A simple yet popular dish on every Indian restaurant menu is the mushroom masala. This simple, easy and effortless recipe for mushroom curry is lightly spiced with Indian spices in a creamy melt in the mouth tomato-yogurt gravy. It makes a perfect side dish to serve with meat dishes or as a main dish for a vegetarian feast but the best part is; it takes only 20 minutes to prepare this dish.
If you have been to an Indian restaurant I bet; you have eaten mushroom masala. And if you love mushrooms like me then again you will love mushroom masala. We are a big fan of mushrooms in our home and you can tell from the number of mushroom dishes I have on this blog from stuffed mushrooms to quiches.
We do have mushrooms every week and that's normal for us. If I don't cook it as a dish like this, its' as simple as pan saute them in a dab of butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper. If you have not tried that you must. It's simplicity at it's best with mushrooms. Of course the other is in omelets, frittatas and stuffed puff pastry for the kid's snacks.
About this recipe
If you like simple and easy this is for you. A great Indian dish you can make even if you are not Indian or not a good cook. It's full of flavor and a very impressive dish to serve guests or as a family meal. Takes barely 20 minutes to prepare and you don't need a whole variety of Indian spices. Get a nice Indian curry powder and garam masala from the nearest supermarket and you can have all the Indian food you want.
It's very versatile as well; you can have it as a side dish along with other meat dishes or you can serve it as a main dish for a vegetarian menu. It can be eaten with any Indian bread such as chapati or naan as well as over simple steamed white rice. I love such fuss-free recipes - don't you?
What do you serve with mushroom masala?
This often is just a main course for me on a fuss-free evening but we often make it as a side dish without meat dishes. Serve it with any Indian main course such as curries or biryanis.
This curry would be great with any Indian bread, such as chapati or naan. Our family's favorite is garlic butter naan or vegetable pilaf. When I’m looking for a low carb option, I eat cauliflower rice. The no-fuss cauliflower rice works great for me in place of steamed rice. My kids love the turmeric cauliflower rice or my mustard dill cauliflower rice.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Mushrooms - I used white button mushrooms today. Let's chat more about mushrooms below.
- Curry powder - For the purpose of simplicity I use curry powder. This is a very simple and easy spice mix found in most supermarkets these days. I make my own and you can find my curry powder recipe here. If you don't have curry powder or want to go the authentic route use 1 tsp each of cumin and coriander powder and ½ tsp each of turmeric, cayenne and paprika powder.
- Garam masala - this is the Indian exotic spice blend that works well in many Indian dishes even some sweet dishes. The blend has a mix of warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaves, and a few others. I have put it as optional in this dish because I do think you should try mushroom masala with or without this spice. You can make this at home and here's my recipe for you to try - Homemade Garam Masala Spice Mix.
- Tomato paste - You can use whole tomatoes but it makes the dish very saucy. Overcooking the dish can make the mushrooms very limp, so the paste works the best. You can of course still use fresh tomatoes just cook it down before you add the mushrooms
- Fresh herbs - Most Indians use cilantro and so do I. Having said that if you don't like or have cilantro please go ahead and use parsley.
Let's talk mushrooms
White button mushrooms are easily found and most affordable which makes them perfect for this dish. I have tried making this dish with other mushrooms such as brown chestnut, champagne, crimini, and chanterelles too. They do turn out really delicious. My favorite is to get a mix of mushroom (sometimes my grocer has these packs of mixed variety that are always perfect for mushroom dishes such as this mushroom masala or even mushroom quiche). However, I would not recommend mushrooms such as shitake, porcini or oysters as these have a very strong flavor unless you like these strong flavors when mixed with Indian spices.
It is very important to buy mushrooms from a good source like a grocer or supermarket. Never buy from an amateur who may or may not know to identify mushroom correctly. It is also important to clean mushrooms thoroughly. The best way to clean mushrooms is a damp kitchen cloth or paper towel. Wipe them well and remove any dirt that may be stuck to them. Never soak mushrooms in water, they are like a sponge and can absorb water. If the mushrooms are really dirty you can rinse them in cold water just long enough to clean them.
Step by step instructions (save/pin)
Cook mushrooms
- Wipe mushrooms with a damp cloth
- You can chop the mushrooms or keep the small size ones whole as I have done here
- Add 1 tbsp oil to a saute pan and add mushrooms
- Sprinkle some salt and cook mushrooms on medium-high until they release their juices and dry again. (about 3 to 5 mins)
- Remove from the pan and set aside.
Make mushroom masala
- In the same saute pan.
- Saute onions in remaining oil until translucent; about 2 minutes
- Add garlic and ginger - saute another minute
- Then add the tomato paste and curry powder
- Saute on medium-low another minute until fragrant
- Add yogurt and garam masala - combine well
- Lastly, add the mushrooms and lemon juice
- Bring to a boil.
- Season with salt and pepper
- Adjust the consistency of gravy - add a few tablespoons water if necessary.
- Sprinkle with fresh herbs
- Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
This mushroom masala will keep in the refrigerator for about 4 to 5 days. You can even freeze it for up to a month.
Absolutely, you can turn the heat up and let all the moisture evaporate until the curry is fairly dry and you have a mushroom masala dry as a side dish.
yes, you can up the spices by 20% and add a bit more water to make a delicious gravy
If you up the spices by 50% more and add ½ cup coconut milk you will have a wonderful mushroom coconut curry.
Yes, you can omit or substitute the yogurt with coconut cream.
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Mushroom Masala Restaurant Style in 15 minutes
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Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) Mushrooms 1 lbs
- 2 tbsp (2 tbsp) Cooking oil canola, peanut
- ½ cup (0.5 cup) Onion Chopped (1small)
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) Fresh Garlic minced (1 small)
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) Fresh Ginger grated (¼ inch piece)
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) Tomato paste
- 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) Curry Powder
- 2 tbsp (2 tbsp) Yogurt
- 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) Lemon juice
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) Garam masala (optional)
- ½ cup (0.5 cup) Fresh herbs (cilantro or parsley)
Instructions
Cook mushrooms
- Wipe mushrooms with a damp cloth
- You can chop the mushrooms or keep the small size ones whole as I have done here
- Add 1 tbsp oil to a saute pan and add mushrooms
- Sprinkle some salt and cook mushrooms on medium-high until they release their juices and dry again. (about 3 to 5 mins)
- Remove from the pan and set aside.
Make Mushroom Masala
- In the same saute pan.
- Saute onions in remaining oil until translucent; about 2 minutes
- Add garlic and ginger - saute another minute
- Then add the tomato paste and curry powder
- Saute on medium-low another minute until fragrant
- Add yogurt and garam masala - combine well
- Lastly, add the mushrooms and lemon juice
- Bring to a boil.
- Season with salt and pepper
- Adjust consistency of gravy - add few tablespoons water if necessary.
- Sprinkle with fresh herbs
- Enjoy!
Equipment
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Gregory
Veena, top notch recipe. We loved it. I think next time we'll drop in a can of chick peas, but it’s an awesome combo of flavors that you made easy. Thanks for your website!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Gregory. Happy you enjoyed this.
Reesa Lewandowski
I am always seeking new ways to enjoy mushrooms! My husband would love this!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks Reesa. Happy to hear that - I hope you make this for him.
Priya Srinivasan
mushroom masala looks amazing Veena!!this would pair so well with our roti and parathas!! Always love the way your explain the recipe!! Kudos to your efforts!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks Priya. Roti or even rice goes well. Thanks
Linda Nortje
I am starting my Weigh-Less diet next week and am actually allowed to eat all the ingredients in your Mushroom Masala, so this will go on my menu list ! It looks delicious and I know my family will love it as well 🙂
Veena Azmanov
Happy to hear Linda. You will love this recipe it's simple and easy but also very delicious. All the best on your diet.
Gloria
We love mushrooms in every way, shape and form. This would be amazing as a side to a grilled steak. With summer just around the corner, we will have to give this a try. Love the "20 minute" cooking part too.
Veena Azmanov
Us too GLoria. Love mushrooms in all shapes and sizes. Definitely a quick dish
Carlee
Mushrooms are one of our favorites and I love how flavorful you have made these. Mushrooms are now on my grocery list!
Veena Azmanov
Yeey, So happy to her that Carlee. Let me know what you think
Karyl Henry
I love Indian food, but I don't think I've ever tasted a tomato-yogurt gravy. I love mushrooms though, so I'm definitely going to give this recipe a try. I think this would be fabulous as a side with steak
Veena Azmanov
oh you must try Karly! It's really delicious. The tomato yogurt is a nice and creamy sauce with a zing to it.
Karyn Ryan
I love your cake decorating, i think you're so talented but this is a great recipe too.. we love Indian food in our house and do get a lot of takeaways..it would be so nice to try something from scratch
Veena Azmanov
Thank you so much Karyn. I love cake decorating and I could do that all day!! This is so easy in 20 mins - If you have the ingredient on hand you can skip take away
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
Veena, that mushroom masala looks so good. I don;t use mushrooms in my cooking but my boys have developed a taste for it. Last week was the first time, I made some mushroom stir fry at home and they were too excited. I am sure they would love this curry with some paratha.
Veena Azmanov
Thanks Sandhya. We are just the opposite in our home. I can mushroom every day and my kids will welcome it. You must try this
Claudia Lamascolo
this is one of those must try recipes the flavors are so different than anything I have ever had. Sounds like you have inspired me to try this recipe and it looks fabulous BRAVO!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Claudia. Yes you will love it. It's different but absolutely delicious.