I am on a mission to help you simplify Indian cooking! Grab your onions and tomatoes and get ready to make some Indian onion masala!
What is Indian Onion Masala?
Indian onion masala is a flavorful sauce made up of onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, and spices. It’s the base of many Indian dishes, and by preparing it in advance, you can significantly reduce the cook time for many Indian recipes.
(If you can’t eat tomatoes, I have a nomato onion masala you can use instead!)
I have been watching my parents make onion masala, also known as onion tomato gravy, for as long as I can remember. In the past, making this masala was a painstaking process, but it doesn’t have to be anymore – especially if you have an Instant Pot. Having this onion tomato masala handy is an incredible time-saver and makes it possible to eat authentic, healthy, and delicious Indian meals every day.
Onions, tomatoes, and ginger/garlic are what I like to consider the “trifecta” of Indian cooking (…er quadfecta?). But who has time to brown onions and cook down tomatoes every single day? No one. That’s why many Indian people spend one day a week or a month preparing Indian onion masala. It can take several hours to fry onions and cook down tomatoes, but I have a faster way: use the Instant Pot. You prepare a big batch, freeze it, then take it out whenever you need to make a quick meal.
I know everyone is all about “meal prep” these days. Well, this is how a lot of Indians meal prep. Once you’ve got this masala ready, you can literally prepare “dump and go” Indian recipes, and they’ll end up having a lot of flavor.
As magical as an Instant Pot is, it’ll still take time to make this masala – just not as much. Plus, you won’t have to babysit a pot on the stove for as long. It’s really up to you as to how brown you’d like to have your onions. I sometimes skip fully browning the onions, and the masala still turns out just fine. The browner the onions, the sweeter the masala, so if you can, be patient.
This is how brown your onions should look if you sauté them for 15-20 minutes first:
This masala lasts for months. When I first gave birth to Tony, my mom packed my freezer to the brim with this masala, and literally, one year later, I found some of it hiding in the back of the freezer… not gonna lie, I used it, and it was still perfect. I’d probably suggest using it up within six months though (it normally doesn’t last us that long).
So forget peeling, chopping, and cooking these basic ingredients every single day. That is exhausting, and what makes Indian cooking seem unapproachable. Instead, make this onion masala and see how easy it really is to cook fresh Indian food every day.
Fresh Tomatoes or Canned Tomatoes?
You can use either fresh tomatoes or canned tomatoes to make this onion masala, and I’ll explain how to do that in the directions below.
When it comes to fresh tomatoes, I suggest using Roma tomatoes because they have less water content and so the masala will be thicker. If you use different tomatoes, then you may need to boil off some of the water at the end.
If ripe tomatoes are not in season where you live or you prefer convenience, then go for canned (or jarred) diced tomatoes. Canned tomatoes are picked at the peak of ripeness, and ripe tomatoes are what will make your masala tasty. Sometimes canned tomato masala turns out to taste a bit better for this reason.
(Just an FYI: the photos in this blog post are of tomato masala made using fresh tomatoes. Canned tomatoes will give the masala a darker color).
How to use Indian Onion Masala in Recipes:
Want to know how to use this onion masala in recipes? Check out my Indian Onion Masala Headquarters page, where you’ll learn all about onion masala: how to store it, how to use it in recipes, and recipes that call for exact amounts of this masala!
Here’s how this series works:
- Make the recipe below for Indian onion masala.
- Read this post about how to store onion masala.
- Check out this page for recipes. No need to guess how much masala to use – I’ll tell you the exact amount of masala needed.
- Take all of your onion masala knowledge and apply it to any Indian recipe calling for onions and tomatoes! Hooray!
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Having this masala ready to go is the best way to meal prep for Indian Cuisine. In fact, I’d say it’s basically essential if you want to enjoy Indian food every day. So go on and make this masala!
How to Store Onion Masala:
Here is a detailed post that you can read to learn how I freeze onion masala: How to Store and Use Indian Onion Masala
The short version: I store it in these silicone molds – each mold holds ¼ cup of onion masala.
Recipes to Make Using Onion Masala:
And that’s just a short list! For even more ideas, visit my Onion Masala Recipes page.
Suggested
I recommend using this silicone mold to store the onion masala. Each well holds ¼ cup of onion masala. So if a recipe calls for 1 cup of masala, you’ll know to use 4 cubes of masala.
Ingredients
- ½ cup oil neutral oil like avocado oil is great
- 2 pounds yellow onions approx. 6, diced
- 1 head of garlic approx. 12 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2- inch ginger chopped
- 2 pounds roma tomatoes approx. 9 tomatoes, chopped OR 2 (14.5 ounce) cans of diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup water
Spices (adjust to taste):
- 3 tablespoons ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
Instructions
- Press the sauté button on the Instant Pot, adjust the heat to the highest setting, then add the oil to the pot. Wait for the oil to get hot, then add the onions.
- Cook the onions for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned (keep the stirring to a minimum in the beginning to brown the onions faster. As the onions brown, stir more frequently).
- Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until the tomatoes cook down a bit. Stir the bottom of the pot to scrape off any brown bits. Add the water and mix well.
- Add the spices, give everything a good stir, then secure the lid, close the pressure valve and cook for 5 minutes at high pressure.
- Naturally release pressure.
- Blend the masala using a blender or an immersion blender (it can be smooth or slightly chunky – up to you!). The sauce will continue to thicken a bit as it cools.
- Once the masala is cool, I store it using this silicone mold which holds ¼ cup of onion masala per mold. Then go check out all of my onion masala recipes!
Video
Notes
- Getting a burn error? Make sure you are using enough oil so that the onions don’t stick to the bottom of the pot! If there is anything stuck to the bottom, you can add ¼ cup water to help deglaze the pot. Make sure to remove any burnt bits before securing the lid! If there’s something stuck to the bottom, then you may get the burn error, but the chances are that if it comes to pressure, it’ll be fine once you open the pot. Some appliances/models may be more sensitive.
- If it’s not tomato season, use canned diced tomatoes (the whole contents of the can) for the best flavor.
- If using fresh tomatoes, I suggest using Roma tomatoes because they have less water content than other tomatoes. This results in a thicker masala. If using different fresh tomatoes, you will likely need to boil off the water at the end.
- Make sure to adjust the temperature to sauté at the highest setting when sautéing the onions. It is up to you as to how brown you would like the onions. I have skipped fully browning them before, and the masala still turns out well. The more caramelized the onions, the sweeter the masala will be.
- You can also make this masala without the ginger, garlic, and spices if you prefer. Just be sure to keep that in mind when preparing meals.
- Learn how to store this masala by reading this blog post. You will want to make sure the onion masala is cold before putting it in the freezer. I store it in the fridge first, and then once it’s cold, I put it in the freezer. This helps to reduce freezer burn.
- Check out my onion masala series to learn how to use this magical sauce!
Sonia says
This sounds great and saves time. If I use this frozen tomato paste for making chole / Chana masala . Will I be able to freeze the Chana masala if the frozen tomato paste has been used?
Roma says
If I don’t have onion masala’s on hand what should you recommend as a substitute?
Kirsten says
This recipe is really good! I’ve made it a few times now and my family really enjoys it. It’s delicious as is, but I added a few more seasonings and a dash of lemon Juice plus a can of coconut milk at the end. And some cooked soy curls. Yummy!
Staci says
Ashley, this is and has been a game changer. I use Mutti whole peeled tomatoes. I recently started toasting cumin seeds and then grinding and found this amazing tumeric powder and the sauce is divine. I honestly use it for butter chicken and adjust the seasonings. I haven’t made it for awhile since hubby is cutting carbs but discovered ground Lupin to replace rice so we are back on! I live in Dallas which has excellent Indian food but find your recipes so much better. Thank you for sharing with us.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Staci, I’m so glad to hear that you like this masala so much. Thanks for letting me know how much you enjoy it 🙂
Pancho Lagosilvestre says
Thank you for this recipe. I just finished it and would like to add a comment. It took about an hour for the onions to brown. As long as the onions release moisture, they won’t brown. Possibly, my onions had a lot of moisture. I used an 8-quart Instant Pot. Other than that, everything worked great.
Thanks Ashley
vandy says
When To add salt?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi, I don’t add salt to the masala itself. I add it when making a dish with the masala.
Bruce H says
I’m trying to adapt this recipe for different amounts to make at one time. I’m converting most items to grams to make it easier. Saying 2 inches of ginger is a little hard to pinpoint as ginger root can be in various sizes. Is there a weight measurement we can use instead for that?
Lani says
Made this in a smaller batch, about 1/3, and ran out of ground coriander so substituted cumin (or garam masala? Forget which now). Turned out super delicious. Used a small amount for a potato recipe and the rest is chilling in my fridge in a jar to be used for an easy weeknight meal.
In general, I am kind of in love with the recipes on this site even if I gave away my instant pot!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Lani, glad to hear that it was a hit and that you’re enjoying the recipes on my site 🙂
Robyn says
I cannot rate this recipe yet, since I have not made it. First, I am curious:
How much giner paste can I use instead of whole ginger?
kristin says
Wow, a total gamechanger!!! I feel like I can finally cook several recipes at once in not as much time. This is such a huge help for me and my family!!!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Kristin, so glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how much you like this! 🙂
Annike says
How much time do you naturally pressure release for?
Most IP recipes will indicate either 1) manually pressure release or 2) naturally pressure release after X minutes.
Otherwise I don’t know when to open it…
Thanks!
Noha says
Hi Ashley. Just made a batch and looking forward to using them. Complete eye-opener idea to make these beforehand.
Wanted to ask you the reason for not including salt in the recipe? Does including salt affect the frozen or after-freezing cooking result somehow?
Thanks again!
Linda says
Hij Noha, I just noticed this too, and wonderd about it. And just thought to myself; I’ll just add it, for I always add it at this step if I cook it ‘normally’
Linda says
Ah, way down here I found Ashleys answer
Ashley – My Heart Beets
January 28, 2022 at 8:53 am
Hi Kavitha, I don’t add salt to the onion masala – I add it to the recipes directly. This way I know exactly how much salt is going into a dish. Hope that helps!
Sarika says
I make this 2-3 times per year and freeze in 1/4 cup blocks. This weekend I made a double batch. I’ve been doing this for years. Thanks a billion!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Sarika, I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how much you like and use this masala 🙂
Leah says
I love this masala so much! It’s literally been life changing for me . I can now whip up a Punjabi feast in short time and none of my Punjabi in-laws are any the wiser. Thank you so much Ashley!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Leah, I’m so glad to hear that 🙂 Thank you for letting me know how much you like the masala!
Virginia says
My instant pot (I have the 8quart) always gives me a burn message unless I add like four times the amount of water the recipe calls for. Can I just cook this on the stove? How long would you cook it for? Thanks I love this onion Masala and all your recipes I’ve tried with it, just it always ends up too watery and I’m trying to figure out a way to get around that.
Ben says
I just made a batch of this on the stove top in a stainless saute pan. It took longer for the onions to caramelize but it worked just as well.
Aditi Rana says
Can I used red onions? Will it ruin it
Cameron Chandoke says
Absolutely you can. I usually use red onions.
MJ Horton says
Ashley…. We are making Toor Dal for a banquet. I would like to use your onion masala because I can make that ahead and have it ready (we have 5 other Indian dishes to make). Instead of just doing the onion masala, would it be possible to do your Toor Dal recipe (that uses onion masala) and freeze that? We would them pressure cook the lentils the day of and add thawed ‘gravy’ to it.
Mick says
Making this recipe for the second time today. Pressure is currently being naturally released and getting ready to use some for tonight’s dinner. Can’t wait this is a wonderful base for so many recipes.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Glad to hear that! Hope you enjoy all the recipes you make with the masala!
Nikita says
Can I reduce this recipe to half?
Renuka says
Easy recipe and freezing it makes it easy to cook Indian food more often with you tomato onions cooked in a large batch and frozen.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Renuka, I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how much you like this 🙂
Deborah says
Just made my first batch and it smells/tastes wonderful. Thanks so much for helping me learn to cook like this. Questions .. could you estimate the amount of ginger you use in teaspoons please? It says 2 inch ginger piece but my ginger was more like fingerling that the fuller ones I sometimes get. Want to make sure to start out with the correct amounts.
Also I don’t see # of servings listed. It’s just hubby and me so trying to adjust quantities.
Many thanks! Love your blog and recipes,
Deborah
Meredith says
My instant pot keeps giving me the burn notice. And since this version is one of the newer ones it won’t continue to cook. Suggestions? Can I finish it on the stove?
Susan says
I keep getting that burn notice too and the bottom has burned matter no matter how much I clear and stir it. I’m going to just assume it’s cooked enough and grind it up and freeze it. If I make it again I’ll make it on the stove.
Jennifer Bartee says
This is so great! I love things that are homemade that give me a short cut!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Jennifer, happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out 🙂
Toby says
This is an excellent idea. My own tweak is that when I buy onions [in a 3 pound bag usually] I peel and dice them all and spread them on the dehydrator trays to dehydrate them partially — then when I saute them there’s not all that liquid to heat them up and try to steam them. By huge coincidence, once they are sauteed I pack them into the very same silicone ‘eggbites’ you use, and when they are frozen I pop them into freezer bags. The freezer mold is excellent but not necessary for storing once the onions/masala is frozen. I always have sauteed onions ready. You are going one step further that I didn’t think of. When I use your method I will be more generous with the spices though but perhaps using pressure will intensify flavours. I will still freeze some of the onions before turning the rest into masala because they are so useful for all kinds of things [like adding to soups for example].
Julia says
Thank you so much for this and the series of recipes Ashley! I had some at a friend’s house and just made my first batch. Will make chicken/corn and the yellow split pea dish this weekend.
just the inspiration I needed to cook new, healthy and yummy dishes for my family!
Kate says
I make this during nap time on the weekend and then my 2.5 year old helps me cook dinner in the instant pot on weeknights (he measures spices and dumps other ingredients). Of course, I make all my food from recipes on this blog!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
I love that your toddler helps you cook! Wow, amazing to let your kiddo into your spices… that’s one thing I have a really hard time with! I trust no one with my spices haha even my husband lol!
Lori says
Have you made this with red onions?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
I think I’ve only used yellow because that’s what I typically have on hand – but red will work fine too!
Linda Taylor says
Hi Ashley!
So I converted this recipe for stovetop and made it yesterday, using onions and garlic from my garden. I had to buy organic roma tomatoes from store since mine are still very much green. I ended up sautéing onions for nearly one hour and simmering tomatoes for two hours, since you stated it normally takes several hours to cook. I used just a small pinch of cayenne and smoked paprika, since that it what I had. It came out a beautiful burnt orange color. Using what I have, I put it in 4 oz glad and restaurant condiment containers, I’ve collected, that I placed on a cookie sheet with wax paper over them. First in frig to cool and then into the freezer overnight. I removed them, running under hot water for a sec to easily release, and stored 1/2 cup “pucks” in a freezer ziplock bag. I got 4-1/2 cups total out of batch.
Tomorrow I’m making your Aloo Baingan Masala because I’ve got lots of eggplants from my garden that I need to use up.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Linda, I’m so glad you made onion masala! I hope you love everything you make with it – let me know what you think if you can 🙂
Renee says
Is there a stovetop version of this? My IP can’t do the pressure part of this until I can replace the little silicone ring that holds up the pin. (Don’t ever put one in the dishwasher cutlery basket thinking it will stay there. 😢)
Linda says
Don’t ever put one in the dishwasher cutlery basket thinking it will stay there. 😢
Oh! Thanks for the tip!
Katherine P says
This is an awesome base! So flavourful!
I did something a bit non-conventional with it. I tend to be naughty and child-like and lick the spoon before I stick it into the sink to wash it. On tasting it, I knew immediately that there was something different I wanted to do with it. You see, it has such a delightful fresh taste to it that all that was coming from my mind was “spaghetti sauce!” So I cooked up some angel hair pasta, put a lump of ghee into the noodles followed by some of the still warm onion masala. Oh my was it good! That means that this is even good as an “in a hurry” sauce that you can use for an unusual twist on some pasta.
I am now super eager to try making other things with it. In particular, I can’t wait to to make rajma with it. My beans have been soaking overnight, and when it gets closer to lunch time, it’s a done deal!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Katherine, I’m so glad to hear that! Love that you made onion masala spaghetti!! Can’t wait to hear how else you experiment with this sauce!
Ratna says
How long do you think we can store this in the Refrigerator?
Thanks so much!
Your site is awesome. Thanks for taking the effort to measure everything out and create these recipes for us.
Ratna
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Ratna, I would say about 5 days. Hope that helps 🙂
Jenny says
Such a great base. Making my second batch after discovering your recipes last year. Have made quite a few with rave reviews.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Jenny, that’s so nice to hear, thank you! Glad you’re enjoying the onion masala recipes 🙂
Alan says
I made the masala and it is amazing!
I made exactly as your recipe called for and used fresh ginger and garlic.
( no shortcuts) 🙂
Newly retired and into cooking so this was super easy to follow for a newbie.
Freezing in the silicone molds and transferring to the freezer bags for storage is genius.
Thank you!!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Alan, I’m so glad you made and liked the onion masala! Thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂 Can’t wait to hear what you think of the recipes you try using the masala!
Bill Weinmann says
Outstanding flavor. Storing the onion masala in the silicone molds makes it really fast and convenient when preparing recipes that call for it.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Bill, so glad you made and liked this! Hope you enjoy everything you make using the masala 🙂
Rani Lohana says
Hello,
Can I use any tomato puree or crushed tomato can instead of diced tomato?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi, I’ve only tested this with diced tomato – I’d stick to that if you can!
Sunita kalro says
Great tip. Helps make cooking easy.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks!
Komal says
Hi!
I have made the onion masala mixture twice now and used it to make the chicken bhuna masala and it is so so good. It exceeded my expectations and reminded me of a dish that one of my auntie’s from Punjab made. I end up using the masala relatively quickly, needing to make and freeze again, lol and sigh. I haven’t tried it with any of the other recipes yet (can’t decide which one to do next) but love having the mixture on hand.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Komal, that’s great to hear! Glad you liked the chicken bhuna so much 🙂 If you’re looking for more onion masala recipes to try, the chicken patiala is a favorite and my paneer lababdar is really good too!
Jimmy says
Hi Ashley! Love this, so amazing for quick cooking! One question- for yellow onions it says 2 pounds, approx 6. I find that for yellow onions it only takes two or so to get to two pounds. Am I missing something? I think I did six onions last time yielding more gravy and this time just did two big ones and got a lot less gravy.
Sorry if this has been asked! Too many comments to scroll through to check. Thanks for everything!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Jimmy! Glad you like the recipe. So, I would go by the weight vs the number – onions can vary in size quite a bit. I have a food scale and so I always weigh my ingredients but I know not everyone does and so I try to include a number for reference, but the weight listed in my recipes will always be more accurate.
Yash Shah says
Love the recipe! In instant pot, the onions always get burnt.
How can I make this without an instant pot? What difference does it make if I make it in big kadhai?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
You can make this on the stovetop, it’ll just take longer that’s all!
Maha says
Hello again….any idea how many cups each of chopped onion and tomatoes this makes? I don’t have a scale unfortunately.
Katherine P says
Kitchen scales have become really affordable. You can get a decent scales for $10 at Amazon, and some of the best ones available have gone down in price to around $55 or so. I have the OXO Good Grips 11-Pound Stainless Steel Food Scale with Pull-Out Display which is priced on Amazon at $55.95. It’s about as good as they come, and very accurate. If money is super tight, You might look at the Amazon Amazon Basics scale which is $9.84, the Ozeri ZK14-S Pronto priced at $9.84, and the Escali Primo P115C priced at $24.95. I’d stay away from the ones which give you nutrition information. They aren’t always accurate, and generally speaking, they just aren’t worth the extra money. In my opinion, a kitchen scales is as important as measuring spoons and cups.
Maha says
Hello Ashley, can you please guide me about halving or quartering this recipe? Would I add the same amount of water(as the IP needs a volume of liquid to come to pressure) and also pressure cook for the same amount of time? Thanks a lot 😊 I tried your rajma chawal and aloo beans recipes in my IP Duo and they turned out wonderful!
Asha says
I also got the burn warning. I canceled the function, waited and restarted and set for 2 minutes twice. The masala looked fine; there was a little bit of the mixture stuck on the bottom. It took longer for the onions to brown, but otherwise no problems Very easy to prepare and hopefully the masala will last for a few months.
Staci R says
Ashley! I have you as one of my favorite food blogs.
Cooking and planning meals is my “zen” activity. I love Indian food and learning it’s history. Your blog pays a fabulous homage and respect to the great diversity and history of Indian food.
I have a batch of masala cooling off right now. I eyeballed the spices (I go heavier and added Kashmiri chili) but also with the understanding, this is a base, and used canned San Marzano whole tomatoes. Otherwise, followed the recipe. It is excellent.
Thank you for your passion and sharing the yum!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Staci, that’s awesome – so glad to hear that! Love that you’re into the food and the history 🙂 I really appreciate the kind words and am so glad you’re enjoying the blog!
Ellen says
I’m planning on making this today. Could you use a large can of peeled crushed tomatoes instead of dice tomatoes?
Alisa says
Can this recipe be doubled?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Alisa, yes, I double it all the time 🙂
Kavitha Iyengar says
Hi Ashley…no salt?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Kavitha, I don’t add salt to the onion masala – I add it to the recipes directly. This way I know exactly how much salt is going into a dish. Hope that helps!
Mark says
Hi Ashley, what would your view be on sautéing the onions with some whole spices (indian bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamon pods) and then removing these before going in with the other ingredients? I take this suggestion from Atul Kochar’s (Michelin starred Indian chef) though he also uses cumin seeds at the start which I’m not keen on as they can’t be removed and stay in the sauce.
Look like a great recipe and cannot wait to try it.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Mark, I don’t think it’s necessary for this onion masala 🙂 Some of my recipes that call for this masala may also call for you to bloom some spices before adding this masala (like my chicken bhuna for example) but trust me, the onion masala will be plenty flavorful even without blooming whole spices in oil first.
Ketaki says
Hi Ashley,
Thank you for this recipe. It really is a game changer! I tried this for the first time last weekend and my weekday cooking was a breeze.. I have never been happier in the kitchen before!!
My instant pot has gone kaput and so I tried this on stove top. I wasn’t sure how the final masala looks after pressure cooking in ip, from the video my guess was that the masala should be cooked till it leaves oil. That reduced the quantity so much so that I got only 9 pucks out of it (using the same egg bite mold). Reading through the comments now I saw that for the quantities you have given I should have 21 pucks of masala. Can you advise on how much should the masala be reduced if cooking on stovetop?
Many thanks!
Mees says
Hi! I’m making this for the first time so I don’t want make a very big batch just enough for one dish (your palak paneer recipe). What would be the measurements if I just wanted to make a small amount for your palak dish?
Mark says
I’m not the author but I think it’s too difficult to make in a single quantity and certainly wouldn’t work in a pressure cooker..
I think you’re better off making a different recipe that builds the base from whole ingredients rather than this onion masala.
Bhargavi says
Hi Ashley,
Coming across your page was one the best things this year!
I had a baby couple of months ago. When she was born I had complications which led to me being hospitalised and unable to care for my 4 yr old too. Being in a lockdown meant none of our friends could help us, and we couldn’t get family to come over from India due to restrictions.
Luckily we had made and stocked up these masala cubes and husband would make food for us in a jiffy in between his office work.
Later I too didn’t have to spend much time cooking and am able to spend lot of time with my preschooler and newborn.
Now I’m absolutely fine and back to normal, but this masala is a staple in our freezer. This will be of great help when I join back work too.
I can’t thank you enough for your amazing and super easy recipes!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Bhargavi, that’s so kind of you to say – thank you! Congrats on your newborn! I’m sorry to hear things were so tough the first couple of months, I’m glad all you’re better now. Glad to hear that the onion masala was so helpful 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing this with me.
Sumitha says
Hi Ashley , Thanks a ton for this recipe !! It has made my life so much easier ! I used to make the onion tomato masala on the stovetop earlier, but this instapot method is way way better . God bless .
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Sumitha, so glad to hear that! 🙂
Aarti Pai says
Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipes. I’ve been using them for some time now! Can you substitute tomato paste for the tomatoes in the onion masala? If so, what would the quantity be?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Aarti, I haven’t tried subbing tomato paste – but I wouldn’t simply because it’d affect the amount of masala that this recipe makes. The tomatoes help to bulk up the masala which helps to create a thicker sauce in recipes. If you experiment though, let us know how it goes!
NEZTRA says
I don’t have an Instant Lot. But the ingredients seem to be exactly what I was looking for. Can you recommend cooking times if preparing on a stove top?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
I’ll be sharing a stovetop version soon! Working on it to make sure it’s perfect 🙂
MJM says
Thank you for this wonderful curry base recipe! I just wanted to share my “to taste” spice adjustments in case anyone is interested:
5 tablespoons ground coriander
½ cup fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons fish sauce
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon dried methi leaves
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon cayenne
I now have frozen 1/2 cup “pucks” of pretty much a perfect foundation – all I need to add is coconut milk or cream and this will almost be identical to my favourite Indian restaurant takeout!
One thing though, I really do believe salt is needed – it was only after I added salt and the fish sauce that the true flavours of the caramelized onions and spices came through.
Thank you again, I believe this is the Holy Grail of masala gravies I have been searching for!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Happy to hear that you like this masala! And thanks for sharing your adjustments 🙂
Komal Bhardwaj says
Hey Ashley
Can I grind everything first and put it in instapot rather then blending it in the end?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Komal, no because the onions won’t caramelize well if you blend them first – they’ll be too watery.
K Marie Tyler says
I put a photo on messenger as I just made a big beautiful post tonight. I am so excited to have it in my freezer now!!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hooray!! I’m glad you made it and have it ready to go 🙂
Harshali Kothari says
I make onion Masala often. This time I used smoked paprika by mistake instead of paprika. The masala came out with a deep earthy flavor.
Can I still use it in the recipes? What should I add to balance the flavors?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Harshali, you can use it as long as you don’t mind the smoky flavor that it’ll add to recipes. You can try to add dairy or sweetener to help offset the flavor.
Lisa says
I cannot say how much I love this recipe and technique, and all the recipes you post using this onion masala! It has changed my kitchen for the better. It has made me a happier kitchen dweller especially on busy evenings. For all the “Burn Errors” out there- I’ve gotten the “burn error” every time I’ve made this. I have done all the recommended things (added more water before, scraped and scraped, added more water after) and typically use a home canned tomato sauce plus a little water, with no luck. One day after 3 tries I said f*** it and sat there, it had gotten up to pressure and I figured I could let it naturally release and it would be cooked enough. About a minute later, the pressure timer was back on and fine. This has happened every time- I now say f*** it and the IP comes back to life after about a minute. I believe the newer IPs are overly sensitive but will recalibrate after taking a breather. I hope this helps with the frustration others are having with burn errors- because this onion masala is an absolute staple and so easy aside from that! Making a batch now for my expectant daughter and her family!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Lisa, that’s so great to hear – I’m glad you like this recipe so much! And lol thanks for sharing that tip!
Chandni says
If you are using the ready made garlic ginger paste from a jar (From the Indian Store) how much should you use? Thank you!!
RAggs says
Hi – Did you ever try this recipe with the jarred ginger garlic paste? If so, how much did you use and did it turn out well? Thanks!
Stephen Dunn says
Hi Ashley, I notice you use Cayenne spice in A lot of your recipe’s, Can I use Indian red chilli powder instead
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Stephen, yes, you can definitely use chili powder instead of cayenne. I use cayenne in my recipes because it is more consistent in terms of spiciness. Indian chilli powder can vary quite a bit. You can always use red chilli to taste.
TRacy says
This recipe is absolutely life-changing! During quarantine, I have missed going to a local Indian buffet so I decided to learn to cook Indian Food. I freeze this Masala in her recommended containers and the recipes she gives to go with it are awesome! I whip up food so quickly with it – even with a chronic illness that often makes cooking pasta difficult. My husband is the happiest he has ever been with dinners! Delicious and healthy! Thank you so much for this!
One question – does your published cookbook have recipes (or modifications) to use with this Masala?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thank you, Tracy! I’m so glad you like this recipe so much 🙂 To answer your question, no my cookbook doesn’t include onion masala recipes as I started the series after publishing the book. I do hope to write something like this one day (have already started working on it!) – maybe will get around to finishing once my kids are in school!
Tracy says
A recipe book with onion masala would be great! I just bought your cookbook and am loving it!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Tracy! I’m so glad you’re loving my cookbook! 🙂
Mathy says
Hi Tracy,
How many Onion balls did you get for this measurement?
Please let me know
Thanks.
Mathy
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Mathy, this makes about 5 ¼ cups of masala.
Jayesh says
Ashley,
Have you tried this recipe in slow cook mode?
I think some of the IP models are more sensitive to burn notices, and they don’t like the thick tomato sauce. I struggled with burn notice 3 times tonight. It’s been 45 minutes. Every time, it spends 15 minutes getting to pressure, and then gives a burn notice. I’ve tried adding water. I’ve tried scraping the bottom. Last time, there was nothing in the bottom. It still gave me burn notice.
Finally, I’m giving up, and imma slow cook this for 5 hours.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Jayesh, I’m sorry for the trouble! You’re right, newer IPs are more sensitive – I’ve now listed adding water as part of the recipe rather than having it in the notes. It should help to do it up front vs. after the burn sign. I’ve noticed that sometimes, even if a burn sign comes up – if you give it a few minutes the sign will go away on its own and go back to counting. If this happens again, you can try waiting to see if it will go away. Please let me know if that helps in the future. For now, I’m sure it’ll be fine if you slow cook it.
Meghan says
I’m having the same problem! I tried 3 times and I’m giving up. I guess I’ll try slow cooking.
Breeanna Charlesworth says
Yes I also gave up on the pressure cooking, and went to slow cook. I added a whole cup of water, but still it burnt to the bottom of the pan. It wasn’t a false alarm, the bottom was really burned. I had used canned tomatoes, so I think the sugars may be a factor. I have a IP Duo Nova for the record, a fairly recent model.
But, the masala is really nice, so I just know for next time to slow cook instead. I have had no other issues with any of the pressure cook recipes from this site.
Anu Nair says
I blended the can of diced tomatoes before adding to the pot. This prevented burn and I did not have to use the immersion blender after. Great recipe
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Anu, great tip – I’ll have to try that some time!
Mo says
Having these frozen onion masala pucks on hand is a huge time saver. Thank you!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how much you like the onion masala 🙂
Tanya says
Ashley, quick question! How many of the silicon egg molds will this yield ?
Gina says
Can Red Onions be used in place of yellow onions? Does it make any difference? I am so looking forward to trying the onion masala recipes! Thanks for all the detailed recipes!! Sending you Blessings and lots of Love!!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Gina, yes you can use red onions! Hope you love all of the recipes you make with the onion masala 🙂
RP says
Can you use red onions instead of white onions for this recipe?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi, yes you can use red onions 🙂
Lisa G. says
I made this last night and used a half cup to make your Toor dal recipe today. It’s absolutely fantastic! Thanks for explaining about how to make and store this ahead for simplicity. I used my silicone molds for egg bites to freeze the masala in batches.
Thanks for making these recipes so simple and easy to use!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Lisa, that’s so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how the masala and the dal turned out 🙂
RN says
This is genius! It has made dinner prep fast and easy.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thank you! Glad you like the masala 🙂
Matt says
If I just want to make ONE serving of onion masala, how do I do that? what’s the ratio?
Tanya says
Hey Ashley! How many trays ( the silicon ones you use) will the recipe fill up ?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Tanya, it makes 21 cubes, so you may need to freeze, remove them from the trays, and then freeze again.
Rizwana says
The best ever recipe. Time saver. Can use for many many dishes. Thanks Ashley.❤️❤️❤️👍👍👍👏👏
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Rizwana, that’s so great to hear! Glad you like the onion masala so much 🙂
Farah says
Hi Ashley – I have made onion masala a few times before but today I got the burn notice 3 times! I followed the recipe as usual and made sure that the I deglazed the pot before pressure cooking. After the first burn notice I cleaned the pot, added a little water and put back to pressure cook. Burn notice again. Any ideas why this might have happened?? It seemed to burn at the bottom while coming to pressure.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Farah, ah that’s a bummer – sorry that happened! It sounds like some of it may have gotten stuck at the bottom – if that happens again, see if you can wait it out – sometimes the burn notice goes away on its own. If not, try adding more water. I hope this doesn’t happen to you again. You should still be able to use the masala though!
Flavia says
Hi Ashley, recently started following your blog and am excited to try out your recipes.
Can you let me know which brand /model of the immersion blender you are using in your onion Masala recipe video?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Flavia, I had a company produce the video for me a while ago, so I’m not sure what model they used. I currently use an All Clad immersion blender but previously used a Cuisinart (that eventually broke). I think any brand will be fine.
Stefanie says
How many pucks does this recipe make?
gail says
I know garlic cloves measuring is not precise. please, next time you chop a head of garlic could you weigh it and let us know or add to recipe. Since you have an eye for what a ‘head of garlic’ looks like it would help us newbies to know (weight wise) what a head of garlic looks like. thank you in advance.
Stef says
How many pucks does this recipe make?
gail says
What does “putting it under pressure” do to this mixture? What did one do before this appliance was invented? just curious.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
It just cooks it together – before this, you’d just make it on the stove and it’d take longer.
Kajal says
Hi Ashley, thanks for all the super delicious instant pot recipes. Love all your recipes. I am new to instant pot but have tried a few of your recipes and all are super delicious. I am going to try the onion masala for the first time and wanted to check if canned organic tomato paste can be used instead of diced tomatoes and if so, how much would be equivalent to 2 cans of diced tomatoes? thank you!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Kajal, I’m so glad to hear that you’re enjoying my recipes! To answer your question – no, I would not use tomato paste in this recipe. The diced tomatoes add volume to this as well as liquid. I would wait to make this until you can use diced tomatoes.
tom Mishra says
I think instead of cooking this, we can blend all the contents and keep it in the freeze and use it afterwards in the instant pot with Saute option for few minutes stirring. I may be wrong as always, but get a better favor of onion, tomatoes and spices from the cold mold.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Tom, have you tried this? I feel like you’d miss out on the caramelization from the onions if you do this? Curious though.
Jen says
This is my 3rd batch of making the onion masala…. I make a new batch as soon as i am down to the last dozen cubes or so….. Thank you for a life saver, Ashley…. I’ve lost count of the days where I finish work and I am just able to throw some chicken into the IP with a few cubes of the onion masala and have dinner ready in under an hour
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Jen, that’s so great to hear – love that you are making and using the onion masala so much! Thank you for letting me know how much you like it 🙂
Halima says
This has been an absolute time-saver for me. Made some up in the last days of my pregnancy just before I got covid and had a c-section. I made this up with just onions – no spices, tomatoes or garlic or ginger so I could use in whatever stove top curries I needed to. Made things so much easier for me. Made a few more batches since
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Halima, oh man that must have been a tough time – I hope you are feeling better! I’m glad that the onion masala has been helpful – thank you for sharing.
Kelly says
Ashley, thank you so much for this recipe! It’s a lifesaver, and I’ve been making it since you first posted it, so I thought I should finally write and thank you for it! I just made the langar dal this evening, and it was the best thing I’ve had in a while. Best to you and your family!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Kelly! Happy to hear that you’ve been making the onion masala for so long! Glad you liked the langar dal so much 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
Anna says
I’m hoping to make this recipe soon. Sorry, if I missed this in the post, but how much does this recipe make?
Brit says
This is such a lifesaver for me! I keep this in the freezer now. I do not like the lingering smell of onions in the house, so I chop the onions and cook this in the instant pot outside. When I make this I make a big batch. To avoid burn I use Medium sauté not high, and I will take the pot out of the Instant pot to let it cool. Also, do not let the spices directly touch the pot bottom or this creates burn bits. If you do get Burn turn it off and let it cool and add water. Honestly, burn doesn’t really change the flavor so it can still be saved! A few times I have poured everything into a bowl and cleaned the pot but it didn’t seem worth the effort.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Brit, I’m so glad you find the onion masala to be helpful 🙂 And thanks for sharing those tips, they’ll help other readers!
MenB says
Hey Ashley, some of my friends introduced me to your site and I’ve now tried the onion masala the 2nd time. It makes cooking a breeze through the week, so thank you!
One suggestion for those of you that have an issue with burning, first thing, I switch the sauté mode from hot to normal, if I find that too much is sticking to the bottom. That helps. Also, depending on your tomato water content, you may need to add some water before the high pressure cooking. So, before you close the lid see if your masala already looks dry, then add some water. Also, ensure that you are scraping off the bottom as the onion starts to brown. Leaving it as is may cause the burn sign. The recipe has worked great for me otherwise!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
That’s awesome! Love that your friends introduced you to my site! And I’m so glad you like the onion masala series! And thank you for sharing – those are good tips!
Emily says
I always have this in my freezer, and have personally recommended this series to my friends and family until they are probably sick of hearing about it 😆 I have learned so much about Indian cooking and spices from your blog. I can’t thank you enough!
I used to use the trays you recommend, but I recently picked up some “Souper Cubes” trays for freezing in a more space convenient way. I use the one cup size trays, and fill them halfway to make 1/2c rectangles that melt easily. It works great! 8 cups of sauce fit perfectly in a gallon freezer bag and it sits very flat.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Emily, that’s awesome lol – thanks for sharing this series with others, I appreciate it. 🙂 And that’s great to know about the tray – I’ll look it up, it sounds very useful!
Neha says
I followed the recipe as is and still got a “Burn” sign. Added some water and again tried but the “Burn” sign continued. Ultimately had to just let go. What can I do to stop this from happening? 🙁
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Neha, aw man, when you added the water did you mix it really well to get any burnt bits off the bottom of the pot? If not, hopefully that’ll help next time. I hope you were still able to use the masala?
Manjit Marlow says
Hi…I’m getting the burn error as well, added more water and mixed well ensuring the burnt bits scraped off… but got the burn message again. 🙁
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Manjit, I would continue to scrape and add small amounts of water until it no longer gives you the burn sign – please let me know if that helps!
Tanya says
Hi Ashley! I had the same issue, inspired of making sure I scraped and deglazed it before pressure cooking, even before pressure eoukd build the burn message came, and when I would check its all stuck in the bottom of the pan again
I added water again twice and still had the same issue 🙁
Was so looking forward to it coming together.
I’ve attempted soo many of your recipes but somehow this one is the one I’m stuck at haha
Help!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Tanya, I’m sorry to hear that! I would try adding even more water and scraping the bottom really well – sometimes the water content in tomatoes can vary and you can always sauté the extra liquid off at the end if needed. I hope that helps for next time – please let me know if you try again!
Viren Gandhi says
Best recipe. It saves lots of time cooking different savory dishes.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Viren, thank you! I’m so glad you like the onion masala 🙂
Asha says
I procrastinated for a long time, but so glad I finally made and froze these. Cooking really is a breeze when you just pop out frozen cubes. I ended up getting covered ice cube silicone tray and that took my worry of ice maker made cubes having a smell. Thanks.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Asha, woohoo! Glad you made the masala! Hope you love the recipes you make with it 🙂
Sima says
Every modern Indian cook needs this recipe!! You can get slow-cooked masala in a fraction of the time. It makes getting a quick and tasty meal on the table quick and easy, especially useful on busy weekdays. I’m a huge fan. Once again, thank you Ashley for the care and precision of your recipes, and for sharing with all of us!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thank you, Sima! Happy to hear you find this onion masala useful. 🙂
Renu says
I saw this; I made it- and I love it. So easy and the convenience is awesome.
I also have this to my daughter who is studying- and she uses the masala cubes for her weekend meal prep. Thanks Ashley – this is one of the recipes of yours that I have used!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Renu, that’s so great to hear! Glad your daughter is using the masala too! 🙂
David says
Hello all.
Make this. In bulk – I do enough for 60 silicon 1/2 cup moulds at a time, freeze, decant into 2 gallon ziplocks and keep in the freezers. Use them for almost everything!
Whilst you are at it, do similar variants with garlic and ginger; Coriander and green chillies (with or without garlic too)
Then, search all Ashley’s recipes that use the masala and make them. ENJOY! 🙂
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
David, thank you! Love that you use this masala so much!
Heather says
So quick and easy! This masala recipe has finally allowed me to make delicious Indian dishes!
Since I can only find hot-house tomatoes, I use canned tomatoes per the recipe’s suggestion. I find Muir Glen Fire-Roasted tomatoes to be particularly fantastic in this recipe.
Thanks Ashley!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Heather, that’s so great to hear! I’m glad you like this masala so much. 🙂
Catherine says
I’m a white girl married to a Keralite husband and this recipe has changed my life. It makes cooking Indian food so quick and easy. I’ve used this for chicken curry, goat curry and toor dal. I just substitute kasmiri chili powder instead of paprika, and I cook the onions for 45 min to an hour to caramelize them thoroughly. When I get the burn notice, I just add more water, deglaze and try again. Thank you!
MargoLondinium says
I’ve just made your onion masala and made the mistake of using garam masala instead of ground coriander (they are next to each other in my spice tin!) but it still tastes great! Obviously the flavour will be a tad different but I think it will still work in your recipes. 🙂
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
I’m glad you made it! And yes, I think it’ll be fine in my recipes – if a recipe calls for garam masala you can omit that and add some coriander instead. Let me know what you think of any recipes you try!
MargoLondinium says
Well – I made your IP keema, veganasing it with Linda McCartney veggie mince – and also your IP zucchini curry the same day! Both totally delicious! I added a little ground coriander to the keema but the extra garam masala worked well in this recipe! Loads of leftovers so also made some keema pasties! Brilliant recipes!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
That’s awesome – so glad you made both recipes and liked them! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Rainbow says
I tried this twice. First time I made it with just one Tbsp freshly ground coriander. I enjoyed it very much, better than with 3 Tbsp. I wondered if the measurement was in error and should have said tsp. Am I alone in finding 3 Tbsp overpowering?
My Heart Beets says
Hi, it’s supposed to be 3 tablespoons but if you prefer 1 tbs, feel free to use that 🙂
Mamtha says
Hello ..
So v r not supposed to add salt ????
My Heart Beets says
Hi Mamtha, I don’t add salt to the onion masala because I prefer to add salt to the individual dishes – I find that it’s easier to see how much I’m adding.
Insiya Dhatt says
Hi there, I am allergic to avocado oil, what other oil can I use? thank you
My Heart Beets says
Any neutral oil will work 🙂
Rashmi says
HI Ashley, I did tried your onion masala. It was brilliant. Family loved it. Only change I did was added couple of handful of cashew and almonds for the masala so I can used them for paneer butter masala,kofta as well. Now I always have stock of this onion masala in my freezer🤗. Keep rocking you are doing great job.
My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Rashmi! I’m so glad you tried the onion masala 🙂 Adding cashews is a great idea!
sharon says
Hi Ashley,
Loving my insta pot!!! Using it everyday. Do you know if I half the recipe in a 6 qt pot if that will work? My freezer space due to covid is a little tight.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Sharon, I’m so glad you love your IP! I’m sure you can halve this recipe – I don’t see why it’d be an issue. I totally understand having to deal with limited freezer space these days – I’m having the same issue. Just so you know, the masala will last about a week in the fridge.
Khushi says
I agree! This is such a timesaver. Thank you for sharing. I just have one problem though; it’s SOOOOO hard to get Rid of that strong onions garlic smell from the home after making this masala. I leave the window open and turn in the exhaust fan but that doesn’t do it. Any ideas of how to get rid of this smell after cooking?
My Heart Beets says
Glad you like it! I’m not sure other than doing what you already do with the windows open and the exhaust on. If it really bothers you and you’re able to sauté it outside on a deck you could try that?
Christine says
I forgot to mention that I put one and a half cups of water with the trivet but everyone probably realises that. Pot in pot is great for avoiding burn problems. 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Christine! 🙂
Sharon says
Do you know if I half the recipe in a 6 qt pot if that will work?
Christine says
Hi Ashley. I’m loving your recipes, and your tips are really helpful. I noticed that quite a few people had Burn issues so I transferred the masala to a 3 quart liner and set that on a trivet in an IP Duo 60. Because it was on a trivet and above the element I increased the time to 8 minutes at high pressure with long NPR. It’s perfect! Looks and smells wonderful. Thanks so much. I was not aware of this masala till your blog.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Christine, thank you for sharing the trivet idea! I’ll have to try that 🙂
tamran says
Hi,
Would this recipe still work if I blended the onions, garlic and ginger and cooked that down instead of starting with chopped onions?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Tamran, blending the onions will release more water content and so it’ll take you much longer to brown the onions. That said – if you’re not worried about increasing the saute time, then you can do this. Let me know how it goes!
Varsha Phadke says
Hi Ashley, I have been using your onion masala recipe for almost a year now. Both my boys, who are in college and love Indian food, are now cooking Indian curries themselves, thanks to the “masala balls” I supply them every time they visit! Thank you for this super time-saving trick.
My Heart Beets says
Varsha, that’s so great to hear! I love that name – masala balls, lol! Love that your boys are cooking Indian food in college – that’s so impressive!
Andie says
I am trying to make Malai Kofta. Have you tried to use this is Malai? Do you have any suggestions?
Navya Shetty says
Can this be made in pressure cooker instead of instant pot?
Matt says
This recipe makes Indian cooking so easy. I searched forever for a recipe that replicated my favorite yellow dal soups at Indian restaurants, and the dal fry recipe here, using the onion masala, is it. Delicious!
My Heart Beets says
Matt, that’s so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how much you like this onion masala and the dal 🙂
Vsh. K says
Thank you so much! This is such a life-saver for busy mums! I can get a full healthy meal on the table with such little prep on weekday evenings thanks to these magic masala balls. I have made this onion masala many times and recommended your blog to all my busy mum friends. I have been an instant-pot fan since 5 years and this has made me an even bigger fan! I enjoy all your recipes. All have been fantastic!
My Heart Beets says
I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you for the kind words and for recommending my blog to your friends 🙂
Dipti says
Just woe
Peter says
Do you have a recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala using the onion masala? I’ve played with it, but not found a recipe that I love yet. Thank you!!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Peter, I’m working on one – it’s taking a while to nail down. I want to make sure the recipe I post is amazing – stay tuned 🙂
Priya Mistry says
Turned out great! Thanks for another wonderful recipe that in turn will make the other recipes even faster! I was so surprised at the coriander:cumin ratio! My parents usually use a 3:1 ratio while my in-laws use a 2:1 ratio. In this recipe, yours is much more heavy on the coriander! Is this a regional difference depending on where in India your from?
My Heart Beets says
Priya, I’m so happy to hear that! You can definitely adjust the amount of spices to your taste – I like mine coriander heavy because it makes the masala a bit thicker and also because I love the flavor. I prefer to add cumin directly to dishes as it can be a bit strong and sometimes my recipes call for roasted cumin powder rather than regular.
Archana says
Hi Ashley,
I have a basic question
What is the difference between paprika and cayenne pepper?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Archana, paprika isn’t spicy at all whereas cayenne is spicy. Paprika helps add color and cayenne adds spiciness. Hope that helps!
Lisa says
I tried this for the first time, I read comments before so I ensured good oil and scrapped the bottom, but I got the burn notice. I quickly moved to stove and recovered, it just took longer. I made yummy Aloo Gobi with the leftover I didn’t freeze in the silicon cups, and tonight made the Pav Bhaji perfectly without any issue. I will try again next time in the Instant Pot, but if it burns again I will still make ahead on the stove for freezing, it’s so convenient and worth the time. Next time I will add some water and cook off after pressure cook, if required. Thank you so much, I love your recipes!
My Heart Beets says
Lisa, sorry to hear you got the burn sign! I’m glad you liked the aloo gobi and pav bhaji 🙂 Please let me know how it goes in the IP next time!
Pavi says
Hello. Due to this pandemic situation, the freezer is kind of over full. So if I am making this masala and trying to refrigerate, how long will it be good ? Or will it be spoiled?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Pavi, it’ll stay good in the fridge for a week, you can definitely use it up by then! Try my easy shakshuka – it uses 1 cup of the masala and is delicious!
Mariam says
Hi Ashley. I don’t know if anyone has asked this already. There are so many comments and I haven’t read them all, so if you have already answered I do apologize. My question is, how come you are using so little spices other than coriander powder when you are making so much masala? Is half teaspoon of cumin or turmeric really going to make much difference in the taste when there is approximately 6 cups of masala made? Thanks for providing an easy recipe to make Indian cooking simple.
My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Mariam! You can definitely increase the other spices if you’d like! I like coriander powder for the flavor and also because I think it helps thicken the masala a bit but it’s just personal preference. I usually list more spices in individual recipes calling for this masala as well.
Srikanth says
@Ashley, I haven’t made anything in your onion masala series but I just made this last night to sweeten up an aloo gobi matar that was lacking the sweetness that you need to lift up the “sulphuric” quality of brassicas like cauliflower. It worked brilliantly, especially taking your tips on extended browning. Thanks!
My Heart Beets says
Srikanth, that’s so great to hear – thank you for sharing 🙂 Hope you love all the recipes you try from my blog!
Jarom says
Just finished my second batch. I’ll admit the only dish we have made (so far) is the chicken curry (which is how we fund this recipe). Delicious and, compared to the Indian restaurant down the street, so inexpensive! Really appreciate you sharing.
My Heart Beets says
Jarom, that’s so great to hear! And thanks for the kind words, you’ll have to let me know what you think of other recipes you try! The shakshuka is surprisingly good and really easy to make as are most of the other onion masala recipes!
Sowmya says
I love this hack and it helps a lot in making food quicker which use this as a base. I recently got Instant pot ace and was wondering if I can make this using soup option in it? Did you try it yourself or would you recommend doing so?
My Heart Beets says
Sowmya, so happy to hear that! I don’t have an ace blender so I’m not sure… if you try, please let me know!
Andie Early says
I would like to use garlic ginger paste instead of fresh garlic and ginger. I know it’s not as good, but because of extenuating circumstance I cannot chop and grind garlic and ginger. I was guessing I should use about 1/2 cup of garlic ginger paste. That seems like a lot to me, does it sound right to you? What would you suggest? How much should I use?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Andie, it won’t hurt to have more or less ginger/garlic – you can try adding the amount you think you’ll like. I’m guessing this isn’t fresh paste, correct? And so it’s likely not as strong in flavor? If that’s the case then yes I’d probably use half a cup.
Mac says
Just made this for the first time. It has such a deep, rich flavor, my husband asked if it had beef in it. So delicious!
My Heart Beets says
That’s so great to hear! I hope you love everything you make using this masala – let me know what you try 🙂
Shailaja says
Hi Ashley,
I’m just making this and wanted to check if you didn’t add salt to this paste for a reason.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Shailaja, I add it to individual recipes so that I can more accurately determine how much salt is in each recipe 🙂
PrimaVed says
Hi Ashley – Not sure if this has already been asked since I see so many questions in response to this recipe.
Would it work to alter the onion : tomato ratio in making this masala? When making chicken dishes, we always use a lot more onion and very little tomato.
If yes, would that change anything in the way the masala is used in different recipes?
My Heart Beets says
Hi! One issue is that it may not make very much masala if you use mostly onions. You will also need to adjust/play around with how much to use in my other onion masala recipes as well. Please let me know what you decide and how it goes!
Oregon says
I’m making my second batch of onion masala today. This hack makes weeknight cooking fast, easy and with minimal cleanup. Everything I’ve made so far has been outstanding including some vegetarian versions of meat recipes. Definitely recommend using an immersion blender. Five stars! Thanks for many excellent meals
My Heart Beets says
That’s so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
PARINA PATEL says
Ashley, You have changed my life. I’m a new mom and this makes it so easy to throw something together and eat healthy.
I was lazy at first and avoided doing this because I didn’t think it was worth it. I’m so glad I decided to give it a try. If anyone out there is hesitating, don’t. Use this for all the recipes. They are all so good. The potato eggplant, green moong bean, toor dal recipes are all awesome. I need to go to the indian store and get some whole urad dal and panner to make your other recipes. Please add more recipes with this masala (maybe different type of lentil/vegetable ones). I love it so much. You are so awesome. Also, thanks for your blog on feeding kids indian food. I’m definitely going to need to get my little one into indian food soon!
My Heart Beets says
Parina, thank you so much for the kind words! I’m so happy to hear that you’re liking the onion masala series 🙂 I will definitely be adding more recipes soon!
Devi Ben says
I roast onions and tomatoes in Oven . very easy and works everytime. I only make worth for a week. You can make more, I guess. Thanks for the lovely recipes!
My Heart Beets says
Love that idea 🙂
Sherry says
Can you use 1/2 cup of ghee instead of oil?
My Heart Beets says
Yes, ghee is awesome – you can always use it!
Cassie says
Hello,
How much ginger is required? I know you said 2 in ginger in the ingredients but just wondering how much that equates to after being chopped?
Could I substitute ginger paste instead? If so, any guesstimate on the amount?
Can’t wait to try this!
Thanks!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Cassie! You can use two teaspoons of ginger paste 🙂 I always think of 1 inch as equal to 1 teaspoon: https://myheartbeets.com/ginger-paste/
Nicki says
Hi, these recipes sound amazing but I don’t have a one pot or a crock pot or a pressure cooker. Could you give me an idea of timings if I use an ordinary saucepan please?
Thanks 😋
jay says
hi ashley,
thanks for this amazing hack.
a couple of questions-
can we blend the onions first then fry them ?
can we use tamato paste instead of fresh or canned tomatoes?
i wish to avoid the step of blending the cooked masala before cooling.
thank you.
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Jay! I don’t recommend blending the onions first because I’ve found that it takes much longer to brown pureed onions. You can use a food processor to chop them – that would be faster. I also would not use tomato paste – it’s too thick, may result in burning and will also result in very little masala. Do you have an immersion blender? It’s much easier than putting the masala in a blender. Hope that helps!
Upstairs Woman says
Where has onion masala been all my life??!! The recipes in the series are just great – so easy and yummy. Bookmarked it, and eager to see the series continue!
My Heart Beets says
I’m so happy to hear that you’re liking the onion masala series!! Can’t wait to hear what you think of the recipes you try 🙂
Sejal says
I tried making the onion masala and palak paneer and got the burn notice for both dishes before reaching pressure. Seems like a lot of commenters have had the same experience. Ashley, have you experienced this when making the recipe? I followed the directions fairly meticulously. Before pressurizing, I made sure no onions/tomato were burned on the bottom. I used canned tomatoes.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Sejal, I’ve made this so many times (using fresh and canned) and have never gotten a burn error – I’ve even TRIED to get a burn error just to see what’s going on out but haven’t been able to. I’ve heard from some readers that newer models are more sensitive so I may just have to buy a new one to see what’s going on. I’ve also heard though that even if the burn sign comes on, as long as it comes to pressure it should turn out fine. If you try will you let me know?
Sejal says
I have a 9-month old IP Ultra 6quart. I didn’t reach full pressure but the sauce tasted great in the palak paneer. There was a significant amount of burn on the bottom of the IP that I did not incorporate into the blended sauce. I might try a pot-in-pot approach when making it next time – I get great results with that when making IP steel cut oatmeal. What are you looking for to determine doneness in the unblended pressure cooked sauce?
Manjini says
Ok this is the smartest thing I have ever read abt cooking. I hate cutting onions which is the main reason i stay away from cooking indian food. But this is a game changer. I used my food processor to chop 2lbs of onions and I used a 28oz can of chopped tomatoes. I did forget abt the garlic so I do hav to add garlic to my food while cooking but other than my mistake this onion masala is the best. I havent even frozen it as I am confident I will be using it up by next week. I do regret getting rid of my baby’s silicone mould as it was exactly the same one you used to store the masala. Thanks for this recipe.
My Heart Beets says
Manjini, so happy to hear that!! I hope you love everything you make with this masala! Thanks for the review 🙂
Gabbi says
Can you please confirm if using fresh roma tomatoes, I can leave the skin on? Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
Yup – leave the skin on 🙂
Gabbi says
YAY, thank you!
Rex says
Hi there,
I apologize for this (stupid) question, as I’m pretty new to Indian cooking. Is it absolutely necessary to include the tomatoes in this or can they added when cooking the dishes that call for onion masala? I ask because having caramelized onions + garlic would be more versatile in my case. That way I can use it when cooking other types of cuisine that don’t call for all spices and tomatoes.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Rex, you can leave out the tomatoes but you’ll want to add a little water so the pot comes to pressure (since you won’t have the water that naturally releases from tomatoes). Also, you won’t be able to use the sauce in the recipes in my series but you can definitely come up with your own recipes! Or you can try to use some of this masala and cook down tomatoes when a recipe calls for them. Let me know how it goes 🙂
Adam Davenport says
Delicious! Absolutely amazing! Even if you accidentally use sweet onions and red tomatoes, or you don’t brown the onions quite enough, this recipe is to die for.! It turned out more like the way you suggested the first time I made it because I was concerned about messing it up, and I had all the right ingredients to make the aloo baingan eggplant. This last though I ended up with something more like pizza sauce however it is still impressed my entire family when they couldn’t stop eating my tortellini… it’s good no matter what you dip in it too!
THANK YOU SO MUCH
My Heart Beets says
Adam, I’m so happy to hear that!! Also love that you used this on tortellini!!
wooknight says
A million thanks to you for posting this recipe !!! You made the culinary aspect of my life substantially easier
My Heart Beets says
Thank you!! I’m so happy to hear that 🙂
Anshu Sharma says
Hi Ashley,
Thanks for this recipe. This recipe is magic. I used this earlier and it came out perfect. However today when i tried to saute my red onions, they turned greenish/blue. I checked online and some say its due to acidic properties of onion which results in Alkaline environment. Did any of you come across this? and is it ok to store the masala in the freezer to use it for later use?
Thanks in advance,
Anshu
Raghavi says
Ashley, you’re my go to instant pot recipe source now. Every recipe of yours I have tried so far is simple, yet so delicious! I have the onion masala sitting in my freezer now and the shrimp curry and langar dal I made with it were utterly tasty. Thank you!!!
My Heart Beets says
Thank you, Raghavi!! I’m so happy you’re liking my recipes! And thank you for leaving me reviews 🙂
Jen says
I am absolutely in love with your site, and every recipe I’ve made so far! (have made the butter chicken a few times, your korma with lamb, and the Chicken Biryani. Each of them has been so easy and delicious! Thank you so much for sharing! Tonight I’m making the Toor Dal and finally had to break down and make a batch of the onion masala. While a bit more time consuming, it’s great to know I’ll have a bunch frozen for future meals. I’ve never actually had onion masala when not already in a dish so cannot say for sure if it is ‘legit’ but it sure smells legit!
Your directions are always very direct and easy to follow, I’m excited to whip up the Toor Dal for dinner in a few hours!
My Heart Beets says
Jen, thank you so much for the kind words! I’m so happy to hear that you’ve liked every recipe of mine that you’ve made so far!! Can’t wait to hear what you think of the onion masala recipes 🙂
joe says
Hi,
this recipe and all these recipes look really good. is there a stovetop recipe for the onion masala?
thx, joe
Preeti Chima says
Love it!! I honestly hate chopping and while it felt like ot took me forever to chop the onions I needed foe this onion masala recipe it was totally worth it! Now that its been made, I’ve stored about 3/4 of it in ice trays and have kept the rest in an air tight box in the fridge! So excited about not having to chop on a regular basis now! 😁😁
My Heart Beets says
Preeti, I’m so glad you made it!! Hope you love everything you make with the masala! Also, if you have a food processor, you can use that to chop the onions easily – it’s definitely worth investing in one in my opinion 🙂
kaviya says
Hi,
This is awesome. For simplified cooking method please check for OPOS recipes. Just google it. You have to try. Its easy and gives authentic taste too. I thought you should know about it.
My Heart Beets says
Thanks for sharing Kaviya!
Jennifer says
I love this recipe and use it all the time as a base for many dishes. I also got the burn message until I slightly covered the pot while cooking the onions so that they stayed a little moist. I also use canned diced tomatoes and that seems to have solved the problem.
I have a time-saving tip that I use regularly! Since you blend everything at the end anyways, the cuts of the onions, garlic, and ginger don’t really matter. So I peel my onions and run them through a slicer blade in the cuisinart. It’s SO much faster than chopping by hand. Then I rinse out the cuisinart and throw in my peeled garlic and ginger with the chopper blade. This really speeds up prep time.
My Heart Beets says
Jennifer, I’m so happy to hear that you love the onion masala! And thank you for sharing those tips! 🙂
Sylvia says
I cannot wait to try this. I am Indian and I cook Indian food all the time but i never thought of making this ahead of time, even though I make and freeze so many other things regularly. I did try the pre-fried onions available in stores and didn’t like it at all.
With this masala, my cooking time will be reduced by so much!
My Heart Beets says
Sylvia, I can’t wait to hear what you think! Let me know how it goes 🙂
ELF says
Hi!! I stumbled across your blog earlier this afternoon. My first ever batch of onion masala is now bubbling away happily on my stove. THANK YOU for making Indian cooking so accessible. 🙂
My Heart Beets says
That is awesome! I can’t wait to hear what you think of it! 🙂
Shilpa Sharma says
Hi Ashley, love your blog! I’ve tried a few ‘masala’ recipes and really want to give yours a try as well. I noticed you don’t add a ton of spice to the nasal, unlike a lot of other recipe’s I’ve used. Is this because you add the spice later, (whenever you use your masala cubes)? Just curious, whether I could add more cumin and other spices…or if you recommend adding them later. Thanks!
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Shilpa! Yes that’s because I do adjust the spices later depending on what I’m making – I suggest checking out a few of my onion masala recipes so you get an idea (https://myheartbeets.com/recipe-index/#onion-masala-recipes). You can always adjust the masala to your taste but I’d personally add them later!
Ashley says
I think you just changed my life with this idea!
My Heart Beets says
Ashley, hooray!! 🙂
Heather B says
I want to make this but will it it make my whole house smell like onions? My husband hates when I cook onions on the stove. Thank you
My Heart Beets says
You can keep the exhaust on and open up a window – or wait until he is out of the house? It may be better to get it all done in one day vs. cooking onions for several days. Hope that helps!
Reenam says
Hi Ashley, Ive made this recipe twice in the 6 quart instant pot duo. Both times I have had the burn error immediately, despite carefully following the instructions. In total Ive had to use two extra cups of water. I wonder if I have to boil this extra water off at the end to get the same volume- at the moment it looks more like a curry than a paste!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Reenam! I wonder why you’re getting a burn error – are you using a 6 quart? Is this with fresh or canned tomatoes? Just trying to see if we can troubleshoot. I don’t add any water so 2 cups seems like quite a lot – yes, you’d need to boil the water off at the end.
Reenam says
Yes I am using the 6 quart pot. I used canned tomatoes. I have made this masala a few times, and each time I seem to be unable to get away with even reducing the water quantity to one cup! I am quite meticulous about ensuring there are no burnt bits before I put the pressure function on. I tried increasing the volume of oil used to 3/4 cup but it didnt make a difference! Thanks so much for your help!
Sue says
I don’t have an Instant Pot. I do have a crock pot, and I have successfully caramelized onions in it. If I cook the onions first separately, do you have any suggestions for how long I should cook the onions with the tomatoes and everything else? At a low or high setting?
Thanks for any insights you can provide
Lizzy says
Hi Ashley….I am making the Onion Marsala and have tried 4 times each time getting the Burn message this last attempt I have added 2 cups of water to the mix and it seems to ok now as reached pressure and counting down for 5 minutes…my tinned tomatoes were the Mutti Brand of finely chopped tomatoes, so quite alot of water had to be added so do I need to boil off some of this water ?
Lizzy says
HI Guys I have had 2 Burn messages not a happy chappy at the moment…last time I added extra water but still got the burn message on the 2nd attempt. I have turned off the pot now so will I add extra water again as my chopped tomatoes were quite thick, how much water is enough please ?
Shilpa says
Just made this and used a muffin pan which worked great for the 1/4 cup servings. I am sold on doing this for all my cooking needs. Thank you for making my life easier.
My Heart Beets says
Shilpa, that’s awesome! I’m so glad you like the idea – let me know if you try any of the recipes from my onion masala series!
Priti Nuthakki says
Hi–do I need to add sugar to cut some of the tartness of canned tomatoes?
Priti says
Hi! Thank you so so much for this series. It’s cold here so thinking canned might be better. Any need to add sugar in your experience?
My Heart Beets says
No need to add sugar but if you feel like it needs it then you can do so
Priya says
Hi Ashley,
I made your green moong daal recipe in the instant pot tonight and it was so delicious! I didn’t enjoy all of the tedious chopping which is why I came to this recipe 🙂
Would this work if I froze the tomato/onion/ginger/garlic without the spices and add them when I actually use the frozen masala cubes? Just wondering as different recipes call for different spices. Thanks in advance!
My Heart Beets says
Priya, that’s awesome! I’m so happy to hear that 🙂 Yes, you can definitely add spices when cooking rather than to the masala 🙂
Sharmila says
Hi! If I don’t have this onion masala available and I want to make your shrimp curry, what are the proportion for doing it with the recipe?
Alison says
Thanks so much for this! I made a batch today after finding your recipe for Instant Pot Indian Chicken Curry and I froze several portions to use as starters for other dishes in the future. I love cooking (and especially EATING) Indian food, but sometimes the prep work can be daunting. This will make sure we’re eating lots more flavorful dishes in the near future!
My Heart Beets says
Alison, I’m so happy to hear that you found this recipe! I can’t wait to hear what you think of other recipes that you try using the masala!
Jong bang says
Do you leave spices in the sauce when you make curry?
My Heart Beets says
Yes 🙂 You can add additional spices depending on what you make with the masala. If you use one of my onion masala recipes it takes into account the spices in the masala so I just list any additional spices you’ll want to add.
Jong says
When I made the sauce, I did not put masala in it, and I left it when I made curry?
Nisha says
Hi Ashley, I’ve made this before and spent quite a while chopping, which was well worth it given all the delicious recipes that came from it (even my mom who was born in India was impressed with me haha). But I am about to make another batch today and had a quick question. Instead of chopping, would putting the onions and then the tomatoes in a food processor work? Or would that change the flavors/carmelizing? Thank you! I honestly can’t thank you enough for your recipes. They make me feel like I’m home again and I just am so appreciative to have stumbled upon the website and FB group.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Nisha, that’s so great to hear!! It’s definitely a big accomplishment when you can impress an Indian mom lol. Also, sorry for taking awhile to reply but yes you can definitely chop them separately in a food processor! I just wouldn’t suggest chopping them together as you’ll first want to caramelize the onions. One other thing – if you use a food processor, just don’t over process – if you end up with more of an onion puree then it’ll take forever to caramelize due to the water content. Hope that helps! So glad you found my site and my fb group 🙂
Lena says
Hi Ashley, I am excited to try this. I have an “mini” instant Pot though. Should I cut the recipe in half?
Thank you!
Lena
My Heart Beets says
Hi Lena! I believe some people in my facebook group (instant pot for indian food) have made the recipe as written in their mini IPs but you can definitely halve the recipe to be safe! Let me know how it goes 🙂
Susan says
Lena, I just used the mini. It works! I made the full amount. Didn’t see the comment section until later, wish I had. I, too, got a burn notice. So, I stopped everything, converted to a Pot in pot method after cleaning the bottom of the IP. (placed ok portion of mixture into a separate glass bowl. Scrubbed the burned bottom of the stainless pot. Added 1 cup water on bottom of IO, placed a trivet, then glass bowl with mixture on top. 5 min on high, natural release eg followed rest of recipe)
Alexa says
Do you have any guidance on making this in a regular pot? (Nickel allergy = no IP for me!) I’m guessing that most of the steps would be the same, but it’s more a question of how long to let it cook down for/when to add the spices in.
jrh0 says
I made masala in my new Instant Pot Ultra. I’m at 2500 ft elevation, so I set the Pot accordingly. I used 4 Roma tomatoes and one can of diced tomatoes (I failed to buy enough Romas). I sauteed the onions for 20 minutes, and they still had a lot of moisture. After starting pressure cooking, I got a BURN error in a few minutes. I emptied and cleaned the inner pot, added more oil and water, and started it again. Got another BURN message! Cleaned the pot, and added even more oil and water. This time it worked. Thankfully, the BURN message and shutdown happens before any flavor-spoiling major burning takes place! Next, I’ll try some recipes that use this masala, after which I’ll rate it.
Kathy Lee says
For people getting the burn indicator on the instant pot, I’ve had this MANY times and I’ve found how to avoid it. What happens is that the spices collect on the bottom of the pot and burn. So to avoid this, I add spices at the end and DO NOT STIR. I know this means the flavors won’t meld as well but better than the burn! Also, never try this in an 8 quart instant pot. 8 quarts can’t handle the thicker sauces that are tomato-based. Hope this helps! I made this yesterday but I forgot to blend with an immersion blender at the end! DOH! Next time! 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Kathy, thank you for sharing!
Irene says
Hi, Ashley, I just wanted to say that I made your onion masala very successfully. To prevent the “burn”, I did the preliminary frying on the stove, and then transferred it all to the Instant Pot, and did the rest as you suggest. Came out perfect. I didn’t mind washing one more pot :). Also, since I didn’t have the silicone trays that you use, I used ice-cube trays and it came out perfect as well :). Each cube holds 1/8 cup, so 2 cubes will make 1/4 cup… Can’t wait to use it! 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Irene, I’m so glad you made the masala! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of the recipes you make with it!
Sybil says
Hi, Ashley! Love your recipes and looking forward to making this onion masala. Can I make it in a slow cooker instead of an IP?
My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Sybil! I’m sure it can be done but I haven’t tested it out myself to know the times or anything. If I were going to use a slow cooker, I’d first add the onions and slow cook them until caramelized, then I’d add the tomatoes and cook longer. Please let us know how it goes if you try it this way!
Evan says
I can not thank you enough for how much you have put into these recipes that you have shared!! I love authentic Indian food and making it in such little time seems like a miracle to me. I recently shared this with my mother who finished her first batch of Onion Masala today. The IP and these recipes have changed my life!! Thank you so much.
My Heart Beets says
Evan, this just made my day! I really appreciate the kind words 🙂 I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes!
Michael Marks says
Wonderful recipes. Thank you! However, this recipe caused my first major Instant Pot fail. Like some others who’ve commented above, I got the “overheating” error. I poured the contents into a bowl, saw that there were onions burned to the bottom of the Instant Pot. I cleaned it completely, poured everything back in, and tried again thinking I had solved the problem. To my surprise, I got the same error again. When I again poured out the contents, I found that again onions were burned to the bottom. So, I put everything in a pot and cooked on the stove (doubling the 5-minute pressure cooker time, which from a comment from you above, probably was not enough.) FYI, I used fresh Roma tomatoes, not canned. They had relatively little liquid. It seems like the amount of liquid in this recipe is key. It’d be great if you could comment on how to evaluate when there’s enough liquid and what to do if there’s not. Thanks!
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Michael! I’m sorry to hear you got the burn error too – I’ve never had this happen but it seems like if there’s anything stuck to the bottom then the error can come on. I’ll include a note in the recipe – but if you are getting a burn error the best thing to do is to deglaze the pot with a bit of water to make sure there’s nothing stuck at the bottom.
Agnes says
I am making this right now and am so excited about all the recipes that i can make with it!! I’m having issues with burning soon after i started pressure cooking. I added water a couple of times and it still burned.
(This happened with the saag recipe as well). Does anyone have this problem, and any potential explanations and solution? Thanks!
My Heart Beets says
Agnes, I have heard that the burn sign can come on if the IP detects that something on the bottom has burned – were there any burnt bits once it was done? If the pot reaches pressure then the dish should turn out fine… let me know!
Elyse says
Have you by any chance tried this using a good tomato puree?
Inna says
Thank you for the recipe! I made this today and I also had the burning notification display on the instant pot. There was not too much burning on the bottom, however, I had to scrape the bottom and add some water for the instant pot to pressurize. When it was done, it wasn’t very liquidity (so maybe the water didn’t do too much damage) but I feel like the masala needs salt? Any reason why not to add salt to cut into some of the tomatoe paste taste? (I used canned tomatoes)
My Heart Beets says
Inna, you can definitely add salt if you’d like! I usually just add it directly to the dishes I am making (I have a toddler so I try to be mindful of salt for his portion, then add extra to ours). But feel free to adapt the masala to your taste!
Charles says
Quick question: why the spices? Seems like it’s better to add them fresh when you use the masala, and also it’s hard to adjust a recipe when there are spices already added. Thanks!
My Heart Beets says
Charles, totally up to you as to whether you want to add them in or not 🙂 I find it easier as I have less work to do when I make recipes – I just add additional spices as needed. If you make any of my recipes that call for onion masala then just add extra spices when making a dish. Hope that helps answer your question!
kiara says
Hi,
Thanks so much for sharing this! Quick question, if I were to make this fresh every time I made a recipe that required it, can I just divide all the ingredients by 6 to get one cup? Since this makes about 6 cups of onion masala, would that be a good approximation?
My Heart Beets says
I haven’t tried it this way but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work 🙂 Let me know how it goes!
Atma Khalsa says
What about not adding the spices until you cook your final dish and just cook and freeze the onion, ginger, garlic and tomatoes adding spices later? Perhaps this cook give the dishes some variation. Also gives the chance to do try south vs. northern India?
My Heart Beets says
Atma, yes definitely – please see the recipe notes! Feel free to adapt this to your taste 🙂
Anita says
Hi, I am new to IP way of cooking and want to start with making a small batch of this masala before making a big batch as your recipe says. How should I vary the onion/ tomato/ ginger garlic quality if I want to make 1 cup of the paste? Also, after closing the lid do you change the IP settings to pressure cook or cook it in the sauté mode itself? Thank you
Fatima says
I do not have an immersion blender, can I pulse it in my regular blender till it because crushed like?
My Heart Beets says
Yes, you can make it smooth too if you’d like 🙂 It’ll be great either way!
Bobbie says
I’m making this right now, but after 20 minutes of sauteing, my onions are still as white as when I put them in the pot. I wonder why?
Bobbie says
* The onions were quite soft, so I went ahead and followed the rest of the recipe; the masala came out quite well! I may have over-blended a bit, as yours looks a little chunkier. That’s fine–the flavor is great! Thank you for your recipes. I’ve made several and have enjoyed all of them.
My Heart Beets says
Bobbie, so glad it came out well! It’ll work well regardless of whether it’s smooth or a bit chunky! Happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipes 🙂
Ann Philip says
This is such a great idea and makes cooking Indian food so much easier but still full of flavor!! Thank you so much!
My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Ann! I’m so happy to hear how much you like the masala series! 🙂
Karuna says
Hi Ashley,
Thank you for such an amazing idea to store masala!
I made my first batch of masala today. However, my IP showed “burn” error after the pressure was achieved so I had to release the pressure immediately(before 5 mins).
What might have went wrong? I used 3 medium size onions and 4 normal size roma tomatoes.
Did I put less number of tomatoes? Or did I saute for a long time?
My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Karuna! I have heard from others that as long as the pot reaches pressure the contents of the pot are fine. Sometimes the burn sign comes up if there’s a bit of something stuck at the bottom. You can try adding a few tablespoons of water, deglaze the bottom then try again. Let me know if it works out 🙂
Kim says
Should the tomatoes be skinned first or just chopped?
My Heart Beets says
Just chopped 🙂
Michelle says
Hi Ashley. I know your recipes that call for onion masala explain wether or not we can use the cubes still frozen but could you explain how to determine this ? I’m experimenting with using the onion masala in other recipes… thanks!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Michelle! If the recipe calls for some liquid (like dal or chicken curry) then you can add it in frozen. If it’s a dry dish or a stir-fry on the stovetop, then I would suggest thawing it first. Hope that helps!
Michelle says
Thanks! Also, can we double this recipe or will this cause problems w the onion browning? I have an 8qt ip.
My Heart Beets says
You can double it! It’ll take longer to brown the onions but that should be the only thing!
sue R says
Hi Ashley, I love this idea! I was wondering if maybe this way of caramelising the onions by J. Kenji López-Alt might work well in your recipe. No stirring involved!!! What do you think? Here is his recipe. I have his book too, he is a genius 🙂
https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/01/pressure-cooker-caramelized-onion-recipe.html
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Sue! You can certainly try! Let me know how it goes 🙂
Neeraja says
In this recipe, when you say npr , do you release pressure after 10 mins, or do you wait till valve comes down?
My Heart Beets says
I wait until the valve drops on its own but you can probably release pressure after 10 mins with this recipe if you’d like.
albertsain says
Nice article. Thanks for sharing.
Michelle says
Can we do this with red onions? If so, do we use the same proportions?
My Heart Beets says
Michelle, yes, you can definitely use red onions! I just suggest yellow because I feel it gives the masala a slightly sweet flavor. Let me know what you think of the masala and any recipes that you try!
Ken says
I was having a lot of fun making this until the Instant Pot gave me the dreaded “burn” indication and wouldn’t pressurize. That seems to be the risk of not having additional liquid in the recipe. after a bit of deglazing I’m putting the bowl through a wash cycle before scraping the saved masala back in and trying again. Wish me luck!
Other than ramping up my stirring, any suggestions on how to avoid this? I used canned diced tomatoes – and yes, I included the juice. Thanks for any ideas, I’m still new to pressure cooking.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Ken, just now seeing this comment but I replied to your comment in the facebook group earlier today. I’ll share my reply here too incase you see it sooner: the burn sign comes on sometimes if the IP detects that something on the bottom has burned but it sounds like you removed any burnt bits before starting. Does this happen with other recipes too? I’ve made this many times without adding water and haven’t had this happen so something is up… Knowing that it eventually turned out well for you makes me think the sign came on because the mixture was thick. I *think* the burn sign is only an issue if the pot doesn’t come to pressure due to something scorched on the bottom.
Charlene says
Hi there, I tried to make this recipe for the first time today, also my first time using the instant pot. I got the burn error 3 times, each time I added more oil but it still kept burning the mix to the bottom of the pan, also thoroughly cleaned the pan between each try. The mix is now swimming in oil and we’re going to try one more time turning the heat level to “less” instead of “normal”. Any other tips?
Jennifer says
Hi Charlene –
My experience with the InstantPot is that you have to be vigilant using “saute” – stuff sticks very easily! Stir constantly, or lower the heat. If I need to step away for a bit, I switch the InstantPot to “warm” until I can give it my undivided attention. Good luck!
PrimaVed says
I tried making the Onion Masala for the first time last weekend, followed the recipe as it is and still got the burn notification. I emptied the pot and cleaned it thoroughly, added some more oil and put the masala back but got a burn notification again. I let it be for a few minutes and the Burn message went away and IP started cooking the masala again. Eventually it came out fine. I have another question – will post separately.
Fenny says
Hi, Ashley! If using canned tomatoes, do I drain it first or use the liquid in the can as well? Thanks & can’t wait to make this!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Fenny, use the whole thing so liquid and tomatoes. Can’t wait to hear what you think!
Cristina Tijerina Sepúlveda says
My question from yesterday is whether onion masala may be substituted for the spice ingredients in the butter chicken. If so, what would the substitution amount ge and should I still add the spices in the recipe as with the Aloo and peas?
My Heart Beets says
You can sub it in any recipe calling for the same ingredients (tomatoes, onions, spices). I suggest following the recipes in my series to get the hang of using the masala, then hopefully you’ll feel confident using it in any recipe! 🙂 My guess for the butter chicken would be 1 cup.
Carey says
I made this yesterday and got approximately 22 quarter cup servings. I froze the mixture in silicone muffin cups and they were easy to pop out into a large ziploc for freezer storage. I love this idea of making a flavour base in advance to make tasty easy meals!
My Heart Beets says
Carey, that’s so great to hear! And thanks for sharing the number of servings you got! Happy to hear that you like the masala 🙂
Emily M says
I am wondering how many 1/2 cup servings (or 1/4 cup) your batches usually make? I made this yesterday and I think mine might be a bit thin and I’ll just adjust portion size that way. Thanks in advance. Looking forward to trying it out.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Emily! Sorry for the late reply – I think you posted this in my FB group as well – hopefully more folks will be able to help. I can’t believe I haven’t measured as I’ve made this so many times… I want to say 4-5 cups. This is a good question and I’ll be sure to update the recipe and share it with the FB group when I do!
My Heart Beets says
Emily, update: it came out to about 6 cups for me! 🙂
Kavia says
I just finished my first batch of onion masala and I’m moving on to toor dal. We’ve been wanting to make it for ages! Fun fact, I have a Duo Mini and this recipe fit perfectly. I’m hoping the same is true for the dal!
My Heart Beets says
Kavia, that’s so great to hear! Let me know what you think of the toor dal! 🙂
Shweta Puranik says
Hi Ashley
Thanks for this wonderful recipe. It sure sounds time saving. I tried the masala today with suggested quantities of ingredients however the Masala came out to be slightly tangier than I would I thought it would be. I am worried if I use this in a curry would that make it sour? I am planning to make the paneer onion masala stir fry.
Any suggestions?
Thanks
Shweta
Jalpa says
Hi! Can you tell me how much onion masala this yields? Thanks so much!
My Heart Beets says
Jalpa, this makes about six cups of masala 🙂
jowairiya khatib says
Hi Ashley. Kindly advise adjusted cooking time / method if making this on a stove top..
thank you
My Heart Beets says
Hi, you can definitely make this on the stovetop – just sauté the onions until browned then cook the tomatoes until they fully break down. This takes a long time to do on the stovetop. If you have an electric pressure cooker, I highly recommend using that as it’s a huge time saver!
Chelsea C says
Jowairiya,
I make onion masala on the stove because I don’t have an instapot. I’m caramelize the onions on medium to medium low for about 45 min and then cook the tomatoes/spices for another 45-1 hour. I stay near the stove so it doesn’t burn just in case.
It does take a while but to it’s SO worth it because to me because it cuts down on the prep work when I want to cook Indian dishes.
Hope that helps!
JEM says
Can this be made without oil? I don’t use any oil, butter, or fat at all because it does so much damage to the arteries. Thank you.
Donna S says
JEM – I made it without oil this morning. It took a lot longer for the onions to brown – a good 30-35 mins before I was close to the colour in Ashley’s picture, but other than that no problems. I used a little bit of water in the beginning to saute the onions and then when I deglazed after about 20 mins and again a couple of mins before I added the garlic/ginger. Just a splash each time, which surprised me. I thought I’d need more. I was worried about scorching once I went to pressure but no issues. The other thing to bear in mind is that for the recipes where you use the masala, you’ll want to keep a closer eye as you’re cooking just to make sure you don’t need to adjust for the residual oil from the original recipe. I have to tell you, my kitchen smells AMAZING right now so I’d say definitely give it a go!
My Heart Beets says
Donna, thanks so much for sharing!
Madhavi says
Hi Ashley,
I made your Instant Pot Butter chicken yesterday and it was yummy! I also use pre-made Onion masala except that I have not yet figured out how much to use in a dish. I went to your Onion Masala Blog series but cannot find a link to recipes that use this pre cooked Masala to understand the quantity needed. Could you please guide me.
Thanks!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Madhavi, I’m so glad you liked the butter chicken! 🙂 And I’m so glad you’re interested in this series! This is a series that I am working on during the month of February, so I will update the blog with recipes that call for onion masala throughout the next several weeks. You’ll be able to find the recipes that call for Indian Onion Masala here: https://myheartbeets.com/indian-onion-masala-recipes/ Right now it just says coming soon but stay tuned!
Cristina Tijerina Sepúlveda says
Yes, but butter chicken was not used as one of the recipes that you can use with the onion masala. So if it can be used for butter chicken, what is the amount and do the spices listed in the butter chick need to me added still?
My Heart Beets says
You can use it with butter chicken! My guess is 1 cup of masala – if you try it out, let me know how it goes! You can also reduce or remove the same spices that are in the masala.
julie b says
Ashley – how do you freeze your onion masala? in ice cube trays (so a specific size)? Or some other way?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Julie! I actually link to a post on how to store/freeze onion masala: https://myheartbeets.com/how-to-store-and-use-indian-onion-masala-in-recipes/ 🙂
dorz says
There was this indian Restaurant we used to go in HK. I love the sizzling Paneer Masala. II have been trying to search for every masala recipe i could find and tried most of them and failed. UNTIL NOW. Thank you so much for this recipe. i didnt do it on an instant pot but with traditional cooktop and a lot of love power.
I have made a big batch of this and i dont think this will last a week in my household. i just made cauliflower masala with it and my daughter loves it. Made my paneer masala and basically just ate it all by myself. Now my son has requested for more cauliflower masala for himself and his flatmate. Another batch of this will be made very soon.
My Heart Beets says
That is so awesome to hear!! Thanks for letting me know how much you like this masala 🙂