Aloo Tamatar Ki Sabji Recipe (North Indian Potato Tomato Curry)
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Aloo Tamatar Ki Sabji, a bold, tangy North Indian curry that turns humble potatoes and tomatoes into something deeply comforting on the table in 30 minutes, with pantry spices you already own.
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Growing up, Aloo Tamatar was our festival food. Diwali, Holi, Navratri, it didn’t matter which occasion. If there was a celebration at home, my parents were in the kitchen, and that sharp sizzle of cumin hitting hot oil was always the first sign something good was coming.
It wasn’t fancy. No cream, no cashew paste, no restaurant tricks. Just potatoes, tomatoes, and a handful of spices, my parents had been using their whole lives. And somehow, every single time, it tasted like the best thing in the world.
I’ve made this recipe so many times now that I can do it without thinking, but I still get that same feeling when the tadka hits the pan. That smell takes me straight back.
If you grew up in a North Indian home, you know exactly what I mean. And if you didn’t, this recipe is about to become one of your favorites.
What Is Aloo Tamatar Ki Sabji?
Aloo Tamatar (Aloo Tamatar Ki Sabzi or Aloo Tamatar Gravy) is a classic North Indian potato-and-tomato curry. The name literally translates to potato (aloo) + tomatoes (tamatar) in Hindi, and the dish is exactly that: boiled potatoes cooked in a spiced, tangy tomato-onion gravy.
It is a staple across Punjabi, UP, and Haryanvi kitchens and belongs to the same beloved family as Bhandare Wale Aloo and Dubki Wale Aloo. Unlike restaurant-style potato curries, Aloo Tamatar is homestyle, thin enough to soak a poori but spiced deeply enough to be satisfying all on its own.
Why You’ll Love This Family Favorite Recipe!
- Ready in 30 minutes – Pressure cooker to plate without shortcuts on flavour.
- Naturally vegan & can be easily made gluten-free – No dairy, skip the hing to make it gluten-free too.
- Endlessly adaptable – Add paneer, peas, or spinach to the same base. Swap the spice level freely.
- Tested and trusted – I’ve made this recipe over 50 times. Every variable has been dialled in.
- Family-pleasing – Works for picky eaters and spice lovers with one small chili adjustment.
Ingredients
- Boiled Potatoes – Use any variety that is easily availabe. I used yellow potatoes that are starchy and make the gravy very creamy. Boil them in a pressure cooker or an Instant Pot.
- Ripe tomatoes – The riper, the better; they melt into the sauce faster.
- Oil – Use Mustard oil for an authentic North Indian flavor. If it’s unavailable, then you can use sunflower or any neutral oil.
- Whole Spices – You will need cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and fenugreek seeds.
- Spice Powders – You will need basic spice powders, such as coriander, Kashmiri red chili powder, and turmeric powder.
- Others – You will also need hing (asafetida), green chilies, black salt, regular salt, and cilantro (fresh coriander) to make this sabji.
How To Make Aloo Tamatar Ki Sabji
Step 1: Add 1 tablespoon of coriander seeds and ¼ teaspoon of fenugreek seeds to a mortar and pestle, and crush to a coarse powder.
Step 2: Heat 2 tablespoon mustard oil in a pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add ¼ teaspoon asafaeida, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, and coriander fenugreek seeds powder, and saute for 4-5 seconds
Skip adding hing (asafetida) to make the curry gluten-free.
Step 3: Add 1 tablespoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, and 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, and saute for 4-5 seconds.
Step 4: Add 1 and ½ cups of chopped tomatoes, 2-3 green chilies (slit in half), ½ teaspoon black salt, and ½ teaspoon regular salt, and cook for 3-4 minutes. Mash the tomatoes using the back of the ladle a few times.
Step 5: Crush 4-5 medium boiled potatoes with your palms into small pieces, then mix well with the masala.
Step 6: Add 2 cups of water and mix well. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring a few times in between. Add more water if the curry looks thick. Check for salt and add more if needed. Garnish with 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro and serve hot.
Pro Tips By Neha
Choose ripe, juicy tomatoes – Underripe tomatoes make the curry sour in an unpleasant way and don’t break down properly. Roma or vine-ripened tomatoes are ideal. Off-season? Use good-quality canned crushed tomatoes.
Mash a few potatoes at the end – This single technique separates a good aloo tamatar from a great one. It naturally thickens the gravy without any additives.
Use mustard oil if you can – It gives the curry a pungent, distinctly North Indian flavor that vegetable oil simply cannot replicate.
Serving Suggestions
Aloo Tamatar is at its absolute best mopped up with fluffy poori. The thin, spicy gravy soaks into the bread in the most satisfying way.
You can also serve it with Plain Roti, Bedmi Poori, Lachha Paratha, Bhatura, or Plain Paratha
I make a festive thali, pairing it with Kurkuri Bhindi, Boondi Raita, Kachumber salad (cucumber-tomato-onion), Poori, and a dessert, mostly Sooji Halwa, Kheer, or Phirni.
This curry is sattvik and is also made for the festival of Navratri, in which Hindus fast (vrat) for 9 days and abstain from eating onions and garlic. Use sendha namak instead of regular salt when making it for vrat.
Storage Suggestions
Aloo Tamatar stores and reheats beautifully. You can refrigerate it in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat in a pan or in a microwave until nice and hot. Add some water when reheating if the curry has thickened.
You can also freeze it for upto a month. The potatoes might become slightly grainy after freezing and thawing, but the changes will be minor, if any.
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Aloo Tamatar Ki Sabji Recipe (Potato Tomato Curry)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
- 2 tablespoons mustard oil
- ¼ teaspoon hing (asafetida) (skip for gluten-free recipe)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 and ½ cups chopped tomatoes
- 2-3 green chilies (slit in half)
- ½ teaspoon black salt
- ½ teaspoon regular salt
- 4-5 medium boiled potatoes (peeled)
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander)
Instructions
- Add coriander seeds and fenugreek seeds to a mortar and pestle, and crush to a coarse powder.
- Heat mustard oil in a pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add asafaeida, cumin seeds, coriander, and fenugreek seeds powder and saute for 4-5 seconds.
- Add coriander powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, and turmeric powder, and saute for 4-5 seconds.
- Add tomatoes, green chilies, black salt, and regular salt, and cook for 3-4 minutes. Mash the tomatoes using the back of the ladle a few times.
- Crush the boiled potatoes with your palms into small pieces, then mix well with the masala.
- Add 2 cups of water and mix well. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring a few times in between. Add more water if the curry looks thick. Check for salt and add more if needed.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.