This Cauliflower Curry aka, Aloo Gobi Matar or Gobi Curry, is a quick and easy Indian curry made with cauliflower, potatoes, and peas. Make it in under 30 minutes in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop. Vegan, gluten-free + delicious!
(This recipe was first published in Jan 2020 and has been updated with detailed instructions)
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Aloo Gobi Matar or Cauliflower Curry is a curry made with cauliflower and other veggies, such as potatoes and peas. Also known as Gobi Curry or Aloo Gobi Gravy, this dish is made by cooking the veggies in a curry base made with onions, tomatoes, and flavored with Indian spices. It is very similar to my Aloo Matar curry, but with the addition of cauliflower.
Call it Aloo Gobi Mater or Curried Cauliflower or Gobi Curry, this hearty dish is a winner no matter what name you give it. This delicious Indian cauliflower curry is all about taking the basic veggies (that you probably have in the fridge anyway) and making them into a delicious and satisfying curry that will make everyone look forward to dinner!
This recipe is one that I love to whip up ever so often - I love making quick and easy Indian curries, such as Egg Curry, Aloo Mattar, Shrimp Curry, etc for weekly meals. My favorite curry pairing is always Basmati Rice - and when I have time to put a more elaborate meal together, I'll pair this curry with Naan Bread. Such an easy and quick way to satisfy those mid-week curry cravings!
I discovered how easy it is to make a delicious Aloo Gobi Matar Curry in the Instant Pot - it only takes 30 minutes! The Instant Pot makes this cauliflower curry recipe pretty much foolproof - it is perfect for those of us who have less time on our hands. If you don't have an Instant Pot, no worries, I've included stovetop instructions as well!
My 6-year old, who usually keeps his distance from cauliflower, ate this curry, and then turned to me and said that he has started to like cauliflower now! Now that’s my kind of validation.
Why you will love this recipe
- Creamy, delicious cauliflower curry that pairs well with rice or naan or any grains of your choice
- Vegan, gluten-free, and highly nutritious
- Cooks in under 30 minutes in the Instant Pot
- Super customizable! You can add your choice of veggies and customize this curry to your liking
List of Ingredients
To make Indian Cauliflower Curry, we will need the following ingredients:
- Cauliflower - 1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
- Potatoes - Peeled and cut into large cubes
- Peas - use frozen peas
- Tomatoes - Use fresh tomatoes (blended in a food processor), or tinned tomatoes.
- Spices: Kashmiri Chili Powder, Garam Masala, Coriander Powder, Turmeric Powder, Whole Cumin
- Vegetable oil - Optionally, you can also use ghee for added flavor
- Onions - Onions should be finey chopped
- Ginger garlic paste (or grated ginger and garlic)
- Salt to season
- Coconut Milk - If using thick coconut milk, add a little water to thin it out.
Stovetop Instructions
(See below for Instant Pot Instructions)
To make this Cauliflower Curry or Gobi Curry on the stovetop, use a heavy bottom pot and start by preheating it on medium heat on the stovetop. Add the vegetable oil, followed by chopped onions, minced ginger and garlic, and whole cumin.
Once the cumin starts to sizzle, add in the spices, and saute for around 30 seconds.
Add 1/2 cup water, then add the blended tomatoes, cubed potatoes, enough salt to season, and mix it all well.
Cover with a lid and let the potatoes cook in the covered pot for 5- 6 minutes.
After the potatoes are half-cooked, open the lid and add the cauliflower and peas.
Add the coconut milk and around 1/3 cup water. Mix well.
Cover and cook for an additional 6-7 minutes, until cauliflower is cooked and the potatoes are done. Then open the pot and check for seasoning. You can add a squeeze of lemon juice to balance the flavors.
Cauliflower curry or Aloo Gobi Matar is now ready! Serve it with your choice of rice or grains.
Instant Pot Recipe Instructions
To make Cauliflower Curry in the Instant Pot, start by setting the Instant Pot in 'Saute' mode. Let it heat for 2 minutes. Then add the oil (or ghee), onions and whole cumin. Let the cumin start to sizzle in the oil and then add the minced ginger and garlic or ginger-garlic paste. Stir with a spatula.
Add in all the spices mentioned in the recipe card, and saute for a minute. Add 1/2 cup water and deglaze the inner pot of the Instant Pot - using the spatula, remove any residue stuck to the base of the Instant Pot (an important step to avoid the 'Burn' error message).
Add tomatoes (I used fresh tomatoes, blended in a food processor) and cubed potatoes and let this simmer in the Instant Pot in the Sauté mode for 3 minutes with a glass lid on. This allows the potatoes to cook for a while before the cauliflower is added.
Add the cauliflower, peas, and a little more water. Now switch to Pressure Cook or Manual mode and let the curry cook for 2 minutes. Perform a quick release of pressure to avoid overcooking the cauliflower.
Finally, add salt, 1/4 cup of thick coconut milk and give it all a stir. The coconut milk helps in cutting through the acidity of the tomatoes and thickens the curry too. I like to add a squeeze of lemon juice at the end to finish the recipe.
Serving Suggestions
Aloo Gobi Mattar or Cauliflower Curry can be served as an entrée or side as part of an Indian menu and pairs very well with Basmati Rice, or Naan Bread. You can also pair it with Appams (fermented rice crepes).
Optionally, this Cauliflower Curry can be served with grains as couscous or quinoa as well. To make it a complete meal, serve with a Spiced Chickpea salad or our summer favorite salad, Mango salad.
Recipe Variations
Replace potatoes with Squash/ Carrots: This Gobi Curry recipe uses potatoes and peas in addition to cauliflower, but you can skip the potatoes and opt for squash or carrots as well. These vegetables will need just 1 minute of sautéing time, instead of 3 minutes.
Add Spinach/Kale: Add shredded kale or a handful of baby spinach at the end, and close the lid. Let the greens soften in the residual heat of the Instant Pot (or your pot, if cooking on the stovetop) for 3-4 minutes. This is a great way to pack in more iron and nutrition into this Aloo Gobi Curry.
Substitutes for spice powders: I recommend using Kashmiri Chili Powder to make Aloo Gobi Matar (and almost all curry recipes), as it lends a lovely intense red color, without too much heat. I recommend using organic spice powders instead of store-bought curry powder in all my recipes - preferably spice powders that are ground at home. But if you do not have access to spice powders, then use a store-bought curry powder blend by all means.
More Vegetarian Curry Recipes
Instant Pot Coconut Chickpea Curry
Aloo Gobi Matar Curry | Cauliflower Curry | Gobi Curry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 medium potatoes peeled and cubed
- ½ cauliflower cut into medium-sized florets
- 1 tsp whole cumin
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste or use grated fresh ginger and garlic
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder
- ½ tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 tsp Garam masala
- ½ tsp Coriander Powder
- 2 medium tomatoes blended in a food processor, or substitute with tinned tomatoes
- ⅓ cup peas frozen
- salt to season
- ⅓ cup Coconut Milk see notes
- ½ cup Water
Instructions
Stovetop Instructions
- Use a heavy bottom pot and start by preheating it on medium heat on the stovetop. Add the vegetable oil, followed by chopped onions, minced ginger and garlic, and whole cumin.
- Once the cumin starts to sizzle, add in the spices, and saute for around 30 seconds.
- Add 1/2 cup water, then add the blended tomatoes, cubed potatoes, enough salt to season, and mix it all well.
- Cover with a lid and let the potatoes cook in the covered pot for 5- 6 minutes.
- After the potatoes are half-cooked, open the lid and add the cauliflower and peas.
- Add the coconut milk and around 1/3 cup water. Mix well.
- Cover and cook for an additional 6-7 minutes, until cauliflower is cooked and the potatoes are done. Then open the pot and check for seasoning. You can add a squeeze of lemon juice to balance the flavors.
Instant Pot Instructions
- start by setting the Instant Pot in 'Saute' mode. Let it heat for 2 minutes.Then add the oil (or ghee), onions and whole cumin. Let the cumin start to sizzle in the oil and then add the minced ginger and garlic or ginger-garlic paste. Stir with a spatula.
- Add in coriander powder, turmeric, Kashmiri red chili powder, garam masala, mentioned in the recipe card, and saute for a minute. Add 1/2 cup water and deglaze the inner pot of the Instant Pot - using the spatula, remove any residue stuck to the base of the Instant Pot (an important step to avoid the 'Burn' error message).
- Add blended tomatoes and cubed potatoes and let this simmer in the Instant Pot in the Sauté mode for 3 minutes with a glass lid on. This allows the potatoes to cook for a while before the cauliflower is added.
- Add the cauliflower, peas, and a little more water. Now switch to PressureCook or Manual mode and let the curry cook for 2 minutes. Perform a quick release of pressure to avoid overcooking the cauliflower.
- Finally, add salt, 1/4 cup of thick coconut milk and give it all a stir. The coconut milk helps in cutting through the acidity of the tomatoes and thickens the curry too.
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice at the end to balance the flavors.
I ❤️ Cauliflower !
@Shinta there is a Goan dish - Cauliflower Caldinha. I make it sometimes. Have you tried it?
Hi Savio! Ive never tried Cauliflower Caldinha, but absolutely love Prawn Caldinha! Nice idea
Just making this and realize there’s a typo in the recipe - it says cumin powder twice, I gather from the instruction that it was supposed to be chili powder? I’ll add it later and hope for the best - I think it needs a little “kick”.
Thank you for this recipe, I had a head if cauliflower head that needed cooking!
Thank you for your feedback! I've just updated the recipe card to show chili powder instead of the extra 'cumin'