Potato Curry Recipe (Indian Aloo Curry)

One of the most favorite comforting dishes in the Indian cuisine is a simple Potato Curry. This recipe of Aloo Curry is just that – a hassle-free, easy and flavorful curry made with earthy potatoes, piquant onions, tangy tomatoes, fresh herbs and fragrant spices. This is a quick and tasty Indian style one-pot vegetarian curry recipe. The recipe is also gluten free and vegan friendly.

About Potato Curry

Potato Curry is one of those recipes that is full of memories for me. Growing up, my mother used to often make this easy, simple curry for all of us at home.

The combination of rice and this delectable Potato Curry would be super comforting. Till today, it is one of my favorite meals. And I am sure you too must be having your favorite potato curry version.

This is just a basic recipe of Aloo Curry, but packed with flavors. The taste is also reminiscent of the simple humble food made in Indian villages.

I have been fortunate enough to have meals in the homes of a few villagers. So, I can vouch for the fact that their meals are not just tasty, but nutritious as well.

‘Potato’ is known as ‘Aloo’ in Hindi. Thus, the name of any curry or gravy made only with potatoes is obviously referred to as Aloo Curry or Aloo Gravy in Hindi and Potato Curry in English.

About My Recipe

This recipe is not just vegetarian, but is fit for vegans as well as those who are intolerant to gluten.

My Aloo Curry is also one of those recipes that you can make in a hurry after a tired day’s work or when you have no other vegetables or lentils in your pantry.

In India, every region has its own version and variation of a Potato Curry. Mostly in many Indian states, this curry is relished with the Indian fried bread a.k.a Poori.

However, my Aloo Curry recipe is an exception. It tastes great with steamed rice and even with other Indian breads like roti or paratha.

This is a one-pot curry. The potatoes are cooked in the sautéed onion-tomato masala base. So, this cooking method saves time.

The curry has a tangy taste, but not too much with a mild heat and balance in the flavors coming from the the spices and herbs. It is not spicy, but can me made into one, if this is what you prefer.

There is also little more oil used in this recipe of Potato Curry and that does make a difference in the overall taste. If you prefer, you can add less oil.

You can also make this Aloo Curry in a stove-top pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Add less water, if making in either of these.

I have mentioned below on how you can make this curry in a stove-top pressure cooker (in the step-by-step photo guide) and the Instant pot (below the step-by-step guide and in the recipe card notes).

Note that the pressure-cooked curry tastes different than the one made in a pan. For best flavors, I would suggest making this potato gravy in a pan or pot.

Variation

Adding vegetables to this basic Potato Curry will make it more nutritious and flavorsome. The curry will take on the flavors of the veggies that you add. Green peas, capsicum, cauliflower, broccoli and green beans pair wonderfully with potatoes in this humble curry.

How to make Potato Curry

Make Onion Tomato Masala

1. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a pan or kadai (wok). Add ½ teaspoon finely chopped garlic and sauté for a few seconds. No need to brown garlic.

You can also add 2 tablespoons oil. You could use any neutral flavored oil.

For this recipe, I prefer to use peanut oil. However, you can also make it in sunflower oil, canola oil, avocado oil or grapeseed oil.

2. Next, add ½ cup chopped onions.

3. Sauté on medium-low to medium heat until onions are softened and turn translucent. Stir at intervals.

4. Next, add 1 cup tightly packed chopped tomatoes.

5. Mix very well.

6. Cover the pan with its lid and simmer on low or medium-low heat until the tomatoes soften.

Check a couple of times, while the tomatoes are cooking.

Tip 1: If the tomatoes stick to the pan, add a few splashes of water, deglaze the pan and continue to cook.

Tip 2: If you are making this curry in a pressure cooker, then sauté the tomatoes without covering the pressure cooker with its lid.

Tip 3: You could sauté the tomatoes without covering with a lid.

7. Cook for about 6 to 7 minutes or until the tomatoes soften and become mushy.

8. When the tomatoes have softened well, lower the heat and add the ground spices listed below:

• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder or sweet paprika (or ½ teaspoon regular red chili powder or cayenne pepper)
• ½ teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder – optional

Tip: For making a spicy Aloo Curry, you can add more red chili powder. You can also add 1 finely chopped green chili (or ½ teaspoon chopped green chili or serrano pepper).

9. Mix the ground spice powders evenly with the onion-tomato mixture.

Make Potato Curry

10. Next, add 4 medium peeled, diced potatoes and salt as required.

11. Mix very well.

12. Pour 2 cups water and stir to combine.

If using a stovetop pressure cooker: If making this curry in a stove-top pressure cooker, use a 2 or 3-liter pressure cooker. Follow all the steps from 1 to 11 as mentioned above. Add 1 to 1.25 cups water. Pressure cook on medium heat for 2 to 3 whistles or 7 to 8 minutes.

13. Cover the pan with its lid and simmer on medium to medium-high heat till the potatoes are cooked.

Depending on the quality of potatoes & the size of the diced potato cubes, it may take about 15 to 20 minutes for the potatoes to become fork tender. But make sure you do not overcook them.

14. Check a couple of times, while the curry is simmering.

15. The Aloo Curry will thicken slightly by the time the potatoes are done. You will also see some oil specks on the top of the gravy.

Tip: In case you plan to serve this curry with roti, chapati or bread, then you can add less water and make the curry consistency thicker.

However, if you want to serve it with rice, then you can add a bit more water and let the curry be slightly thin in consistency.

You can adjust the consistency of the curry as per your needs.

16. Then, switch off the heat and add ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves. Mix very well.

17. Serve Potato Curry hot or warm. Opt to garnish with a few chopped coriander leaves if you like.

Serving Suggestions

Here are a few ways that you can serve this Aloo Curry and enjoy:

• Indian breads: Potato Curry pairs really well with Indian breads like Roti, Paratha, poori. You can also serve with spiced and flavored Indian breads like Thepla or Ajwain Paratha.
• Baked breads: Any good loaf of white bread or whole grain bread goes well with this potato gravy. You can also serve it with dinner rolls.
• Rice: Steamed white rice and the potato curry is another great combination. Spiced rice dishes like Jeera Rice also taste good with this tangy curry.

How to make Instant Pot Potato Curry

• Using the sauté function of a 6 quart Instant Pot, add oil in the steel insert. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and sauté for a couple of seconds.
• Tip in the onions and sauté, stirring often, until the onions soften.
• Add the chopped tomatoes. Sauté until tomatoes soften and turn pulpy.
• Add all the ground spices and mix thoroughly. Add the diced potatoes, salt according to taste and 1 cup water. Mix and deglaze.
• Place the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure it is sealed and securely locked. Next turn the the steam release vent to the sealing position.
• Pressure cook on high for 3 to 4 minutes. Do a quick pressure release after 3 minutes.
• If you find the curry thin, press the sauté button and sauté the curry for 5 to 7 minutes or until you get the desired consistency. Mashing the potatoes a bit will also thicken the curry.
• Finish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Expert Tips

1. Potato Type: For Indian curry or gravy recipes, the potato varieties that are well suited are red skinned potatoes, Yukon gold (yellow potatoes), baby potatoes and Russet potatoes.
2. Using Boiled or Mashed Potatoes: If you have leftover boiled potatoes or simple unseasoned mashed potatoes, add them at the step when the tomatoes are soft and pulpy. Then, add salt and 1 cup water or as required. Mix and simmer for 5 minutes. You can add less or more water, according to the consistency you prefer.
3. Tomatoes: In India, we get fresh tomatoes throughout the year. So, canned tomatoes is something unheard of with most folks. If you do not have access to fresh tomatoes, use ½ cup tomato puree or 1 cup chopped or crushed canned tomatoes.
4. Choice of Fat: You can use any neutral flavored oil to make this curry recipe. For instance, peanut oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil or even avocado oil.
5. Spices: The list of ground spices in the recipe are the basic Indian ones which you can easily find online on Amazon or in an Indian or Asian grocery store.
6. Garam masala powder: One of the most important spice mixes added to many dishes in North Indian cuisine is the garam masala powder. Replace it with ½ teaspoon curry powder, if you do not have it. Or make your own with my trusted and tried Garam Masala Recipe.

Potato Curry recipe from the archives was first published on December 2016.