Aloo Gobi Matar
Ask a person from North India about their go-to sabzi (vegetable dish), and they will say Aloo Gobi Matar at once! Yes, this preparation made with aloo (potato), gobi/gobhi (cauliflower) and matar (green peas) might read and look simple, but is way more than that. It is comforting, fulfilling and easy to make. This Aloo Gobi Matar recipe is a lightly spiced curry version and vegan as well.
About This Aloo Gobi Matar
Aloo Gobi Matar can be made dry like a sautéed vegetable dish or can have a gravy or curry base. This Aloo Gobi Matar is a curry recipe with a base of onion-tomato gravy with these three vegetables. It is subtly spiced and truly a delight when paired with some roti, steamed rice or even naan.
Potato, cauliflower and green peas are some of those veggies that are always available, especially in an Indian pantry. And what better than to bring them together and cook-up a dish that easily qualifies as a quick-fix for any meal.
I love Aloo Gobi Matar as much as a North Indian does. So, I created this recipe, which is a slight variation of the recipe that is made at my home. This surely gets more deliciousness on the table.
When it comes to vegetables, aloo, gobi and matar does rank in the top of the list of any person from North India. In addition to Aloo Gobi Matar, they’re also fond of dishes like Aloo Matar, Methi Matar Malai, Aloo Methi, Jeera Aloo and Aloo Gobi. Plus, parathas too made of these.
How to make Aloo Gobi Matar
Preparing Vegetables
1. Firstly, rinse and chop all the vegetables like potatoes (aloo) and cauliflower (gobi). Keep the green peas (matar) in a separate bowl.
2. Keep 2 cups cauliflower florets in hot salted water for 5 minutes in a bowl. This is to remove any insects from it, if any.
3. Then, drain the florets and keep aside.
Preparing Masala Curry Paste
4. Chop onion, tomato, ginger and garlic for the curry paste.
5. Add ½ cup chopped onions, 3 medium-sized chopped tomatoes, 1 inch chopped ginger and 3 to 4 chopped medium garlic cloves in a blender jar.
6. Blend with no water or very little water till smooth. Keep this onion-tomato paste aside.
Sautéing Masala
7. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan and keep the flame to a low. Fry ½ teaspoon cumin seeds with 2 small tej patta leaves or 1 medium tej patta first. Fry till the cumin crackle and change color.
8. Add ¼ cup chopped onions. Sauté the onions till light brown.
9. Add the ground onion-tomato paste, stir and mix well. Take care when adding the paste as it may splutter.
10. Next, add the following spices:
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
11. Mix and stir all the ground spices.
12. Sauté the masala on low to medium-low heat. You have to sauté the masala till the oil starts to leave the sides of the masala curry paste.
Keep on stirring so that the curry paste does not stick to the pan. This might take around 7 to 9 minutes.
Making Aloo Gobi Matar
13. Now, add the blanched cauliflower florets and 1 cup green peas.
14. Next, add 2 cups chopped potatoes.
15. Add 3 cups of water and stir the curry to combine all the ingredients. You can add water as required depending on the consistency you want.
16. Finally, add 1 to 2 slit green chilies and salt as required.
17. Let the curry come to a boil.
18. Then, cover with a lid and let the curry simmer till the vegetables are fork tender and softened. Do check in between while the veggies are cooking.
19. When the veggies are tender, finally add 1 teaspoon crushed dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi).
Omit adding dried fenugreek leaves if you do not have them.
20. Garnish with 1 to 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with roti, paratha, steamed rice or naan.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 small tej patta or 1 medium tej patta
- ¼ cup chopped onions
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- ½ teaspoon Red Chili Powder or cayenne pepper or paprika
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 2 cups potatoes – peeled and chopped
- 1 or 1.5 cups green peas – fresh or frozen
- 1 or 2 green chilies – slit
- 3 cups water or add as required
- 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves crushed (kasuri methi)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) – for garnish
- salt as required
For the curry masala paste
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 1.5 cups chopped tomatoes or 3 medium-sized tomatoes
- 1 inch ginger
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves – medium-sized
Instructions
Preparation
- Firstly, rinse and chop all the vegetables.
- Keep the cauliflower florets in hot salted water for 15 to 20 minutes. Then, drain the florets and keep aside.
- Blend the the onion, tomatoes, ginger and garlic till fine and smooth in a blender with no water or very little water.
Making aloo gobi matar
- Heat oil in a pan. Keeping the heat to low fry the cumin seeds with bay leaves first. Fry cumin seeds until they crackle in the hot oil.
- Add the chopped onions and fry stirring often till lightly browned. Next add the ground onion-tomato curry paste.
- Stir to combine and then add the following ground spice powders, one by one – turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder.
- Fry the curry masala paste on low to medium-low heat until the oil starts to leave the sides of the masala paste. Keep on stirring so that the masala does not stick to the pan. This might take around 7 to 9 minutes.
- Now, add the cauliflower florets, potatoes and peas. Then add 3 cups of water and mix thoroughly.
- Finally, add the slit green chilies and salt. Let the curry come to a boil. Do check in between when the curry is simmering and the veggies are getting cooked.
- Then, cover with a lid and let the curry simmer till the vegetables are fork tender. When the veggies are tender and softened, finally, add the crushed dried fenugreek leaves. Gently stir to mix.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve Aloo Gobi Matar hot with roti, paratha or steamed rice.
Notes
- You can also cook this curry in a stove-top pressure cooker or Instant Pot. For cooking in a stove-top pressure cooker or instant pot, add 2 or 2.5 cups water instead of 3 cups water.
- Adjust the ground spices according to your taste preferences.
Nutrition
This Aloo Gobi Matar post first published in October 2012 has been republished and updated on 29 April 2022.
You know my friend liked it so much after I cooked this meal for him. He started loving it and I’m thankful for your recipes. I hope there are more twist of tastes. Happy cooking.
Thank you and nice to know. Happy cooking to you as well.
One of my all time favorite recipes!
Thanks a lot.
What more simple and delicious could i find? I’m just in love with this recipe
How about adding a litlle coconut milk?
Yes you can add some coconut milk.
What if I want paneer in it too?
You can add.
Easy to follow, tasty and good.
Thanks.
I tried this receipe today and it was very good. we all liked it. Thanks for posting it.
thanks for this positive feedback and the rating. welcome and happy cooking.
Made this today and I’m thoroughly enjoying it,so easy to make,thanks.
Can we steam the vegg and then add to tomato onion puree?
gauri, you can do this way also. but first prepare the gravy. meaning once the masala is sauteed well. then add water and bring the gravy to simmer and cook till you want the desired consistency. then add the boiled veggies and simmer for a minute or two. finish off with kasuri methi and coriander leaves.
Hi, how many whistles if I cook in a pressure cooker and what flame? Should I let it open immediately!
on a medium flame for 1 to 2 whistles. 5 to 6 minutes. let the pressure settle down and then open the lid.
Hi, this was real good. I did put 2 tsps of sugar, and 3 tbs. of butter, only used 2 cups water and for red chili I used Sambal Oelek chili paste 2 tbs..cuz didn’t have anything else. My oil was coconut oil (and butter) and for tomatoes i used one can of Hunts Fire Roasted diced tomatoes. Also added black pepper and put in the peas 10 minutes before done cooking. (don’t like peas too mushy) Had no methi leaves. Also think I had lots more cauliflower and potatoes than called for but it turned out real good. I added the sugar and butter cuz I wanted a more mellow taste, (that’s just me!) i will return for more of your recipes!
pleased to know this thankyou for trying the aloo gobi, glad you liked it 🙂
Family favourite! Just back from India again and stocked up on my herbs and spices.
Awesome……. I don’t know what to cook come back from office but mam u made it
Thanks mam
welcome ravinder
Superb..
thankyou manasi 🙂
Very good!!! Thank you.
thankyou sari 🙂
I tried out this recipe .. It was awesome.. Thank you for sharing such an yummy recipe…
welcome pragathi
I’m going to make this fr today lunch for my small brother…. It lokkes yummy
thanks sanjana
Made this tonight. Very easy steps to follow and easy to make. This dish Made it to my weeknights quick and easy meals!
thanks vanysa. good to know this.
Thank you for recipe! They’re always simple, easy to read and our vegan family loves them!! You’re a blessing! p.s. all this wonderful Indian food reminds me of a movie I recently watched “The Hundred-Foot Journey”..
welcome dani. thanks for your kind words and sharing the movie name. just now i read the movie review and it looks interesting. i will try to watch it. i recommend you another movie on cooking which was good. its a malayalam language movie with english subtitles. the name of movie name is ‘ustad hotel’. nice movie on chef and with a good message.
Delicious…yummy.
The aloo gobi and matar sabji with gravy was amazing. It’s simple to make and really great to eat. Thanks for sharing it Dassana Amit
welcome meeta.
Sara — I also finished the dish with the lid off to slightly thicken the gravy. I may try the recipe with 2.5 cups of water rather than 3 next time. However, I also find the gravy tends to thicken by the next day, so if you’re making enough for subsequent meals, you may not have to cook it down so much initially.
thanks stephen for your response.
I found it too soupy – left the lid off and then mashed some of the potatoes to thicken it. Nice.
Dassana:
Made this for the first time last night and it is more to my taste than a couple other recipes I’ve tried. Thank you! I find the combination of aloo gobi and mattar to be very pleasing.
I did not have any green chiles on hand, nor the fenugreek so I will make sure to add those next. Is there a specific variety of chile you have in mind? Will those chiles add a little “punch” to the final taste? The gravy is certainly delicate, but I’d probably like to take it up a notch.
thanks stephen. the chilies are medium hot and are thin green chilies like cayenne chilies. they do contribute in the dish so the final taste is different than the one made without chilies. this recipe is a light version and the way i usually make at home. the restaurant versions are usually thick and creamy and not light bodied like this dish.
I had a beautiful sauce going and then added the veggies and 3 cups of water?? It looks so watered down? is that right. Left the cover off after the veggies were cooked to thicken the sauce. I feel like i did something wrong here??
the gravy or sauce is not thick or creamy in this version. it is a medium thin consistency. however you can thicken the sauce more as per your taste, after the veggies are cooked.
darn! I bought red chili’s instead of green. Can I just omit or should I head back to the store for green chili pepper??
sara, skip adding the green chilies. don’t replace them red chilies.
i love your receipes. I hope to be able to become a proficient cook by following your receipes. please add as many indian receipes as you can. i hope to try each one. Almost like julie and julia. god bless you! love xxxxx
thanks neetika. god bless u too with excellent cooking skills.
this is the recipe i have been looking for a long time perfect
This was the most delicious aloo gobi I’ve ever prepared in my house. Thanks for the recipe will be visiting this very often henceforth 🙂
thanks michelle
Hello .. I really want to try this recipe as it looks delicious but what I want to know is how to make the masala paste ? do I just have to mix the chopped onions with tomato, garlic and ginger ? or should I blend it in a mixer or something ??
you have to blend the tomato, garlic, ginger and onions in a blender till smooth like a puree. no need to add water while blending.
Dear Dassana,
I have two comments:
1. Did you mean to replicate the turmeric twice in your recipe?
2. I put my spices in after the onion was lightly browned and then fried it for a minute or two, rather than put the onion/tomato mix – i think this roasts the spices better. Any opinion on that?
I haven’t eaten it yet, but it smells delicious, bubbling away on the stove!
hi gary
1: the turmeric is added only once with the rest of the spice powders.
2: you can add it before or after. i generally avoid adding to the sauted onions as the aroma of the spices frying with the onions becomes too much for me. so i always add after adding the paste. the taste does not change. since the spices are in powdered form, they get roasted even when sauting the onion-tomato masala paste. however when adding whole spices, its always better to fry them first as they release their aromatic oils & flavors while frying.
enjoy your meal 🙂
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Ok thought so, then you need to change your recipe as you listed turmeric twice. =)
oh… i didn’t notice it. its garam masala powder instead of the turmeric powder. thanks gary.
Hi Dassana, i tried this out at home (without the gobi) and it was absolutely delicious, though it’s consistency was different ffrom the one in yours 🙂 Including a link containing the pic 🙂 Next on my list is your penne with tomato mushroom and olives!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=292668854187625&l=0c7a4b49fe
thanks ghayathri. i did check the pic. the consistency is different. i think thats coz there was no gobi and the starchy potatoes made the curry thick.
I made this. Much appreciated. Unfortunately did not take pictures!
thanks radha. it is alright if you did not take pics. what matters more is that the you liked the recipe.
Dear Dassana,
I’m writing u for the first time, though I am regular reader of your recipes. You post fabulous and easy recipes. It helps me plan my day easily and impress my family. Dear I need ur help, my nephew aged 10yrs. old has been prohibited to eat packaged items as 99.99% items contain citric acid or amchur (dry mango powder). Doctor has advised him not to eat anything which is citrous. He is suffering from some skin problem. My sister will be on tour for 10 days from 17.10.2012. Could u please post recipies of some homemade snacks and namkeens that she sould carry along. I’m awaiting your reply.
thanks saroj for writing to me. i have send you an email answering your queries.
making the onion tomato…..paste ….and fry with spices till oil separate …that is the secret of making tasty subji….which people often forget or miss out in a hurry,but thanks to you dassana for a simple subji you remind them and refresh their memory ,didn’t i write you before,that you reach to your reader’s brain.
thanks hemlata ji. actually frying the masala till oil starts to leave it, is the correct way a sabzi or curry is made. it makes a lot of difference in the taste when we actually don’t fry the masala well. thanks again for your encouraging comment.
The dish that first convinced me to love Indian food! YUM!
This is comfort food to me.
I always make aloo gobi dry version. this looks really delicious. I would love to have this with some paratha. I will make this gravy version if time permits. nice photos.
I like veggies when they are not mashed however, pav bhaji is an exceptional. I like the first picture, each floret are inviting me. We served it with rice flour chapati.
Will make this tomorrow. Love the look of the dish.
Bright and beautiful pictures…..love this combo….
I love the ideas of gravies because it saves me from making daal on the side with a dry curry. I like how you have used simple ingredients and yet made a light gravy.
I love the aloo gobi matar combo…your curry looks delicious