Instant Pot Aloo Matar
May 31, 2018, Updated Jun 09, 2018
Simple Indian potato and green peas curry made in the Instant Pot! Goes well with any flatbread of choice. Vegan & gluten-free.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Instant Pot Aloo Matar – easy potato and green peas Indian curry for weekdays, made with basic ingredients. Vegan & gluten-free.
This recipe comes together quickly and needs very basic ingredients so personally for me its one of those recipes that I make when I don’t know what else to make!
If you love all the Instant Pot vegetarian/vegan recipes that I share on the blog, please join me on this Facebook Group – Instant Pot Vegetarian Recipes. The group would share/feature vegetarian instant pot recipes and ideas from all around the web!
I am so overwhelmed with lot of things right now. Like, we are going to Europe next month (I can hardly wait!) and we spend all our weekend and free time planning for the trip.
It’s funny though that I lived in Scotland for 1.5 years and never went to Europe. I think when you are a student things are so different and you really don’t have any money to go on a vacation.
Anyway better late than never! This is going to be my first time in Europe and I am so looking forward to this trip! Do you guys have any recommendation of places to eat in Paris, Lucerne, Amesterdam? I would love to know!
I am resorting to easy meals these days and it can’t get easier than this Instant Pot Aloo Matar [Aloo=Potatoes and Matar=Green Peas].
This recipe has just potatoes, green peas, onion, tomatoes and a few basic Indian spices. It really can’t get more basic than this.
Potatoes are used in tons of Indian recipes and often paired with any other vegetable that you can imagine like cauliflower in aloo gobi or spinach or beans!
For this instant pot aloo matar recipe potatoes are cooked with green peas in an onion tomato masala. I already have a aloo matar recipe on the blog but this in the Instant Pot version.
This Instant Pot Aloo Matar Recipe
✓ is an easy everyday Indian dish made with basic ingredients
✓ vegan and gluten-free
✓ pairs well with roti or any flatbread of choice and also rice
I remember in my home potatoes were one vegetable which everyone would eat.
Whenever mom made a vegetable like say spinach or eggplant which half of the people won’t eat, she made sure to make some potatoes along with so that those who wouldn’t eat the spinach or eggplant could at least eat something!
And everyone would happily gobble up the potatoes. I always wonder what’s so magical about them?
So, if you are also a potato lover, then you must try this aloo matar recipe. It’s lightly spiced, makes great meal when paired with roti and is really comforting.
I cooked the potatoes for 2 minutes on high pressure for this recipe and they were well done and yet retained their shape and texture.
TIP: Make sure to chop the potatoes into large pieces, around 1 to 1.5 inch pieces. If you chop them small, they will get really mushy and dissolve in the curry.
Method
Using a blender, puree the tomatoes with ginger and set it aside.
1- Press the saute button on your Instant Pot. Once it displays hot, add oil to it and then add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for few seconds.
2- Add the chopped onion and saute for 2 to 3 minutes until the onions are soft.
3- Stir in the pureed tomatoes to the pot and mix. Cover the pot with a glass lid and cook the tomatoes for 3 to 4 minutes.
4-Â Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt. Mix well and cook the spices for 30 seconds.
5-Â Add water and mix.
6- Then add the diced potatoes and frozen green peas.
7-Â Stir and close the pot with its lid. Press the manual or pressure cook button and cook on high pressure for 2 minutes, with the pressure valve in the sealing position.
8-Â Do a quick pressure release. Open the pot, add crushed kasuri methi, sprinkle garam masala on top.
Garnish with cilantro and serve this Instant Pot Aloo Matar hot with roti or any bread of choice.
If you’ve tried this Instant Pot Aloo Matar Recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to see what’s latest in my kitchen!
Instant Pot Aloo Matar
Ingredients
- 2 medium tomatoes 320 grams, pureed
- 1 inch ginger 12 grams
- 1 tablespoon oil use oil of choice
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 medium red onion 110 grams
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder adjust to taste
- 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 cup water 8 oz
- 2 medium potatoes 440 grams, cut into 1 to 1.5 inch pieces
- 1/2 cup green peas I used frozen
- 1 teaspoon crushed kasuri methi
- garam masala to sprinkle
- cilantro to garnish
Instructions
- Using a blender, puree the tomatoes with ginger and set it aside.
- Press the saute button on your Instant Pot. Once it displays hot, add oil to it and then add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for few seconds.
- Add the chopped onion and saute for 2 to 3 minutes until the onions are soft.
- Stir in the pureed tomatoes to the pot and mix. Cover the pot with a glass lid and cook the tomatoes for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt. Mix well and cook the spices for 30 seconds.
- Add water and then add the diced potatoes and frozen green peas.
- Stir and close the pot with its lid. Press the manual or pressure cook button and cook on high pressure for 2 minutes, with the pressure valve in the sealing position.
- Do a quick pressure release. Open the pot, add crushed kasuri methi, sprinkle garam masala on top.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve aloo matar with any flatbread of choice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
When I saw how simple you made this recipe to cook, I had to try it! The flavor was really nice, and blending tomato and ginger as a first step felt like a great trick. I stumbled in uniform cutting of the pototoes, and most of them didn’t get soft enough cooking them from raw with the rest of the recipe. So maybe they are supposed to be pre-cooked?
Hi Stephanie, no the potatoes are not supposed to be pre-cooked for the recipe. Mine always cook just fine in the time mentioned because the Instant pot also takes time to come to pressure and all that is enough for the potatoes to cook. Next time I would suggest cutting them into 1/2 inch cubes. I cut them a big bigger because mine totally turn into mush if I cut them small. I have no idea how every Instant pot can be different for cooking the same vegetable.
Delicious!
Potatoes, tomatoes, onions and spices – and easy to follow instructions – in the IP. Just the thing for a hot day in the American South. I had some cooked pigeon peas that needed using, so subbed them for the frozen peas. Also added a cup of chopped carrots because they were there – LOL.
Tasted along the way, to adjust spices, and in no time was enjoying it over fluffy brown basmati.
I love how the sauce isn’t heavy with ghee or other oils, yet still is very rich and fulfilling.
Will add this superb dish to regular rotation in my kitchen.
Thank you!
Well, I like this recipe. It tastes good and looks good. I added green chilies, more ginger and masalas. Lots of chopped cilantro. And that heightened the flavor.
Keep posting recipes, Manali!
Hi,
I’d like to try this recipe but I do not own an instant pot.
Could this dish be prepared in the same fashion in a regular pressure cooker?
Thank you ?
please try this: https://www.cookwithmanali.com/aloo-matar/
I will do, thank you ?
Far too bland, sorry Manali! Usually love your recipes, but this one is missing the oomph and flavour your others have. Not bad as a base for a fast winter meal, but recommend adding a lot more flavour!
This is a very Indian home-style Aloo Matar, this is how it was made in my house. a lot of Indians don’t really eat tons of spices on a everyday basis (it’s a misconception that we do), my family certainly didn’t. So, I shared what I like as a everyday meal, sorry you didn’t like it. Thanks for trying.
I just wanted to let you know that after your comment, I went back to my kitchen and made it again. It still came out how it was made in my home in India- simple aloo matar without much spices :). You can always add more to taste.
I was planning to cook this recipe but after reading some comments it felt like you don’t take any as the answer. Thanks for sharing your recipe. I agree with the above people. This recipe really came out as a blend and very less tasteful.
Anyway thanks for sharing your reciepe.
thanks for trying Sammy, sorry you didn’t like it
2 minutes was not enough time to cook the potatoes, which were cut to bite sized pieces. Also, increased all the spices to give more flavour. Overall, decent recipe, I just needed to make adjustments to make it taste “traditional” to the area my family is from.
everyone’s taste is different, glad you still found it good 🙂 and 2 mins is really enough to cook the potatoes, I wouldn’t share the recipe otherwise. I use my IP all the time and always cook potatoes for 2 minutes only. For me at 2 minutes they are always cooked yet hold their shape. Maybe you prefer softer texture, then yes add extra 2 minutes. Thanks for trying.
Hi Manali! This is just awesome
My family including kids enjoyed it. Thank you
welcome, glad to know
I wanted to say I’ve made this so many times and we love it! So tasty and it’s particularly a hit with kids. This has been added to my rotation and we make it atleast once in two to three weeks. So many of your recipes are on my frequent recipes list now! Thanks Manali!
glad to know Shruti 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing your recipes! I have made several of them and my family loves every one. I especially love that they are generally quick and easy, a must for me. Please keep creating and sharing!
Hi! I don’t have a glass lid. Is there an alternative to the glass lid? I just realized that the one that I have is smaller than the size of the pot.
any lid will do, you only have to cover the pot!
Could tomato sauce or paste be used instead of a fresh tomato purée? I don’t have a blender
yes you can use crushed tomatoes from a can
It’s great recipe, easy and delicious. However, I added two more minutes as the potatoes were not soft enough.
THANK YOU!! I loved this recipe and look forward to trying more of your recipes.
Scotland is in Europe!!! Lol
what I meant was I never went to places people usually do when they say they are going to Europe like France, Switzerland, Italy etc.
I knew what you meant! Don’t listen to the naysayers. You rock!
Thanks Thom 🙂
I’ve made this several times and it’s alway great! I have 2 questions though:
1) can u substitute ground fenugreek for the kasuri methi- I’ve always skipped it b/c I can’t find it
And
2) can you make this dish using the onion tomato masala recipe you’ve posted more recently? If so, how would you adjust this recipe?
Hi! No don’t substitute ground fenugreek for kasuri methi, just skip it if you can’t find it.
And yes you can use the onion tomato masala. You will just add oil, then cumin seeds then add in the frozen onion tomato masala (I would add 1/2 cup masala, you may use 3/4 cup for stronger flavors), potatoes, peas, sprinkle some garam masala and salt and water. Cook for 2 mins with quick pressure release. Garnish with cilantro.
Just tried it. Turned delicious. I also.ground onions to a paste for richer gravy.
good to know!
Fantastic recipe cooked and eaten tonight. Authentic and easy to make….thank you so much all the way from France
Welcome! so glad you enjoyed it!
This was fantastic. Thanks!!!
Welcome!
Loved it!!!! So did my 9month old baby. Mine turned out less saucy and I doubled all the spices as I love a strong spice. Thank you for sharing a beautiful vegan dish
Welcome Alice! so happy you all enjoyed it!
Me puedes hablar espanol
Wow, delicious super recipe.
Thanks!
Just made it!! It tastes delicious. I added more kasuri methi because I am just obsessed with it. Very nice recipe – will make again and try one more from your site.
Thank you 🙂
there can never be too much kasuri methi, right? 😉 Glad you enjoyed it Lina!
Is there any mobile app of yours.
no,not yet 🙂
Is there a substitute for kasuri methi, or what grocery store can I find it in?
no substitute, you may skip it. And u can find it at any Indian grocery store.
Amazon prime…. my Go to as there is no Indian store in my town
Made this recipe last night. Liked it however would have liked more flavor. I may try doubling up on the spices and perhaps using veggie broth instead of water next time. Thank you 🙂
Glad you liked it Diana. Veggie broth is never really used in Indian cooking traditionally but of course its up to you. And yes you can always increase the spices as per your taste.
Imo.. Veggie broth would bring in other flavors n would not retain the taste.. I’ve had veg broth only once in my life .. that too not in India.. u could definitely increase the spices..!
Thanks for this yummy recipe! Made it tonight and enjoyed it! Will definitely be making again 🙂
Welcome Vanessa! I am happy to know that 🙂