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Easy Instant Pot Aloo Gobi | Indian Cauliflower with Potatoes

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 Instant Pot Aloo Gobi is perfectly seasoned with Indian spices and makes a wonderful vegetarian main dish or side dish for an Indian-themed meal.  This Instant Pot Cauliflower with Potatoes recipe is so quick and easy, you can have it on the dinner table within minutes.

Instant Pot Aloo Gobi | Indian Cauliflower and potatoes with cilantro in metal bowl with bowls of Indian spices in the background - Paint the Kitchen Red
Aloo Gobi is one of those dishes that you’ll find on any Indian restaurant menu and is a simple dish made in Indian homes every day. Aloo Gobi (pronounced aa-loo go-bee) is translated from Hindi as ‘Potatoes Cauliflower’.

 

I love cauliflower and since I’m always looking for new recipes I can make in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, I had to figure out how to make Instant Pot Aloo Gobi (Instant Pot Cauliflower and Potatoes).

 

The main challenge with making pressure cooker or Instant Pot cauliflower is that it can easily be overcooked. Cauliflower releases liquid and cooks very quickly in the Instant Pot. So it has a tendency to get soggy.

 

Some Indian Cauliflower and Potatoes recipes have a curry or gravy and some are more dry. I like to make the drier version.  My goal was to create a drier dish without overcooking the cauliflower.

 

I had to add enough water to allow the Instant Pot to pressurize, without making the dish too watery.  And I had to cook the Instant Pot cauliflower just right, so that it was neither mushy nor under-cooked.

 

It took a few tries, but I think I found just the right combination. I am super pleased with how it turned out.

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Tips and Substitutions

Don’t cut the cauliflower too small. Cut them into florets that are about 1 1/4  inches long and 1 inch wide.  And when you wash the cauliflower florets, let them dry out a bit.  I use a salad spinner to dry them out.  The less water, the better, for this recipe.

Cut the potatoes into about 1 1/4 inch cubes.

Yes, you do cook the cauliflower for 0 minutes. After cooking the cauliflower, if you find that it’s not cooked enough, just close the Instant Pot again and let the cauliflower steam in the residual heat, or cook the aloo gobi in ‘Saute’ mode for a couple of minutes at the end.

When you finish cooking the Instant Pot cauliflower, you might have some brown bits stuck to the bottom of the inner pot. Carefully stir the cauliflower to incorporate these bits – provided they’re not burnt – they give a caramelization effect, which is really tasty.

If you wish to make the dish less dry, add more water when you add the cauliflower.

If you’re a fan of spicy food, feel free to increase the quantity of cayenne pepper or Kashmiri chili powder to 1 teaspoon.

If possible, use a homemade garam masala, preferably ground fresh.   If you don’t have your own garam masala, here’s a quick recipe:

Grind in a coffee grinder or mix powders together and store in a cool dry place.  The aroma is heavenly!!

If you’re new to the Instant Pot and aren’t familiar with how to use it, please read the Instant Pot  DUO Beginner’s Quick Start Guide or the Instant Pot ULTRA Beginner’s Quick Start Guide first and then come back here to learn how to make Instant Pot Aloo Gobi.

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Easy Instant Pot Aloo Gobi Ingredients

Instant Pot Aloo Gobi Ingredients - cumin, salt, chili powder, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, ghee, ginger, potatoes, onions, cauliflower, cilantro

Easy Instant Pot Aloo Gobi Step-by-Step Instructions

Instant Pot Aloo Gobi Instructions collage - arrow pointing to saute on display, oil in inner pot, whole cumin added

  • Press ‘Saute’.
  • Add ghee and heat till melted.
  • Add cumin seeds and saute for 10 seconds, till fragrant.

 

Instant Pot Aloo Gobi Instructions collage - onion garlic ginger raw, cooked, arrow pointing to cancel

  • Stir in onion, ginger, jalapeno (if using).
  • Cook until onion is golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Turn Instant Pot off by pressing ‘Cancel’.

 

Instant Pot Aloo Gobi Instructions collage - spices cooked, deglaze, add potatoes

  • Stir in turmeric, chili powder, coriander, garam masala and salt, and fry on residual heat till fragrant, about 1 minute. Be careful not to burn.
  • Deglaze with 1/2 cup water and stir to scrape up all the brown bits.
  • Add potatoes.

 

Instant Pot Duo Manual mode 4 minutes collage - close lid, press manual, press + -, display says 4 - Paint the Kitchen Red

  • Close Instant Pot Lid, and make sure steam release handle is in the ‘Sealing’ position.
  • Press ‘Manual’ (or ‘Pressure Cook’) and ‘+’ or ‘-‘ until display reads ‘4’ (4 minutes)

 

Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cooking collage - display shows On, float valve is down, display shows L0:00 - Paint the Kitchen Red

  • Instant Pot display will change to ‘On’.
  • Once the Instant Pot is pressurized, the float valve will go up.
  • The display will count down from 4 to 0; it will switch to ‘Keep Warm’ mode and display ‘L0:00’.

 

Instant Pot Duo release steam and open collage - move steam release handle to venting with help of a towel, float valve is down, Instant Pot Duo is open - Paint the Kitchen Red

  • Do a quick release: move the steam release handle to ‘Venting’. I like to place a folded towel over the steam release handle and move it to the venting position.  Remove towel after turning handle.
  • When your Instant Pot is depressurized, the float valve will be in the down position.
  • It’s now safe to open the Instant Pot. (Press ‘Cancel’ to turn off Instant Pot.)

 

Instant Pot Aloo Gobi Instructions collage - potatoes cooked, add cauliflower

  • Stir in Cauliflower.

 

Instant Pot Duo Manual mode 0 minutes collage - close lid, press manual, press - or +, display shows 0- Paint the Kitchen Red

  • Close Instant Pot Lid, and make sure steam release handle is in the ‘Sealing’ position.
  • Press ‘Manual’ (or ‘Pressure Cook’) and ‘+’ or ‘-‘ until display reads ‘0’ (0 minutes)

 

Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cooking collage - display shows On, float valve is down, display shows L0:00 - Paint the Kitchen Red

  • Instant Pot display will change to ‘On’.
  • Once the Instant Pot is pressurized, the float valve will go up.
  • When the time has elapsed, the display will switch to ‘Keep Warm’ mode and display ‘L0:00’.

 

Instant Pot Duo release steam and open collage - move steam release handle to venting with help of a towel, float valve is down, Instant Pot Duo is open - Paint the Kitchen Red

  • Do a quick release again: Move the steam release handle to ‘Venting’.  Remove towel after turning the knob if you’re using a towel.
  • When your Instant Pot is depressurized, the float valve will be in the down position.
  • It’s now safe to open the Instant Pot. (Press ‘Cancel’ to turn off Instant Pot.)

 

Instant Pot Aloo Gobi open Instant Pot with cooked aloo gobi

  • Stir to incorporate any brown bits into the dish. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Instant Pot Aloo Gobi | Indian Cauliflower with Potatoes in a bowl with spices in background - Paint the Kitchen Red

Instant Pot Aloo Gobi | Indian Cauliflower with Potatoes

Instant Pot Aloo Gobi is perfectly seasoned with Indian spices and makes a wonderful vegetarian main dish or side dish for an Indian-themed meal.  This Indian Cauliflower with Potatoes recipe is so quick and easy, you can have it on the dinner table within minutes.
4.86 from 14 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Dishes
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: aloo gobi, cauliflower, indian, instant pot
Main Ingredient: vegetarian
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 98kcal
Author: Paint the Kitchen Red

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Press ‘Saute’, add ghee and heat till melted.
  • Add cumin seeds and saute for 10 seconds, till fragrant.
  • Stir in onion, ginger, jalapeno (if using).
  • Cook until onion is golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Turn Instant Pot off. 
  • Stir in turmeric, chili powder, coriander, garam masala and salt, and fry on residual heat till fragrant, about 1 minute. Be careful not to burn.
  • Deglaze with water and stir to scrape up all the brown bits.
  • Add potatoes and close Instant Pot.
  • Cook on 'Manual' (or 'Pressure Cook') mode for 4 minutes.
  • Do a quick release of pressure.
  • Stir in Cauliflower.
  • Close Instant Pot again and cook on 'Manual' (or 'Pressure Cook') mode for 0 (zero) minutes.
  • Do a quick release again.
  • Carefully stir to incorporate any brown bits into the dish.
  • Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Notes

  • Prep time does not include steps that are already accounted for in the ingredient list, e.g. chopped onions, minced garlic, cubed potatoes, etc.
  • Optional: squeeze lime juice over aloo gobi at the end of cooking to give it a slightly tart flavor.
  • If your cauliflower is large, you can increase the spice quantities as needed.
  • See the blog post for more detailed recipe tips, including homemade garam masala.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (6 servings total) | Calories: 98kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 321mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g
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I am not a certified nutritionist.  I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers.  If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons,  I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.

If you loved this recipe, please give it a 5 Star rating in the comment section below and/or share on social media using the social media share buttons at the top and bottom of this post. Thank you!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Shristi

    August 9, 2019 at 2:34 pm

    This was delicious! I was intimidated and put off trying this recipe for a while. I have such a hard time getting cauliflower to taste great on the stove top, plus it takes forever. But this will be my new favorite way to cook cauliflower!

    I added a little extra water at the end because I like it a little mushier, but besides that, I followed everything else. Thank you Neena for the last few years of great IP recipes! 🙂

    Reply

  3. Shannan

    January 12, 2019 at 2:53 pm

    Thank you Neena! I was gifted an Insta Pot for Christmas, from my brother. Your step-by-step instructions were perfect. I love to cook, I have a lot of gadgets and not easily intimidated by new cooking tequneaks. But, I was terribly intimidated by Instant Pot. You calmed my nerves by spelling it all out! I’m so grateful! Bonus, the aloo gabi was delicious.

    Reply

  4. Paula

    October 27, 2018 at 11:29 am

    Hi, have tried cooking this many times before IP and always failed ! This was the best and delicious and so quick. Would possibly increase spice content next time but pototoe and cauliflower perfectly cooked.thank you

    Reply

  5. Kristin

    August 23, 2018 at 10:44 pm

    This was delicious and so easy. We added a bit more water (1 cup total) and incorporated cooked rice and peas at the same time we added the cauliflower. Cooked cauliflower etc. on high pressure for 5 additional minutes and it did not get mushy. Flavors blended well. We served with yogurt, mango chutney, and some curried pickled veg. Will definitely make again.

    Reply

  6. Dhanya

    April 28, 2018 at 11:34 pm

    Hi Neena,

    I tried this recipe today. I followed your instructions, except for one change – I added one diced tomato after sautéing the onion-ginger-green chili mixture. My Instant Pot came to pressure to cook the potatoes, but it did not come up to pressure the second time around after stirring in the cauliflower. I think it could be because the pot became too dry and also maybe the bottom of the pot may not have been fully deglazed well?

    In the end the cauliflower was little undercooked, so I added a bit more water to the pot and cooked it on Sauté mode for a couple more mins.

    Thanks,
    Dhanya

    Reply

    • Paint the Kitchen Red

      May 1, 2018 at 7:32 am

      Hi Dhanya, tomato is a great addition, but it could have caused some sticking to the bottom. Yes, deglazing is very important especially since the recipe uses minimal liquid. Next time, just add a few more tablespoons of water.

      Reply

  7. Barbara Alfeo

    March 30, 2018 at 11:18 pm

    I absolutely love your recipe! I am writing vegetarian recipe round ups on my blog in 2018 (to encourage people to try meatless monday- everyone has to start somewhere) and would love to feature you. You can check out my blog (for beginner environmentalists) at sunshineguerrilla.com. Is it alright if I share this link to your recipe?

    Reply

  8. Carly

    March 14, 2018 at 2:19 pm

    Made this today as a test for a dinner party I am having Saturday. Absolutely delicious flavors. I doubled the spices as a few of the other commenters suggested and added a bit more water. I used Yukon potatoes and didn’t peel them. I will next time. I will also cook the potatoes for 2 minutes and then the cauliflower for 2 minutes next time. But the detailed instructions you provided and the photos were absolutely fabulous. I am new to Instant Pot world and this was such a wonderful recipe to try out. I will be following your blog now!

    Reply

  9. Pals

    March 12, 2018 at 5:18 am

    Please be careful about recommending to put a folded towel over the steam vent ! Just read about a burst instant pot/ high pressure steam that burnt someone – never ever cover the steam release valve ! It should be allowed to release without any obstruction whatsoever

    Reply

  10. Vibha

    February 21, 2018 at 3:55 pm

    I made this today for the first time in the IP. It came out delicious and saves time, but the potatoes were a little over done/mushy. Will adjust the time next time. I also added hing/asofatida with the jeera. It has a great flavor. Once the cauliflower was done I added a tsp of amchoor/dry mango powder instead of lemon juice. Needs to be gently stirred in. Also tastes really good. Thanks for the detailed instructions.

    Reply

  11. Cheryl

    September 28, 2017 at 8:15 pm

    Aloo Gobi is one of my favorite dishes but I’ve never made it myself. I tried this recipe in my Instant Pot and it was so delicious. I cooked mine just a minute longer and added about 1/3 cup more water. I had to force myself not to eat the whole pot! Thank you for this recipe.

    Reply

  12. Dianne

    September 8, 2017 at 8:11 pm

    This was fabulous; thanks for posting it and sharing such detailed directions! I used Yukon Gold potatoes so they’d hold their shape and was careful not to cut the pieces too small. The times you suggested were perfect. I used an entire head of cauliflower and more potatoes, so increased the spices by 50%. My bulk spices retailer didn’t have an Indian chili powder, so I used what MarketSpice calls Aleppo Chili Powder, figuring that since it was from that side of the world, maybe it would be close to what you suggested. It was great. I packed up half of the completed dish for a friend and after an hour on ‘Keep Warm’ mode, we ate the rest. It was softer by then, but the vegetable chunks were still recognizable and the flavor delicious. This will be a regular dinner choice in our house. I might throw in some green peas sometimes, just to be different. Again, thank you!

    Reply

    • Paint the Kitchen Red

      September 8, 2017 at 9:18 pm

      Hi Dianne – I’m glad that the timings worked for you. It is hard to get the recipe directions just right when you have vegetables that can overcook with small size changes and even 30 seconds of pressure cooking time! If you ever go to an Indian grocery store, ask for Kashmiri chili powder – it has color but is not super spicy. It’s what I use. But I think your Aleppo chili powder was probably just right too. Thanks for sharing your experience – I really appreciate it!

      Reply

  13. Marni Alexander

    August 28, 2017 at 6:33 am

    Delicious! As a fairly new Instant Pot cook, I really found your instructions helpful, and did not know there was a “0” setting. The dish was delicious despite the fact that I only had powdered ginger, and did a few spice substitutions as I didn’t have all the spices. Perfectly cooked. I will be printing this and making it again.

    Reply

    • Paint the Kitchen Red

      August 28, 2017 at 8:06 am

      Hi Marni, I’m glad you like the recipe! Search for my recipe for roasted cauliflower and potatoes (not an Instant Pot recipe) in the search bar. If you like roasted veggies, you’ll like that one too. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment – means a lot!

      Reply

  14. Eric

    July 4, 2017 at 2:19 pm

    Good flavor but it was like mashed potatoes and slightly undercooked cauliflour for me. Disappointed but I appreciate the effort put in. Not sure what I did wrong.

    Reply

    • Paint the Kitchen Red

      July 6, 2017 at 11:06 am

      Oh, I’m sorry it didn’t work for you, Eric. Since you liked the flavor, maybe try it out again but this time adjust your cooking times. So cook the potatoes for a couple of minutes less and increase cauliflower time by a minute. I’m not sure what went wrong: type of potatoes, size of the veggies, altitude, or who knows? 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to comment, though.

      Reply

  15. susan

    May 16, 2017 at 6:10 pm

    This was a great recipe flavor wise, but I made a few changes the second time. I like my aloo gobi saucier than your original. I also thought the potatoes got a bit mushy. So I did (the second time) everything you suggested with the onions and spices (except I doubled the spice content to allow for sauce). Then I added my cauliflower, and layered my potatoes on top (cut just slightly larger than suggested.) Added about a cup of chicken stock and did manual for 4 minutes and let it sit after cooking at high pressure for about a minute and then let the pressure out. Still great flavor, a bit saucier than the original and I enjoyed the texture. Also, added peas because I married an english man……and well peas… Thanks!

    Reply

  17. Jacqueline Meldrum

    May 6, 2017 at 3:18 am

    I’ve not made this for ages, I am so glad I saw this for a timely reminder. It’s such a comfort dish. I am loving your instant pot step-by-steps even though I don’t have one.

    Reply

  19. Debra C.

    May 5, 2017 at 8:51 pm

    Your step-by-step directions are amazing! I think you’re right, the cauliflower could easily be overcooked but by following your directions that wouldn’t be an issue – looks amazing!!

    Reply

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