or 1/4 large cucumber, ends trimmed, peeled, and finely diced
- 1/4 cup (25 g) finely diced red or yellow onion
- 1/2 small (50 g) tomato, finely diced
- 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro , or mint leaves (or a combination of the two)
Optional Add-Ins:
- 1/2 (30 g) carrot (See Note), finely diced
- 2-3 (30 g) radishes (See Note), finely diced
- 1/8 tsp chaat masala
- 1/2 small serrano pepper, deseeded for less heat, finely chopped
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, milk, salt, and spice powders.
- Stir in the vegetables and cilantro, reserving some for garnish. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt to taste, cumin for earthiness, and black pepper or red chili for heat.
- Garnish with additional chopped cilantro or mint. Serve immediately or place in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
22 Comments on “Easy Vegetable Raita Recipe (15 Minutes!)”
Easy. Delicious. Perfect accompaniment to any Indian dish but I used it for the Chana Masala that was equally amazing.
So glad to hear that, Trevor! Thank you for sharing!
Clear, simple and knowledgable. Thank you!
Thank you, Jenny!
Raita is one thing everyone assumes everyone to some how just know. Well that’s not the case and that’s why thankyou for sharing this. It complemented perfectly your channa pullaou recipe and all done within an hour.
Thank you for sharing these quick recipes where it takes less time to prepare them from scratch vs ordering DoorDash.
So true..ratios are always helpful. 🙂 Thank you so much for writing!
I love pulling this recipe out for the perfect raita, every time! Making this right now to accompany your insane chicken biryani recipe. I don’t know you, but I love you.
Hahaha aww thank you so much, Faiza. Your comment truly means so much to me! 🙂
Loved this raita- refreshing, delicious and simple! I also appreciated the fun fact about cucurbitacins 🙂
This is my first time exploring your website, and I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes! Your website is gorgeous and the pictures and writing are both lovely.
Thank you for such a nice compliment, Julia. It truly means so much to me!
Thanks for the quick and simple Raita recipe. It went well with the Instant Pot Chicken Pulao recipe of yours that I made.
Thanks very much, Talha!
will this go well with a persian dish of tahchin morgh. have a boyfriend staying and would like to make this
It could work, but I think the Mast-o Khiar may be a better accompaniment because of the flavor profile.
Sometimes, you really DO need a recipe for even the most basic of things! I remember Googling similar things too when I first got in the kitchen ???? Google has become a lot more helpful for Pakistani cooking in recent times though!
So true! 🙂
Agreed, even if I know how to make something, there is always variations, its great for ideas and expanding ones recipe database.
Raita is like any other recipe, make it to your taste. I like it minty and thick, salting the grated cucumber to remove the excess moisture, but don’t throw the liquid away, need a bit of salt in Raita or like it a little thinner, add some of the cucumber juice, or throw it in the curry, after all Raita tastes better when its had a chance to stand allowing the flavors to blend.
Very true, Marty! Thanks for sharing!
Perfect! I love the balance of flavors and the flexibility. I added a squeeze of lemon and carrots & radishes.
Yum! Thanks so much, Sahjo!
If I use an English thin skin long cucumber is it better to peel? I have not in the past, and just tossed any larger bits of skin I ended up with, but in light of your explanation, I wondered. Thank you for ratios, just used to wing it when making my own simple raita.
Hi Jen, If you aren’t using organic cucumbers, Izzah suggests to peel it due to pesticide residue. Also peel if the skin is waxy or bitter, or if you just prefer it that way.