Mushroom Masala is a versatile dish that packs in a burst of flavors from earthy mushrooms, tart tomatoes, and aromatic spices. The intense flavors are balanced with easy homemade cashew cream. Ready in under 20 minutes and savory to the last bite, this curry is sure to win you the master chef crown at your next party.
As a food enthusiast, I cook and entertain a lot, and I often have guests who prefer vegetarian food. I am always looking for vegetarian options that can stand up to my signature Butter Chicken or Chicken Tikka Masala. Everybody loves my vegetarian mushroom masala, and it completes my dinner spread.
This mushroom curry uses the same base ingredients as my popular Dum Aloo recipe. I add mild-tasting white button mushrooms, rich in Vitamin B, which intensify their flavors after cooking in the rich sauce.
I am excited to share this Indian mushroom recipe, and add it to my list of 60+ vegetarian main meals.
Why we love this Mushroom Masala
- Ready in under 20 minutes
- No-Fail Recipe
- Easy to make Vegan
- Naturally Gluten-Free
- Easy to make nut-free, simply substitute cashew cream with coconut cream or heavy cream
- Variations - stir in green peas to make Mushroom Mutter Masala or add some spinach to make Mushroom Palak Masala
Health Benefits of Mushrooms:
- All edible Mushrooms are a good source of B vitamins and powerful antioxidants that helps support the immune system and prevent damage to cells and tissues
- White button mushrooms are one of the few non-animal sources of vitamin D
- Mushrooms can help to lower cholesterol, protect the heart by maintaining healthy blood pressure and circulation
Growing up in India, Mushroom masala was a treat we enjoyed only at restaurants since mushrooms were not as readily available in markets. I guess that made the dish special, and I always dreamt of perfecting it in my own kitchen.
Making mushroom masala in the Instant pot is such a hassle-free job that it has now become a weeknight staple. My boys enjoy mushroom masala with piping hot parathas, and they polish off big portions at mealtime. I prefer to buy the big pack of fresh white cello mushrooms available at Costco. Substitute the white mushrooms with the Baby Bella, Shitake, or Cremini mushrooms, since they work well with this recipe.
How to make Mushroom Masala:
Step 1: Make Cashew Cream
- Soak cashews in ½ cup warm water for 10 mins and set aside.
- Drain all the water and blend the cashews with ¼ cup of water to make smooth paste and reserve.
Step 2: Sauté spices and veggies
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and add ghee (or neutral oil for vegan version). Add onions and cook for 3 to 4 minutes with a glass lid on, stirring a few times.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and cook for 30 seconds. Turn the Instant Pot off, and stir in tomato puree along with turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala, salt.
- Finally, add the mushrooms mixing well, and then deglaze the pot to remove any browning on the bottom.
- Close the Instant Pot, set on manual/pressure cook(Hi) for 4 minutes followed by Quick Release.
Note: To cook this recipe on the stovetop, follow the recipe using a medium-sized pot. Instead of pressure cooking simply add an extra ½ cup of water along with the mushrooms and then cook covered on medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the mushrooms are cooked through.
Step 3: Garnish
- Stir in dried fenugreek leaves, cashew paste and chopped cilantro.
Serve hot Mushroom Masala with parathas, naan or steamed rice.
Love Indian food? Here are some of our staple vegetarian curries :
- Palak paneer
- Aloo gobi
- Bharwa bhindi
- Vegetable kurma
- Baingan bharta
- Tindora curry
- Black eyed peas curry
★ Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.
Mushroom Masala
Ingredients
- 1 pound white mushrooms rinsed, dried and sliced
- 2 tablespoons ghee or neutral oil for vegan version
- 1 large yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ginger grated
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- ¾ cup tomato puree or 2 fresh ripe red tomatoes pureed
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ to 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder or any other mild red chili powder
- ½ to 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ cup cashews
- 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
- cilantro leaves chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Soak cashews in ½ cup warm water for 10 minutes and set aside. Drain all the water and blend the cashews with ¼ cup of water to make smooth paste and reserve.
- Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and heat add ghee. Add onions and cook for 3 to 4 minutes with a glass lid on, stirring a few times. Add ginger and garlic paste, cook for 30 seconds. Turn the Instant Pot off.
- Add tomato puree, turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala salt, and mushrooms. Mix well, deglazing the pot to remove any browning on the bottom of the pot. Close the Instant Pot, and pressure cook(Hi) for 4 minutes followed by Quick Release.
- Stir in dried fenugreek leaves, cashew paste, and chopped cilantro. Mix well and serve with Basmati Rice and parathas. For a low-carb meal, serve mushroom masala over cauliflower rice. Add a side of cucumber salad for a delicious meal.
Video
Notes
- Heat oil in a medium-sized pot or skillet.
- Add onions and cook for 3 to 4 minutes with a lid on, stirring a few times. Add ginger and garlic paste, cook for 30 seconds.
- Add tomato puree, turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala salt, mushrooms, and ½ cup of water. Mix well.
- Cook covered on medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the mushrooms are cooked through.
Nutrition
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Anushree says
I made this recipe and turned out a hit in my house. You are an amazing cook and you make the dishes so simple and yummy❤️❤️
Ami says
This was a perfect recipe! I love the cashew cream addition instead of heavy cream. The directions were clear and the food was delicious. The family ate it all up! I added frozen peas to the dish since I only had half the amount of mushrooms. Added it after the quick release and let the heat from sauce cook the peas. Thank you!!
Sujatha says
I cooked on the stove top and used coconut cream. Came out v well!
Sana says
Love the recipe will try soon
My son is allergic to nuts, what is the best substitution for cashew
Archana says
Hi Sana, you can use heavy cream.
Sona says
Came out really yummy!! Thank you for this easy recipe.
soundaround says
I agree that this is a terrific recipe. As others have noted, and since I did not have cashews on hand, I used greek yogurt thinned with a Tbsp. each of buttermilk and almond milk to make it creamy. I also made the recommended cucumber salad and substituted pistachios for the peanuts. It was also very good and a perfect complement to the Mushroom Masala
Prarthana Purohit says
Best recipe ever within seconds thank you
Benaz says
Awesome recipe , super delicious thank you
Leeann says
I make a lot of Indian food and this is absolutely the best I’ve ever tasted! It’s a “wow” dish. 10 stars from me.
SC says
If we want to add peas, how many and at what point should we do that?
Archana says
If you are using frozen peas, thaw them and add after pressure cooking cycle so they retain the nice green color.
Karyn Erb says
Made this for dinner tonight and everyone LOVED it! Delicious!!
Elaine Tsai says
I made this on the stove top. It was really yummy. I reduced the recipe because it was only for me. Recipe came together very quickly. The spices were perfectly nuanced and not overpowering. I will make this again.
Thank you for a yummy recipe!!
Andrea says
I made this last night, it was absolutely delicious! Your spice blend was perfect, it did not need any additional tweaking. I added in some chickpeas and a little extra tomato purée. It was too easy to make, to be that good! Thank you!