Aloo Matar is one of the most popular Indian curry recipes made with potatoes and green peas. It’s a delicious weeknight meal that can be made in 30 minutes! Plus it’s vegan and gluten-free!
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Aloo Matar: The Most Popular Indian Curry
Aloo Matar or Aloo Mutter is one dish that is made in nearly all Indian homes. Aloo means potato and Matar or Mutter means green peas in Hindi.
This North Indian dish is finger-licking good! This vegan recipe is prepared with the most basic ingredients - peas and potatoes that are cooked in a creamy tomato gravy. The starchy potatoes soak up the flavors of the creamy curry, and the peas give the dish a refreshing bite. This dish is often made during the winter months when fresh peas are in season.
If I am ever at a loss for what to cook for dinner, I end up making Aloo Mutter. Potatoes and peas are always on hand. Am I right? It's my go-to dish when I don't have a lot of other veggies on hand or I am feeling lazy and don’t want to cook an elaborate meal. This Aloo Matar recipe comes together very quickly.
If you have just started cooking Indian cuisine, you can definitely make this simple recipe. It's a basic Indian curry that is loved by all. Potatoes and green peas make a delicious combo when cooked with Indian spices. Check out my Matar Nimona recipe for another simple meal made with potatoes and green peas! It's really good.
Why make this
- It's vegan and gluten-free
- Made with basic pantry essentials
- Combines peas and potatoes beautifully
- Comes together in 30 minutes
- It can be made ahead of time
- Perfect weeknight meal
- Can be made on the stovetop, or in the Instant Pot
- Easily scalable - can be doubled or tripled
Ingredients needed 🧾
Potatoes - I use Russet, Yukon Gold, or Idaho potatoes for all of my Indian recipes that call for potatoes. You can also use baby potatoes if you prefer.
Green Peas - Frozen green peas work perfectly in this Aloo Mutter recipe. If you are using fresh green peas, you will need to cook them a bit longer.
Other Veggies - Onions, ripe tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and green chillies are some basic ingredients that give this recipe a depth of flavor.
Spices - Cumin seeds, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, chilly powder, and garam masala are the spices you will need.
Herbs and Other Ingredients - Fresh cilantro, and dried Kasuri methi are the two fresh herbs that add a little something extra and really make this recipe pop!
How to make it 🔪
- Add roughly chopped tomatoes and green chillies to a blender jar. Blitz to make a smooth puree. When done, keep it aside.
- Heat oil in a pan. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and salt. Fry the spices for 15 seconds.
- Add the peeled and chopped potatoes to the pan. Mix, cover, and saute on medium flame till they are crispy and cooked. This could take 8-10 minutes.
- Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Heat oil in the same pan, temper the cumin seeds. Then add the onions, garlic, and ginger paste. Saute till the raw smell goes away and the onions turn translucent.
- Then add the tomato puree along with sugar. Saute for 3-4 minutes.
- Now add the spices like turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, chilly powder, and salt. Mix and let it cook for a minute. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water to prevent the spices from sticking to the pan.
- Then add the green peas. Continue to saute for another 5 minutes.
- Add water to get the desired consistency. Bring to a boil and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Add the fried potatoes to the pan. Mix and continue to cook for 2 more minutes.
- Crush the Kasuri methi between your palms and add it to the pan along with the garam masala.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro. Mix and take it off the flame.
How to Prepare in the Instant Pot
- You can skip frying the potatoes step in this method. Peel, chop, and add them to the Instant Pot after you have added the onions. Add ¼ cup of water to prevent the potatoes from sticking to the pot. Cook on saute mode for 3-4 minutes. Cover with a glass lid while the potatoes are cooking.
- Follow the recipe for the order of ingredients. After adding them all, close the lid, and cook in manual/pressure mode for 5 minutes.
- Do a manual pressure release. Garnish with Kasuri methi, garam masala, and cilantro. Mix and serve.
Serving suggestions 🍽
Add some Tang: Squeeze fresh lime juice on top to make it tangier.
Bread for Dipping: Serve it with any Indian bread like roti, chapati, naan, bhakhri, paratha, or water rolls.
Rice and More: This restaurant-style Aloo Mutter can also be served with white or brown rice, cauliflower rice, or alternate grains like quinoa, or even couscous.
Side Dishes: On weeknights, you can pair it with a glass of Chaas and cucumber salad or tomato salad. On special occasions, serve it with Jeera Rice or Sweet Potato Masala Puri.
This makes for a great meal on a weeknight or for family gatherings on weekends. You can also pack this vegan aloo curry in lunch boxes.
Top recipe tips 💭
Don’t Overchop the Potatoes: Do not chop the potatoes too small after peeling them. They will become mushy when cooked. Instead, cut them into medium-sized cubes or wedges.
Chop the Potatoes in Advance: Transfer them to a bowl of water and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to cook. The water prevents them from turning black.
Be sure to Shallow Fry the Potatoes: Shallow frying or deep frying the potatoes prior gives the aloo mutter a totally different flavor profile. So skip this step only if you are pressed for time.
Time Saver: Use store-bought tomato puree instead of making it at home. I like this brand for Indian curries.
Achieve A Deep Orange Color: To get that deep red/orange color, add a teaspoon of Kashmiri red chilly powder. It will give the curry the color without increasing the spice.
For a Restaurant Style Finish: Add some cashew cream or vegan cream on top. You can also add coconut milk or almond powder. It gives it a totally different flavor.
Recipe FAQs 📖
The consistency of the curry is based on personal preference. I make it slightly thinner if I plan to serve it with rice. I prefer the thicker version if I'm going to serve it with any bread.
If you feel the gravy is very thin, fix it by adding a corn flour slurry. Mix and add a tablespoon of corn flour with two tablespoons of water with no lumps to the gravy. Alternatively, you can also mash some potatoes. It will soak up the excess water. Also, keep in mind that Aloo Matar will naturally thicken as it cools.
There is also a dried version with no water. Skip the water and used chopped tomatoes instead of the puree.
Do not chop the potatoes too small after peeling them. They will become mushy when cooked. Instead, cut them into medium-sized cubes or wedges. While prepping the potatoes, after peeling and chopping them, transfer them into a bowl of water. This prevents them from turning black.
Shallow frying or deep frying the potatoes prior gives the aloo mutter a totally different flavor profile. So skip this step only if you are pressed for time. You can also use boiled potatoes. Since they are already cooked they will need less time to fry in the pan.
Yes, you can use frozen peas. Frozen peas will take less time to cook. It is important to note, that when you use frozen peas they can quickly turn from a bright and vibrant green to a dull green after they’ve been stewing. Add the frozen peas at the last minute to preserve the color.
It is not too spicy in terms of heat, although it does have spice which gives this dish a beautiful depth of flavor. But it is mild enough that children and those that don’t like too much heat can enjoy it. If you like your dishes on the spicy side, you can add more heat by adding more dried chili powder.
You can add cauliflower florets to the mix and make Aloo Gobi Matar. In fact, potatoes can also be swapped with cauliflower, broccoli, paneer, tofu, or carrots.
Baby potatoes can also be used in this Indian potato/aloo curry, similar to Dum Aloo. Instead of frozen peas, you can also use fresh peas or dried peas. If using dried peas, cook them separately first and then use them in the Aloo Mutter curry recipe.
Aloo Matar stays well in the fridge for 4-5 days in an airtight container.
It also freezes well. Transfer it to a freezer-safe airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop.
To make this a dry dish eliminate the water. In a bit of oil add the turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and salt along with the garlic, ginger, and onions. Then add the potatoes and saute until fork tender. Add the remaining spices and peas. Cover and cook until peas are ready. Add the tomato and green chillies. Stir together and serve.
More recipes with green peas
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Recipe 📖
Aloo Mutter | Potatoes Green Peas Gravy
Equipment
Ingredients
To make tomato puree
- 2 tomatoes
- 2 green chillies
To prep the potatoes
- 4 potatoes
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
To prepare the curry
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 onion
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon chilly powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- salt
- 1.5 cups green peas
- 1-2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon Kasuri methi
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ cup cilantro
Instructions
To make tomato puree
- Add roughly chopped tomatoes and green chillies to a blender jar. Blitz to make a smooth puree. When done, keep it aside.
To prep the potatoes
- Heat oil in a pan. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt. Fry the spices for 15 seconds.
- Add the peeled and chopped potatoes to the pan. Mix, cover and saute on medium flame till they are crispy and cooked. This could take 8-10 minutes.
- Transfer to a plate and keep it aside for now.
To prepare the curry
- Heat oil in the same pan, temper the cumin seeds. Then add the onions, garlic and ginger paste. Saute till the raw smell goes away and the onions turn translucent.
- Then add the tomato puree along with sugar. Saute for 3-4 minutes.
- Now add the spices like turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, chilly powder, and salt. Mix and let it cook for a minute. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water to prevent the spices from sticking to the pan.
- Then add the green peas. Continue to saute for another 5 minutes.
- Add water to get the desired consistency. Bring to a boil and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Now, add the fried potatoes to the pan. Mix and continue to cook the vegan curry for 2 more minutes.
- Crush Kasuri methi between your palms and add it to the pan along with garam masala.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro. Mix and take it off the flame.
Notes
Nutrition
Super
Thank you