Easy Mushroom Masala Curry In Instant Pot

A creamy, flavorful, and easy mushroom curry for chapati or rice can be a sumptuous dinner option for a weekend or anytime you are entertaining guests outdoors.

There's no bad time to prepare mushroom curries and you have got to try this recipe for dinner tonight! I am sharing one of my favorite Indian-style mushroom curry recipes that is sure to get your taste buds excited.

Head shot of bowl is with mushroom curry.

It has been a runaway hit with my kids as they always enjoy mushroom recipes, like mushroom masala, mushroom rice, and now this easy mushroom curry.

A few years back I shared a mushroom masala recipe which is also a vegan recipe that I prepared over a stovetop.

If you are wondering about the difference between a mushroom masala recipe and a mushroom curry recipe, the main difference lies in the kind of spices that you use for the dish.

Vegan Mushroom Masala needs spices like cardamom, cloves, Kasuri methi, and cashew nuts for a creamy texture.

Jump to:

Why this recipe works
Key Ingredients
Method
Tips and variations
How to serve
Recipe FAQ
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📖 Recipe
Comments

Why this recipe works

Mushroom curries are quite common in Indian cuisine, but a vegan, gluten-free mushroom curry is hard to perfect. I have used a coconut cream base as a substitute for cream and also found the right sequence to prepare this wonderful and easy recipe with the Instant Pot.
It's super easy to prepare with the Instant Pot. It took a little trial and error to perfect the recipe, but it is always worth the effort for the amount of time and energy I save with the Instant Pot.
You will be amazed at how easy it is to cook mushrooms in an Instant Pot.
This is a pretty straightforward recipe that's easy to make for even newbie cooks or bachelor cooks.
It's a popular dish featured in many Indian restaurants that you can prepare yourself in minutes.

Key Ingredients

A table is filled with mushroom curry ingredients.

Mushrooms: I got the white mushrooms from Costco. It brings the most neutral flavor among all kinds and it fits best for this recipe.

Green Peas: I used the frozen kind, but fresh green peas or mixed vegetables are also a great option.

Cashew cream: Use soaked cashews to make cashew cream or paste. If you do not prefer cashew cream, one great alternative is to use coconut milk.

Spice powders: Kashmiri red chili powder, garam masala, and turmeric powder. Be sure to use sealed packs of these powders to get the most flavors.

Cooking oil: I used extra virgin olive oil to bring out all the flavors when I saute the ingredients. Other options are coconut oil and vegetable oil.

Method

Start by preparing the cashew cream. Blend the soaked cashews with a little water into a smooth paste consistency. Place it aside.

An instant pot is with onions and garlic on saute mode.

Press the saute mode on the instant pot and add a couple of teaspoons of oil.

When the oil heats up, add the chopped onions and garlic and saute for 2 minutes.

An instant is with mushroom masala spices.

Add tomato paste and ½ cup of water and mix well. Add all the spices and cook for a couple of minutes.

An instant is with mushrooms, vegetables and spices for curry.

Add the sliced mushrooms, and frozen green peas or mixed vegetables and continue to stir and cook.

Press 'Cancel' to stop sauteing and close the instant pot lid.

Press the 'pressure cook' setting and set the timer for 4 mins at high pressure.

After the timer expires, do a quick pressure release.

An instant pot is with mushroom curry and topped with kasuri methi and cashew cream.

Remove the lid and add the cashew cream (from the blender jar) and Kasuri methi.

Instant pot is with vegan mushroom curry.

Press the 'saute' button again and cook for another minute.

Serve Instant pot mushroom masala curry with rice or chapati!

Tips and variations

Substitute coconut milk, if you do not prefer cashew paste in your dish.
You could also use ½ cup of tomato puree and saute it with spices instead of tomato paste.
Soak the cashew nuts in hot water for 30 minutes for a smooth texture in your cashew cream.
Instead of frozen mixed vegetables, you could also use frozen green peas.

How to serve

Instant Pot Mushroom curry pairs well with a steamy plate of basmati jeera rice or any kind of Indian bread like wheat naan, cauliflower paratha, spinach paratha, gluten-free rotis, besan roti, or phulka chapatis.

Recipe FAQ

Can I use tomatoes instead of tomato paste?

Yes, you can use freshly chopped two tomatoes and cook them well until it's thick and smooth.

What other spices are recommended for mushroom masala?

I find that the Kitchen King masala or the tikka masala powder brings great flavors to this dish. They are great alternatives or flavor enhancers that you could try.

Is cashew cream or coconut milk better?

My preference is to go with cashew cream because it gives an extra rich flavor to the mushroom masala.