Mushroom masala is a delicious Indian curry made with mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, spices & herbs. This mushroom masala is one of the best I have been making at home for our regular meals. It is quite simple to make & tastes delicious. We love the restaurant style dishes with smooth & rich gravy that are flavor packed.

This mushroom masala is one such dish which is loved each time in my home without getting bored. It goes so well as a side with plain basmati rice, jeera rice , ghee rice, roti or even plain paratha.
Mushrooms are not a common veggie in the traditional Indian cuisine yet they are used to prepare so many dishes like mushroom biryani, mushroom pulao, curries & mushroom stir fry.
Table of contents
About this recipe
Indian cuisine is by far diverse and each dish is made in numerous ways depending on the region. Most days I cook 3 meals a day. This gives me the chance to experiment a lot with different dishes.
I make this mushroom masala in more than 1 way. In this post I have shared 2 different recipes to make mushroom masala curry.
The first one is very simple to make and has a curry base like the paneer masala. It is moderately spicy, tasty and goes well with any kind of flavored rice, parathas, roti or even with naan. I also have the Instant pot instructions for this in the recipe card.
The second mushroom curry recipe is made similar to the hyderabadi salan with roasted peanuts & sesame seeds (optional). This has a unique nutty flavor since roasted peanuts are used. In this recipe I have also used bell peppers to enhance the flavor & nutrition of the dish.
This one too can be served with rice, roti or even with naan.
For more Mushroom recipes, you may check
Spicy kadai mushroom
Simple mushroom stir fry
Mushroom pepper fry
Garlic mushrooms
Mushroom omelet
Recipe 1 – Mushroom masala stepwise photos
1. Boil 2 cups of water in a pot. Add 1 cup onions and boil them for 6 to 7 mins until transparent. Drain the water and add them to the blender. This step is done to remove the raw smell & bitter taste from the onions.
2. Add 1 cup tomatoes, ½ inch ginger, 2 to 3 garlic cloves and 12 cashew nuts to a blender jar. I did not have cashews so I used almonds here. If using almonds soak them in hot water for 30 mins and then peel the skin and add them. You can also replace ginger garlic with 1 tsp ginger garlic paste.

3. Puree them to a fine paste without adding water.

How to make mushroom masala gravy
4. Heat a pan with 2 tbsp oil. I have added a small piece of bay leaf, 2 green cardamoms and 1 small cinnamon stick. All of these are optional and you may skip them.

5. When the oil becomes slightly hot and spices begin to sizzle, pour the onion tomato puree. Be careful the mixture may begin to splash. Cover partially and continue to cook until the mixture thickens. While this cooks, rinse and slice mushrooms.

6. Add ½ to ¾ teaspoon red chili powder, ¾ teaspoon garam masala and ¾ to 1 teaspoon coriander powder (optional).

7. Sauté until the mixture turns aromatic and begins to leave the sides. You may not see oil separated as we did not use much here.

8. Add 200 grams sliced mushrooms and then sprinkle salt.

9. Saute for 2 mins.

10. Add ½ to ¾ cup water to make a thick gravy. Adjust the quantity of water slightly as it depends on how much moisture the mushrooms release.

11. Cover and cook until the gravy thickens and mushrooms are just cooked. Do not overcook as they turn soggy. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon kasuri methi & mix. Taste test and add more salt if needed. At this stage you can also add few tbsps of cream if you like. Cover and turn off the stove.

Serve mushroom gravy hot with rice, roti or jeera rice.

Pro Tips
1. Onions are boiled to remove the raw and bitter taste. Also boiled onion paste gets cooked faster in the pot. Some kind of onions taste bitter when pureed without boiling. You can skip this step if you don’t experience that. Alternately you may soak onions in a bowl of water for 15 to 20 mins & then blend them.
If you do not prefer to grind the onions, simply fine chop them and saute first until golden. Then add the tomato, ginger, garlic and cashew puree.
2. Cashews are used to give a creamy texture and milky aroma to the curry. You can substitute them with almonds. Simply soak almonds in hot water for 30 to 60 minutes and peel the skin.
3. Mushrooms: White button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms go well in this recipe. Rinse them quickly and do not let them soak up in water for long time. Rinse and slice them only when you are ready to add them in the hot pan.
Recipe 2 – Mushroom curry
This is a South Indian home style recipe, very simple to make and has a curry base like the Hyderabadi mirchi ka salan. It takes too good with plain basmati rice, jeera rice, ghee rice, roti, paratha and even with naan.
In this mushroom curry, peanuts, sesame seeds and coconut form the base of the curry. These ingredients are roasted and ground first. Then added to the onion tomato mixture. It tastes extremely delicious with bursting aroma of nuts, seeds and spices.

Ingredients
200 grams sliced white button mushrooms
1 cup capsicums cubed (optional)
¾ cup of chopped onions
¾ cup fine chopped tomatoes or tomato puree
1 sprig curry leaves or bay leaf
1 green chilli slit
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
¾ teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)
¾ teaspoon garam masala (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon kasuri methi (optional)
2 tablespoons oil
Salt to taste
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
To roast
2 tablespoons roasted Peanuts
1 tablespoon roasted Sesame seeds (optional)
1 tablespoon desiccated coconut (optional)
Instructions – Preparation
1. On a medium flame, dry roast 2 tablespoons peanuts in a pan until deep golden and aromatic. Then reduce the flame to low and add sesame seeds. Stir them until they begin to splutter. Turn off and add coconut. Saute for some time. Cool all of these and make a powder.
It will turn slightly greasy, lumpy and oily. It’s just fine but the powder must smell nice and nutty. Otherwise roast this for a few more minutes so it smells really good.
2. Pour 1 tablespoon oil to a hot pan. Add 200 grams sliced mushrooms and saute them on a high heat for 2 to 3 mins until a nice aroma comes out. They will let out some moisture but it’s just fine. Remove these to a plate and set aside.

3. To the same pan, add 1 cup diced bell peppers/ capsicum and saute them as well for 2 to 3 mins until partially cooked yet crunchy. This is done to bring out the flavors from the bell peppers. Remove these as well and keep aside.
Making mushroom curry
4. Pour 1 tablespoon oil to the same pan. Add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and 1 sprig curry leaves.

5. When the seeds splutter add ¾ cup fine chopped onions and 1 slit green chilli. Saute until the onions turn golden to light brown. Then add 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste. Saute until the raw smell goes away.

6. Add ¾ cup tomatoes (chopped or pureed), ½ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon turmeric. Saute until the tomatoes break down and turn mushy. The raw smell of tomatoes should go away by now.

7. Add the roasted peanut powder and ¾ teaspoon red chilli powder. Saute for a minute.

8. Then pour 1¼ to 1½ cups water. Mix well and let the curry simmer until it turns thick. Do not proceed to the next step until your gravy turns thick.

9. Add mushrooms and bell peppers.

10. Add crushed kasuri methi (optional) and garam masala. Let the mushrooms cook only for a while until tender but not soggy. Turn off and cover the pan so the flavors are retained. Stir well and taste test. Add more salt if need.

Cool down the curry a bit and squeeze some lemon juice before serving. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve mushroom curry with roti, paratha, ghee rice or jeera rice.

Related Recipes
Recipe card

Mushroom masala curry | Mushroom gravy
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 200 to 230 grams mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup onions cubed (1 large)
- 1 cup tomatoes cubed (2 large)
- ½ inch ginger chopped
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 12 cashewnuts or almonds
- 2 tablespoons oil or butter
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon coriander powder (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon salt or as needed
- ¼ teaspoon kasuri methi (optional)(dried fenugreek leaves)
optional
- 1 small bay leaf or 10 curry leaves
- 2 green cardamoms (elaichi)
- 1 inch cinnamon piece (dalchini)
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves (cilantro) chopped finely
- 2 to 3 tbsp cream (optional)
Instructions
Preparation
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and add cubed onions. Boil them until transparent for about 5 to 6 mins. Drain them and cool down.
- Add onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and 12 cashews to a blender jar.
- Make a fine paste and set aside. Ensure the paste is smooth and not coarse.
How to make mushroom masala
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan. optional – When the oil becomes hot, add bay leaf, cardamoms & cinnamon.
- Pour the onion tomato puree and cook covered until the mixture thickens. Keep stirring often while frying.
- Then add red chili powder, coriander powder and garam masala.
- Saute on a low heat until the mixture turns fragrant and leaves the sides of the pan.
- While the mixture cooks, rinse and slice the mushrooms.
- When the onion tomato masala becomes aromatic. add sliced mushrooms and salt.
- Saute for 2 to 3 mins until the flavor of mushrooms come out.
- Next pour ½ to ¾ cup water or as needed to make a thick gravy.
- Cook until the mushrooms turn tender and not soggy. If the gravy is too thick add little hot water.
- Sprinkle kasuri methi. Cover and Turn off the stove. You can also add few tbsps of cream and coriander leaves.
- Mix and serve mushroom masala hot with basmati rice or roti.
Instant pot mushroom curry
- Bring 2 cups water to a rolling boil and add diced onions. Boil them for 4 to 5 mins so the raw bitter taste goes away from the onions. Drain them.
- Add them to a grinder/ blender along with tomatoes, cashews, ginger and garlic. Grind them to a very smooth puree,
- Press saute button on your Instant pot and pour 2 tablespoons oil.
- Pour the onion tomato puree and saute until thick. Keep stirring in between. Meanwhile slice the mushrooms.
- When the mixture turns thick, add all the spice powders – red chilli powder, garam masala, coriander powder & salt.
- Soon the mixture becomes thick and aromatic. Press cancel.
- Pour 1cup water and deglaze the pot well by scrubbing the bottom with the spatula.
- Add mushrooms and stir. Secure the Instant pot with the lid and position the steam release valve to sealing.
- Press pressure cook button with the timer set to 3 mins.
- Once the Instant pot is done, let the pressure release naturally for 5 mins. Then release the rest manually.
- Add kasuri methi and mix well. Taste test and add more salt if needed. If want you can also add some cream. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Notes
- Onions are boiled to remove the raw and bitter taste. Also boiled onion paste gets cooked faster in the pot. Some kind of onions taste bitter when pureed without boiling. You can skip this step if you don’t experience that. Alternately you may soak onions in a bowl of water for 15 to 20 mins & then blend them.
- Cashews are used to give a creamy texture and milky aroma to the curry. You can substitute them with almonds. Simply soak almonds in hot water for 30 to 60 minutes and peel the skin.
- Mushrooms: White button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms go well in this recipe.
- This recipe has been tested in a 6 QT Instant pot only. Please stick to the measurements.
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
This recipe post was first published in November 2012. Republished in December 2020.


Brian Noga says
Looks delish , can’t wait to try it.
swasthi says
Thanks
Noreen Solomon says
One of the easiest but super tasty recipes I ve tried. My husband kept complementing me for each bite.. thanks a ton..
swasthi says
Welcome Noreen
Happy to know you liked it.
Thank you
Hetal says
Tried recipe 1. As usual it’s very delicious and easy to make.
Thanks a lot Swasthiji.
swasthi says
Welcome Hetal
Happy to know it turned out delicious
jansi Jfzitha says
Definitely I try this recipe..,,,
swasthi says
Thanks Jansi
nasrin says
your all dishes super. specially baby foods.
swasthi says
Thanks Nasrin
Sam says
Can I add paneer to this recipe?
swasthi says
Yes Sam. Try the first method with some paneer.
Menaka Rawat says
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I tried today.. it is very tasty.
swasthi says
Welcome Menaka
Glad to know you liked it
Thanks for the feedback
Shilpa says
great Recipe ! 🙂 Thanks so much!
swasthi says
Welocme Shilpa
supriya says
Swasthi tried both methods tasty , yummy and instead of cream I added 2 spoons of milk it was good I liked it thanks for sharing such wonderfull recipes.ra
swasthi says
Welcome Supriya
Thanks for trying both the recipes. Glad to know you liked them. Have a good day
arjun says
super machi
swasthi says
Thank you
Roshin says
Your recipes are a godsend for me! Tastes great.
swasthi says
Thanks Roshin, so glad to know you like them
Anu says
Yummy mushroom curry. Loved it with your ajwain paratha
swasthi says
Thanks Anu. Happy to know you loved it.
Luxminder831 says
In the first method picture, when you add the garam masala and the red chili powder, it looks like there is a third spice on the dried up paste. It is green like…cumin powder? What is the third spice and what quantity should I add? Thanks.
swasthi says
Hi, You are welcome
The garam masala I used here was without coriander powder, so i used coriander powder separately. I used 1/4 tsp garam masala without coriander in it and then little less than 3/4 tsp coriander powder. You can just use 3/4 tsp garam masala all together.
supriya says
Hi swathi this is supriya today I tried mushroom masala 2 method it was yummy .. just like the resturant taste . Every one loved in the house . I’m a big fan of ur recipes .thanks for the recipes da. Plz do post capcium recipe as I love them . I also tried ur capcium Paulo tht was also too good.
swasthi says
Hi Supriya, You are welcome.
Glad to know you liked the mushroom gravy. You can find capsicum recipes here. Thanks a lot for the feedback. Have a nice weekend
Thrax says
This was amazing! Tried it both ways and learnt a lot, thank you!
swasthi says
Welcome Thrax
Glad to know you liked them.
Thanks for the feedback
molina says
Osm…..ths is ma very first dish!!! And truely it worked nicely…tq soo much…it is sooo yummy
swasthi says
Welcome Molina
glad to know you liked it
Amrita Vishal says
Lovely gravy..I have been wanting to make your capsicum gravy from the time you posted..now this also adds to the list!!
srikars kitchen says
Yummy masala..looks perfect..
Arthy Suman says
Thick gravy makes me drool for some…
Savitha Ganesan says
Mushroom masala looks yumm.
Priya says
Wat a flavourful masala, excellent side dish for rotis.