Masala Pasta (North Indian Style)

If you are a fan of Indian food, Italian food and both these cuisines together; then this recipe of Masala Pasta is just the right one for you! Why so? Because it combines best of both the worlds. This is an easy, simple and super sumptuous way of preparing a vegetarian pasta dish, in a North Indian style. The perfect Indo-Italian fusion is what the flavors of this Pasta Recipe will deliver. The masala is just like any other spiced onion-tomato mixture that goes in an Indian dish. The penne added to it, makes all the difference.

About Masala Pasta

A maximum of 30 minutes if what you will need to create this amazingly delicious Indian Style Masala Pasta. So, on days, when you are confused as to what you’re craving for more – whether Indian or Italian – then just go for this dish!

Masala Pasta and masala noodles are a favorite with many people, as well as kids. It not only makes for a tasty fusion treat but also is filling and comforting too. Imagine watching your favorite series or movie on Netflix with a bowl of hot Masala Pasta. Isn’t it just the perfect scenario?

I personally am not that much of a fan, when it comes to pastas. However, I do make some dishes like this Masala Pasta which is liked by everyone at home. So, whenever this dish, my choice of variety of pasta is usually the penne.

Though, spaghetti is the more popular one consumed worldwide, I guess in India, it is the penne as it is quite easy to eat unlike the spaghetti, which usually gets messy.

About My Recipe

For the masala base, the ingredients are your basic ones – spring onions, tomatoes, ginger-garlic paste, veggies and spice powders like turmeric, cumin, coriander, black pepper, red chili powder and garam masala powder.

I also add veggies like carrots, green peas and capsicum or bell peppers in this Masala Pasta. These add a special texture, crunch as well as enhance the nutritional quotient of the dish overall.  

This Masala Pasta recipe gives a yummy pasta dish with Indian flavors and makes for a good brunch, snack or a light dinner. While serving, you can garnish it with some coriander leaves, vegetarian parmesan cheese or grated cheddar cheese.

You can also pack it in your kid’s tiffin box and be assured that the tiffin box is definitely going to come back empty!

How to make Masala Pasta

Cook Pasta

1. Heat 4 cups water along with ½ teaspoon salt till it comes to a boil.

2. When the water comes to a boil, add 100 grams penne pasta.

3. Cook the pasta without any lid on medium to high heat.

4. Cook till the pasta becomes al dente. You can also cook it more, if you want.

5. Strain the pasta.

6. Add in a bowl and or keep in the strainer or colander. Cover and keep aside.

Make Masala

7. While the pasta is cooking, you can prepare the masala base. First, finely chop spring onions, 2 medium to large tomatoes, capsicum and carrot.

You can also use onions instead of spring onions. Make sure to cut the carrots finely. Otherwise, they may take a long time to cook. You can also choose to grate the carrots.

8. Then, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan. Add ⅓ cup finely chopped spring onions or onions. Sauté till the onions become translucent.

9. Then, add ½ teaspoon ginger-garlic paste.

10. Sauté till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.

11. Then, add 1 cup tightly packed finely chopped tomatoes.

12. Stir and sauté on low to medium heat till the tomatoes become pulpy and soften.

13. Then, add the ground spices mentioned below:

• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
• ½ teaspoon coriander powder

14. Mix the ground spice powders very well with the softened tomatoes and onions.

15. Next, add ⅓ cup finely chopped carrots, ¼ cup green peas and ¼ cup finely chopped capsicum or bell pepper.

16. Season with salt according to taste.

17. Mix very well and sauté for a minute.

18. Add ½ cup water.

19. Cover the pan with its lid. On low to medium heat, simmer till the veggies are cooked. If the water dries up, you can add more water.

Instead of cooking veggies, you can also use veggies that have been steamed or boiled before.

20. Cook till the veggies are tender.

Make Masala Pasta

21. Then, add the cooked penne pasta to the masala gravy.

22. Mix thoroughly.

23. Next, add 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves and 2 tablespoons chopped spring onions greens (optional).

Use spring onion greens, only if you have used spring onions or else skip.

24. Then, add ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder.

25. Mix well. Then, switch off the heat.

26. Serve Indian Style Masala Pasta hot or warm garnished with some grated cheddar cheese or vegetarian parmesan cheese.

Expert Tips

1. You can add your choice of vegetables in this recipe of Indian Pasta. Usually, the veggies which I add are carrots, capsicum, French beans, green peas, cauliflower or cabbage.
2. However, this recipe can also be made without veggies. I would suggest adding the veggies as it makes the dish more wholesome and nutritious. Few more pasta varieties where you can add mixed vegetables to make them healthy are Red Sauce Pasta, Pasta Alfredo and White Sauce Pasta.
3. I have used whole wheat penne pasta. You can also use macaroni or other pasta varieties. Essentially, it will be good if you cook the pasta al dente. However, you can cook it more, if you want.
4. If you don’t have spring onions, then you can use regular onions instead. Chop the carrots finely and add, or else they take a longer time to cook.
5. Instead of cooking the vegetables in the dish, you can also use veggies that have been steamed or boiled from before.
6. For garnishing, you can add chopped coriander leaves, grated cheddar cheese or vegetarian parmesan cheese.

This Masala Pasta recipe post from the archives first published on March 2017. It has been updated on November 2024.