Mushroom Masala (Instant Pot & Stovetop)

Mushroom masala is a popular vegan Indian curry made in a tomato onion gravy. It is quick and easy to make this recipe in the Instant Pot as well as the stovetop. It can easily be adapted to make mushroom matar masala by adding some frozen peas after cooking.

This Indian style mushroom masala curry is best served with Indian bread or rice. It is great for meal planning and can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge and also frozen for later use.

Ingredients

This Indian style mushroom masala is made with few basic ingredients available in the kitchen pantry. The curry is made with the base of tomato onion puree and cashew paste. Cashews are soaked for about 15 minutes before making the paste.

I like to use fresh cremini or baby bella sliced mushrooms, however, this recipe can be made with other types of mushrooms as well. If you use canned mushrooms then the pressure cooking time will be lesser.

Basic Indian spices like turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, and garam masala are used to add flavor and spiciness. You can always adjust the spiciness to your liking.

I have not used any cream in this recipe but if you like you can use some for garnishing.

Instant Pot instructions

It is really quick and easy to make mushroom masala in the Instant Pot. First, blend the tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic, and serrano pepper into a smooth paste. Then blend some soaked cashews and water into a smooth paste.

To make the mushroom masala gravy, turn on the Instant Pot on saute mode on normal setting. Once it is hot, add oil to the Instant Pot liner followed by cumin seeds and bay leaf. After the cumin seeds crackle, add the blended onion-tomato puree and the spices.

Saute for about 4-5 minutes until the moisture evaporates and then add the cashew paste and mix well. Before adding the mushrooms, add some water and deglaze the bottom of the pot with a spatula.

Pressure cook the curry on the high-pressure mode for 5 minutes followed by 5 minutes of natural pressure release. Release the remaining pressure manually by moving the pressure release valve to the venting position until the silver pin drops.

Add some garam masala to taste and garnish with some chopped cilantro while serving. Optionally you can garnish with a tablespoon of heavy cream.

Stovetop instructions

After blending tomato-onion puree and making cashew paste, heat a pan on medium heat on the stovetop. Add oil to pan followed by cumin seeds and bay leaf. After the cumin seeds crackle, add the blended onion-tomato puree and the spices.

Saute for about 4-5 minutes until the moisture evaporates and then add the cashew paste and mix well. Before adding the mushrooms, add some water and deglaze the bottom of the pan with a spatula. Cover the pan and cook for about 10-12 minutes, stir it occasionally.

Add some garam masala and garnish with some heavy cream and chopped cilantro.

Variations

This recipe can easily be adapted to make mushroom matar masala by adding frozen green peas once the curry is made and covering the lid for few minutes to allow the peas to cook well.

Serving suggestions

Garnish mushroom masala with some chopped cilantro while serving. Optionally add a tablespoon of heavy cream as well.

Mushroom curry is best served warm for lunch or dinner with Indian bread like roti or naan. It goes well with basmati rice, pulao, or jasmine rice.

Storage

Any leftover mushroom curry can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also make mushroom curry ahead of time for weekly meal planning and store it in the fridge in air tight containers.

When you are ready to serve, simply reheat the curry in the microwave, stove top, or in the Instant Pot on saute mode. As the curry uses cashews, it can thicken a little after storing so, if needed, you can add some water to adjust the consistency.

Mushroom masala curry can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. It is a great vegan and gluten-free dish for meal planning. Before freezing, allow it to cool down completely and then store it in a freezer safe container or zip lock bags.

When you are ready to eat, you can keep it in the fridge overnight to thaw or defrost it in the microwave directly. Reheat it before serving and if needed adjust the consistency of the gravy by adding some water.

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