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    Home » Instant Pot Recipes

    Instant Pot Vegetable Manchurian

    Published: Sep 20, 2017 · Modified: Jan 8, 2023 by Archana · This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 51 Comments

    1184 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Vegetable Manchurian is a popular Indo-Chinese dish in which pillowy veggie balls are simmered in a mouthwatering spicy and tangy gravy sauce made with ginger, garlic, and soy sauce. Here is my quick and easy version using the best store-bought veggie meatballs. Served over piping hot fried rice or noodles makes a lip-smacking meal for the family.

    manchurian served with fried rice

    Indian Chinese is basically an adaptation of Chinese spices and cooking techniques to Indian tastes. I remember the "Indochinese" food sold on street carts while I was growing up in India. Dishes like Chop-suey, Schezwan, and Manchurian became immensely popular with everyone as it was tasty, quick, and affordable.

    manchurian and fried rice

    Growing up in a health-conscious family, although I loved Indochinese foods I knew that some of them were loaded with soy sauce and many were deep-fried. I then started to adopt many of those recipes and gave them a healthier twist so we can enjoy the same taste at home. 

    Home-made fried rice, Hakka noodles, and no-fry cauliflower Manchurian are on repeat in my kitchen, especially for quick weeknight meals. What I had never thought, of was making veg Manchurian at home. Just the thought of frying those veggie balls kept me away from making this dish.

    Vegetable Manchurian served with fried rice

    Then, Thanks to a dear friend, I started using the IKEA veggie balls! They are sold frozen and come in handy for many recipes like malai kofta and kadhi pakoras. Since then I have also tried and loved the veggie balls sold in the frozen aisle at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods.

    manchurian garnished with scallions in a white bowl

    How to Make Vegetable Manchurian

    Here are the step-by-step instructions with photos. For the full recipe and printable recipe please scroll down to the recipe card below!

    • Turn the Instant Pot to saute(more) mode and heat oil. Add onion, ginger, and garlic. Sauté for a minute. Add red chili flakes, frozen veggie balls, and broth. Give a quick stir (photos 1 - 4)
    • Close Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook for 4 minutes followed by Quick Release.
    Steps one through four of vegetable manchurian
    • Open the lid and set the Instant Pot to saute mode. Add soy sauce, chili vinegar, and sugar. Mix cornstarch with water and stir it in the gravy. Mix well and cook until the sauce comes to a gentle boil. Add more red chili flakes for a spicier taste. Garnish with cilantro and scallions. (photos 5 - 8)
    Steps one through four of vegetable manchurian in Instant Pot

    Serving

    Enjoy vegetable Manchurian hot over steamed rice, fried rice or noodles! Vegetable Manchurian tastes best fresh but can also be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days.

    Tips

    MOC Pro Tips for the best Veggie Manchurian:

    • Make sure to add frozen meatballs as thawed meatballs will fall apart during pressure cooking. If you have meatballs that are already thawed, then simply pressure cook the sauce and then stir in the meatballs and cook on saute mode for 5 mins.
    • I like to use the low sodium Better than Bouillon Vegetable Broth in this recipe. Vegetable broth can be substituted with 2 cups of water and 1.5 teaspoons of salt
    • In addition to the IKEA Veggie balls, I have also tried this recipe with Trader Joe's veggie balls. Some of my readers also have enjoyed this dish with frozen chicken meatballs
    • If you double the recipe the same pressure cook time still remains the same
    • For gluten-free Manchurian, use Tamari instead of soy sauce

    More Easy Dinner Recipes

    • Gobi Manchurian
    • Chilli Chicken
    • Kimchi Fried Rice
    • Vegetarian Pad Thai
    • Teriyaki Chicken
    • Ramen Noodles
    • Pav Bhaji

    ★ Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.

    Tried this recipe? We love your feedback.Please click on the stars in the recipe card below
    veg manchurian served with fried rice
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    4.71 from 34 votes

    Instant Pot Vegetable Manchurian

    Vegetable meatballs simmered in a spicy and tangy soya-ginger-garlic based sauce served over fried rice or noodles
    Prep Time2 mins
    Cook Time8 mins
    Total Time10 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Chinese, Indian
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 177kcal
    Author: Archana Mundhe

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon oil
    • ½ cup yellow onion diced
    • 2 teaspoons ginger grated grated
    • 2 teaspoons garlic minced minced
    • 1 teaspoon red chili flakes optional
    • 16 frozen veggie balls IKEA, Trader Joe's or Whole foods
    • 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
    • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
    • 2 teaspoons vinegar I used chili vinegar
    • 2 teaspoons sugar
    • 2 tablespoons corn starch or arrowroot powder
    • ¼ cup water

    Garnish:

    • red pepper flakes
    • 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
    • 2 tablespoons scallions chopped

    Instructions

    • Turn Instant Pot to saute(more) mode and heat oil. Add onion, ginger, and garlic. Sauté for a minute. Add red chili flakes, frozen veggie balls, and broth. Give a quick stir.
    • Close Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook for 4 minutes followed by Quick Release. Open the lid and set the Instant Pot to saute mode. Add soy sauce, chili vinegar, and sugar. Mix corn starch with water and stir it in the gravy.
    • Mix well and cook until the sauce comes to a gentle boil. Add more red chili flakes for spicier taste. Garnish with cilantro and scallions. Enjoy hot over steamed rice, fried rice or noodles!

    Video

    Notes

    NOTES:
    1. Make sure to add frozen meatballs as thawed meatballs will fall apart during pressure cooking. If you have meatballs that are already thawed, then simply pressure cook the sauce and then stir in the meatballs after and cook on saute mode for 5 mins.
    2. I like to use the low sodium Better than Bouillon Vegetable Broth in this recipe. Vegetable broth can be substituted with 2 cups of water and 1.5 teaspoons of salt
    3. In addition to the veggie balls, some of my readers also have enjoyed this dish with frozen chicken meatballs
    4. If you are doubling the recipe, pressure cook time will still remain the same 
    5. For gluten-free Manchurian, use Tamari instead of soy sauce

    Nutrition

    Calories: 177kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 441mg | Potassium: 284mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 190IU | Vitamin C: 2.5mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1.5mg
    Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @ministry_of_curry or tag #ministryofcurry

    ♥ We LOVE to hear from you! Did you try this recipe? Please share your food photo with hashtag #ministryofcurry on Facebook or Instagram, so we can see it and our followers can enjoy it too! Thank you and Happy Cooking ♥ Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out our delicious Instant Pot Recipe board on Pinterest.

    Author: Archana

    Hey there! I am a techie turned recipe developer, cooking instructor, and food blogger. I love food and enjoy developing easy and healthy recipes for busy lifestyles. I live in New Jersey with my husband and two sons.
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    Reader Interactions

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    1. Megala says

      September 20, 2017 at 12:35 pm

      Looks so delicious & tempting !

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 20, 2017 at 4:48 pm

        Thank you

        Reply
    2. Alisha says

      September 23, 2017 at 5:14 pm

      Any substitution recommendations for the IKEA meatballs?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 23, 2017 at 7:00 pm

        Hi Alisha! Whole foods and Trader Joe's have great meatless veggie balls that you can use in this recipe.

        Reply
    3. Sandhya says

      September 23, 2017 at 11:20 pm

      I love Manchurian and your photos look so inviting! Great instapot recipe!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 24, 2017 at 3:11 pm

        Thank you Sandhya!!

        Reply
    4. Alisha says

      October 06, 2017 at 9:55 pm

      First Instant Pot recipe I made! I love it!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        October 06, 2017 at 10:37 pm

        Congrats!! I am so glad you enjoyed it!! You can also try my malai kofta recipe if you have some frozen veggie meatballs left!

        Reply
    5. Jothi says

      January 28, 2018 at 3:28 pm

      I tried this today all the balls turned mushy when I did QR. Didn't even stir it. What did I do wrong?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        January 28, 2018 at 10:12 pm

        Hi Jothi! Sorry to hear. What brand meatballs did you use and did you add them frozen?

        Reply
    6. Masooma says

      January 28, 2018 at 8:24 pm

      Hi Archana - looks like a yummy recipe that i would like to try tomorrow. Would you happen to know if i can substitute corn starch for arrowroot powder?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        January 28, 2018 at 9:01 pm

        Hi Masooma! Yes corn starch works

        Reply
        • Masooma says

          February 03, 2018 at 2:11 pm

          This was delicious! i already made it twice. Taste just as good as from our favorite restaurant. If we wanted to sub the veggie balls for cauliflower, would anything change (ex - cooking time)?

          Reply
          • Archana says

            February 04, 2018 at 10:43 am

            Cauliflower cook way too fast. I would either bake cauliflower in oven or fry stove top with some spices, dipped in flour flour/water. Cook just the sauce in Instant Pot and add the crispy cauliflower in the sauce.

            Reply
            • Rupa says

              February 10, 2018 at 3:27 pm

              I don’t have corn flour or arrowroot. Any substitute?

            • Archana says

              February 10, 2018 at 4:34 pm

              I have not tried myself, but some people use rice flour. You will have to make sure that your cook it well after adding.

    7. ingroopa says

      July 11, 2018 at 6:00 pm

      do we need to thaw veggie meetballs overnight in refrigerator before adding it to sauce the next day???

      Reply
      • Archana says

        July 11, 2018 at 6:15 pm

        No need to thaw the meatballs

        Reply
        • ingroopa says

          July 11, 2018 at 7:50 pm

          So if i want to deep fry the frozen meetballs then also no need to thaw?? Can i add them directly from freezer in hot oil? Will the oil spill?? actually i am hosting a party this friday and i am cooking all my own.. so wanted to know if i frozen meetballs handle hot oil or not

          Reply
          • Archana says

            July 11, 2018 at 8:28 pm

            If you are making manchurian there is no need to fry. But if you do decide to fry, they should be thawed and then pat dried with paper towel so all the water on the outside is absorbed. It is dangerous to add frozen meatballs to hot oil especially they have ice or water on condensation.

            Reply
    8. S says

      July 26, 2018 at 11:31 pm

      I made this and it turned out to be a gloopy mess. Couldn't get the right flavor. What might I have done wrong? I used cornstarch, not arrow root.

      Reply
      • Archana says

        July 27, 2018 at 8:36 am

        Hi the only reason I can see is the veggie balls. What brand did you use and did you add them frozen?

        Reply
    9. Nithya says

      March 29, 2019 at 5:59 am

      Thanks for your lovely recipes, I have tried several of them so far and they are amazing! A quick question about the Veg Manchurian, I only have refrigerated ones (not frozen). If I am adding them straight to the IP, do I need to reduce the cooking time? I'm worried that 4 minutes cooking time might make them too mushy. Thanks for your tips!5 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        March 29, 2019 at 10:57 pm

        You have to add the Manchurian after pressure cooking in done.

        Reply
    10. Lori says

      April 08, 2019 at 11:25 pm

      I made this and it was so yummy. I will definitely make this again! Easy, fast and tasty!5 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        April 09, 2019 at 10:13 pm

        Thank you for your lovely feedback

        Reply
    11. Sahiba says

      April 29, 2019 at 8:48 pm

      The recipe tasted yummy when I tried it with both veg and chicken calls. But the Ikea balls come out too dense after I cook. Is that how they are supposed to be? Any suggestions to make them lighter? Thanks

      Reply
      • Archana says

        May 01, 2019 at 4:54 am

        Try a different brand? I like Trader Joe’s

        Reply
    12. Safia says

      May 08, 2019 at 10:54 am

      Hi! This looks great, can I substitute with frozen chicken balls and follow the recipe as is?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        May 08, 2019 at 10:22 pm

        Yes! That will work

        Reply
    13. Kelly G says

      August 20, 2019 at 9:25 am

      Any idea if doubling this recipe will work out ok? Do I need to change the cook time?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        August 20, 2019 at 1:38 pm

        Yes you can easily double the recipe. Same pressure cook time!

        Reply
    14. Shruti Parekh says

      October 27, 2019 at 1:38 pm

      I made this last night for Diwali party and it was a major hit. One suggestion is I made it one day before and felt the meatballs were soaked in thr sauce and it was very tasty. It was a hit! Thank you!! Happy Diwali!!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        October 29, 2019 at 12:30 pm

        Thank you for the feedback. This is a perfect party recipe 🙂

        Reply
    15. Ronda says

      December 10, 2019 at 11:18 pm

      Looks appetising!!! Will try it soon and let u knw the result 5 stars

      Reply
    16. Pali says

      February 26, 2020 at 11:59 am

      Can I use tamari instead of soy sauce? That’s what I have on hand.

      Reply
      • Archana says

        February 26, 2020 at 2:06 pm

        Yes! You may need to add a little extra for flavors 🙂

        Reply
    17. Bansi Gondhia says

      April 01, 2020 at 3:53 pm

      Hi what vinegars would work and any substitute for the veg broth

      Reply
      • Archana says

        April 02, 2020 at 9:26 am

        I use chili vinegar. You can also use white vinegar and water can be added instead of broth. Just adjust the salt per taste.

        Reply
    18. Michael says

      April 22, 2020 at 4:21 am

      Hi Archana,
      Thanks you for share recipe. It is easy to do and very delicious. I Love it.5 stars

      Reply
    19. Taraavi says

      May 07, 2020 at 7:32 pm

      We’ve made this multiple times for ourselves, family and friends and it is devoured happily by all. Fantastic recipe and we love a lot of your other recipes too

      Reply
    20. Roses says

      May 12, 2020 at 11:35 pm

      Look is yummy. I enjoyed enjoying the Asian food. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I will try to make this dish.5 stars

      Reply
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    Hi, I'm Archana: a former software engineer, now a full-time blogger. I am a mother of two boys who share my love for food and cooking. Words I love to hear are, “Mom, what’s for dinner?” The same words I say to my mom every time we speak. I live in the greater New York City Area with my husband and sons.

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