A winter special, quick stir-fry - this aloo methi recipe is hearty, homey, and delicious. Made with potatoes and fenugreek leaves, aloo methi has less than 10 ingredients and is vegan and gluten free!

I absolutely love stir fry recipes and when methi is in season, Dr. A and I try to make it as many times as we can. Popularly known as aloo methi ki sabji (translates into a vegetable dish made with potatoes and fenugreek leaves), this recipe is quick, and delicious when paired with a roti or fresh wholewheat flatbread.
We do not always get a lot of fresh methi in the stores in the United States but when I see it in the store, I grab a few bunches to make this aloo methi recipe or to make methi wali makki ki roti (flatbreads). I have talked a lot about the popularity of using potatoes in vegetable dishes in Punjabi cooking like aloo gobhi (potatoes and cauliflower), aloo gajar mutter (potatoes, carrots, and peas), and so on. So it's almost a no-brainer that fresh fenugreek leaves or methi also gets paired with the humble yet all-star aloo (potato).
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✨What you'll love about this recipe?
- Ready in less than 30 minutes - with the most time needed to prep the fenugreek leaves. The cooking portion of this recipe is ridiculously simple.
- Basic ingredients - other than the methi leaves, you only need ingredients that you will have in your kitchen - ginger, garlic (or use ginger garlic paste), cumin seeds, turmeric, and potatoes.
- Naturally vegan and gluten-free - recipe that is packed with seasonal goodness.
📋Recipe Ingredients
- Potatoes - use your favorite kind of potatoes. I love red potatoes in my aloo methi sabzi.
- Fenugreek Leaves (methi) - have to be fresh. This recipe will not turn out the same if you use frozen methi leaves or rehydrated kasoori methi (dried fenugreek)
- Mustard Oil - I use mustard oil to make aloo methi because that is what is traditionally used. It's slightly pungent yet aromatic notes are unmatched.
Remember to check out the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.
👩🍳Steps to make this recipe
Methi is slightly bitter in taste so I do not use a lot in this recipe. I have used methi leaves from two bunches. If my mom was making this recipe, she'll use four!
Plan ahead: Stripping methis leaves from the stems and then giving them 2-3 rinses in a lot of water to get rid of any dirt is by far the most time consuming part of this recipe.
Step 1: If using mustard oil, heat it up on high heat to a smoke point in a cast iron skillet. Turn the heat off and let the oil cool a little bit before adding cumin seeds (Image 1). Turn the heat back on and let the cumin seeds crackle.
Step 2: Now add turmeric powder and minced ginger and garlic (Image 2) (or ginger garlic paste).
Step 3: Add the cubed potatoes to the oil (Image 3), mix, and cook for 5-6 minutes, until slightly crispy and browned.
Step 4: Add the chopped methi leaves and salt (Image 4).
Step 5: Mix everything. The salt and the fenugreek leaves will release some moisture together (Image 5). We must cook the aloo methi until this moisture evaporates and the potatoes are cooked.
Step 6: After about 7-8 minutes of cooking on medium-high heat, check the potatoes for doneness and adjust salt if needed. Your aloo methi is ready (Image 6).
💡Vaishali's Tips!
- Make it in a cast iron pan - to achieve the best results!
- Wash the fenugreek leaves well - since they usually have dirt on them. I fill up the sink with water and rinse the leaves well. Repeat 2-3 times or until there is no dirt particles in the water.
📖Substitutions, Additions and Variations
- Oil - instead of mustard oil, you can use olive oil or avocado oil
- Amchur/dry mango powder - use a generous pinch of amchur or dry mango powder to finish the dish. It will take away some of the bitterness of methi leaves
- Ghee - my mom likes to bhoono a serving of aloo methi in a small saute pan before serving. Just heat up some ghee in a pan, add about a cup of aloo methi and saute it in ghee to crisp it up and deepen the flavors. So good!!
- Add more methi to enhance the methi flavor in this dish. You can add one more bunch of methi to the same quantity of potatoes.
- Make it spicy - add chopped serrano or thai chili pepper along with turmeric and ginger garlic to increase the spice level of your aloo methi.
🫙Storage, freezing, and reheating instructions
Store in the fridge for 3-4 days in airtight containers. Reheat in the microwave or a small saute pan (on medium-high heat) before serving with fresh rotis.
❓FAQ
You can use anything sour - like amchur powder or even lime juice to cut some of that bitterness
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you make this recipe be sure to leave a comment and let me know how you liked it! Share it on Instagram with the hashtag #thekitchendocs or share on Facebook, too.
Love – Vaishali
Aloo Methi
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups methi or fenugreek leaves packed
- 4 potatoes about 1 lb (450 grams)
- 2 tablespoon mustard oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger or grated
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic or grated
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Pluck methi leaves off of the stems and wash them a couple of times in a lot of water until no dirt remains. Give the washed leaves a rough chop.
- Wash the potatoes and cube them. You can choose to peel the potatoes if you like.
- Set a cast iron pan on high heat, add mustard oil and heat it until smoke comes out. Turn the heat off and let the oil cool slightly.
- Add cumin seeds and turn the heat back on to medium-high. Once the cumin seeds crackle, add turmeric powder, ginger and garlic. Mix and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the cubed potatoes, mix and cook for 5-6 minutes or until the potatoes are slightly brown and crisp.
- Now add the chopped methi leaves along with salt. Mix everything. The salt and the fenugreek leaves will release some moisture together. We must cook the aloo methi until this moisture evaporates and the potatoes are cooked.
- After about 7-8 minutes of cooking on medium-high heat, check the potatoes for doneness and adjust salt if needed. Your aloo methi is ready. Serve it warm with fresh rotis.
Notes
- Ginger Garlic paste - use 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste instead of minced ginger and garlic. I love my homemade ginger garlic paste.
- Oil - instead of mustard oil, you can use olive oil or avocado oil
- Amchur/dry mango powder - use a generous pinch of amchur or dry mango powder to finish the dish. It will take away some of the bitterness of methi leaves
- Ghee - my mom likes to bhoono a serving of aloo methi in a small saute pan before serving. Just heat up some ghee in a pan, add about a cup of aloo methi and saute it in ghee to crisp it up and deepen the flavors. So good!!
- Add more methi to enhance the methi flavor in this dish. You can add one more bunch of methi to the same quantity of potatoes.
- Spice it up - you can add one serrao or thai pepper, finely chopped, when you add turmeric and ginger garlic to add some spice to your aloo methi.
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