Green peas masala or Punjabi matar masala recipe with green peas as star ingredient. This delicious restaurant style peas masala tastes wonderful with rice, roti, naan, paratha, pulao and many other dishes. Vegan and gluten free

For more restaurant style curry recipes please check palak paneer, veg korma, shahi paneer, dal makhani recipes.

Fresh green peas are a winter specialty here and I always make the most of the season 🙂 The taste and flavor of fresh green peas in winter is nothing like what you get year around. These are super tender, mildly sweet and not fibrous at all.

With such a good produce it is only natural that the curry you make tastes so good 🙂 I love to use the season’s bounty making delicious recipes like methi matar malai, aloo matar, matar pulao, hara bhara kabab and of course this matar masala recipe.

Coming to this matar curry, it is super easy to make and tastes just like the restaurant ones. It is super rich and creamy that you will not believe it is vegan 🙂

If you do not have fresh peas you can easily use frozen ones in this recipe. Do try this easy recipe and enjoy! Tastes great with rice and roti. See serving suggestions for more ideas.

About This Green Peas Masala

An easy to make, restaurant style delicious and flavorful curry or masalas made with peas. This green peas masala recipe is basically blanched peas simmered in rich and creamy tomato cashew gravy.

This is a vegan curry made without butter or cream, though you can absolutely add those make this curry richer.

This is a very simple recipe made in lines of paneer butter masala and the flavor is so close the curries from north Indian restaurants.

Made with very few ingredients, regular Indian spices like garam masala and ready in 30 minutes this matar masala is a perfect side dish for weeknight dinner. This curry is also special enough to serve for guests and also for house parties and get togethers.

This dish can be served with any kind of Indian bread, rice or even used as sandwich filling when made thick.

The flavor is delicate yet so good, rich and royal. The texture of this green peas masala is very smooth and melt in mouth. It does have finely chopped onions which lend some bite but you can easily add pureed onion for smoother gravy.

Here is how to make restaurant style green peas masala curry recipe with step by step photos. Do try it out and enjoy! It is

quick and simple recipe

easy to make

ready in 30 minutes

vegan and gluten free

delicious with rice, roti

How To Make Green Peas Masala Recipe?

Preparing Fresh Green Peas

Follow the steps in this section if you are using fresh peas. If you are frozen ones you can skip this section. Just bring out the frozen peas add it directly to the curry as it is always blanched and frozen.

Shell out the peas from the pods and rinse well. You will need 1.5 cups of shelled peas for this recipe.

Boil 3 cups water and add the shelled peas. Also add 1/4 teaspoon sugar.

Blanch in boiling water for 10 minutes. I prefer this method rather than to pressure cook the peas. By blanching they turn soft but not over cooked, retain shape and their vibrant color. Sometimes steaming or pressure cooking makes them shrink.

Once blanched, drain them in a colander and rinse under cold water well. Set aside until use.

Making Cashew Tomato Paste For Masala

Soak 15 whole cashews in warm water for 15 minutes.

Drain and add the soaked cashews to a mixer jar. Also add 3 large tomatoes, quartered.

Blend to a very smooth and fine paste.

Making Green Peas Curry

Heat oil in a pan. Add 1 bay leaf and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds. Fry for few seconds. Add 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste and saute for another minute. Next add 1/2 cup finely chopped onions and saute well.

Once the onions turn a bit soft, add 1 slit green chili.

Add the prepared tomato cashew paste.

Mix well and saute for 2 minutes.

Next add the spice powders for green peas masala- 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala powder, 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder and 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder.

Mix very well, cook in low flame until oil releases from the sides of the masala. Add 1.5 cups water. Mix well.

Cover the pan and simmer the curry for 8-12 minutes. After the curry base has thickened add salt to taste. Mix well.

Now add the blanched green peas.

Mix well and simmer for another 5-7 minutes. Add crushed kasuri methi and chopped coriander leaves.

Mix very well. Remove from flame. You can add 2 teaspoons lemon juice if you like now. Serve green peas masala warm.

Instant Pot Matar Masala Recipe

You can also make this recipe in an instant pot or pressure cooker. Here are the instructions for the same. If you are using a pressure cooker just make the following steps in a cooker base on stove top and pressure cook for 2 whistles in medium flame. Now over to instant pot instructions. Refer preparation steps above for making cashew paste. Keep the green peas as such, you need not blanch it.

Place the steel insert inside your instant pot and switch in on.

Press “Saute” mode and once it displays hot add oil. Fry the bay leaf and cumin seeds.

Add ginger garlic paste and fry till raw flavor goes off. Add onion, green chilli and saute for a minute.

Now add the tomato cashew paste and saute for a minute. Add the spice powders like red chili powder and mix well. Add 3/4 cup water and mix.

Now add the green peas and mix well. Close the IP. Cancel saute mode. Press manual or pressure cook button and set timer to 5 minutes. Position pressure valve to seal.

Once done, release the pressure gently immediately else the peas will change in color.

After opening the IP, press saute again and cook for another 5 minutes.

Finally add the crushed kasuri methi and coriander leaves. Mix well and serve hot.

Serving Suggestions

You can serve green peas masala with many Indian dishes. It tastes good with rice dishes like jeera rice, mild veg pulao, biryani rice, saffron rice, ghee rice, coconut milk pulao.

This matar masala also tastes very good with butter naan, vegan naan, kulcha, plain paratha.

If you make it thick without adding water you can use it as filling in wraps, sandwich too.

Expert Tips

Green peas– you can fresh or frozen peas in this recipe. If using frozen peas just add directly while making the curry. No need to thaw or blanch.

Gravy– the base gravy of this recipe is cashew tomato paste. Cashew is the star ingredient for gravy here as we are not adding any butter or cream. If you prefer a lighter gravy you can use blanched almonds.

Spice powders– This curry is very mildly spiced if you make it the way as mentioned. For spicier curry increase the quantity of red chilli powder and garam masala powder by another 1/2 teaspoon.

Storing– This green peas masala stays good for 2-3 days in refrigerator and can be frozen for a month. I suggest you freeze the gravy base and add blanched green peas before serving.

Add-ins– You can add cubed paneer or tofu, boiled and cubed potatoes or chopped mushrooms to make this curry more hearty and satiating.

Scaling up– You can double or halve the recipe as such.

More Curry Recipes

Cauliflower gravy

Aloo masala

Paneer tikka masala

Instant pot chickpeas curry

Chana masala

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