40 Ganesh Chaturthi Recipes (Maharashtrian)

Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 falls on Monday, 14 September 2026. Visarjan (the final immersion ceremony) is on Friday, 25 September 2026.

This is the complete list of Maharashtrian Ganesh Chaturthi recipes from my blog — 12 modak varieties, 15 traditional sweets, and 13 savory dishes that make up the complete festival feast. Every recipe has step-by-step photos and detailed instructions, so whether you are making ukadiche modak for the first time or putting together the full banana leaf feast, you will find everything you need right here.

I update this list every year before the festival season, so bookmark it and come back — I add new recipes regularly.

What is Ganesh Chaturthi?

Ganesh Chaturthi (also called Vinayaka Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chavithi) is one of the most celebrated Hindu festivals in India — a ten-day festival honoring the birth of Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Lord Ganesha is revered as the god of wisdom, new beginnings, and the remover of obstacles. He is invoked at the start of every important ceremony in Hindu tradition, which is why this festival carries such significance.

The festival is celebrated with enormous energy across India, but nowhere more passionately than in Maharashtra. In Mumbai, community pandals (temporary stages) are set up throughout the city, beautifully sculpted Ganesha idols are installed and worshipped, and streets fill with the sound of “Ganpati Bappa Morya!” On the final day — Anant Chaturdashi — the idol is ceremonially immersed in water (Visarjan) and Lord Ganesha is bid farewell until the following year.

At home, the festival means ten days of making prasad (food offerings to god) for Bappa. The feast is traditionally served on a banana leaf and includes sweets, savories, and the sacred panchamrut. Modak — the sweet dumpling that is Lord Ganesha’s most beloved food — takes center stage throughout.

When is Ganesh Chaturthi in 2026?

The festival date shifts each year based on the Hindu lunar calendar — it falls on the fourth day (Chaturthi) of the waxing moon in the month of Bhadrapada, usually between mid-August and mid-September.

What to Make on Which Day

1. Day 1 (Chaturthi — the main festival day): This is the most important day of the festival and the one that calls for the complete traditional feast. The full Maharashtrian prasad menu typically includes:

• Ukadiche modak — a must have. The classic steamed modak is essential and always made first
• Panchamrut — the sacred five-ingredient mixture offered during the puja
• Sheera (sooji halwa) or Gavhachi Kheer— a simple, auspicious sweet offering
• Puran poli — especially if you want a more elaborate meal. The traditional stuffed sweet flatbread, a must-have for Maharashtrian festivals
• Varan bhaat — the simple toor dal and rice combination that anchors the feast
• Poori and batatayachi bhaji — for a complete savory spread
• Koshimbir – cucumber/peanut or cucumber-yogurt salad
  • Papad & Pickle as a side

1. Day 2 (Rishi Panchami): Rishi Panchami Bhaji (or Rushichi Bhaji) with rice poori is made the day after Ganesh Chaturthi begins. It is a traditional Maharashtrian mixed vegetable dish made with a variety of seasonal vegetables
2. During the 10 days: A different modak variety can be offered each day — fried modak, chocolate modak, rava modak, malai modak, kaju modak. The variety keeps the offering fresh and the kitchen busy in the most joyful way.
3. Visarjan Day (Day 11): A celebratory sweet is traditional on the final day as Bappa is bid farewell — basundi, shrikhand, or coconut ladoo are all beautiful choices along with savory meal.

12 Modak Recipes

Modak is Lord Ganesha’s most beloved food, which is why it holds the most important place in Ganesh Chaturthi prasad. Traditionally, 21 modaks are offered to Bappa on Chaturthi day — though at home, even a small plate made with care carries all the devotion. Below are 12 modak recipes from the blog, ranging from the classic traditional version to quick fusion varieties.

1. Ukadiche Modak – The classic, traditional, non-negotiable modak for Ganesh Chaturthi.

Ukadiche Modak Recipe (Steamed Modak with Coconut Filling)

Perfect ukadiche modak — soft steamed rice flour shell with chewy coconut-jaggery filling. Step-by-step with mould + hand method. Tips to prevent cracking!

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1. Fried Modak – The pleating technique is easier than steamed modak and the results are beautiful. Perfect if you prefer the crunch of a fried outer cover.

Fried Modak Recipe (Talniche Modak) — Crispy & Flaky

Crispy, flaky fried modak with sweet coconut-jaggery filling, easier to shape than steamed modak and ready in 1 hour. Perfect Ganesh Chaturthi prasad!

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1. Chocolate Modak – A fusion version that takes only 30 minutes from cooking to shaping — and it uses a mould, so no expertise in pleating required.

Chocolate Modak Recipe (Easy, 30 Minutes)

Easiest chocolate modak for Ganesh Chaturthi — 5 ingredients, 30 minutes, no shaping skill needed! Kids love making these.

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1. Rava modak – No steaming required for this one. Uses a modak mould for shaping, so it is genuinely beginner-friendly.

Rava Modak Recipe (Suji Modak)

The perfect rava modak recipe without steaming method! Smooth, velvety outer layer made from semolina (suji) and milk then stuffed with coconut-jaggery sweet stuffing.

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1. Stuffed Mawa Modak – The outer layer is made from just 2 ingredients — mawa (khoya) and sugar — and it is rich, slightly sweet, and beautifully white.

Stuffed Mawa Modak Recipe (Khoya Modak)

Mawa modak stuffed with dates and nuts mixture is a perfect modak recipe for the Ganesh Chaturthi festival! In Maharashtra, these are known as ‘Khavyache modak’.

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1. Modak peda – Quick, festive, and stunning — only 20 minutes required (10 minutes cooking, 10 minutes shaping).

Kesar Modak Peda Recipe (20 Mins Only)

Modak Peda – perfectly easy to make yet it’s always a showstopper at Ganesh Chaturthi bhog. It’s made with 4-ingredients only.

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1. Coconut Modak – A no-cook recipe — just mix and shape. Great for involving kids in the festival preparations.

Coconut Modak Recipe (Chocolate Covered)

Easy coconut modak recipe for Ganesh Chaturthi. It’s sweet, chewy, full of coconut flavor, made with just 2-ingredients (plus dipped into chocolate. optional) and ready in just 10 minutes or less!

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1. Malai modak (Paneer modak) – Made with just 2 ingredients — paneer and condensed milk. Don’t have a mould? Shape into ladoo — same delicious taste.

Malai Modak Recipe (Paneer Modak)

This delicious tasting malai modak is made with 2-ingredients and ready in 15 minutes! The main ingredient is paneer, so these are also known as paneer modak.

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1. Dry Fruits Modak – No cooking required — just blend and shape. Done in 10 minutes. High in natural sweetness from dates, so no added sugar needed.

Dry Fruits Modak Recipe {No-Cook, 10 Mins Only}

This incredibly easy dry fruits modak is so QUICK to make. You’ll need a handful of ingredients and a food processor.

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1. Til modak – A lesser-known but beautiful variation worth making. Tt tastes just like chikki but the texture is soft.

Til Modak Recipe (Sesame Seeds Modak)

Til modak are a nice variation to the traditional modak. It is easy to make with 4 ingredients only.

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1. Kaju Modak – Tastes exactly like kaju katli but shaped as modak.

Kaju Modak Recipe

This kaju modak is super easy to make, beginner-friendly and perfect for Ganesh Chaturthi bhog. It’s made with 4 ingredients (plus, water) and it’s nothing but a modified version of kaju katli turned into the modak shape.

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1. Mango modak – A seasonal variation made with mango pulp — like a mawa modak but with the fragrant sweetness of ripe mango.

Mango Modak Recipe

This is easy to make mango modak recipe for Ganesh Chaturthi festival. It’s perfectly sweet, rich, creamy with full of mango flavor.

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15 Other Sweets (Prasad Ideas)

After modak, ladoo is the second most beloved offering for Ganpati Bappa. During the 10-day festival, many different sweets are made and distributed as prasad. Below is the full list — from traditional Maharashtrian sweets to simpler festival treats.

1. Panchamrut – The most sacred item in any pooja thali — a mandatory first offering and prepared fresh for each day’s puja.

Panchamrut Recipe (Panchamrit, Charnamrut)

Panchamrut (or panchamrit) is a holy and sacred traditional ayurvedic recipe that is made with 5 ingredients. It is used for the spiritual purpose (offering to god during pooja) as well as for medici

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1. Coconut Ladoo – One of the easiest sweets on this list — made with just coconut and condensed milk as the main ingredients, ready in under 20 minutes.

Coconut Ladoo Recipe (With Condensed Milk)

My favorite coconut ladoo recipe with condensed milk (aka Indian coconut balls)! These are not to be missed. It has full of coconut flavor with a perfectly sweet taste.

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1. Rava Besan Ladoo – A Maharashtrian specialty — similar to besan ladoo but with the addition of semolina (rava), which adds a slight graininess and texture.

Rava Besan Ladoo Recipe

Rava besan ladoo is a delicious Maharashtrian sweet and is made during festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, etc. These are similar to besan ladoo but with slightly different texture.

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1. Boondi Ladoo – Time-consuming but deeply worth it. The homemade version is something you will be proud of every time you make it.

Boondi Ladoo Recipe

The only homemade boondi ladoo recipe you will ever need! These turn out deliciously sweet, soft with perfectly round boondis every time. Plus they’re so easy to make.

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1. Churma ladoo (Without Frying) – This version bakes the muthia in the oven instead of deep-frying — melt-in-your-mouth texture with nuts and raisins in every bite.

Churma Ladoo Recipe {Without Frying}

This no fry churma ladoo is perfectly sweetened with jaggery and has a rich, soft and melt-in-your-mouth kind texture with nuts and raisins in every bite.

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1. Besan Ladoo – The classic. One of the most widely made Indian sweets and one of the hardest to mess up.

Besan Ladoo Recipe

The BEST Besan Ladoo Recipe! Easy to make and deliciously sweet! These ladoos are soft, creamy yet you can taste the granular feel from the besan.

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1. Peanut Ladoo – The healthier version of ladoo than usual festive sweets.

Peanut Ladoo Recipe

Nutritious and delicious Peanut Ladoo recipe made with 4 main ingredients! It takes only 20 minutes to make. These wholesome ladoos are perfect for the winter months.

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1. Rava Sheera – The simplest and most auspicious sweet on this list — 3 ingredients, 20 minutes, and always satisfying.

Rava Sheera Recipe (Satyanarayan Prasad Recipe)

There is nothing quite like a bowl of homemade rava sheera. It comes out deliciously sweet, soft, fluffy, and rich every time and is always sure to satisfy the sweet tooth. The same sheera (garnished with tulsi leaves and served with sliced bananas and pomegranate arils) is made for Satyanarayan Katha (puja) as a prasad.

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1. Banana sheera – A popular prasad variation — sooji halwa made with mashed ripe banana.

Banana Sheera Recipe

The BEST Banana sheera recipe!! It is sooji halwa with banana aka banana sooji halwa.

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1. Puran poli – The queen of Maharashtrian festival food.

Puran Poli Recipe (Vedmi)

Puran poli is a traditional Indian stuffed bread with sweet lentil filling. Learn how to make vedmi at home with this no-fail recipe.

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1. Karanji – The outer crust (khuskhusit in Marathi, meaning flaky and crispy) is the goal. Made during Ganesh Chaturthi and Diwali both.

Karanji Recipe (Maharashtrian)

This Maharashtrian karanji recipe makes crispy and flaky (khuskhusit) outer cover with sweet coconut stuffing. A must-have sweet snack for festivals

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1. Basundi – Sweetened and thickened whole milk flavored with cardamom and saffron and studded with chopped nuts.

Basundi Recipe (Traditional Method)

This is the BEST basundi recipe you’ll get around the internet. It is super creamy, rich, perfectly sweet with the crunch of nuts in every spoon.

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1. Shrikhand – Two methods are shared in the recipe: an instant version using Greek yogurt (ready in 5 minutes) and the traditional method using homemade hung curd.

Shrikhand Recipe (With Greek Yogurt + Traditional)

Shrikhand Recipe – it’s silky, smooth, creamy with a hint of saffron flavor and crunch of nuts. It gets ready in 5 minutes or less (when made with greek yogurt)!

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1. Shankarpali – A traditional festival snack that disappears fast — both Ganesh Chaturthi and Diwali wouldn’t feel complete without a tin of shankarpali on the table.

Shakarpara Recipe (Shankarpali)

Shakarpara is a traditional Indian snack, often enjoyed during special festivals like Diwali, Holi. You’ll need only 4 ingredients and turn out crispy, crunchy, and flaky with a touch of sweetness.

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1. Besan Burfi – A simple four-ingredient barfi. No sugar syrup required, which makes it much more approachable than traditional barfi recipes.

Besan Barfi Recipe (No Sugar Syrup)

The easiest way to make besan barfi at home, and it’s ready in no time! This burfi is perfectly sweet with great texture.

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13 Savory Ganesh Chaturthi Recipes

The traditional Maharashtrian Ganesh Chaturthi feast is not just sweets — it is a complete meal served on a banana leaf. The meal includes savory dishes alongside the sweets and panchamrut. Below is the full list of savory recipes from the blog that are traditionally part of the festival menu.

1. Batatayachi bhaji – A very simple, minimally spiced dry potato subzi. It is one of the most essential items in the Ganesh Chaturthi feast and is always served alongside poori.

Batata Bhaji Recipe (Maharashtrian Potato Bhaji)

Maharashtrian favorite batata bhaji or potato bhaji. Easy to make and deliciously flavorful! Here you will get mildly spiced boiled potato stir-fry flavored with curry leaves and garnished with fresh cilantro. YUM!

Check out this recipe

1. Poori – It is always served alongside batatayachi bhaji and varan bhaat in the traditional feast.

Puri Recipe (Poori)

The only poori recipe you’ll ever need! The puri turns out slightly crisp, soft and fluffy every time. Plus, they are not oily at all.

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1. Varan bhaat – The anchoring dish of the Maharashtrian festival thali — a simple, clean toor dal seasoned with minimal spices and served over plain steamed rice.

Varan Bhaat Recipe

Varan bhaat is a comforting and satisfying Maharashtrian dish and makes a perfect lunch or dinner. This instant pot varan recipe is incredibly easy and quick to make.

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1. Moong dal khichdi – It is easy to digest, quick to make, and is often made during the festival as a simple, sattvik (pure) meal.

Moong Dal Khichdi Recipe

Healthy, comforting khichdi is light on stomach and easy to digest. This moong dal khichdi recipe requires basic, few ingredients and quick to make.

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1. Poori bhaji – Slightly different from the dry batatayachi bhaji in spicing. The combination of puffed pooris and a spiced dry potato sabzi — a popular Maharashtrian breakfast that also doubles as a festival meal.

Maharashtrian Poori Bhaji

Poori bhaji is the classic breakfast or brunch combo of warm aloo bhaji with puffed, hot puris. This is the Maharashtrian style puri bhaji recipe.

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1. Amti – A uniquely Maharashtrian dal made from toor dal with a touch of sourness from tamarind or kokum and flavored with goda masala. This is a dal like no other; the goda masala makes it deeply aromatic.

Amti Recipe (Amti dal)

Maharashtrian amti recipe – The meaning of amti is ‘any curry or dal dish which has acidic ingredient, in this case tamarind.

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1. Matki usal – A staple Maharashtrian preparation that is nutritious, protein-rich, and deeply comforting.

Matki Usal Recipe (With Sprouted Matki)

This Maharashtrian-style matki usal is a protein-packed, healthy, and delicious curry made with sprouted matki (moth beans), potato, onion, and a few spices. In the marathi language, it is called ‘matki chi usal’.

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1. Katachi amti – A thin, tangy soup-like dal made from the strained cooking water of the chana dal used to make puran poli filling — so if you are making puran poli, this comes for free. It is traditionally served alongside puran poli and is a genuine Maharashtrian specialty.

katachi Amti

Katachi amti recipe – To make puran poli stuffing, we boil the dal. Then boiled dal water is strained and that is used here for making this amti.

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1. Sabudana khichdi – Light but filling, and one of the most popular fasting (upvas/vrat) foods also eaten as a regular breakfast or snack during the festival.

Sabudana Khichdi Recipe {PERFECT, Non-Sticky}

Sabudana Khichdi Recipe for Navratri vrat or Hindu fasting days. Tips are shared to soak sabudana and to make perfect, non-sticky khichdi.

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1. Sabudana thalipeeth – Excellent as a breakfast or snack during the festival days when a lighter, vrat-friendly meal is preferred.

Sabudana Thalipeeth Recipe

Sabudana thalipeeth recipe – a popular Maharashtrian snack recipe made during vrat, upwas or fasting.

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1. Poha recipe – Takes under 20 minutes and is an effortless morning offering that works on any day of the festival.

Poha Recipe (Batata Poha)

Easy to make delicious poha recipe! This batata poha is the popular breakfast in Gujarat (a state of India). It gets ready in just 15 minutes (if you have boiled potato ready).

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1. Sabudana vada – Traditionally a vrat food, but eaten with enthusiasm during the festival by everyone regardless.

Sabudana Vada Recipe

The BEST, perfectly fried and crispy sabudana vada recipe ever! These are the perfect snack for vrat (Hindu fasting).

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1. Kothimbir vadi – It is a delicious addition to the festive Ganesh Chaturthi menu.

Crispy Kothimbir Vadi Recipe (Maharashtrian Snack)

Maharashtrian style Kothimbir vadi recipe – These savory cilantro fritters are steamed first then fried till crisp. Yes, they are super delicious, crispy around the edges and soft from inside.

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Ganpati Bappa Morya! Wishing you and your family a very Happy Ganesh Chaturthi 2026! 🙏

This post is updated annually before the festival season. Last updated: August 2026.

More Festival Recipe Collections

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• Navratri Fasting Recipes
• Holi Recipes
• Indian Festival Sweets