Potato Curry
Indian-Pakistani aloo curry — potatoes simmered in a spiced tomato-onion gravy. Comfort food that's vegetarian, cheap, and surprisingly satisfying. Best with roti, naan, or rice. Better the next day.
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
30 min
Servings
6
Calories
215 cal
🛠 Interactive Recipe Tools — Use them right here on this page
Smart Servings Scaler
- Potato3 medium
- Onion1 ½ medium
- Tomato3 medium
- Ginger1 ½ tsp
- Garlic4 ½ cloves
- Garam Masala1 ½
- Coriander Powder1 ½
- Salt1 ½ tsp
- Oil3 tbsp
All quantities scaled automatically from 6 servings.
About This Recipe
Potato curry (aloo curry in Hindi) is the humble backbone of Indian home cooking. Cheap ingredients, big flavor, feeds a crowd. If I have potatoes, an onion, and a jar of spices, I can put dinner on the table in thirty minutes.
The technique is the same as any Indian curry — build a masala (the seasoned base) properly before adding the star ingredient. Oil, cumin seeds (they should sputter when they hit the oil — that's how you know the oil is hot enough), then finely chopped onion cooked until deep gold. Ginger-garlic paste, then tomato, then powdered spices, then the potato and just enough water to simmer everything together until the potatoes are tender.
Don't rush the onion stage. Deep golden onion tastes like caramelized sugar and roasted vegetables at the same time. Pale, undercooked onion tastes like raw onion at the bottom of your bowl. Ten minutes of patience here changes everything.
This is what I make when I want something warm, spiced, and forgiving. Serve it with rice, with roti, with naan, with a fried egg on top, or with nothing but a spoon. It reheats beautifully. It freezes without complaining. Every Indian household has a version — this is mine, tuned over years of weekday dinners.
Ingredients
Makes 6 servings · Use the Servings Scaler above to adjust
- Potato3 medium
- Onion1.5 medium
- Tomato3 medium
- Ginger1.5 tsp
- Garlic4.5 cloves
- Garam Masala1.5
- Coriander Powder1.5
- Salt1.5 tsp
- Oil3 tbsp
🔄 Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Potato — Waxy potatoes (Yukon Gold, red potatoes) hold their shape. Russets break down into a stew-ier texture — both are good, choose based on preference.
Onion — Yellow or red onions, finely chopped. Take the time to brown them properly (see intro).
Tomato — Fresh tomatoes chopped, or canned crushed tomatoes work fine. In winter when fresh tomatoes are pale and tasteless, canned is often better.
Ginger & garlic — Fresh, minced into a paste (use a microplane). Pre-minced in a jar tastes soapy in curries.
Garam masala — Store-bought is fine. Goes in at the end so it doesn't burn.
Coriander powder — Ground coriander is a base warmth. Not the same as fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves — those go on at the very end.
Chili — Kashmiri chili for color; regular red chili powder for heat. Both together is the professional move.
Instructions
- 1
Peel and cube 4 medium potatoes (Yukon gold or red — they hold their shape) into 1-inch pieces.
- 2
Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a heavy pot. Add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, sizzle 10 seconds. Add 1 sliced onion, cook 8 minutes until golden brown.
- 3
Add 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste, cook 1 minute. Add 2 chopped tomatoes (or 1 cup tomato puree), 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon red chili powder, 1.5 teaspoons coriander powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1.5 teaspoons salt. Cook 5-7 minutes until the masala thickens and oil separates.
- 4
Add the cubed potatoes. Stir to coat in the masala. Cook 3-4 minutes.
- 5
Add 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer 15-18 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender.
- 6
Finish with 1 teaspoon garam masala and a handful of chopped cilantro. Serve with roti, naan, basmati rice, or just bread for a simple meal.
Watch how to make Potato Curry
Plays the exact recipe video right here — no need to leave the page.
💡 Expert Tips
- 1.Yukon gold or red potatoes. They hold their shape in curry. Russet potatoes fall apart.
- 2.Cube uniformly. 1-inch pieces cook evenly. Different sizes give uneven results.
- 3.Brown onions properly. 8 minutes minimum for the sweet caramelized base.
- 4.Oil separation cue. When you see oil bubbling at edges of masala, spices are bloomed and ready.
🔬 Why It Works
Potato curry succeeds because potatoes have a neutral flavor that takes well to the spiced masala. The technique is standard North Indian: aromatics in oil, deeply browned onions, ginger-garlic, bloomed spices, tomato base, then the main vegetable simmered until tender. The starches in the potato slightly thicken the gravy as it cooks, creating the right consistency. Garam masala at the end provides the warm aromatic finish.
🥡 Storage, Meal Prep & Reheating
Refrigerator — 4 days sealed. Actually improves overnight — the potatoes absorb more flavor and the spices deepen.
Freezer — 3 months. Freeze in portioned containers.
Reheating — Stovetop over low heat with a splash of water. Microwave in 60-second bursts, stirring between. Both work well.
Meal prep tip — This is one of the best make-ahead lunches. Double the batch, portion into containers, reheat throughout the week. Pair with rice or a piece of naan and you have proper dinner-quality food at your desk.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 6 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 6 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
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