Indian Egg Curry Recipe

Indian egg curry is a rustic, dhaba-style recipe that's easy, healthy and so tasty. Best had with naan or rice, it is guaranteed to leave you smacking your lips in delight! Stovetop and instant pot recipes included.

Want to check out a collection of tried and tested Indian vegetarian recipes, all made in the instant pot? Hop over to the 30+ Instant Pot Indian Vegetarian Recipes post. It's got recipes organized by mains, sides and rice so that you can pick and choose your favorite combos!

What to do when it's a weeknight, you know there's nothing much in the fridge (no meat, no veggies) and dinner has to be made in a hurry?

You make egg curry, of course!

Eggs have come to my rescue so many times when I'm out of ingredients or ideas for dinner ... in the form of an easy egg curry recipe.

It's a wholesome, no-frills dish that is very filling too, and everyone in my house adores it. All you need are some basic ingredients like eggs, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, ginger, garlic and a few spices. Ingredients that are found in every home, no matter what.

I will say this, though. If you don't cook Indian food on a regular basis, you may not have the onion puree in your fridge. But never fear, it is very easy to make in your blender.

Ingredients

Note: Exact amounts are mentioned in the recipe card below.

• medium eggs
• cooking oil
• onions, sliced
• Onion masala (onion + ginger + garlic puree)
• tomatoes, chopped
• potatoes (optional)
• red chilli powder
• turmeric powder
• garam masala
• cilantro

Note: I use a variety of ground chilli called Kashmiri chilli. I love it because it gives a wonderful reddish color to anything it's added to (it's naturally bright red) and it's quite mild compared to cayenne or other varieties of chilli. If you don't like your curries  too hot, use Kashmiri chilli powder. If you don't mind a little spice, use the regular ground chilli you have in your spice box.

Update: I used to grind the onion and ginger-garlic separately, but now I find it easier to combine the three ingredients. The recipe has been updated accordingly to reflect this change:)

How to make onion masala

Peel 1" ginger piece, 8 cloves of garlic and one medium-sized onion. Put these ingredients in a blender with a few tablespoons of water and blend to a smooth consistency.

If you decide to make more of this masala for future use, take it out in a clean and dry glass jar and seal. Store the jar in the fridge and use as required. I always have a jar of this masala, ready to be spooned out at a moment's notice.

How to make egg curry on the stovetop

Note: Detailed steps are given in the recipe card below.

1. Prep the eggs - Hard boil eggs and peel them.
2. Make the curry - Fry some onions in oil, add the onion masala, chopped tomatoes, powdered spices, potatoes (if using) and salt. Roast this masala until fragrant.
3. Assemble the egg curry - Add the eggs to the curry. Done!

It's as simple as that. I really like egg curry with homemade Indian bread (roti), but it tastes nice with plain, boiled rice too.

What's more, you can make the curry ahead of time (minus the potatoes) and freeze it. When crisis strikes (hungry people, no dinner), thaw the gravy, add boiled potatoes and eggs and voila! A delicious meal is ready in minutes.

How to make instant pot egg curry 

Making egg curry in the instant pot is a real cinch. Ever since I got my instant pot, I have stopped making it on the stovetop because now I don't have to boil the eggs separately. I use the pot-in-pot method (PIP) to make the curry and eggs at the same time!

Sometimes, I leave out the potatoes when I'm using my instant pot to make this egg curry since potatoes and eggs have different cooking times. The one time I added potatoes to the curry while pressure cooking it, the potatoes turned to mush:(

However, you can do two things if you absolutely must have potatoes in your curry.

1. If you already have some pre-boiled potatoes in your fridge, add them to the curry after pressure cooking it. Just cut them into quarters and add them to the curry. Then add the eggs.
2. After the pressure cooking cycle is over and you have opened the pot, add some quartered potatoes to the curry and pressure cook again for zero minutes. Do a QPR (quick pressure release). Then add the eggs.

Here are the steps for making egg curry in your instant pot:

1. Turn on your instant pot to sauté and heat the oil in the inner pot. Add the sliced onions and fry until they are golden brown.

2. Add the onion masala, chopped tomato, powdered spices and salt. Saute until the tomatoes break down and the masala is fragrant. Add a few splashes of water to prevent the masala from sticking to the bottom of the pot (10 minutes). Cancel saute and add 1.5 cups water to the pot. Stir to mix well.

3. Position a steamer basket (like the one shown in picture below) in the inner pot and keep 8 eggs on it. This is a stainless steel collapsible basket that expands to fit in your pot and can be folded for easy storage.

4. Secure the lid and set the pot to pressure cooking on high for 4 minutes. When the timer beeps, wait for 5 minutes before opening the pot. Remove the steamer basket with the eggs. Peel the eggs and slice into halves (lengthwise).

5. Add the eggs to to the curry. Or arrange the halved eggs in a platter and pour the curry over them. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Egg curry is ready to be served with some warm naan!

📖 Recipe

Indian Egg Curry

Saima Zaidi

Indian egg curry is a dhaba style (rustic) punjabi recipe that's easy, healthy and so tasty. Best had with naan or rice, it is guaranteed to leave you smacking your lips in delight!

5 from 9 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4

Calories 431.5 kcal

Equipment

• 6-quart Instant Pot Duo OR a medium-sized wok (karahi)
• Blender
• Steamer basket to fit inside the Instant Pot

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 8 eggs
• ½ cup cooking oil
• 1 medium onion thinly sliced
• 1 medium onion chopped coarsely
• 1 inch piece ginger
• 7-8 garlic cloves peeled
• 1 big tomato chopped
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• 2 medium potatoes peeled and cut into quarters (optional)
• 1 sprig cilantro leaves
• sea salt to taste

Instructions

 

Preparation - make the onion masala

• Put the peeled and chopped onion, ginger and garlic in a blender with a few tablespoons water and blend to get a smooth puree. Onion masala is ready.

Stovetop Instructions

• Bring a saucepan of water to a roiling boil and add the eggs. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Switch off the gas and wait 10 minutes before removing the eggs from the water. Peel and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a deep frypan or saucepan and add the sliced onions. Fry on medium heat until golden brown.
• Add the onion masala, chopped tomato, powdered spices and salt. Cook until the tomatoes break down and the oil leaves the sides of the pan (10 minutes). Add a few tablespoons water if needed.
• Add 1.5 cups water and potatoes (if using). Cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
• Halve the boiled and fried eggs, add them to the curry and top with fresh cilantro.

Instant Pot Instructions

• Turn on your instant pot to saute and heat the oil in the inner pot. Add the sliced onions and fry until they are golden brown.
• Add the onion masala, chopped tomato, powdered spices and salt. Saute until the tomatoes break down and the masala is fragrant. Add a few splashes of water to prevent the masala from sticking to the bottom of the pot (10 minutes). Cancel saute and add 1.5 cups water to the pot. Stir to mix well.
• Position a steamer basket in the inner pot and keep the eggs on it.
• Secure the lid and set the pot to pressure cooking on high for 4 minutes. Make sure the steam release handle is sealed. When the timer beeps, wait for 5 minutes before releasing the steam and opening the pot. Remove the steamer basket with the eggs. Peel the eggs and slice into halves (lengthwise).
• If you want potatoes in you curry, add them now. Close the lid again and pressure cook for 0 minutes, then do a quick pressure release. Open the pot.
• Add the eggs to to the curry, or arrange the halved eggs in a platter and pour the curry over them. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Egg curry is ready to be served with some warm naan!

Notes

1. If you want a spicier curry, add one or two sliced green chillies to the cooking masala just before you add the eggs.
2. If you don't have garam masala powder, add the following whole spices: ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds, 3 green cardamom, 4 cloves and 5-6 peppercorns.
3. You don't need to halve the eggs if you don't want to. You can add whole boiled eggs directly to the curry too.

Nutrition

Calories: 431.5kcalCarbohydrates: 10.8gProtein: 14.1gFat: 45gSaturated Fat: 5.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 29.9gCholesterol: 372mgSodium: 739.5mgFiber: 1.9gSugar: 2.8g

Keyword egg curry, instant pot curry

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