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tikka masala pasta served in a cast iron skillet sprinkled with herbs
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5 from 4 votes

Tikka Masala Pasta

Tikka Masala Pasta is a creamy tomato onion gravy coated with boiled pasta, making for one of the most delicious fusion Indian-Italian dishes.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Course: Dinner, lunch
Cuisine: Indian, Italian
Servings: 4
Author: Madhavi Kadaba

Ingredients

To cook Pasta

  • 10 oz pasta ( I used farfalle pasta)
  • 2 teaspoons salt

For the Sauce

  • 2 ½ tablespoon oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 inch cinnamon stick
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 medium onion
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 serrano pepper, finely chopped or use 1-2 Indian green chili
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 inch ginger, grated
  • 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder ( or any mild red chili powder) see note
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin powder
  • 2 teaspoon tomato paste
  • 1 ¾ cup tomato sauce ( or pureed tomato)
  • ¼ teaspoon sugar
  • salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon dry fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup water
  • handful of chopped coriander leaves
  • lemon or lime juice to taste (optional)

Instructions

Cooking pasta in the Instant pot 

  • Add farfalle pasta, salt and water to the steel insert of the instant pot. The water level should be 2 to 3 inches above the pasta.
  • Close the lid in sealing position and adjust the time to 3 minutes. ( The time will vary depending on the kind of pasta used)
  • After the cooking time is done, wait for 5 minutes ( not more than that) and release the rest of the pressure.
  • The pasta should be al dente. Taste the pasta to see if it is cooked to your liking. If not press the saute mode and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain the Pasta and set a side.

Cooking Pasta on stove top

  • In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add salt to the boiling water and stir till dissolved.
  • Add pasta, mix it few times and cook according to package instructions until al dente.

Cooking the Masala

  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cumin seeds, cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Sauté for 30-45 seconds.
  • Add the finely diced onion and quarter teaspoon of salt. Cook for 5 minutes, do not brown. Add the finely chopped serrano pepper ( or green chili), ginger, garlic and turmeric and saute for one minute.
  • Add Kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and tomato paste. Cook for 45 seconds. If you feel the spices are burning add little water.
  •  Add the tomato sauce ( or the pureed tomato) and sugar and cook for 7-8 minutes till tomato starts leaving the side of the pan.
  • Add butter, garam masala and kasuri methi ( fenugreek leaves). Lightly crush the fenugreek leaves before adding. Stir and cook for one minutes.
  • Add cream and water and mix it well. Check for seasoning and adjust the salt or spices. Simmer for couple of minutes till you can see some bubbles.
  • Add the cooked and drained pasta and cook for a minute.
  • Finely add some chopped coriander and lemon juice (optional). Serve the tikka masala pasta warm.

Notes

Serrano peppers are typically not used in Indian cooking. They are spicier than jalapeno but add lot of flavor to the recipes. If not available you can use Indian small green chili ( about 1-2).
Before adding the cooked pasta to the masala sauce, you may want to reserve a small portion of the sauce and add as needed.