Mushroom Masala is an easy and delicious restaurant-style Indian curry recipe made with onions, tomato, mushrooms, peas (matar), and spices cooked in an Instant Pot pressure cooker with pot-in-pot rice. This mushroom curry is vegan, gluten-free, low-carb, and can be made keto-friendly.
I have used white button mushrooms for this recipe. However, you can also use any mushrooms.
Frozen green peas are available throughout the year. During the winter season, I love to use fresh green peas in this recipe. More green peas recipes from my blog Potato peas curry, Matar paneer, Cabbage peas, Peas pulao.
I have prepared this easy Mushroom Matar Curry in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT, and above all, it can be prepared in under 30 minutes for a quick weeknight dinner.
If you are on a Keto or Low Carb Diet, Checkout Keto Indian Food Recipes Collection.
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How to clean Mushrooms?
Use a damp cloth/paper towel or a soft mushroom brush to wipe each mushroom, to remove any dirt or black spots—clean one mushroom at a time.
If you don't have time to clean them one by one, lightly rinse them for a few seconds with cold water, drain the water, and pat them dry with a clean towel. Then, mushrooms are ready for use. Always ensure to use organic mushrooms.
Mushroom Masala Recipe Ingredients
- Mushrooms: I have used organic white button mushrooms. You can also use Baby Bella or Shiitake Mushrooms.
- Green Peas: It's optional, used frozen green peas.
- Onion, tomato, garlic, and ginger: I used roughly diced onions, tomatoes, garlic, and ginger, for the base. You can also substitute diced tomatoes with canned diced, or crushed tomatoes.
- Green chili: I have used one green Thai chili, you can skip it if you like.
- Oil: Used coconut oil. You can use your choice of cooking oil.
- Herbs & Spices: I have used freshly chopped coriander leaves for herbs and cumin seeds, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala as spices. You can increase or decrease the spices according to your choice.
- Cream: I have used cashew cream. It is prepared by soaking 10-12 cashews in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes and then blending to a smooth paste with ¼ cup of water. You can also use fresh cream.
- Lemon juice: use fresh lemon juice whenever possible, or use amchur powder (dry mango powder) for tartness.
How to Make Mushroom Masala in Instant Pot
Making Cashew Paste: Soak 10-12 cashews in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, puree in a blender to a smooth paste with ¼ cup water. Keep it aside.
Add diced onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and green chili in a blender and blend without adding water to make a smooth puree. Keep it aside.
Press SAUTE mode on Instant Pot. Heat oil, add cumin seeds, and let them splutter.
Next, add the pureed onion-tomato mixture, and cook for around 3-4 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
Then add all the dry spices like turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and salt. Stir to combine. Scrape the bottom and deglaze the pot. This step is crucial to ensure you don't get the burn notice when you pressure cook.
Add in the sliced mushrooms, peas, and water. Combine gently with the masala.
Note: You can also use Pot-in-Pot Cooking or PIP. This means you can cook multiple things at the same time. Place the trivet and then the bowl of basmati rice with water. This way, they will both curry and rice will cook together.
Close the lid securely, and turn the vent to "SEALING". Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 4 minutes.
When the pot beeps, Do a quick pressure release. Open the lid.
Then add cashew cream, crushed Kasuri methi, coriander leaves, lemon juice, and mix well. Simmer the curry for 2 to 3 minutes, and the curry will thicken.
Instant pot Mushroom Masala is ready.
Accessories needed for this Mushroom Masala and Rice Pot-in-Pot
- Tall Trivet
- Stackable Steamer Insert Pans, or any oven-safe bowl
Stovetop Method
- Follow the same instructions as Instant Pot in a stovetop pot/pan and cook covered on medium-low heat until mushrooms are tender. Stir 2-3 times in between to avoid burning. Note: When sauting onion-tomato puree, cook until the raw smell disappears and the oil oozes out.
- Once the mushrooms are tender, add cashew cream, crushed kasuri methi, coriander leaves, lemon juice, and mix well. Simmer the curry for 2 to 3 minutes, the curry will thicken. Mushroom Peas Masala is ready, serve with Naan, chapatis, roti, or hot basmati rice.
What to Serve with Mushroom Curry?
Serve Mushroom Matar masala with
- Indian bread like rotis, naan, parathas, or poori.
- Basmati rice, jeera rice, quinoa, coconut rice, or cauliflower rice with Indian cucumber salad or pickle on the side.
Storage Suggestions
- Refrigerate: Store the leftover mushroom masala curry in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
- Freeze: You can freeze this curry for up to 1 month in a freezer-safe airtight container. However, mushrooms might get a little watery once thawed.
- Reheat: Reheat mushroom masala on the stovetop or microwave oven. If frozen, thaw the curry overnight in the refrigerator and reheat.
Variations
You can make a simple mushroom curry in many ways, such as
- Keto: You can substitute green peas with bell pepper or use just mushrooms. You can use almond paste, coconut cream, or heavy cream instead of cashew cream for the low-carb or keto-friendly diet. Also, use a moderate amount of onions and tomatoes for keto-adaptation.
- Protein: Add paneer (cottage cheese), tofu, or canned or cooked chickpeas to the mushroom mutter masala curry for an extra protein boost.
- Green: You can also stir in some spinach leaves, or kale towards the end of the cooking time.
- Oil: You can also use olive oil or any cooking oil for this mushroom recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
I used homemade cashew cream. You may use heavy cream, coconut cream, or even full-fat coconut milk to make it creamy.
Yes, this mushroom curry is vegan.
Mushrooms like the white button, oyster, shiitake, and portobello are low in carbs, making them great for a low-carb diet. Just skip green peas and substitute cashew cream with coconut cream or heavy cream to make it low-carb friendly.
Yes, you can use canned diced or crushed tomatoes.
If you like curries, then check out more Instant Pot Indian Curry recipes
Mushroom Masala (Instant Pot & Stovetop)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 oz organic white mushrooms sliced (about 3 cups)
- ½ cup green peas (optional)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 medium red onion roughly diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 inch ginger chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves
- 1 green chili
- 2 large tomatoes roughly diced (about 1.5 cups)
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin (jeera seeds)
- salt to taste
- ½ cup water
- 1.5 teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) crushed (optional)
- 2 tablespoon cilantro chopped
- juice of ½ lemon
For Cashew Cream
- 10-12 cashews soaked in hot water for 10-15 minutes and then blended to a smooth paste with ¼ cup water
Instructions
Instant Pot Method:
- Making Cashew Paste: Soak 10-12 cashews in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes. Then puree in a blender to a smooth paste along with ¼ cup water. Keep it aside.
- Add diced onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and green chili in a blender and blend without adding water to make a smooth puree. Keep it aside.
- Press SAUTE mode on Instant Pot. Heat oil, add cumin seeds, and let them splutter.Next, add the pureed onion-tomato mixture, and cook for around 3-4 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
- Then add all the dry spices like turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and salt. Stir to combine. Scrape the bottom and deglaze the pot. This step is crucial to ensure you don't get the burn notice when you pressure cook.
- Add in the sliced mushrooms, peas, and water. Combine gently with the masala.Note: You can also use do Pot-in-Pot Cooking or PIP. This means you can cook multiple things at the same time. Place the trivet and then the bowl of basmati rice with water. This way, they will both curry and rice will cook together.
- Close the lid securely, and turn the vent to "SEALING". Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 4 minutes.
- When the pot beeps, Do a Quick pressure release before opening the lid.
- Then add cashew cream, crushed Kasuri methi, coriander leaves, lemon juice, and mix well. Simmer the curry for 2 to 3 minutes, and the curry will thicken.
- Mushroom Masala is ready, serve with naan, chapatis, roti or hot basmati rice.
Stovetop Method:
- Follow the same instructions till step 5 in a stovetop pot/pan and cook covered on medium-low heat till mushrooms are tender. Stir 2-3 times in between to avoid burning. Note: when you are sauting onion-tomato puree, cook until the raw smell disappears and oil oozes out.
- Once the mushrooms are tender, add cashew cream, crushed kasuri methi, coriander leaves, lemon juice, and mix well. Simmer the curry for 2 to 3 minutes, the curry will thicken. Mushroom Peas Masala is ready, serve with Naan, chapatis, roti, or hot basmati rice.
Notes
Variations
You can make a simple mushroom curry in many ways, such as- KETO: You can replace peas with bell pepper or use just mushroom for the keto diet. You can also use almond paste or coconut cream or heavy cream instead of cashew cream.
- PROTEIN:Â Add some paneer (cottage cheese), chickpeas to the mushroom mutter masala curry.
- GREEN:Â You can also stir in some spinach leaves towards the end of the cooking time.
- OIL: You can also use olive oil or any cooking oil for this mushroom recipe.
Nutrition
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Shannon Nykaza
Simple, delicious recipe!
Bhavana Patil
Thank you so much 🙂
Ritika
Want to make this. But any suggestions to what to eat this (other than roti )with as rice is high carbs. Many thanks.
Bhavana Patil
Hi Ritika, You can eat with How To Make Cauliflower Rice (2 Ways) or all make low carb roti using almond flour or coconut flour. If you are not on Keto diet, you can also eat with quinoa. Hope this helps
Wendy S.
I made this last night and loved it! So easy and I was thrilled to have everything on hand to make it. I love that it is so fresh. I did leave out the peas because I didn't have those and added some paneer and spinach because I did have those ingredients! Thanks for sharing!
bhavana
Thank you so much Wendy for trying out the recipe & sharing such honest feedback ? I just loved your improvisation, making great use of the ingredients you had ? Love to hear more from you, when you try other recipes on the blog ? Happy cooking - Naveen/Bhavana ?