Aloo kofta recipe with step by step photos. Potato cheese patties or balls or koftas as we call them served on a bed of rich creamy spiced gravy. They make for a rich and delicious dinner when served with a side of roti, paratha, naan or cumin rice.
First time I had potato kofta curry at a friend’s place many many years back. The curry was made by her mom. The gravy was a tomato based one and the koftas had potatoes and paneer in them. It was the simplest kofta curry I have had till date and very homely. One of the best kofta curry of which the taste still lingers.
I make aloo kofta curry occasionally for a weekend lunch. For the kofta, I keep a simple stuffing and use minimal spices. Here the gravy is not a simple homely one, but slightly rich and restaurant style. It tastes more like a makhani gravy.
Koftas are deep fried balls that can be made from minced meat, veggies or paneer or cheese. A few such popular kofta varieties on blog are:
In this recipe, the kofta are made from potatoes and grated cheese. I have shallow fried the kofta instead of deep frying and shaped them in patties or tikki.
This aloo kofta gravy is good for small get-togethers or parties or weekend lunch or dinners. The recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to make a bigger batch. Serve aloo kofta with rotis, naan, paratha or jeera rice or steamed basmati rice.
Step-by-Step Guide
How to make Aloo Kofta
Prepping:
1. First rinse 2 large potatoes (250 grams) in fresh water. Then boil or steam the potatoes in a stovetop pressure cooker or steamer or pan or Instant pot adding water as required.
The potatoes should be thoroughly cooked. Allow them to become warm.
2. In another pan or bowl, heat water till it boils. Then add 2 large tomatoes (200 grams), 1 large onion (100 grams) and 15 almonds.
You can heat the water in a pan, electric heater or microwave. Cover and keep aside for 20 minutes. Instead of almonds, you can also use 14 to 15 cashews.
3. Roughly chop the onions, tomatoes and add to the grinder or blender. Also peel the almonds and add them to the grinder.
4. Grind or blend to a smooth paste. Cover and keep aside. No need to add any water while grinding to a paste.
Preparing aloo kofta
1. When the potatoes, become warm, peel them. Mash very well with a potato masher.
2. Grate 20 grams of cheese. You should get ¼ cup of grated cheese. Here I used processed cheese. You can also use paneer.
3. Now add the grated cheese, 1.5 tablespoon corn starch, salt and ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper to the mashed potatoes. Instead of black pepper, you can add chopped green chilies or red chili powder in the koftas.
4. Mix very well.
5. Make medium sized balls from the kofta mixture and flatten them slightly.
Frying aloo kofta
6. Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a tawa or griddle. First place a small portion of the mixture to check if it breaks or not.
7. If the tiny kofta does not break, then you can safely place the koftas in the hot oil. If breaking, then add more corn starch (½ to 1 tablespoon more) to bind the mixture.
If you use grated paneer, then again you will need to add more corn starch, then what is mentioned in the recipe, as paneer leaves moisture.
8. Turn over when one side gets golden.
9. Fry the other side of aloo kofta and flip again once or twice to get an even golden color. You can also deep fry the koftas instead of shallow frying.
10. Place the aloo kofta which are done on kitchen paper towels to absorb extra oil. Continue frying the ones which are not done. Keep the koftas aside.
Making aloo kofta gravy
1. Take the same oil in which the koftas were fried in a pan or kadai. You can also take 2 tablespoon of fresh oil. Add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and 2 small tej patta or 1 medium to large tej patta (Indian bay leaf).
2. Add the ground tomato-onion-almond paste.
3. Stir very well.
4. Add 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste. Stir.
5. Then add the following spice powders – ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder or deghi mirch and 1 teaspoon coriander powder.
6. Stir and saute till the mixture thickens and you see oil specks releasing from the sides and top of the mixture.
7. Add water.
8. Stir very well and bring the gravy to a simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
9. Add salt according to taste.
10. Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar or add as required.
11. Stir and then add 3 tablespoon cream, ¼ to ½ teaspoon garam masala powder and ½ teaspoon crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves).
Add ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder, if homemade. If store brought then you can add ½ teaspoon garam masala powder.
12. Stir very and switch off the stove top. Don’t add the koftas directly to the gravy in the pan. As the koftas will break since these are light and soft textured potato koftas.
Pour the gravy in a serving plate or bowl. Place the aloo kofta on top of the gravy. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and Serve aloo kofta with Indian flatbread like naan or paratha or Malabar parotta or roti or with rice-based dish like cumin rice or veg pulao.
More Potato recipes
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Aloo Kofta
Potato patties or koftas in a creamy, rich makhani style gravy.
Prep Time 45 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 1 hr 5 mins
Prevent your screen from going dark while making the recipe
preparation for aloo kofta
First boil or steam 2 large potatoes (250 grams) till they are thoroughly cooked. Allow them to become warm.
In another pan or bowl, heat water till it boils and add 2 large tomatoes (200 grams), 1 large onion (100 grams) and 15 almonds.
You can heat the water in a pan, electric heater or microwave. Cover and keep aside for 20 minutes.
Roughly chop the onions, tomatoes and add to the grinder and blender. Also peel the almonds and add to the grinder. Instead of almonds, you can use cashews.
Grind to a smooth paste. Keep aside.
making aloo kofta
When the potatoes, become warm, peel them. Mash very well with a potato masher.
Grate 20 grams cheese. You should get 1/4 cup grated cheese. Here I used processed cheese. You can also use paneer.
Now add the grated cheese, 1.5 tbsp corn starch, salt and 1/2 tsp crushed black pepper to the mashed potatoes.
Instead of black pepper, you can add chopped green chilies or red chili powder in the koftas. Mix very well.
Shape in medium sized patties.
frying aloo kofta
Heat 4 tbsp oil in a tawa or griddle. First place a small portion of the mixture to check if it breaks or not.
If the tiny kofta does not break, then you can safely place the koftas in the hot oil.
If breaking, then add more corn starch to bind the mixture. If you use grated paneer, then you will need to add more corn starch as paneer will leave moisture.
Turn over when one side gets golden.
Fry the other side and flip again to get an even golden color. You can also deep fry aloo koftas instead of shallow frying.
Place the aloo koftas which are done on kitchen paper towels. Continue frying the ones which are not done. Keep the koftas aside.
making aloo kofta gravy
Take the same oil in which the koftas were fried in a pan or kadai. You can also take 2 tbsp fresh oil. Add 1/2 cumin seeds and 2 small tej patta or 1 medium to large tej patta.
Add the ground tomato-onion-almond paste.
Stir very well. Add 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste. Stir.
Then add the spice powders – 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp kashmiri chili powder or deghi mirch, 1 tsp coriander powder.
Stir and saute till the mixture thickens and you see oil specks releasing from the sides and top of the mixture.
Add water. Stir very well bring the aloo kofta gravy to a simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add salt. Add sugar.
Stir and then add 3 tbsp cream, 1/4 tsp garam masala powder and 1/2 tsp kasuri methi, crushed. Add 1/4 tsp garam masala powder if homemade. If store brought than you can add 1/2 tsp garam masala powder.
Stir very and switch off the stove top.
Pour the gravy in a serving plate or bowl. Place the aloo kofta on the gravy.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve aloo kofta with rotis, naan or jeera rice.
This Aloo Kofta post from the archives first published on August 2015 has been republished and updated in January 2023.
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