Creamy pasta meets spicy Indian masala to create a pasta dish that explodes with flavour! So simple yet extremely satisfying. Who can say no to an extra plate?
Lately, I’ve been spotting Indian style pasta all over social media and it take me right back to childhood weekends at my auntie’s house! She would serve up bowls of spicy Indian pasta made with desi masala.
Long before fusion food was trendy, East African Indians like my family were already mixing it up. In the late 60s and 70s, they worked with what they had to make western staples with trusty Indian spices.
In a way, you could say they were the OG influencers … just without the instagram!
So I can quite easily say that today’s recipe is inspired by them and ofc, the trending vodka pasta!
Another fusion dish that’s quick to make are my tandoori fries .
Recipe Details & Ingredients Notes
The vegetarian sauce is easily made with garlic, onions, tomato paste, cream and spices. I like a good helping of cheese to make the sauce extra creamy and rich. It really complements the spices.
The secret ingredient for the silky sauce – lots of pasta water!
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
Pasta – I’ve used macaroni this time but pretty much all other shapes work. The only ones to avoid are small shapes like orzo.
Garlic and onions – finely chopped to form the base of the sauce.
Tomato puree – I like using tomato puree (the stuff you find in tubes) as it doesn’t require much cooking – just squeeze from the tube directly into the pan, mix, and move onto the next step. If you don’t have it, you can use passata and cook it down for a minute or so.
Spices – I’ve gone for Kashmiri chilli powder, curry powder and red chilli flakes. Curry powder is easy to find and combines common Indian spices in one. I use my homemade mild curry powder but if you don’t have it, use ground cumin coriander powder and garam masala instead. Kashmiri chilli powder provides colour without heat. Adjust the spices to your liking.
Cream – any pourable fresh cream works. I’ve used double cream here (heavy cream in the US) but single cream is just as fine.
Cheese – I’ve gone for good old cheddar as it’s the most common cheese I keep in the fridge. You can sub in parmesan / hard cheese (check its vegetarian if that’s a diet you follow)! Soft cheeses work pretty well too but they will thicken the sauce considerably.
Pasta water – reserve a good ladle of this. The starch helps the sauce to cling to the pasta whilst preventing it from clumping.
Optional – coriander for garnishing. Parsley works too!
Serving Ideas
I’ll be honest, this masala pasta tastes good enough to eat directly from the pan. I speak from experience …
But, to make a meal of it, there’s definitely some dishes you can add.
Try this Indian style mushroom focaccia – pillowy focaccia is topped with do pyaaz mushrooms
Top salad leaves with Indian salad dressing .
Finish with gelatin free mango panna cotta .
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
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Masala Pasta (Indian Style Pasta)
Ingredients
- 250 gram pasta (uncooked)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 100 gram tomato puree
- 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon curry powder see substitutes in the post
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri chilli powder
- ¼ cup cream
- ¼ cup cheddar cheese
- salt to taste
- coriander optional for garnishing
Instructions
- Boil pasta according to packet instructions. Drain and reserve some of the pasta water.
- Heat oil in a pan and add the garlic. Sauté for a few seconds then tip in the onions. Cook until the onions have softened.
- Add the tomato puree and stir. Add the spices – chilli flakes, kashmiri chilli powder and curry powder. Season with salt. Pour over some pasta water to prevent the spices burning.
- Pour over the cream, mix to combine and stir through the pasta. Toss to combine and add more pasta water to loosen.
- Add the cheese and mix. Garnish with coriander if using and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Masala Pasta (Indian Style Pasta)
Ingredients
- 250 gram pasta (uncooked)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 100 gram tomato puree
- 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon curry powder see substitutes in the post
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri chilli powder
- ¼ cup cream
- ¼ cup cheddar cheese
- salt to taste
- coriander optional for garnishing
Instructions
- Boil pasta according to packet instructions. Drain and reserve some of the pasta water.
- Heat oil in a pan and add the garlic. Sauté for a few seconds then tip in the onions. Cook until the onions have softened.
- Add the tomato puree and stir. Add the spices - chilli flakes, kashmiri chilli powder and curry powder. Season with salt. Pour over some pasta water to prevent the spices burning.
- Pour over the cream, mix to combine and stir through the pasta. Toss to combine and add more pasta water to loosen.
- Add the cheese and mix. Garnish with coriander if using and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Matar Mushroom – made by simmering mushrooms and green peas in an onion tomato gravy. A delicious Indian curry that’s perfect for mid-week dinners.
Note – This recipe has been updated from the archives – first published in March 2015. The recipe is new and improved and I’ve added new images.
If I had £1 for every time I said “there’s nothing in the fridge, I don’t know what to cook” — I’d be rich!
In summer, it’s easy to throw together something light. But when the weather cools, I start craving deep, richly spiced curries.
Since we don’t live particularly close to Indian supermarkets, I can’t always rely on “Indian vegetables” being on hand. That’s why I love this recipe — it uses ingredients you can easily find anywhere. Frozen green peas are a freezer staple in most homes, and mushrooms are available at every local supermarket.
This curry was first published as a korma with a rich cashew-and-apricot gravy. Delicious, yes — but not exactly quick. So I pared it back into a version that’s hearty, comforting, and — best of all — easy to prepare in a hurry. A bit like my quick Indian zucchini (courgette) curry .
The Recipe Details
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
Making matar mushroom is pretty simple.
Before prepping the base, I start by sauteing off the mushrooms. This is something I do differently compared with other recipes. I find that cooking the mushrooms first helps evaporate the moisture and prevent soggy mushrooms in the curry. It’s the same concept I use for my brinjal bhaji too.
The base is a simple onion tomato masala paste made with cooked down onion, garlic, ginger, green chillies and tomatoes.
The spices are simple Indian spice powders but if you don’t have them individually, hot madras curry powder works too.
I add green peas towards the end of cooking, I find they don’t need too long to cook. They’ll also retain their vibrant green colour and flavour this way.
I like to serve it with whole wheat chapati and a simple side such as curried green lentils dal .
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
- YouTube
Matar Mushroom
Ingredients
- 500 grams mushrooms
- 250 grams green peas matar
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 tablespoon garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger chopped
- 1 large green chilli chopped
- 1 large tomato chopped
- 5 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds optional
- ¼ teaspoon hing asafoetida
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- ¾ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander and cumin
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon dry fenugreek or fenugreek powder
- salt to taste
- coriander to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Wash the mushrooms, pat dry and cut into desired shape. I cut into four halves.
- Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a pan, add cut mushrooms and sauté for 3-4 minutes on medium heat.
- Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Heat remaining oil in the same pan then add cumin and fennel seeds.
- Once they crackle add hing and chopped onion, sauté for a few minutes or until translucent.
- Now add chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies. Mix well and sauté the mixture for 3-4 minutes or until onions are light brown.
- Add chopped tomatoes, mix and cook until well mushy and oil starts to separate from the onion masala.
- Tip in all the spice powders and salt and combine everything.
- Add 1 cup water, bring it to a boil then add sauteed mushrooms.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook the mushrooms on medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Add frozen peas and further cook the curry for 2-3 minutes.
- The curry shouldn’t be watery or too dry. Sprinkle fenugreek leaves or powder and mix well.
- Turn off the heat, sprinkle chopped coriander and serve hot.
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
