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You are here: Home » Vegetarian

Published: Apr 15, 2018 · Modified: Dec 9, 2022 by Saima · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases · This blog generates income via ads.

North Indian Style Aloo Gobi (Instant Pot and Stovetop Recipe)

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  • 139
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aloo gobi in bowl

This is a delicately spiced vegan aloo gobi recipe with cauliflower florets, potatoes, an onion-tomato base, and some common Indian spices. One of the most popular North Indian vegetarian recipes ever and so perfect for weeknights! Both instant pot and stovetop recipes are included.

If you like Indian vegetarian food, you will love another popular recipe: palak paneer.

aloo gobi in a bowl

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Cauliflower is a versatile vegetable that can be paired with any number of other veggies like peas, carrots and capsicum. But the classic combo and the favorite in many homes including mine is this potato and cauliflower curry or aloo gobi masala. The onions, tomatoes, and spices add an interesting dimension and distinctly Indian flavors to it.

Another recipe that has a similar profile as aloo gobi is this okra curry (also called bhindi masala).

A note before we begin with the ingredients and recipe: I have included both the instant pot and stovetop methods of making this aloo gobi recipe. However, do note that the instant pot aloo gobi will not be as dry as the one made on the stovetop. If you are looking for a dry aloo gobi or aloo gobi fry as it is also called, skip to the stovetop version. That being said, aloo gobi made in the instant pot does speed things up and makes it easier to cook the dish. So, choose the cooking method that suits you best!

Love cauliflower? Try this cauliflower soup, a thick vegan soup with butterbeans to make it creamy.

Ingredients

Note: exact amounts are mentioned in the recipe card further down.

  • A small head of cauliflower, chopped into small florets
  • Potatoes - small cubes
cauliflower florets and potato in a glass bowl

Other ingredients

  • Cooking oil
  • Cumin seeds
  • Fenugreek seeds (optional) - these add flavor but can be left out if not easily available.
  • Red onions, sliced fine
  • Tomatoes, chopped
  • Ground spices - coriander, red chilli, turmeric, and a pinch of garam masala
  • Fresh ginger (optional) - can be minced or finely chopped
  • Green chillies
  • Fresh cilantro

Stovetop Aloo Gobi

Step 1 - Heat cooking oil in a pan or karahi (wok) and add cumin and fenugreek. Let the spices sizzle, then add onions. Fry the onions until they are a beautiful, reddish-brown color (6-8 minutes)

frying onions

Step 2 - Make the masala. Throw in the tomatoes, ginger, powdered spices, and salt and sauté on medium heat until the masala is thick and fragrant (5 minutes). While sautéing, add ¼ cup water so the masala does not stick to the pan.

gobi masala in a wok

Step 3 - Time for the cauliflower and potato to go in. Mix them with the masala, lower the heat and cover the pan with a lid. Cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes. There is usually no need to add water as the cauliflower has a lot of water content. Also, when you wash it, it will retain some moisture. If you want a dry aloo gobi, this is the way to do it. However, if you absolutely must add water, go for the least amount you can, just about a few tablespoons.

Aloo gobi cooking in a wok.

Step 4 - Once the vegetables are tender, take them out in a dish and garnish with the green chilli and cilantro. Your aloo gobi fry is ready to be served with some warm Indian bread and a piping hot dal!

aloo gobi with roti and sliced onions

Top Tips

  • I'll say it again, but please don't be tempted to add too much water to the cooking sabzi. Mushy sabzi is no fun and trust me, cauliflower is such a delicate vegetable, it breaks down very easily especially when water is added to it.
  • To cook it faster without water, make sure you cut the cauliflower and potatoes into small, even pieces.
  • Chop the cauliflower and potatoes into small, even-sized pieces for faster cooking. Big chunks take too long to soften and with minimal water, you want them to cook fast.
  • Cook the sabzi covered so that no moisture can escape and the vegetables get cooked in the steam.
  • Cook it on low heat. If you increase the heat, it will get scorched and stick to the bottom.
  • And the last bit that does make a difference - try and use a good non-stick pan to make aloo gobi.

Instant Pot Method

Step 1 - Heat the oil in the steel insert of the instant pot and add the cumin and fenugreek seeds. Let the spices sizzle, then add the onions. Fry the onions until they are reddish-brown.

onions frying in instant pot

Step 2 - Add the tomatoes, ginger, powdered spices, and salt. Sauté on medium heat for 5 minutes or until the tomatoes break down and the masala is fragrant. Add ¼ cup water while sautéing this masala to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.

onion-tomato masala for aloo gobi in instant pot

Step 3 - Add the potatoes and saute for 2-3 minutes. Cancel sauté and deglaze the pot.

cubed potatoes mixed with onion tomato masala in instant pot

Step 4 - Add the cauliflower florets and ¼ cup water.

cauliflower florets and potato cubes mixed in masala in instant pot.

Step 5 - Secure the lid and pressure cook on LOW pressure for 3 minutes only. Do a QPR (quick pressure release) once the pressure cooking cycle is over and the pot beeps. Open the pot. Aloo gobi is ready.

cooked aloo gobi in instant pot

Step 6 - Take it out in a bowl and garnish with green chillies and cilantro. Serve hot with Indian bread like roti or paratha.

Aloo Gobi in bowl with roti and Indian pickles (achar) in small bowl.

Top Tips for the Instant Pot

  • The most important tip I can give your is not to forget to deglaze the pot before pressure cooking the vegetables. Deglazing just means to scrape the bottom of the pot and loosen any stuck bits. This is to avoid the burn notice which can be triggered if the pot is not deglazed. Nothing to worry about, but it can be a nuisance, so it's better avoided.
  • Like the stovetop version, chop the cauliflower and potatoes (especially the potatoes) into smallish pieces so that they can get cooked quickly.
  • Do a quick release or the veggies will turn mushy. Cauliflower is a delicate vegetable that cooks really fast.

FAQ's

What should I serve aloo gobi with?

A simple and earthy dish, it is best eaten with fresh off the griddle rotis, a piping hot dal, and achar (Indian pickle) which makes for a complete north Indian meal. Throw in a simple raita made with boondi too it make your meal even tastier. Simple, filling and deeply satisfying!
Check out these dal recipes that go very well with aloo gobi: moong dal, whole masoor dal, and dal fry.

Can I make aloo gobi with frozen cauliflower?

Yes! I'd even say there's nothing simpler than buying a bag of frozen cauliflower and using this instead of chopping a whole cauliflower head. Just remember not to add ANY water while cooking it because frozen vegetables have enough moisture for a dry curry like this one.

Can aloo gobi be frozen?

Easily. It is very freezer-friendly. Allow it to cool down completely, then transfer it to a freezer safe container or bags and freeze. If you're freezing a large batch, make sure to divide it in two or three containers so that you don't have to thaw it all at once. The easiest way to thaw it is to leave it in the fridge overnight and reheat it in a frypan or microwave.

More Indian Vegetable Recipes

  • Mixed Vegetable Curry - The perfect recipe for weeknights, it can be made with the vegetables you have in your fridge already.
  • Lauki Chana Dal - Bottle gourd and split chickpea lentils in a delicious onion-tomato gravy.
  • Paneer Jalfrezi -  A colorful vegetarian stir fry made with cottage cheese, onions, tomatoes, green peppers, and powdered spices. 
  • Bharwa Shimla Mirch - Potato stuffed green bell peppers.
  • Aloo Curry - A tasty potato curry with just a few ingredients.
  • Arbi Fry - taro or colocasia stir-fried with fenugreek, curry leaves and spices.
Aloo gobi in bowl with chopped onions, roti and carrot achar on the side.

📖 Recipe

Aloo Gobi in a black serving dish

Aloo Gobi (Potato and Cauliflower Sabzi)

Saima Zaidi
This is a delicately spiced aloo gobi recipe that gets its flavors from an onion and tomato base with just a sprinkling of the big three spices of Indian cooking, that is, turmeric, coriander and red chilli powders. A garnish of cilantro and green chillies gives it an extra kick. Scoop up this sabzi with fresh roti (Indian flatbread) for a simple but tasty meal.
4.75 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course Lunch/Dinner
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4
Calories 145.9 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 6-quart Instant Pot Duo OR a medium-sized wok (karahi)

Ingredients
 
 

  • ¼ cup cooking oil
  • ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds optional
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 red onion medium-sized, thinly sliced
  • 1 tomato medium-sized, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ginger finely chopped or minced, optional
  • ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
  • salt to taste
  • 1 cauliflower small, cut into florets
  • 4 potatoes small, cubed
  • 2 green chillies chopped or sliced
  • 4 sprigs cilantro chopped
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Instructions
 

Stovetop Method

  • Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and add fenugreek and cumin.
  • When the seeds turn golden, add the sliced onion and sauté until the onions turn reddish-brown.
  • Tip in the tomato, ginger, powdered spices, and salt and sauté for 5 minutes on medium heat. Add ¼ cup water while sautéing the masala.
  • Add the cauliflower florets and cubed potato to the pan and stir to mix.
  • Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to low. 
  • Cook for 15-20 minutes. Stir once or twice during the cooking process to prevent the veggies from sticking to the pan.
  • Remove the lid and garnish with the green chillies and cilantro. Serve hot with roti or paratha.

Instant Pot Method

  • Switch on your instant pot to sauté (normal) and add the cooking oil to the steel insert. When the display shows HOT, add the fenugreek and cumin seeds. 
  • When the whole spices start sizzling, add the sliced onions and sauté until the onions become reddish-brown. 
  • Add the tomatoes, ginger, all the powdered spices and salt. Cook this masala on medium heat until the tomatoes break down and the masala becomes shiny (5 minutes). Add ¼ cup water while sautéing to prevent it from sticking to the pot. 
  • Add the potatoes and sauté for 2 minutes. Cancel sauté and deglaze the pot. 
  • Add the cauliflower florets and ¼ cup water. Secure the lid and make sure the steam release vent is on sealing. Press the pressure cooking button and select the low setting. Set the timer to 3 minutes.
  • Once the pot beeps, do a quick release and open the pot. Stir the vegetables and garnish with the green chillies and cilantro. Serve hot with roti or paratha. 

Notes

  1. Chop the cauliflower and potatoes into small pieces so that they cook faster.
  2. Resist the temptation to add too much water during the cooking process as over-cooked aloo gobi is no fun. 
  3. Don't forget to deglaze the pot before pressure cooking if using the instant pot. 
  4. Red chilli powder can be substituted with chilli flakes too. The aloo gobi will be more yellow but that is fine. 
  5. Take care not to over brown the onions, or else the vegetables will also take on an unappealing brown tinge.
  6. The fenugreek and ginger are completely optional. They add a pleasing flavor to aloo gobi, but omit them by all means if you're in a hurry.

Nutrition

Calories: 145.9kcalCarbohydrates: 14.2gProtein: 3gFat: 9.5gSaturated Fat: 0.7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8.3gSodium: 430.8mgFiber: 4.1gSugar: 3.8g
Keyword dry aloo gobi masala, potato and cauliflower cooking, vegan aloo gobi recipe
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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2.9K shares
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Katie says

    February 19, 2019 at 9:46 am

    5 stars
    I love your recipe so much, that I included it in a FBC roundup post that goes live on March 1! The theme is vegetarian recipes using March produce. Your recipes & site are awesome!

    Reply
    • Saima says

      February 19, 2019 at 10:13 am

      Hey, thanks a lot Katie! I'm so glad you're enjoying the recipes on the blog!

      Reply
  2. Sharon says

    December 23, 2019 at 6:13 am

    5 stars
    Just made this, bit different from my usual recipe but it tastes amazing

    Reply
    • Saima says

      December 23, 2019 at 11:31 pm

      That's great Sharon! Glad you liked it.

      Reply
  3. Simone says

    January 02, 2020 at 11:18 am

    what if i only have ground cumin instead of seeds; how much should I use?

    Reply
    • Saima says

      January 02, 2020 at 4:01 pm

      Simone, ground cumin changes the flavour of aloo gobi but you can use it in small quantities. Half a teaspoon should be enough.

      Reply
      • Simone says

        January 03, 2020 at 11:36 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
  4. Richenda says

    February 07, 2020 at 12:41 pm

    4 stars
    I have just found your website and am already hooked! I love your explanations and use of anglicised terms for Indian ingredients, I often have to ask other recipe creators what various ingredients are. Looking forward to making some of these dishes.

    Reply
    • Saima says

      February 07, 2020 at 10:45 pm

      Thank you Richenda!

      Reply
  5. Tahir says

    May 04, 2020 at 11:42 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Saima,

    My name is Tahir and I live in Miami. Having Indian roots and the urge to cook something ‘local’ I started looking online and stumbled on your website. I have to say the simplicity presented in the step by step prep and cook methodology has blown me away! I’ve made 5 dishes from your blog thus far and every single dish was a hit! You’ve made restaurant cooking come to life in my kitchen!! Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Saima says

      May 05, 2020 at 9:37 am

      Hi Tahir! I'm so pleased you like the blog and use it to make Indian food. Thank you for your kind words and carry on with your Indian cooking adventures:)

      Reply
4.75 from 4 votes

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Hi, I'm Saima! I live in Alberta, Canada with my husband and twin boys. Here, you'll find Indian recipes with fresh, natural ingredients and easy, no-fuss cooking techniques. Welcome to my blog!

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