Mushroom Masala Restaurant Style Recipe

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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.

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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!

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Frequently asked questions

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