Enjoy the festival of colours by “eating the rainbow.” Here are some rainbow recipes for Holi you must try.
Playing with colours and eating sweets must be on top of your list this Holi, but don’t compromise on your health. Make sure to “eat the rainbow” by consuming colourful fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, spinach, strawberries and blueberries. Whether it is something as nutritious as a salad or sweet and healthy as a parfait, you can use several colourful ingredients. So, don’t just have gujhia or sweet dumplings or thandai this Holi. Go ahead and try rainbow recipes for Holi, which go well with the festival of colours.
What are rainbow recipes?
Rainbow recipes are all about colourful dishes. They incorporate a variety of natural ingredients in different colours of the rainbow. That means your meals will include foods in colours like red, orange, yellow, green and blue. “The rainbow recipes focus on using fruits, vegetables, and whole foods that represent the colours of a rainbow, making meals visually appealing as we as nutritionally rich,” says dietician Ramya B. By including a diverse range of colours in your diet, rainbow recipes ensure you get a variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are good for your overall health. So, what are you waiting for? Try some rainbow recipes for Holi this year.
Rainbow recipes: What are the health benefits?
Before trying new rainbow recipes for Holi, you must know why eating a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables is good for you:
- Red foods: Red foods like tomatoes, strawberries and red peppers are rich in antioxidants. Lycopene, an antioxidant found in red foods, may reduce the risk of oxidative stress-induced diseases including obesity and diabetes, as per research published in the Journal Of Nutrition And Metabolism in 2024.
- Orange and yellow foods: Carrots, mangoes, sweet potatoes and pineapples are high in beta-carotene. “It converts to vitamin A in the body, and supports eye and skin health,” says the expert.
- Green foods: Spinach, broccoli and avocados are loaded with nutrients, including iron. It is a key component of hemoglobin, the protein responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to other parts of the body, as per research published in StatPearls in 2024.
- Blue and purple foods: “Blueberries, blackberries and eggplant are packed with anthocyanins that can boost brain health,” says the expert. During a 2023 study, published in Biomolecules, anthocyanins, a type of flavonoids, were found to have beneficial effects on people with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
11 rainbow recipes for Holi
Try these rainbow recipes for Holi to add some more colour to the festival:
1. Rainbow salad bowl
Ingredients:
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup carrots (shredded)
- ½ cup yellow bell pepper (diced)
- ½ cup spinach
- ½ cup purple cabbage (shredded)
- ½ avocado (sliced)
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Arrange all the vegetables in a bowl in a rainbow pattern.
- Drizzle olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Toss and serve fresh after playing with colours.
2. Rainbow smoothie
Ingredients:
- ½ cup strawberries
- ½ cup mango
- ½ cup pineapple
- ½ cup spinach
- ½ cup blueberries
- ½ cup blackberries
- 1 cup yoghurt or plant-based milk
Instructions:
- Blend each fruit separately with a little yoghurt or plant-based milk.
- Layer the blended mixtures in a glass in rainbow order.
- Serve chilled with a straw.
3. Rainbow veggie wrap
Ingredients:
- 1 whole wheat tortilla
- ¼ cup hummus
- ½ cup bell peppers (sliced)
- ¼ cup cabbage (shredded)
- ½ cup cucumber (sliced)
- ½ cup grated carrots
Instructions:
- Spread hummus on the tortilla.
- Arrange the vegetables in rows.
- Roll the wrap tightly and cut in half then enjoy.
4. Rainbow quinoa bowl
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- ½ cup roasted beetroot
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup corn kernels
- ½ cup chopped kale
- ½ cup shredded cabbage
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- Lemon juice of one lemon
- Salt and pepper for taste
Instructions:
- To try this delicious rainbow recipes for Holi, arrange all the vegetables over the cooked quinoa in a bowl.
- Drizzle the dressing.
- Mix everything well then serve.
5. Rainbow fruit skewers
Ingredients:
- 3 strawberries
- 3 mango cubes
- 3 pineapple chunks
- 3 kiwi slices
- 3 blueberries
- 3 grapes
Instructions:
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- Thread the colourful fruits onto skewers in rainbow order.
- Serve it with yoghurt, which works well as a healthy dip.
6. Rainbow stir-fry
Ingredients:
- ½ cup red bell pepper (sliced)
- ½ cup carrots (julienned)
- ½ cup baby corn
- ½ cup broccoli florets
- ½ cup purple cabbage
- 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of garlic (minced)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Heat oil in a pan, and sauté garlic.
- Add all the vegetables and stir-fry them for about 5 minutes.
- Add soy sauce, salt and pepper.
- Mix the ingredients well and serve.
7. Rainbow pasta salad
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked pasta
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup bell peppers
- ½ cup spinach
- ½ cup olives
- ½ cup feta cheese
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of vinegar
- Salt and pepper for taste
Instructions:
- Toss the pasta with vegetables and dressing like olive oil and vinegar.
- Add salt and pepper to it then serve chilled.
8. Rainbow sushi rolls
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sushi rice
- 1 nori sheet
- ½ cup avocado (sliced)
- ½ cup cucumber (julienned)
- ½ cup carrots (julienned)
- ½ cup red bell peppers (sliced)
- Soy sauce for dipping
Instructions:
- Spread sushi rice on the nori sheet.
- Layer the colourful vegetables and roll tightly.
- Slice and serve with soy sauce.
9. Rainbow oats bowl
Ingredients:
- ½ cup oats
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup mixed fruits (strawberries, mango, kiwi, blueberries and grapes)
Instructions:
- Bring 1 cup of milk to a boil in a pan.
- Add the oats, reduce heat to medium then cook for about 2 minutes.
- Remove the pan from heat, cover it up and wait for 5 minutes.
- Top it with colourful fruits.
10. Rainbow spring rolls
Ingredients:
- 4 rice paper sheets
- ½ cup red bell peppers
- ½ cup yellow bell peppers
- ½ cup cucumber (julienned)
- ½ cup shredded purple cabbage
- ½ cup carrots (julienned)
Instructions:
- Soak rice paper in water until it turns soft.
- Fill it up with vegetables then roll it tightly.
- Enjoy this delicious recipe for Holi
11. Rainbow parfait
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Greek yoghurt
- ½ cup strawberries
- ½ cup pineapple
- ½ cup kiwi
- ½ cup blueberries
- ½ cup granola
Instructions:
- Layer yoghurt, fruits, and granola.
- Repeat the layers till your glass fills up with colourful ingredients.
- Serve it chilled.
You can enjoy some rainbow recipes for Holi. All you need are colourful ingredients make wraps, salads and stir-fries.
Related FAQs
What does the rainbow food list consist of?
A rainbow food list should consist of red, orange, yellow, green and blue foods like strawberries, watermelon, mangoes, oranges, pumpkin, pineapples, spinach, kale and blueberries. Try to include at least 3 colours per meal.
What are the rainbow dessert options?
Rainbow desserts are vibrant and packed with nutrients. You can make rainbow fruit parfait with strawberries, mango, pineapple, kiwi slices, blueberries and Greek yoghurt. You can also go for a rainbow smoothie bowl using bananas, mango, spinach, blueberries, strawberries and Greek yoghurt or almond milk.
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