Instant Pot Potato Masala (Dosa Aloo)

5 from 8 votes

South-Indian style Potato Masala made in the Instant Pot! This vegan dish uses minimal spices and pairs well with any flatbread. Also great in wraps, sandwiches and inside dosa! Vegan.

Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Simple south Indian style Potato Masala (dosa aloo) made in the Instant Pot.

Skip the step of boiling the potatoes first and do it all in one-pot!

potato masala served in a copper kadai garnished with cilantro

Don’t worry I will be continuing with my Diwali recipes.

This is just a little break in between to share more of the regular stuff that I usually share on the blog :)!

This Instant Pot Potato Masala is my new favorite Instant Pot recipe!

You can also call them dosa aloo since these are the type of potatoes that are stuffed inside masala dosa.

Earlier whenever I made these potatoes, I would first boil the potatoes in my traditional pressure cooker.

And once the potatoes were boiled, I then would temper them with the spices.

With this recipe, I do everything in one-go! Less dishes, anyone?

This Instant Pot Potato Masala

✔ is all made in one-pot, no boiling the potatoes separately!

✔ vegan and can be made gluten-free by skipping the hing

✔ is versatile and can be used in a number of ways

✔ gets done in 30 minutes or less

This potato masala is made with few ingredients and uses minimal spices.

And if you ask me, that’s what makes it so good!

The main flavor of the dish comes from liberal use of fresh curry leaves and ginger.

These two ingredients impart a wonderful flavor to this potato masala.

As far as the ground spices are concerned, only turmeric is used.

Serving Suggestions for Potato Masala

Like I said, this dish is super versatile. You can use it in so many ways!

✔ stuff it inside dosa, after all these are dosa aloo!

✔ serve with poori or paratha

✔ stuff inside bread and make sandwich

✔ use in wraps, rolls etc- use some green chutney on the tortilla and then place the potato masala on top and make a wrap

✔ serve along with simple rice and dal

I personally love this in my dosa and with poori! Which one is your favorite way to enjoy potato masala?

 

Method

1- Press the saute button on the Instant Pot. Once it displays hot, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter.

2- Add hing and then the chana dal (which has been soaked for 10 mins). Saute for 1 minute until the dal starts changing color.

3- Then add the onion, ginger, green chili and curry leaves. Stir and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the onions soften.

4- Add water and deglaze the pot. There should be no browned bits stuck at the bottom of the pot. You might need to add little more water if you have a 8 qt IP.

step by step picture collage of making potato masala in the Instant Pot

5- Add the diced potatoes, turmeric and salt. Stir and close the lid.

6- Press the manual or pressure cook button and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes, with the pressure valve in the sealing position.

Quick release the pressure.

7- Open the lid and you may mash the potatoes if you like. I only mashed a few.

8- Add the cilantro and mix. If there’s any excess water, you can press saute and stir for few minutes. I did not do this step.

step by step picture collage of making potato masala in the Instant Pot

Serve potato masala with pooris, paratha or use as a stuffing in dosa!

potato masala served in a rustic silver plate along with a spoon and few curry leaves scattered in the background

If you’ve tried this Instant Pot Potato Masala Recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram to see what’s latest in my kitchen!

Instant Pot Potato Masala

5 from 8 votes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
South-Indian style Potato Masala made in the Instant Pot! This vegan dish uses minimal spices and pairs well with any flatbread. Also great in wraps, sandwiches and inside dosa! Vegan.

Ingredients 

  • 1.5 tablespoon oil 22 ml, I used avocado oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon hing asafoetida
  • 2 teaspoons chana dal soaked in water for 10 minutes then drained
  • 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 1.5 inch ginger chopped
  • 1-2 green chili sliced
  • 15-20 curry leaves
  • 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons water
  • 3 large potatoes 600 grams, I have used yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Save this recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Instructions 

  • Press the saute button on the Instant Pot. Once it displays hot, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter.
  • Add hing and then the chana dal (which has been soaked for 10 mins). Saute for 1 minute until the dal starts changing color.
  • Then add the onion, ginger, green chili and curry leaves. Stir and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the onions soften.
  • Add water and deglaze the pot. There should be no browned bits stuck at the bottom of the pot. You might need to add little more water if you have a 8 qt IP.
  • Add the diced potatoes, turmeric and salt. Stir and close the lid.
  • Press the manual or pressure cook button and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes, with the pressure valve in the sealing position. Quick release the pressure.
  • Open the lid and you may mash the potatoes if you like. I only mashed a few.
    Add the cilantro and mix. If there's any excess water, you can press saute and stir for few minutes. I did not do this step.
  • Serve potato masala with pooris, paratha or use as a stuffing in dosa!

Stove-top Instructions

  • For stove-top boil potatoes in traditional pressure cooker for 8 to 10 whistles on medium-high heat until they are really soft. Then let the pressure release naturally. Open the cooker, peel the potatoes and dice them. If you don't have a traditional pressure cooker, you can boil the potatoes in a pan filled with water. Boil for around 20 minutes until cooked through, then peel and dice.
  • Once the potatoes are done, heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add hing and then add the chana dal. Saute for 1 minute.
  • Then add the onion, ginger, green chili and curry leaves. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until onions soften. Add the boiled potatoes, turmeric and salt. Mix well. Add around 2 tablespoons water and stir. Cook for 2 minutes and then turn off heat. Add cilantro and serve.

Notes

  1. You may even add cashew to this potato masala.
  2. To make it gluten-free, skip the hing or use gluten-free hing.
  3. If using this inside masala dosa, mash it a little using a potato masher.

Nutrition

Calories: 241kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 505mg, Potassium: 1232mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 155IU, Vitamin C: 110.7mg, Calcium: 107mg, Iron: 9.3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Sides
Cuisine: Indian
Your feedback is valuable!Please share your comments, ratings, and any suggestions or adaptations below to help us improve and make our recipes more successful.

Hi, I’m Manali!

Bringing you easy, delicious vegetarian & vegan recipes! Eating veggies can be fun, you just need to get creative in the kitchen with the right set of ingredients!


Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




12 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This recipe is incredible! We used this in dosa and it was remarkably tasty! The way the ginger infused through the potatoes was delicious. Thanks!

  2. 5 stars
    This is OUTSTANDING!

    I wouldn’t change a thing, perfection.

    No more going to hole in the wall dosa places getting dosa carry-out (covid), only to get home to a soggy dosa and soupy, inconsistent masala.

    With this masala, storebought dosa batter, and a round Lodge griddle, I am in business. THANK YOU, Manali!

  3. I never know how much ginger to use when people refer to it in inches.

    I like this recipe but the inches thing is maddening.

    1. 1 inch measures around 11 grams, does that help? I never knew it was so difficult to measure an inch, thought it was fairly simple. And in any case adding a little less or a little more ginger is not going to make or break this dish or most Indian dishes for that matter.

      1. Thanks. The ginger from the Indian store varies in width from 3/4 – 3 inches wide. This helps.

      2. I’m the original poster and Chandra is correct. I know how to measure an inch of anything but the widths of ginger available varies considerably in my grocery stores. Some are HUGE, some are largish, organic is on the smaller side.

        “An inch” of any of these is going to vary considerably in volume from one to another. A large inch to an organic inch could easily be double in volume, which I would think would change the taste noticeably.

        Thanks.