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    Home ยป Pakistani Recipes ยป Pakistani Aloo Gobi Sabzi (Potato Cauliflower Curry)

    5 from 10 votes

    Pakistani Aloo Gobi Sabzi (Potato Cauliflower Curry)

    July 15, 2014 by Sarah Mir ยท Updated January 18, 2023

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Pakistani Aloo Gobi Sabzi is a simple vegetarian curry made of potato and
    cauliflower cooked in spices with tomatoes. This authentic Aloo Gobi
    recipe is my motherโ€™s, and itโ€™s bold balanced flavours remind me why Aloo Gobi is such a classic dish.

    Aloo Gobi top down view, a plate underneath the dish of aloo gobi

    It is so hard to cook like someone else, but for people like me who grew up only eating their mothers cooking so much of our sense of what food ought to taste like comes from mama.

    Most of my Pakistani recipes are if not hers, then inspired by her. I love the idea that through them I am continuing a version of my family's tastes and traditions.

    My mothers Aloo Gobi is spicy, tangy with tomatoes, salted just right and with the mellow undertones of turmeric. It gets a hit of freshness from the lemon and cilantros at the end and smokiness from that little bit of pepper. With a hot chapati and some cold thick yoghurt there's nothing quite like it.

    Sabzi Awards: best kinds of Veg for Aloo Gobi

    I've experimented widely with the different varieties of tomatoes, potatoes, and onions available here and these are the ones that work best for Pakistani food.

    • Best Onions for Pakistani Food: Yellow cooking onions. They have a milder flavor and cook down faster than red onions, but red onions work too.
    • Best Potatoes for Pakistani Food: Yukon Gold or Yellow flesh, hands down. Their firm yet creamy texture holds up to and perfectly absorbs Pakistani spices and flavors. White potatoes aren't absorbent enough with an almost waxy textures while russet are more suitable for baked potatoes.
    • Best Tomatoes for Pakistani Food: Roma tomatoes or Italian plum tomatoes are my favourite. They have a robust flavour closest to the always in season tomatoes in Pakistan. If those are unavailable then hothouse tomatoes work as they break down easily. However, they don't have quite the same richness of flavour (IMHO).

    A Tip for making the quickest Aloo Gobi

    chopped tomatoes, cauliflower, potatoes.

    For the longest time I would cook my potatoes for a while before adding the gobi in, but then I realized that this simple Pakistani Aloo Gobi recipe doesn't need that. Providing the cauliflower florets aren't kept large they cook in the same time as the petite potatoes.

    Gobi Aloo Sabzi Ingredients

    Fresh Main Ingredients

    Onion

    Potatoes

    Cauliflower

    Tomatoes

    Ginger Paste

    Garlic Paste

    Flavourings/ Spices

    Cumin Seeds

    Red Chili Powder

    Coriander Powder

    Turmeric Powder

    Pepper

    Salt

    Finishing Touches

    Cilantro/ Coriander

    Green Chilies

    Lemon Juice

    Pepper (Optional)

    Aloo Gobi ingredients

    How to Make Aloo Gobi

    Simple sabzi, simple techniques. Let's do this.

    Heat your oil in a pot, add cumin seeds, let them sizzle and then add your onions, frying them until the edges are golden. Then add your ginger and garlic and sautรฉ for 30 seconds.

    Now add your tomatoes and spices and mix well, sauteing on medium high heat until the oil rises to the top. Tip: covering the pot for 1-2 minutes with a tight fitting lid speeds up the process.

    Now add your chopped cauliflower and potatoes, mix well, cover and cook on low until tender (25 minutes). Add a splash of water only if absolutely necessary.

    Check your seasoning (salt) and adjust to taste. Now add the lemon juice, cilantro and green chilies and give it a quick mix. Garnish with more fresh cilantro if desired, enjoy!

    Aloo Gobi in a pot

    Three Tips for the BEST Aloo Gobi Sabzi

    This is such a simple recipe, but I find that there are three differences between great Pakistani Aloo Gobi and decent Aloo Gobi.ย 

    1.) Great Aloo Gobi is well seasoned.

    Because the potatoes go in first and get that first round of steamed spice cooking they tend to absorb the flavours beautifully. When your cauliflower is done and you eat them together the cauliflower feels like a let down. The fix is simple - sprinkle your cauliflower with a little salt before adding it OR when you are adjusting seasoning at the end then taste a piece of potato and a piece of cauliflower together before making adjustments!

    2.) Saute the moisture out of the masala.

    In this Paksistani Aloo Gobi Sabzi aย  good chunk of the flavour comes from the jamminess of cooked down tomatoes. To achieve optimal flavour you have to cook excess water out i.e. bhunn. As the water cooks out of the tomatoes the oil will rise above your masala mix and then you're in business.

    3.) Fresh is best

    I use ginger and garlic paste most often with this dish, but for extra oomph there is nothing like fresh ginger and garlic!ย 

    Table set for a meal, aloo gobi and chanay ki daal in bowls

    Sabzi Recipes

    If you are looking for some more Pakistani sabzi recipes then here are some of our favourites!

    a white plate with lightly charred green beans
    A top down shot of a plate of achari aloo, roti in the corner
    Aloo Shorba
    • Aloo Palak
    • Green Beans Sabzi
    • Achari Aloo
    • Bhindi Masala
    • Aloo ka Shorba
    • Kurkuri Bhindi

    Hope you enjoy this simple home style dish as much as we do! Do rate the recipe below!

    Pakistani Aloo Gobi Sabzi
    Print Recipe
    5 from 10 votes

    Pakistani Aloo Gobi Sabzi (Potato Cauliflower Curry)

    Pakistani Aloo Gobi Sabzi is a simple vegetarian curry made of potato and cauliflower cooked in simple spices with tomatoes. This authentic aloo gobi recipe is my motherโ€™s, and itโ€™s an easy vegetable curry to make at home.
    Cook Time30 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Pakistani
    Keyword: Aaloo Gobi, Gobhi Aaloo
    Servings: 4
    Author: Sarah Mir

    Ingredients

    • ยผ cup oil
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • ยฝ cup onion, finely diced
    • 3 cups potatoes diced into 2 cm pieces
    • 2 cups cauliflower (half a small one)
    • 2-3 chopped tomatoes
    • 5-6 cloves garlic or 1 tsp garlic paste
    • ยฝ tsp ginger paste of freshly grated ginger
    • 1 tsp red chili powder
    • โ…“ tsp turmeric powder
    • ยฝ tsp coriander powder
    • ยพ tsp salt (minimum)

    Finishing Touches

    • 3 tbsp chopped cilantro
    • 3 sliced green chilies (or adjust to taste)
    • a squeeze of lemon juice
    • a pinch of pepper (optional)

    Instructions

    • Heat oil in a saute pan and add the cumin seeds, cook for 30 seconds
    • Add your onions and cook on medium high heat till the edges start to turn golden
    • Reduce the heat a little and add the ginger and garlic
    • Saute for a 30 seconds and add the ยพ tsp salt. If it starts to stick immediately add a small splash of water
    • Now in go your tomatoes and spice, mix them and cook on medium high heat stirring often until the excess water sautes out and you are left with a rich spice paste with oil rising above it (i..e bhunna) tip: expedite this by covering the pot with a lid for a minute or two.
    • Stir in your potatoes and then add the cauliflower on top. Mix gently and cook covered on low till both vegetables are tender - 20 to 25 minutes.
    • If at any point the veggies start to stick/burn add a tiny splash of water but not too much.
    • When the vegetables are cooked through taste a piece of cauliflower and potato together and adjust seasoning (I always add more salt at this stage)
    • Turn the stove off, top with the garnishes and cover for a minute or so to infuse aromas. Eat with chapati or naan.

    Video

    Notes

    • I used to do two things differently: one is that I added spices to the onion base before adding the tomatoes. However, depending on heat levels masalas can burn easily which is why I switched it to adding with tomatoes. If you were comfortable with the first approach and heat levels then absolutely stick to it. The second change is that I now dice my potato a little smaller and add it with my gobi for convenience. I was starting to find that my potatoes would be done and my gobi wouldn't.ย 
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Radha says

      July 15, 2014 at 11:30 am

      So instead of us meeting for a playdate, you do this and I sit in boring office talking about client issues ๐Ÿ™ going to make this in the next day or 2 will let you know ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        July 15, 2014 at 12:44 pm

        Please do ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    2. Anjana @ At The Corner Of Happy & Harried says

      July 15, 2014 at 12:46 pm

      I miss my mama's cocking all the time. We just never measure up, do we?!
      I love aloo-gobi, like you said there are numerous versions of it. I make a slightly more curried dish. Yours looks lovely. Shall try it soon ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        July 15, 2014 at 3:08 pm

        Hopefully through our blogs our kids will always know how to cook like mama! fingers crossed ๐Ÿ™‚ Is yours on your blog? Would love to try it

        Reply
        • Anjana @ At The Corner Of Happy & Harried says

          July 15, 2014 at 3:28 pm

          True that!
          I don't have the recipe on the blog, but it is very similar to this one with mushroom and peas. Like I said, I do a more curried version.
          http://happyandharried.wordpress.com/2013/09/13/mushroom-peas-masala/

          Reply
      • Laurel says

        May 16, 2016 at 5:26 pm

        I'm Canadian but I love these foods and I'm going to try this tonight. I just wanted to let you know that where you miss your mama's cooking, you accidentally put a naughty word in by spelling cooking wrong. you have a 'c' in the the third place. I don't know if you can change it....just thought I would let you know.
        Laurel

        Reply
    3. radhikasethi says

      July 15, 2014 at 1:59 pm

      It looks so tempting! I went through an aloo gobhi phase when I was in school. I ate only aloo gobhi everyday for quite some time....lol. Yep...It does taste heavenly with lemon ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        July 15, 2014 at 3:08 pm

        That's such a healthy thing to eat every day! You know unlike me... when I go through phases its usually pizza or ice cream lol

        Reply
        • radhikasethi says

          July 15, 2014 at 3:14 pm

          Hahaa.... I seem to be in an ice cream phase these days...lol. Will try your aloo gobi recipe Tom! Take care.

          Reply
    4. Faaiza.O says

      July 15, 2014 at 7:41 pm

      Yum, yum, yum! I love cauliflower and I love the word florets, I'm weird like that!

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        July 15, 2014 at 8:31 pm

        hahaha me too. I was pinning all these recipes for a while because they used the word florets in their description!

        Reply
    5. Aruna Panangipally says

      July 15, 2014 at 9:10 pm

      The best compliment I ever received for my cooking was "it tasted just like Amma's" Cooking and eating is such a sensory experience, isn't it? And so laden with elusive memories.

      I make a very similar aloo gobi, just more gobi and less aloo;and sometimes a handful of peas. ๐Ÿ™‚ and ever since I saw Bend It Like Beckham, the name aloo gobi has become synonymous with the movie.

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        July 15, 2014 at 10:09 pm

        Aruna I love you!!! I was dying to make a bend it like beckham reference in this piece but didnt know how many people would get it!!!!

        Reply
        • Aruna Panangipally says

          July 15, 2014 at 11:05 pm

          ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ™‚

          Reply
    6. Namrata says

      July 16, 2014 at 1:17 am

      we make it the same way too! Aloo gobhi is my absolute comfort food. I can have it with anything... roti, rice and even a slice of bread. A big thumbs up to your mom ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        July 16, 2014 at 8:57 am

        ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    7. MyNinjaNaan says

      July 16, 2014 at 7:37 am

      Aaah, I'm all too aware of the infamous post-its with mom's recipes lol!
      This looks great! I didn't grow up eating many sabziyaan, mostly because my father is a true karachiite and loves meat, but as of the past few years my tastes have been evolving and I'm growing to love veggies. One of my friend's mom makes AMAZING allu gobi, and I've been pulling at her to give me the recipe, but it's one of those "andaza" recipes. Yours looks very similar to that! Yeeeee so excited! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        July 16, 2014 at 8:57 am

        stupid andaza. I hate it. lol. let me know if you try this ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    8. dedy oktavianus pardede says

      July 21, 2014 at 12:04 pm

      wow, i love aloo goby and i think this aalu gobi is totally must try!!!
      ps: your photograph is stunning too my friend!!!

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        July 21, 2014 at 3:50 pm

        Thank you so much!! SO glad you stopped by ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    9. Divya @ Yum'e'licious says

      July 21, 2014 at 1:46 pm

      One of my all time favourite... You version looks gr8!

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        July 21, 2014 at 3:49 pm

        Thanks Divya!!!!

        Reply
    10. Sadaf F K. says

      July 21, 2014 at 3:07 pm

      Being the fan of both aloo and gobi, this dish is kinda winner for me. Thanks for sharing another great cuisine! ๐Ÿ™‚ xx

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        July 21, 2014 at 3:49 pm

        You are always so sweet! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    11. Lu @ SuperNummy says

      August 18, 2014 at 9:44 am

      Ahhhh this is one of my favorite dishes EVER. I need to make it asap! Thanks for sharing your mom's recipe ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • sarahjmir says

        August 18, 2014 at 3:48 pm

        thanks for stopping by Lu!!!

        Reply
    12. Janet says

      May 16, 2016 at 9:38 am

      My first time to make/eat aalu gobi, but since I'm eating a whole food plant based diet, I had all the ingredients on hand! Very yummy - I cut the recipe in half and cooked with no oil. Thanks!

      Reply
      • sarahjmir@gmail.com says

        May 16, 2016 at 5:52 pm

        Thank you so much for trying this Janet and I am SO SO happy you enjoyed it!!!

        Reply
    13. Sara Hage says

      May 17, 2016 at 3:44 pm

      I just made this. Great recipe - tasty and great the second or third day!

      Reply
      • sarahjmir@gmail.com says

        May 17, 2016 at 9:09 pm

        Awesome! That's great to hear - thanks for letting me know ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    14. Mary Lou says

      May 18, 2016 at 6:40 am

      i usually get take out at our Indian restaurant but wanted to learn how to cook Indian food myself. All I can say is "Dee-ee-ee-licious"!!! I cooked with coconut oil. I'm vegan and this dish is definitely a recipe I will frequently use. I'm even having it for breakfast today! Thanks for sharing and I'm looking forward to cooking your other recipes. Take joy!

      Reply
      • sarahjmir@gmail.com says

        May 18, 2016 at 2:45 pm

        Mary Lou! Thank you thank you thank you both for drying this recipe and for taking the time to share your thoughts! You have made my day ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    15. Eileen says

      June 06, 2016 at 12:30 pm

      Deelicious! Thanks for the helpful conversational style. So many recipes assume you will know to do certain things at the right moment - not!! Funny how we try to live up to family standards. Many years ago in Scotland my Aunt Agnes was the family baker par excellence. After sampling my first few attempts she told my mother "She'd better marry well for she's no hand wi' the pastry." I didn't bake again for years!

      Reply
      • sarahjmir@gmail.com says

        June 06, 2016 at 9:32 pm

        your story made me laugh out loud! I think Scottish families must display the frankness of Pakistani ones. My aunt whose a plastic surgeon would regularly tell me "it's a pity we can't do anything about your small eyes".

        thanks for sharing and for your comments. Both made me really happy ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    16. Floyd Jones says

      June 08, 2016 at 2:15 pm

      Tried this recipe last night. It was fantastic!

      Reply
      • sarahjmir@gmail.com says

        June 08, 2016 at 4:55 pm

        Thats great! thank you for letting me know! am thrilled ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    17. Beth says

      February 27, 2022 at 1:33 pm

      This is amazing! I've made it twice this week ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • Sarah Mir says

        April 04, 2022 at 7:27 pm

        Woohoo!!! I am THRILLED to hear it!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Sarah! Welcome to Flour & Spice, the foodie world of a Pakistani origin Canadian mama of two whose busy life and love for food means practicality reigns supreme! I love baking (duh!), my readers (extra duh!), reading, coffee, singing loudly slightly off key, and aprons.

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