Easy and delicious Mushroom Matar Masala made in the Instant Pot and stovetop. Made with earthy mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, and aromatic spices, this Mushroom Masala Curry is perfect for a delicious warm weeknight dinner!
Not everyone is a fan of mushrooms, but if you are a fan, you are in for a treat with this curry. Their rich and robust umami flavors elevate the taste of this curry. Serve with rice or naan for a perfect meal!
I love mushrooms and have shared many recipes such as mushroom rice, creamy mushroom pasta, mushroom wild rice soup, and tandoori mushroom tikka.
That said, if you want Indian flavors with mushrooms, then this is the best Indian mushroom recipe you want to make. So let's get cooking!
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Why Mushrooms?
Mushrooms, also known as kukkarmuta and khumbi in Hindi are a source of powerful nutrients.
They are low in calories, fat-free, cholesterol-free, gluten-free, and very low in sodium, yet they provide important nutrients, including potassium, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin D, and more.
Mushrooms historically have not been as common in the Indian household but are growing in popularity.
Another good thing about mushrooms is that they cook very quickly. Even more quickly in an Instant Pot. We love to use them frequently in curries, omelets, soup and pastas.
Why you'll love this Mushroom Masala
- Easy to cook in under 25 minutes.
- It is gluten-free and perfect for vegetarians
- It can be made vegan easily.
- It is full of flavors that any meat eater will relish too!
- Perfect for a warm weeknight meal
Ingredients
Mushrooms: Always use fresh mushrooms. I prefer white button or cremini mushrooms for this recipe.
Green Chili Pepper: This adds a little spice kick and lots of flavor to the curry. However, if you like a mild curry, feel free to skip it. I use Thai, birdseye, or Serrano peppers when making Indian curries.
Ginger and garlic: I like to use freshly minced garlic and grated ginger. You can also use ginger paste and garlic paste.
Onions: I like to use yellow onions when making curries.
Tomatoes: Use fresh red plump tomatoes but you can use canned tomatoes too. For this recipe, use ¾ cup canned tomato puree.
Spices: You only need a few spices already available in your pantry - Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, Garam masala, coriander powder, and salt. I also add some cumin seeds at the start.
Kasoori Methi: This is optional. For a restaurant-style Mushroom Matar, crush the kasoori methi between your palms and at the end after the curry is cooked.
Cream: To add the final creamy touch to this curry, add some heavy cream. Or you can use coconut milk or cashew cream if you want to make it vegan.
How to Clean Mushrooms?
Add the mushrooms to a bowl of water. Let the dirt settle down in 2-3 minutes, then remove and pat dry the mushrooms. I like to use a kitchen towel or towel paper to clean them.
Then slice the mushrooms using a sharp knife.
How to Make Mushroom Matar?
This Mushroom Mutter is so easy to make in either an instant pot or stovetop in less than 30 minutes.
Instant Pot Method
- Heat the Instant Pot in sauté mode, and add oil and cumin seeds.
- Once the cumin seeds start to splutter, add diced green chili and onion. Let this cook until the onions soften and turn light brown.
- Then add ginger and garlic. Cook for another minute.
- On the side, grind tomatoes to a puree. You can also use canned tomato puree.
- Add the tomato puree and spices to the instant pot and cook for a few minutes.
Note: You can also add cashews when pureeing tomatoes to make this curry creamier. This is a good option to make this curry vegan.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and green peas to the instant pot.
- Add some water and give it a stir.
- Close the lid and pressure cook on high pressure.
- Once the pressure cooking is completed, quick release the pressure.
- Then add cream (or coconut milk for vegan variation) and dried fenugreek leaves.
Give it a good stir. Then garnish with cilantro leaves, and mushroom masala is ready to serve!
You can also add a squeeze of lime juice on the top!
We love to serve it with rice or the Indian flatbread roti or paratha.
Stovetop Method
The initial steps to make mushroom matar remain the same as for the instant pot.
When cooking on the stovetop, use a heavy bottom pan or Dutch oven. Make sure to saute the onions well for 4-5 minutes until they are golden brown in color.
When sautéing the pureed tomatoes, ensure all the liquid is dried, and the masala has thickened.
Then add the mushrooms, green peas, and water. Stir gently, and let it simmer for about 6-8 minutes until the mushrooms and peas soften. Stir at regular intervals.
Add the kasoori methi and cream. Roll the kasuri methi with your hand to crush it and add it to the curry. Stir it all gently. Garnish with cilantro. Mushroom Matar is ready to serve.
Pro-tips
Thicken the sauce: Sauté the onions and tomatoes well. This adds a lot more flavor to the curry. You can also add cashews when pureeing tomatoes to get a thick creamy curry.
Mushrooms: Rinse, clean, and dry the mushrooms with a kitchen towel paper before slicing. Use white mushrooms or cremini mushrooms for a more robust flavor.
Onion Tomato Masala: My onion tomato bhuna masala can be used to make this curry. Use about ¾ cup of the masala in place of onions, tomatoes, ginger, and garlic.
Low-fat Mushroom Masala: When making this curry at home for everyday meals, I mostly skip the cream completely to make it lighter.
Vegan Mushroom Masala
Replace the cream with full-fat coconut milk or add cashew cream.
How to Serve?
This curry can be served with naan, roti, or jeera rice.
I also like to serve cucumber raita and Indian onion salad or Kachumber salad on the side with this curry.
How to store?
Let the curry cool down completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
If you want to make it ahead or freeze it, I suggest making the onion tomato masala and freeze it. Then this curry is super easy to put together in less than 15 minutes. I do this whenever I am making this curry for a party.
More Instant Pot Curry Recipes:
Enjoy this easy Mushroom Masala, and don't forget to share how it turns out!
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Mushroom Matar Masala
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Mushroom cleaned and sliced
- ¾ cup Green peas I used frozen
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 1" inch Ginger grated
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 Green Chili Pepper diced, optional
- 1 cup Onion diced
- 2 Tomato large, pureed
- ⅓ cup Water use ½ cup for stovetop
- 2 tablespoon Cream or Coconut Milk for vegan
- 1 tablespoon Dried Fenugreek leaves (Kasoori Methi) crushed
- Cilantro to garnish
Spices
- ½ teaspoon Ground Turmeric (Haldi powder)
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder (Dhaniya powder)
- ½ teaspoon Red Chili powder (Mirchi powder)
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Start the instant pot in saute mode and heat oil in it. Add cumin seeds and saute for a minute until they sizzle.
- Add the onions and green chili. Cook for about 4 minutes until the onions turn golden. Then add ginger and garlic. Cook for another minute.
- While the onions are cooking, blend tomatoes to a puree. Once the onions are ready, add the tomato puree, spices and salt to the instant pot. Cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and green peas. Change the instant pot setting to manual/pressure cook mode on high pressure for 2 minutes.
- Once the instant pot beeps, quick release the pressure manually. Stir in the cream. Crush the fenugreek leaves between your palms and add to the instant pot. Give it a good stir.
- Garnish with cilantro. Mushroom Masala is ready to be served. Enjoy with roti or rice.
Stovetop Method
- When cooking on the stovetop, use a heavy bottom pan or dutch oven. Make sure to sauté the onions well for 4-5 minutes until they are golden brown in color. Then add ginger and garlic. Cook for another minute.
- Add the tomato puree, spices, and salt. Cook for another 3-4 minutes. When sautéing the pureed tomatoes, make sure all the liquid is dried and the masala has thickened.
- Then add the mushrooms, green peas, and water. Stir gently, and let it simmer for about 6-8 minutes, until the mushrooms and peas soften. Stir at regular intervals.
- Add the kasoori methi and cream. Roll the kasuri methi with your hand to make it a fine powder and add to the curry. Stir it all gently. Garnish with cilantro. Mushroom Matar is ready to serve.
Video
Notes
Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
Steve says
Hi,
In the recipe card which I downloaded to my Paprika App you do not mention when the ginger and garlic go in on either the IP version or stovetop, no water is mentioned on the IP version on the recipe card, although you also say add water (Stovetop version) no amount is given, plus it is not mentioned on the ingredients on either IP or stovetop version.
I did guess, and it turned out well, but this does trigger me when the recipe method does not match the ingredients.
Meeta Arora says
Hi Steve - Thanks for the feedback. I have added the details to the recipe.
Ian says
Hi,
The recipe doesn't tell me how much water to add. Nor does it tell me how many ml of canned tomatoes I should use if one were to use canned tomatoes.
Regards,
Meeta Arora says
Hi Ian - I have added the details of how much water. If using canned tomatoes, add 3/4 cup.
Maneesha says
So delicious! I love the combination of spices and the flavors they bring out! I will definitely make this again! thank you so much, Meeta!
Piping Pot Curry says
Hi Maneesha, So happy to hear that. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Nancy says
I made this dish because I happened to have some mushrooms in the fridge that I wanted to use up. My family liked it ** a lot **. The mushrooms are not highly identifiable: they become more a carrier of texture and flavor than the main feature. I will definitely put this recipe on repeat.
Meeta Arora says
Hi Nancy - So glad you enjoyed the curry!
TERRY GREENWELL says
I made this in a stove top cast iron pan as it is quick and easy, couldn't see the point of using my instant pot for this one particularly.
Absolutely delicious !
Wrapped some up in a paratha, lovely light lunch time snack.
Piping Pot Curry says
Hi Terry - That makes me happy. Thank you for sharing back 🙂
M Batra says
Is it low pressure or high pressure in the instant pot?
Meeta Arora says
Hello - I use the default high pressure setting for this curry. Hope you enjoy it!
Manal says
Turned out amazing!! So quick and delish.
Piping Pot Curry says
Hi Manal - So glad to hear that. 🙂
Danielle says
A quick question: how do you grind the onions, ginger, garlic, and chili? Can I dice them, then mash them? Thank you!
Meeta Arora says
Hi Danielle - I made a paste in a blender. This curry will work well with dicing too. You can dice the onions and tomatoes, mince or chop the garlic, and grate the ginger. I do this in my Aloo Matar recipe too.
Adriana Rojas says
Quick question...I see you list fresh tomatoes - can I use tomato paste instead? Will it change the flavor? If yes, how much would I use, say for the default 3 serving recipe? I'll try it with the fresh tomatoes, but I'm just asking in case there's a day I don't have any.
Meeta Arora says
Hi Adriana - I have not tried, but about 2 tablespoon of paste. Also add at least 1/2 cup water before pressure cooking, as the tomatoes provide the liquid for the instant pot to come to pressure in this recipe.