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    Home » Recipes » Curry

    Indian Curry Sauce (Onion Tomato Bhuna Masala)

    September 14, 2022 . By Meeta Arora . 49 Comments | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe
    Curry Sauce in the instant pot
    Indian curry sauce made with onions and tomatoes in a glass jar with spices and tomatoes in the back
    Indian curry sauce made with onions and tomatoes in a black bowl with spices and tomatoes in the back
    Curry sauce in a black bowl and in the instant pot

    Basic Indian Curry Sauce, also known as Bhuna Masala, made with onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and spices. This is the base for many Indian dishes such as lentils and curries. This onion tomato masala is very versatile and freezes well. Perfect to have for those busy days when you want to make a curry in a hurry!

    Indian curry sauce made with onions and tomatoes in a black bowl with spices and tomatoes in the back

    Let me start by saying this basic curry sauce (or gravy) will simplify your indian cooking A LOT!

    You are already aware, I am all about easy one-pot cooking. With 2 kids now, school and extra-curricular activities keeping us busy, I need quick and easy cooking. However I don't want to compromise on healthy food or on giving the experience of true indian food to my family. So this easy curry sauce is my secret weapon on those busy days (which is now everyday!).

    Once I have this onion tomato masala ready, it saves a ton of time when cooking indian food. Having this stored, means we can enjoy healthy, authentic indian food everyday!

    This is not a new innovative idea to make onion tomato masala. My mom used to always have a stash in the freezer when I was growing up. Has it become more efficient to make it? Yes, absolutely. I will share some of my tricks to make it easier to make and use this everyday masala. I will share the recipe to make this masala in the instant pot and in a saucepan on stovetop. My preferred way now is the instant pot as it needs less of my active time!

    This everyday curry sauce is also great if you are planning a party or cooking for a large family. You can make this masala a few days in advance, which will make it so much easier to manage a large spread on the day of the party.

    What is basic Indian Curry Sauce aka Onion Tomato Bhuna Masala?

    • Basic Indian Curry Sauce is an aromatic, flavorful and versatile base for many Indian curries, lentils and rice dishes.
    • It is made from onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and spices, which are the base for more Indian dishes.
    • Having this everyday curry sauce ready, means a big time saving with not having to sauté the basic ingredients every time.
    • This everyday onion tomato masala can be prepared in a big batch in advance (like meal prepping) and even freezed. Another advantage, if you are pressure cooking, then you can even skip thawing the masala for most recipes.
    • With this bhuna masala ready, many Indian dishes become a dump-and-go recipe.

    This onion tomato masala that I am sharing is a punjabi style curry sauce. With slight variations, this masala can be used in both north and South Indian cooking.

    Why use this curry sauce over cooking with basic ingredients everyday?

    The main reason - Saves Time Everyday!

    I totally understand that Indian cooking can sometimes be exhausting with having to peel, chop or grind and sauté basic ingredients everyday. I feel the same if I have to chop onions multiple times in a day!

    This curry sauce can make indian cooking manageable and approachable for many. With this sauce, you can enjoy home cooked fresh Indian meals every day!

    For example, if you are making a curry such as Aloo Matar, just add this bhuna masala, some spices, throw in the potatoes, green peas and some water to pressure cook. This just makes many indian curries dump-and-go. Another example is lentils such as Green Moong Dal, add the lentils, this masala and water to pressure cook.

    What are the Ingredients to make basic Indian Curry Sauce?

    I use 5 main ingredients to make this curry sauce:

    1. Onions - I use yellow onions for cooking.
    2. Tomatoes - I used fresh Roma tomatoes as they have less water content, which we anyway want to cook down in this curry sauce. You can use canned diced tomatoes too.
    3. Ginger
    4. Garlic
    5. Spices - I use very basic spices in this recipe such as ground coriander, turmeric and red chili powder. The idea is to add some spices, but we want to add more spices when using this sauce to make a curry.

    I also used green chili pepper, but they are completely optional.

    Ingredients such as onions, tomatoes, green chili pepper, ginger and garlic

    I like to use a chopper to chop the onions and tomatoes. I recently got this onion chopper and fell in love with it. I feel that there is some cleaning involved, so I will not use it to dice half a onion, but for such recipes where I need multiple onions, it is a savior.

    Chopping onions using a manual chopper

    I even chopped the tomatoes and green chilis with the chopper.

    Using a chopper, made the prep for this curry sauce so much easier.

    Chipped onions in a chopper
    Chopped tomatoes in a chopper

    How to make Indian Curry Sauce in the Instant Pot?

    Once you have the chopping done, let's start with cooking the curry sauce.

    • Start the instant pot in Saute(more) setting and let it heat until it displays HOT.  We want to use the high sauté setting, as we are going to saute a lot of onions, so this will help to speed up the process.
    • Add oil, then diced onions and stir them. Saute the onions for about 15 minutes. You dont need to stir for the first 8-10 minutes, as the onions release water and do not stick to the pot. After 10 minutes, stir at regular intervals.
    • Add ginger, garlic and green chili pepper and mix well. Saute for 5 mins, while stirring frequently. Green chili pepper is completely optional, so feel free to skip if you want to keep this masala non-spicy.
    Onions with minced ginger , garlic and green chili pepper in the pressure cooker
    Spices on sautéed onions in pressure cooker
    • Add the spices. Then add tomatoes and stir well. Saute for about 3 minutes.
      • We don't want to cook down the tomatoes completely, as we need the tomato liquid for pressure cooking. Scrape the bottom to make sure nothing is stuck. If needed, add 1-2 tablespoons of water and deglaze the pot.
      • We are also adding very less spices as we want to add more spices when using this masala to make a dish. Spices can also vary based on the Indian dish you are cooking, so this helps to tailor based on the actual dish.
    • Press Cancel and close lid with vent in sealing position. Set the instant pot to manual or pressure cook mode for 5 minutes at high pressure.
    • When the instant pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally. Open the pot and give it a good stir.
    Sautéed browned onions in the instant pot
    Tomatoes and onions in a pressure cooker
    • You can leave the masala as is or blend using an immersion blender or in a standalone blender. Keep it chunky or smooth depending on your taste. I like to blend it, but not make it completely smooth.
    • This recipe makes about 6 cups of curry sauce. This can easily be used to make 10 or more Indian dishes when cooking for 2-4 people.
    Curry Sauce in the instant pot

    Let the masala cool completely before you store it in the refrigerator or freeze it.

    Use the masala as needed to make curries, dal, stews, pulao, etc.

    Indian curry sauce made with onions and tomatoes in a glass jar with spices and tomatoes in the back

    How to make Bhuna Masala in a saucepan on stovetop?

    You can also make this easy curry sauce in a saucepan on the stovetop.

    • Use a heavy bottom deep saucepan. Add the oil and onions, and saute for about 15 minutes. Stir at regular intervals from the start on stovetop.
    • Add the tomatoes and spices, and stir well. Cover and let it cook for 5 minutes, so the tomatoes soften. Then cook the masala uncovered so all the liquid dries and the masala thickens.Keep stirring at regular intervals.
    • The Bhuna Masala is ready when it starts to leave oil on the sides of the pan.
    • You can keep it as it or blend in a blender, depending on your preference.

    I would say making onion tomato masala on stovetop or instant pot takes the same amount of time, but there is less active time or stirring needed with the instant pot method.

    How to store Indian Curry Sauce?

    This Indian curry sauce stores well in the refrigerator for up to a week.

    If you want to store it for longer, which I always like to do, store it in the freezer. I save half in the refrigerator for the week, and freeze the rest.

    You can use large ice cube trays or silicone molds  to store the Bhuna Masala. I used these silicone molds which store about ¼ cup in each compartment. If you are making a large batch, you might need multiple trays. Also, make sure to cool the masala completely, before freezing it.

    indian Onion tomato paste in silicone molds for storage

    I also remove the freezed masala from the silicone tray and put in ziploc bags. That way the tray is available for me to use for other recipes.

    Freezed onion tomato masala curry sauce in a ziploc bag

    The advantage of freezing in individual portions is that it is easier to use. Depending on the recipe, I use 1 or 2 cubes of the masala, so it is ¼ cup or ½ cup of the masala.

    How to Use Indian Onion Masala in Recipes?

    Now comes the fun part - using this onion tomato masala. You can use this masala in pretty much everything- dal, pulao, curries – so much more! You can use this masala wherever the recipe calls for using onion and tomatoes and basic Indian spices.

    Here are some examples of recipes where you can use this masala. Skip adding onion, tomato, ginger and garlic in the recipes and adjust the spices to your taste.

    Lentils (use ¼ cup masala for 1 cup of dry lentils)

    • Toor Dal
    • Green Moong Dal
    • Dal Makhani

    Curry

    • Aloo Matar - Use ½ cup for the recipe.
    • Chicken Curry - Use ¾ cup for this recipe
    • Aloo Baingan - Use ½ cup for this recipe
    • Mushroom Matar - Use ¾ cup for this recipe
    • Matar Paneer - Use ¾ cup for this recipe
    • Egg Curry - Use ¾ cup for this recipe

    Beans (use ½ cup masala for 1 cup of dry beans/chickpeas)

    • Chana Masala
    • Rajma
    • Black eyed peas curry
    • Kala Chana Curry

    Rice

    • Vegetable Pulao - use ¼ cup masala in the recipe.

    For lentils and rice, I would start with using just ¼ cup of the masala when cooking 3-4 servings. For curries, start with ½ cup. It is totally fine if you don't get the quantity of masala right at first try. As this masala is already cooked well, you can also add it later.

    Enjoy the convenience of this easy curry sauce to simplify your life. Happy cooking!

    Tried this recipe?Give a rating by clicking the ★ below
    Indian curry sauce made with onions and tomatoes in a black bowl with spices and tomatoes in the back

    Indian Curry Sauce Recipe (Onion Tomato Bhuna Masala)

    Meeta Arora
    Basic Indian Curry Sauce, also known as Bhuna Masala, made with onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and spices. This is the base for many Indian dishes such as lentils and curries. This onion tomato masala is very versatile and freezes well. Perfect to have for those busy days when you want to make a curry in a hurry!
    4.89 from 43 votes
    Print Save Saved! Pin
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 120
    Course: Spice Blend
    Cuisine: Indian
    Diet: Gluten-free, Vegan
    Method: Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker, Stovetop
    Prep Time: 15 mins
    Cook Time: 50 mins
    Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins

    Equipment

    • Electric Pressure Cooker
    • Heavy Bottom Pan
    • Onion Chopper
    • Immersion Blender
    • Silicone Molds

    Ingredients
     
     

    • ½ cup Oil
    • 5 Onions yellow medium diced, about 2 lbs
    • 10 cloves Garlic minced
    • 2 inch Ginger grated
    • 4 Green Chili Pepper I used Thai chili, optional
    • 6 Tomatoes medium chopped, I used Roma tomatoes, about 2 lbs

    Spices

    • 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder adjust to taste
    • 5 teaspoon Coriander powder (Dhaniya powder)
    • 1 teaspoon Ground Turmeric (Haldi powder)
    • 2 teaspoon Salt
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    Instant Pot Method:

    • Start the instant pot in Saute(more) setting and let it heat until it displays HOT.
    • Add oil, then diced onions and stir them.
    • Saute the onions for about 15 minutes. You dont need to stir for the first 8-10 minutes, as the onions release water and do not stick to the pot. After 10 minutes, stir at regular intervals.
    • Add ginger, garlic and green chili pepper and mix well. Saute for 5 mins, while stirring frequently.
    • Add the spices. Then add tomatoes and stir well.
    • Saute for about 3 minutes. We don't want to cook down the tomatoes completely, as we need the tomato liquid for pressure cooking. Scrape the bottom to make sure nothing is stuck. If needed, add 1-2 tablespoons of water and deglaze the pot.
    • Press Cancel and close lid with vent in sealing position. Set the instant pot to manual or pressure cook mode for 5 minutes at high pressure.
    • When the instant pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally. Open the pot and give it a good stir.
    • You can leave the masala as is or blend using an immersion blender or in a standalone blender. Keep it chunky or smooth depending on your taste.
    • This recipe makes about 6 cups of curry sauce.

    Stovetop Method:

    • Use a heavy bottom deep saucepan. Add the oil and onions, and saute for about 15 minutes. Stir at regular intervals from the start on stovetop.
    • Add the tomatoes and spices, and stir well. Cover and let it cook for 5 minutes, so the tomatoes soften. Then cook the masala uncovered so all the liquid dries and the masala thickens.Keep stirring at regular intervals. 
    • The Bhuna Masala is ready when it starts to leave oil on the sides of the pan. You can keep it as it or blend in a blender, depending on your preference.

    Notes

    Nutrition value: It is for ½ cup of curry sauce. 
    Preferred Method: I would say making onion tomato masala on stovetop or instant pot takes the same amount of time, but there is less active time or stirring needed with the instant pot method. 
    Storing: This Indian curry sauce stores well in the refrigerator for up to a week. To store for longer, freeze in small portions. You can use large ice cube trays or silicone molds  to store the Bhuna Masala. The silicone molds store about ¼ cup in each compartment. You can remove the cubes once they are freezed and store in ziploc bags. The masala stays good for 3-4 months in the freezer. 
    Using the masala: If using freezed masala in a dish that will be pressure cooked, you dont necessarily have to thaw the masala. Freezed masala can be added along with other ingredients to pressure cook a curry. 

    Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 120kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 1gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 449mgPotassium: 238mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 611IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 22mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword bhuna masala, indian curry sauce, indian onion tomato masala
    Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @PipingPotCurry or #pipingpotcurry

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Andrea (he) says

      March 27, 2022 at 11:21 am

      I haven't tried it yet, but given the content of onions and tomatoes I assume the final sauce is going to be solid, or with shreds of solid ingredients in it. Is it supposed to be like that? Because I've always known curry to be powdery, if not densely liquid (as any sauce is).
      Thanks.

      Reply
    2. Andrew Koizumi says

      December 13, 2021 at 8:26 am

      I have made the Bhuna Masala many times since I discovered your website. To make it more aromatic, I add black and green cardamom, cinnamon stick, mace flower, and cilantro roots.
      Absolutely wonderful and flavorful recipe. Thank you for showing me this lovely recipe. Truly a time saver.

      Reply
      • Piping Pot Curry says

        December 20, 2021 at 1:32 pm

        Hi Andrew - It's wonderful to hear that. Thank you for sharing it 🙂

        Reply
      • Meeta Arora says

        December 23, 2021 at 6:19 am

        Hi Andrew - So happy to hear you are enjoying the benefits of this bhuna masala!

        Reply
    3. James says

      December 11, 2021 at 2:04 am

      I got burn warning before it got up to pressure. Added one cup of water to avoid more burn warnings.

      Reply
      • Meeta Arora says

        December 23, 2021 at 6:07 am

        Hi James - Thanks for sharing back your experience. Some of the newer models of instant pot are more sensitive to burn. You did the right thing by adding more liquid.

        Reply
    4. Colleen Ridley-Hindle says

      July 24, 2021 at 1:55 am

      Some excellent recipes. Txs.

      Reply
      • Meeta Arora says

        August 10, 2021 at 2:26 pm

        Thank you Colleen!

        Reply
    5. shiwali singla says

      July 13, 2021 at 12:09 pm

      Hi….should we use salt in this?because adding salt will not
      spoil the dish during freezing or refrigerating?

      Reply
      • Meeta Arora says

        August 10, 2021 at 2:26 pm

        Hi Shiwali - You can surely add salt. I usually don't add much, as I can forget and add to the curry while cooking too. If freezing the masala, it will stay good, with or without the salt. Hope you enjoy the convenience of this Bhuna Masala.

        Reply
    6. Jane says

      April 27, 2021 at 6:48 am

      Can you correct the link of your silicone molds? They don't go to a silicone mold link.

      Reply
      • Meeta Arora says

        April 30, 2021 at 8:08 am

        Hi Jane - Thanks for informing. I just updated the link to another one that is offered by instant pot. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    7. Jane says

      April 27, 2021 at 6:02 am

      I really love your recipes! I have made many with outstanding results. The chicken biryani is definitely one of our favourties. So I was excited to read about making this basic sauce ahead of time and freezing. However, you mention that you can use canned tomatoes. How much would you use in this recipe?

      Reply
      • Meeta Arora says

        April 30, 2021 at 8:15 am

        Hi Jane - Happy to hear you have been enjoying the recipes. One 14oz can of tomatoes is about 4-5 small tomatoes (about a pound). So you can scale accordingly to use in this recipe.

        Reply
    8. Sarah says

      February 08, 2021 at 3:48 pm

      When using the bhuna masala in curry chicken would I add all the spices listed including the whole spices?

      Reply
      • Meeta Arora says

        February 12, 2021 at 10:38 pm

        Hi Sarah - Yes, I would recommend to add all the spices listed in the recipe, as we are adding very less spices here for the quantity of Bhuna Masala.

        Reply
    9. Sarah says

      February 08, 2021 at 3:40 pm

      Great recipe! I could eat it by the bowlful!! I used my own roasted, frozen tomatoes, and have a chopper I usually use for dried fruit but for the onions it saved immense amounts of time. Also used my Instant Pot. Cooked beautifully.
      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Piping Pot Curry says

        February 09, 2021 at 7:43 am

        Hi Sarah - So happy to hear that. Thank you for sharing it 🙂

        Reply
    10. Saloni says

      January 10, 2021 at 9:54 pm

      Hi . Can you share link for chopper ?

      Reply
      • Meeta Arora says

        January 11, 2021 at 3:55 pm

        Hi Saloni - Here is the aff link to the chopper I used - https://amzn.to/3oDDop7

        Reply
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