Mushroom Masala is a cozy, flavor-packed Indian curry made with tender mushrooms simmered in a spiced onion-tomato gravy and a creamy cashew sauce. It comes together in just 20 minutes-whether you're using the Instant Pot or cooking on the stovetop-and tastes just like your favorite restaurant version. Naturally vegan and dairy-free, this comforting curry is perfect with roti, naan, or a bowl of warm basmati rice for an easy, satisfying weeknight meal.
🔍 Quick Look: Creamy Mushroom Masala
- 🌍 Cuisine: Indian
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: 10 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 20 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 4 people
- 📊 Calories: ~ 135.52 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- 🔥 Cook Method: Instant Pot, or Stovetop
- 👩🍳 Flavor Profile: Mildly spiced, creamy and delicious
- ⭐ Difficulty: Quick and easy to make
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What Is Mushroom Masala
Mushroom Masala is a rich, creamy, and flavorful North Indian-style curry made by simmering tender button mushrooms in a spiced onion-tomato gravy infused with warm aromatics and pantry spices. It has that classic restaurant-style taste, thanks to a touch of vegan sour cream and cashew paste, which gives the sauce its luxurious, silky finish.
Naturally vegan and gluten-free, this curry is comforting, meal-prep friendly, and surprisingly quick to make-perfect for weeknights. Mushrooms soak up the bold flavors beautifully, turning soft yet meaty as they cook, making every bite hearty and satisfying. Serve it with gluten-free roti, naan, jeera rice, or plain basmati rice for a cozy, complete meal that never disappoints.
Cooking With Mushrooms: Benefits, Uses and Tips
Mushrooms may be fungi, not traditional vegetables, but they're a must-have in vegetarian and vegan kitchens. Their meaty texture and umami-rich flavor make them a perfect plant-based substitute in curries, stir-fries, rice dishes, pasta, and appetizers like Mushroom Fried Rice, Indian Masala Pasta, and Spinach Pasta Salad.
In Indian cooking, button mushrooms shine in recipes like this Mushroom Masala, Spicy Mushroom Pepper Fry, or Mushroom Kalan absorbing spices and aromatics beautifully. They're versatile too-you can sauté, roast, grill, mince for stuffing, or add them to soups and grain bowls for a protein-rich, hearty boost.
Nutrient-dense and low in calories, mushrooms are rich in antioxidants, B-vitamins, and minerals, making them an essential pantry staple for vegan, vegetarian, or flexitarian meals.
Why Make It
- 🍲 One-Pot Meal - Minimal cleanup, maximum flavor.
- ⏱️ Quick and Easy - Ready in just 20 minutes for busy weeknights.
- 🌱 Vegan, Gluten-Free and Soy-Free - Perfect for plant-based and health-conscious diets.
- 🔥 Versatile Cooking - Works in the Instant Pot, pressure cooker, or on the stovetop.
- 📅 Meal Prep-Friendly - Holds well and tastes even better the next day.
- 🍛 Restaurant-Style Flavor - Rich, creamy, and aromatic with authentic Indian spices.
- 💡 Family-Friendly and Comforting - A hearty curry everyone will love.
🧾 Ingredients Needed
Mushrooms: Use white button, cremini, baby Bella, or portobello mushrooms-either alone or in combination. Rinse them well to remove dirt, and slice or cook them whole depending on your preference. For convenience, buying in bulk from stores like BJ's or Costco works great.
Nuts and Seeds: Cashews and poppy seeds add a creamy, nutty richness to the curry. For nut-free alternatives, try tahini or sesame seeds; almonds can also substitute cashews for a slightly different flavor.
Aromatics: Homemade ginger paste, garlic paste (or fresh garlic), and green chilies (fresh or paste) provide authentic Indian aroma and gentle heat.
Spices and Herbs: Homemade turmeric powder, red chili powder, homemade coriander powder, homemade garam masala, dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), and fresh cilantro create the layered, flavorful profile that defines this curry.
Vegetables: Onions, tomatoes, and green peas add texture, volume, and natural sweetness to balance the spices.
Cream: Vegan sour cream adds luxurious richness. I like brands like Violife, Kitehill, and Forager Project for dairy substitutes.
Cooking Tools: An Instant Pot makes this recipe quick and hands-off, but it can be made easily on the stovetop with the same delicious results.
🔪 How To Make Instant Pot Mushroom Masala
- Step 1: Soak Cashews: Soak cashews in lukewarm water for 10 minutes to ensure a smooth, creamy gravy.
- Step 2: Blend Aromatics: Drain cashews and blend with ginger paste, garlic paste, poppy seeds, and chopped onions until smooth. Transfer to a bowl.
- Step 3: Blend tomatoes with green chilies into a smooth puree.
- Step 4: Set Instant Pot to sauté mode. Heat oil or vegan ghee and cook the onion-cashew paste for 30 seconds, stirring occasionally.
- Step 5: Add Kasuri Methi: Crush dried fenugreek leaves between your palms, add to the pot, and sauté for another 30 seconds.
- Step 6: Cook Tomato Mixture: Add tomato-green chili puree and salt. Stir and cook for 30 seconds to enhance the flavors.
- Step 7: Add Veggies and Water: Add green peas and ½ cup of water. Remember, mushrooms will release moisture as they cook.
- Step 8: Add Spices: Mix in turmeric, coriander powder, red chili powder, and garam masala. Stir well to combine.
- Step 9: Add Mushrooms: Rinse mushrooms thoroughly and add directly to the pot.
- Step 10: Pressure Cook: Stir to coat with the masala. No extra water needed. Cancel sauté mode. Secure the lid and set the valve to sealing. Pressure cook on manual mode for 4 minutes.
- Step 11: Add Creaminess: Perform a quick pressure release, carefully open the lid, and stir in vegan sour cream or cashew cream for richness.
- Step 12: Garnish & Serve: Top with fresh cilantro, mix gently, and serve hot with roti, naan, or rice.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
For a bright finishing touch, add a squeeze of lemon over the Mushroom Masala before serving. This rich, flavorful curry pairs well with Indian flatbreads like Gluten-Free Roti, chapati, Sweet Potato Masala Puri, naan, paratha, or kulcha, and also complements steamed basmati rice, Jeera Rice, Matar Pulao, or a simple Dal Tadka-rice combo with papad and Indian Mango Pickle.
For a lighter option, serve it with cauliflower rice or grains like quinoa, bulgur, or teff. Round out your meal with fresh sides such as Crunchy Cucumber Salad, Tomato Crouton Salad, or Vegan Dense Bean Salad, and sip on Tomato Saar, Indian Chaas Popsicles, Paan Shots, or Mango Lassi.
💭 Priya's Recipe Tips
If you don't have Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), it's best to skip it-fresh fenugreek leaves or seeds will change the flavor significantly. Adjust the gravy consistency by adding more or less liquid as needed; for extra depth, use vegetable stock instead of water. For creaminess, you can substitute vegan sour cream with regular sour cream, fresh cream, yogurt, coconut cream, milk, vegan ricotta, or cashew cream-each adds a slightly different but delicious richness to this Indian mushroom curry.
📖 Mushroom Masala FAQs
For this rich and flavorful Indian Mushroom Masala, you can use a variety of mushrooms based on your preference or availability. Button mushrooms, white mushrooms, cremini (baby Bella), or portobello all work beautifully.
Wash them thoroughly to remove any dirt, and either slice or keep them whole depending on the texture you prefer-sliced mushrooms absorb the spices faster, while whole mushrooms give a more substantial bite. Using a mix of varieties can also add depth and a visually appealing look to your curry.
If you're allergic to nuts or don't have cashews on hand, there are several tasty alternatives. White sesame seeds, poppy seeds, tahini, or flax seeds can replace cashews to provide a similar creamy texture and subtle nutty flavor. Almonds also work as a substitute if you prefer a slightly different taste and are not allergic to nuts. You can even skip nuts entirely-the curry will still be rich, flavorful, and perfectly creamy when cooked with onions, tomatoes, and spices.
Want to make your Indian Mushroom Masala even more nutritious and hearty? You can easily add cooked or canned chickpeas, bell peppers, or leafy greens like spinach, kale, or beet greens for extra flavor and color.
Not a fan of mushrooms? No worries-this versatile curry base works beautifully with cauliflower, baby corn, soya chunks, potatoes, or any mix of your favorite vegetables.
This flexibility makes it perfect for meal prep, plant-based diets, or customizing to your pantry and taste preferences.
No Instant Pot? No problem! You can make this creamy, flavorful vegan Mushroom Masala easily on the stovetop.
Follow all the prep steps above for blending the onion-cashew paste and tomato-green chili puree.
Heat oil or vegan ghee in a pan over medium heat, then cook the onion-cashew paste for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the tomato-green chili puree and salt, and cook another 2-3 minutes until the oil begins to separate.
Stir in green peas and the spice mix-turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, and garam masala-and cook for 1-2 minutes to bloom the spices.
Add the mushrooms and cook uncovered for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and cooked through.
Adjust the curry consistency with ½ to ¾ cup of water, if needed.
Stir in vegan sour cream for richness, garnish with crushed kasuri methi, fresh cilantro, and serve hot.
This stovetop version delivers the same restaurant-style flavors, creamy texture, and umami-rich mushrooms as the Instant Pot version, perfect for weeknight dinners or meal prep.
You can make this creamy, flavorful vegan mushroom curry ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. The curry will thicken as it chills-simply add a few tablespoons of water while reheating to achieve your desired consistency. For longer storage, freeze the mushroom masala in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. This makes it perfect for meal prep, batch cooking, and quick weeknight dinners.
More Gravy Recipes
Recipe 📖
Instant Pot Vegan Mushroom Masala
Equipment
Ingredients
To Make The Onion Paste
- ⅓ cup cashews
- 1 onion large
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
To Make The Tomato Paste
- 4 tomatoes
- 3 green chillies
To Make The Mushroom Curry
- 1 tablespoon vegan ghee or oil
- 2 tablespoon Kasuri methi
- ½ cup green peas
- ½ cup water or vegetable stock
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ tablespoon coriander powder
- ½ tablespoon paprika chilly powder
- ½ tablespoon garam masala
- salt
- 20 oz buttom mushrooms
- ¼ cup vegan sour cream
- ¼ cup cilantro
Instructions
To Make The Onion Paste
- Soak cashews in lukewarm water for 10 minutes to ensure a smooth, creamy gravy.
- Drain cashews and blend with ginger paste, garlic paste, poppy seeds, and chopped onions until smooth. Transfer to a bowl.
To Make The Tomato Paste
- Blend tomatoes with green chilies into a smooth puree.
To Make The Mushroom Curry
- Set Instant Pot to sauté mode. Heat oil or vegan ghee and cook the onion-cashew paste for 30 seconds, stirring occasionally.
- Crush dried fenugreek leaves between your palms, add to the pot, and sauté for another 30 seconds.
- Add tomato-green chili puree and salt. Stir and cook for 30 seconds to enhance the flavors.
- Add green peas and ½ cup of water. Remember, mushrooms will release moisture as they cook.
- Mix in turmeric, coriander powder, red chili powder, and garam masala. Stir well to combine.
- Rinse mushrooms thoroughly and add directly to the pot. Stir to coat with the masala. No extra water needed.
- Cancel sauté mode. Secure the lid and set the valve to sealing. Pressure cook on manual mode for 4 minutes.
- Perform a quick pressure release, carefully open the lid, and stir in vegan sour cream or cashew cream for richness.
- Top with fresh cilantro, mix gently, and serve hot with roti, naan, or rice.
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Hari chandana says
Is there a way I can omit the onion and garlic in the recipe
Priya says
Sure, if you want, skip adding them. The flavors will differ slightly.
Kavita says
Made this on the stovetop for dinner and it was delicious! Cooked both the onions and tomatoes for a bit longer than the recipe called for. Kept pot covered once mushrooms were added so didnt need to add any water. Hubby loved it too!
Priya says
Thank you so much. I am so happy to hear this. 🙂
Carol says
It was delicious! I love that you indicate what substituted can be done and that you give two cooking options.
Priya says
I am so glad you liked it. Thank you so much.
Gail says
This was fantastic! I did some substitutions, which probably caused the dreaded IP “burned” notice, but it still was great and I will do it again. I used a 28 oz can of diced tomatoes. And my mushrooms were a combination of oyster and shiitake from a CSA surplus. The burn notice came on right when it started the 4 min countdown. I manually opened the IP, and everything was cooked to perfection. Just a little sticking. So delicious. Maybe stovetop next time. 4 minutes vs 10 minutes is not a big difference.
Priya says
I am glad you loved the recipe. I make it in the Instant Pot at all times and never get the burn notice. Ensure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot before closing the lid. Just ensure there is some liquid in the pot. Hope this helps.
Mandy says
Loved this recipe! I added chickpeas to this recipe to round it out (and because I wanted protein). It turned out amazing. Will definitely be adding this to regular rotation.
Priya says
Thank you so much for the feedback. Glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Cheryl says
fantastic recipe! we Loved it! Thank you very much for a fabulous recipe. Ii made it on the stovetop and it was Great. Thanks for the super instructions!
Priya says
Thank you so much. I am so glad you loved it. Its our favorite too! 🙂