Mushroom Masala with Chickpeas

Make this simple and gently spiced mushroom masala curry for a fuss-free, weeknight meal.

With earthy mushrooms, protein-rich chickpeas and vibrant tomatoes, this vegan curry is packed with warm spiced flavours. It's super easy to make plus it's naturally gluten-free, vegan and kid-friendly.

This recipe was originally published on May 17, 2018 and updated with new images, ingredient notes and instructions on June 26, 2022.

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works
• What is Masala?
• Is Masala and Curry the Same Thing?
• Ingredients and Substitutions for Mushroom Masala
• Step-by-Step Guide
• Storage
• FAQs
• More Curries and Bowls
• Make This Recipe
• Leave a Comment

Why This Recipe Works

This dish is such a handy one to have in the back pocket. It's perfect for weeknight meals and freezes well for later. It's also:

Finally, this mushroom curry recipe creates a meaty bowl without the meat. It's the oyster mushrooms!

One of my favourite things to cook with, King Oyster mushrooms are delicately flavoured taking on any sauce or seasoning you care to pair them with. Also, their texture, when shredded, is pretty chicken-esque.

I use them in my Vegan Chicken Pot Pies and they're so good!

What is Masala?

Masala is a spice mix popular in Indian cooking. It can vary from region to region but often includes spices like bay leaf, cumin seeds, cloves, coriander seeds, shah jeera, cinnamon, mace, and cardamom pods. 

Masala curry is traditionally made with a meat protein - more often chicken - marinated in yoghurt and spices and char grilled.

The meat is then added to a spiced sauce and served with naan or rice.

Is Masala and Curry the Same Thing?

No. Masala is a spice blend while curry refers to either curry powder as a spice or a meal made with a protein or vegetables cooked in a spiced sauce or dry mix.

Okey-dokey, to the kitchen.

Ingredients and Substitutions for Mushroom Masala

King Oyster Mushrooms / Mushrooms. If you can get your hands on King Oyster Mushrooms, they are well worth the effort. These delicate shrooms have the uncanny ability to mimic the taste and texture of chicken.

If you can't get the large fungi, this curry will work with smaller oyster mushrooms, button mushrooms, Portobello (for a meatier flavour), wild mushrooms or better yet, a combination of several types.

Masala spice blend. The backbone of any good curry is the spice blend. This curry leans in to warming garam masala, bright turmeric, earthy cumin, citrusy coriander, floral cardamom and chilli. I use Kashmiri chilli here but you can use a mild chilli powder.

Tomato paste and passata. Tomato paste provides a concentrated tomato flavour while the passata works with the coconut milk and stock to create a balanced sauce. If you can't get passata, crushed or chopped canned tomatoes will do or you can chop 3 large tomatoes well and add them to your curry.

Coconut Milk. I prefer full-fat coconut milk to make this curry - you get a silkier, more full-bodied curry.

Note - While I don't recommend other milks, if you can't consume coconut milk I've had feedback from readers that almond or oat milk works too. To thicken the curry, you'll need to take a quarter cup of milk and stir in 1 tablespoon of corn starch (cornflour) to make a slurry. Towards the end of the cook, stir in the slurry and continue cooking until the sauce has thickened.

Stock. I use vegetable or vegan chicken-style stock to give the curry more depth.

Lemon juice. Lemon juice adds acidity, balancing the umami flavours.

Step-by-Step Guide

You'll find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Step 1.

Wipe the mushrooms with a clean towel and trim the woody tips off. Lay each mushroom flat on a board and firmly (but carefully!) drag fork prongs down the length to create shreds. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms and set aside.

If you are using another type of mushroom, just wipe them clean and cut into half-inch wide slices.

Step 2.

Heat the vegetable oil in a pan over low to medium heat and add the onion to sauté for 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in the spice blend before adding the garlic and ginger to cook until fragrant.

Step 3.

Now you can go ahead and add the mushrooms and cook for around 3 minutes, stirring regularly, before adding the chickpeas. Give them a quick stir to coat them in those delicious spices and add the passata, tomato paste, coconut milk and stock.

Step 4.

Bring up the heat to bring the pot to a gentle boil before reducing it again to low and letting your mushroom masala simmer for around 40 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

Step 5.

Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the spinach and vegan butter. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes to continue to thicken and the spinach to wilt.

And you are done. Serve with rice, naan, or simply a salad.

Storage

Refrigerator

Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freezer

You can freeze this curry in an airtight, freezer-proof container for up to 3 months. Make sure to cool the curry completely before popping it in the freezer.

The spinach will make the curry more watery upon thawing so if you can omit before freezing, I would. Add it when you are re-heating instead.

To thaw

Remove the frozen curry and place the container on a plate. Pop it in the fridge to thaw overnight. To reheat, transfer the curry to a pot and gently re-heat over low to medium heat on the stovetop.

FAQs

More Curries and Bowls

Make This Recipe