Potato Curry with Peas

Warming and divinely aromatic, my potato curry with peas is chock-full of healthy, delicious ingredients that bring lots of coziness to the chilly months. Loaded up with onions, garlic, ginger, spices, tomatoes, plus chunks of tender potatoes and peas in a velvety sauce, my potato curry recipe is a delectable vegetarian dish to prepare when you're looking for something savory, yet warm and cozy!

A Warming Curry Brimming with Tender Potatoes

When the weather turns cold, a really fantastic way to get that inner “thermostat” cranked up is with a delicious and warming curry...

Filled with healthy immunity-boosting and anti-inflammatory ingredients, a rich, saucy curry is one of my favorite meals to prepare.

We often like to keep my recipes for cauliflower curry, coconut curry with shrimp, mango chicken, or vegetable curry on rotation, to name of few of our favorites.

And now, this potato curry with peas has become the latest curry that I've been enjoying preparing as we enter this wintery season.

It’s filled with wonderfully aromatic and flavorful ingredients such as onions, garlic, freshly-grated ginger, garam masala, turmeric and fennel seeds, plus chunks of fresh tomatoes, potatoes and peas.

Simmered gently in a rich, velvety sauce, little is more warming and comforting than this mildly spicy potato curry recipe spooned over hot basmati rice with a side of garlic naan bread—the perfect healthy and cozy vegetarian meal!

My Recipe for Potato Curry

Curry is one of those dishes that everyone has their own way of preparing.

What I love about curry is that it's absolutely brimming with lost of aromatics and spices, and finished off with fresh herbs, all of which I adore.

Which spices and herbs one chooses to use is up to personal preference, and I happen to adore lots of garlic, ginger and spices such as garam masala, fennel seeds and turmeric in mine. My potato curry also has a tomato base, which brings a touch of sweetness and acidity.

I start by adding in lots of sliced onions, then add my spices and my other aromatic ingredients, and stir those until they soften and become deliciously fragrant.

For richness, I like to use a touch of tomato paste, along with either chicken stock or vegetable stock, depending on if I'm wanting a little added flavor from the chicken or desire a truly vegetarian meal.

And for the potatoes, I opt for nice, starchy russet potatoes, which I peel and cut into medium-size chunks so that they keep their shape well as they cook. Their starchiness adds a velvety quality to sauce, helping it to naturally thicken as the potatoes cook.

I like to finish my potato curry off with a handful of green peas for a bit of color and texture (peas and potatoes work very well together with a flavor profile like this, similar to a filling for samosas), and finish things off with lots of fresh cilantro before serving.

Here's a glance at my potato curry recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I get my onions going in a combo of olive oil and ghee, and once those are softened, I add my in aromatic ingredients to combine.
2. Next, I add my tomatoes, potatoes and stock, then gently simmer the curry for about 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
3. I finish off the potato curry with some thawed green peas, then add in my freshly-chopped cilantro and kiss of lemon juice.
4. To serve, I go with my choice of accompaniments such as basmati rice and/or warm garlic naan bread.

Recipe

Potato Curry with Peas

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This warming potato curry with peas is filled with fragrant spices, garlic and fresh ginger, and is the perfect comforting vegetarian meal!

Category: Entree
Cuisine: Indian-American

Yield: Serves 6

Nutrition Info: 296 calories per serving (potato curry only)

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoons garam masala
• 1 ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons ghee, or unsalted butter
• 2 onions, quartered and sliced
• Salt
• 8 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• 1 tablespoon freshly-grated ginger
• 3 (heaping) tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 medium-large russet potatoes (about 2 ¾ to 3 pounds), peeled and cut into 1 ½” chunks
• 6 Campari or Roma tomatoes, cut into chunks
• 3 ¼ cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
• ½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice, optional
• Green onion, optional garnish
• Sriracha, optional

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. To a large ramekin, add the garam masala, the turmeric, the paprika, the fennel seeds, and the black and white pepper, and use a fork to blend and combine. Set these spices aside for a moment.
3. Place a large Dutch oven or other large, deep, heavy-bottom pan over medium-high heat, and add in the olive oil and the ghee or butter. Once melted together and hot, add the onions plus a pinch or two of salt, and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, until softened and translucent.
4. Next, add in the spice mixture from the ramekin, along with the garlic and ginger, and stir together with the onions until aromatic, about 30 to 45 seconds.
5. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds, then add in the potatoes and tomatoes, and gently stir them to coat them in the onion/spice/tomato mixture.
6. Pour in the chicken stock or the vegetable stock, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a vigorous simmer, then slightly reduce the heat and allow the potato curry to fairly vigorously simmer/bubble. Cook the potato curry, uncovered, for roughly 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the potatoes are tender yet hold their shape. (You may need to cover with a lid during the last 10 minutes of cooking if the sauce is reducing too much.)
7. To finish the potato curry, add in the 1 cup of peas, the chopped cilantro, and the lemon juice, and gently stir to combine. Serve with warm naan bread, brown or white basmati rice as an accompaniment, as well as green onion and sriracha, if desired.

Tips & Tidbits for my Potato Curry with Peas Recipe:

• Russet potatoes for good texture: When it comes to making curry, I like to use russet potatoes as they are starchier than red or white potatoes and help to create a naturally velvety sauce. Simply peel them and cut them into medium-large chunks that will keep their shape as the potato curry cooks.
• Fresh ginger, for added flavor: While you can use dried, ground ginger for this recipe, if that is what you have on hand (use about 1 ¾ teaspoons worth, in this case), I recommend using fresh ginger and peeling and grating it yourself for the freshest flavor and benefits. It's absolutely delicious, and very healthy!
• Ghee for richness, or butter in a pinch: Ghee, or clarified butter, is traditionally used in Indian cooking. It has a high smoke point and wonderful flavor, and doesn't have the milk solids or water content that butter has. But if you don't want to purchase ghee, then substitute unsalted butter for a touch of rich flavor.
• What to serve with potato curry: I like to keep things simple and serve warm garlic naan bread on the side, or some brown or white basmati rice. A cucumber and yogurt salad is nice and refreshing as well.

Craving more cozy and deliciously spiced recipes? Check out this Mango Chicken, this Cauliflower Curry, this Coconut Curry Shrimp, this Spicy Chickpea Stew with Eggplant, or this Curry Lentil Soup!