Vegan Instant Pot Methi Chicken Curry Recipe with Soy Curls (2024)

Published: Feb 12, 2020 by Richa 61 Comments

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This Vegan Curry recipe with soy curls and creamy Fenugreek Onion Sauce makes for an amazing vegan version of Indian Methi Chicken. Any easy Indian Instant Pot recipe that is gluten-free, nut-free & comes with a soy-free option. Jump to Recipe

Who’s in the mood for vegan curries!? This time I’ve veganized an all-time Indian favorite: Fenugreek Chicken aka. Methi Chicken – a hearty spicy Indian curry with the amazing flavor of fenugreek leaves coming through in every bite.

While many vegan versions of chicken curries use chickpeas, potatoes or tofu as a meat substitute, I’m using soy curls.

Soy curls are a plant-based chikin substitute. . They make an amazing carrier for the fragrant creamy onion fenugreek sauce and have such a satisfyingly chewy on-the-point texture. You can use seitan, other meat subs, or chickpeas or baked tofu/veggies.

This vegan soy curl curry is so full of flavor and is seriously very easy to make either in an Instant Potor on the stovetop.

Ingredients used for making this Vegan Methi Chicken Curry recipe :

Methi/fenugreek leaves: Dried fenugreek (kasoori methi) is available in Indian stores and online on amazon. Definitely get some, I use it in many recipes and I am sure you will enjoy its unique taste. Fenugreek has an amazing flavor profile, bitter but pleasing with a slightly sweet, nutty flavor often described as a cross between celery and maple. You can use ground mustard + celery seeds as a substitute when used in small quantities.
Non-dairy milk makes this Instant Pot dish rich and creamy. Cashew milk or any other plant-based milk works here. A thicker non dairy milk will give a creamy , rich gravy. You could also use unsweetened soy or oat cream.
Non-dairy yogurt for extra tang, lusciousness, and creaminess. You could also use coconut cream.
Soy curls made from non-GMO soybeans are a textured soy product that closely resembles the texture and mouthfeel of meat. A relatively new and wonderful way to bump up the plant-based protein of all your favorite curries and stews. No need to rehydrate them for this recipe.
Whole and ground dried spices: cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and other warming ground spices such as coriander, turmeric, garam masala and cumin for that signature Indian flavor.
Fresh seasonings: fresh ginger and green chili for some heat.

Tips and substitutions:

To make this vegan curry recipe soy-free, you could use seitan, jackfruit or a can of beans or chickpeas.
You can stir in some coconut oil or vegan butter with the non-dairy milk to make this vegan curry taste even more like a restaurant-style dish.
For an oil-free version, cook the onion in broth instead of oil.
To take this Indian Instant Pot curry to the next level, serve it topped with some chopped cilantro, crushed red pepper flakes and freshly cut wedges of lime for some zing. Serve with rice, naan or any other flatbread.

How to make this Vegan Methi Chicken Curry recipe – Step by Step:

Prepare your ingredients: Have the whole and ground spices ready and mince the onions and garlic.

Start the Instant Pot and set to saute mode. Add oil and wait for it to get hot.

Add whole spices and mix for a few seconds until they get fragrant, then add the minced onions and saute until translucent. You can add the garlic now if you don’t want to blend the garlic with the tomato.

Blend the tomato, tomato paste, garlic, ginger, and green chili with 3/4 cup water.

Add ground spices and mix in. Add the tomato mixture to the instant pot and mix it in. Switch off the saute mode.

Add the dried soy curls, salt, sugar, yogurt and mix in. Close the lid of the instant pot and pressure cook for everything 15 mins.

Now, wait for natural steam release.

Open the lid and add the nondairy milk and bring the curry to a boil on saute mode. Taste the curry and adjust salt and seasoning.

Add garam masala or ground coriander along with the fenugreek leaves and mix to combine. Switch off the saute mode as you don’t want to boil the fenugreek for too long.

How to serve this vegan chicken methi curry?

I like this best when served with basmati rice. However, it also tastes amazing with some homemade naan bread. Garnish your vegan soy curl curry with cilantro and pepper flakes and serve with some lime wedges if you want to add some zing.

How to reheat this vegan chicken curry?

You can double the recipe if you want to cook a big batch and reheat any leftovers in a pot on the stove or in the microwave the next day.

More Vegan Indian recipes from the blog:

Vegan Butter Chicken
Methi Malai Paneer
Bombay Potato and Peas
Tofu Pasanda
Tofu in Spinach Curry – Saag Tofu
Vegetable Jalfrezi– Veggies in smoky tangy curry
Gobi Broccoli Makhani
Tempeh Tikka Masala with Kale

Recipe Card

Print Recipe

5 from 13 votes

Instant Pot Vegan Methi Chicken Currywith Creamy Fenugreek Onion Sauce

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Natural release10 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: vegan chicken curry, vegan Instant pot curry, vegan soy curls recipe

Servings: 4

Calories: 181.32kcal

Author: Vegan Richa

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Ingredients

1 tsp oil or use 2 tbsp broth for oil-free
2 bay leaves
3 green cardamom pods opened
3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick (2 inch)
1/2 onion finely chopped
1 (1 to) tomato
1 tbsp tomato paste
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 inch ginger (1/2 inch cube)
1 hot or mild green chile , I use serrano
3/4 cup (6.61 oz) water
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar or sweetener or more to taste
1.5 cup (183 g) soy curls (dry, not rehydrated)
1/2 cup (122.5 g) Non dairy yogurt
3/4 cup (177.44 ml) non-dairy milk or more to preference , such as almond milk, cashew milk, soy milk, coconut milk or oat milk
3 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
garam masala or coriander to taste
1/4 cup (4 g) cilantro for garnish

Instructions

Start the Instant Pot on saute mode. Add the oil and wait for it to get hot. Add the whole spices and mix for a few seconds until fragrant, then add the minced onions and saute until translucent. (You can add in the garlic here if you don't want to blend the garlic with the tomato.)
Blend the tomato, tomato paste, garlic, ginger, chili with 3/4 cup water.
Add ground spices and mix them in. Add tomato mixture to the IP and mix it in. Switch off saute mode.
Add the dried soy curls, salt, sugar, dairy-free yogurt and mix in. Close the lid and pressure cook for 15 mins, natural release
Open the lid and add the non-dairy milk and bring to a boil. Taste and adjust salt and flavor.
Add garam masala or ground coriander and fenugreek leaves and mix in. Switch off the saute mode at this point as you don't want to boil the fenugreek for too long to not lose the flavor.
Serve garnished with cilantro, red pepper flakes, and some freshly cut lime wedges. Tastes best with rice or some naan flatbread.
Store refrigerated for upto 3 days. Reheat with additional non dairy milk as the sauce will tend to dry out.
Saucepan: Blend the tomato, tomato paste, ginger, garlic, chili with 1/4 cup water. Follow steps 1,2,3 in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the tomato mixture until thickened and slightly roasted. (7 to 10 mins).Add the soy curls, non dairy yogurt, salt and sugar and mix in. cook for 3 mins. Add in the non dairy milk and 3/4 cup water and continue too cook until the soy curls are tender.(7 to 10 mins). Add garam masala/ Taste and adjust.

Video

Notes

To make this vegan curry recipe soy-free, you could use seitan, jackfruit or a can of beans or chickpeas.
You can stir in some coconut oil or vegan butter with the non-dairy milk to make this vegan curry taste even more like a restaurant-style dish.
For an oil-free version, cook the onion in broth instead of oil.

To make with veggies or tofu: Pressure cook the sauce without the soy curls till step 4. Add baked tofu or roasted veggies and mix in. Add a bit of non dairy milk based or sauce thickness preference and simmer on saute for 3 to 4 mins

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Instant Pot Vegan Methi Chicken Currywith Creamy Fenugreek Onion Sauce

Amount Per Serving

Calories 181.32Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 2.96g5%

Saturated Fat 0.77g5%

Cholesterol 3.98mg1%

Sodium 520.29mg23%

Potassium 218.74mg6%

Carbohydrates 19.4g6%

Fiber 7.83g33%

Sugar 8.53g9%

Protein 19.29g39%

Vitamin A 414.95IU8%

Vitamin C 8.97mg11%

Calcium 235.74mg24%

Iron 4.73mg26%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Did you make this recipe?Please do leave a comment and rating below.. Tag me on Instagram @veganricha

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Comments

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Ann
October 29, 2023 at 11:18 am
Hi Richa – I just discovered your blog and all your recipes look amazing! I am not a vegan but want to eat more plant based meals. I am currently trying out this soy curls recipe (first time trying soy curls). I have a couple if questions:
1. Can you please confirm the weight measurement for the soy curls? The recipe card says 1.5 cups = 183g. I weighed it but the amount of soy curls is double the 1.5 cups! I ended up going with the cup measurement for now.
2. Can I use the dairy equivalent wherever non-dairy ingredients are used? For example, can I use butter, milk, and yogurt?
Thanks!
Reply
- Richa
  October 29, 2023 at 11:43 am
  Use the cup measure.
  Reply
Julie
May 27, 2023 at 4:34 pm

Oh wow! So “meaty” and delicious! I tripled this recipe. I used a combination of jackfruit, chickpeas and soy curls. I added some extra garam masala and left out the cayenne (it gives me heartburn). Fanastic over rice or with vegan naan. Yum!
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  June 01, 2023 at 7:15 pm
  thank you!
  Reply
Vegan4Animals
April 26, 2022 at 12:12 pm

This is really good. I made it last night. I just put it all in the Instant Pot with no sautéing or other steps. I don’t know if it would taste better if I did that but we both really liked it!
Reply
- Richa
  April 26, 2022 at 1:21 pm
  Yay
  Reply
Natalie
July 19, 2021 at 8:54 am

I misread the instructions for mixing in the ground spices (since it came after the blender step, I threw them in with the blender mixture before it went into the pot, because I didn’t watch the video), but it still tasted great. Will definitely make again. Also a forgiving recipe if your IP decides to randomly lose pressure and you end up having to start over. I used oat milk because I need to keep my sat fat down and was pleasantly surprised it still was super delicious without using coconut milk like I typically do with Indian recipes.
It’s peak tomato season right now so I had no issues with the tomato for now, but would you say probably half a can of drained diced tomatoes should sub ok when fresh tomatoes go out of season and are too sad?
Glad I finally bought the kasoori methi and look forward to using more!
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  July 22, 2021 at 10:53 am
  wow, keep overcoming those obstcles
  Reply
Sandy
April 18, 2021 at 4:59 am
Hi Richa, I love your recipes and so looking forward to your Instant Pot Book.
I don’t use soya and would be grateful if you could tell me please if I am using the alternatives you mention, ie tinned Jackfruit or Seitan would I add it at the same time as you add soya curls or after cooking the sauce.
Many thanks
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  April 19, 2021 at 2:00 pm
  thank you! you would add it when you would have added the soy curls =)
  Reply
  - sandy
    April 20, 2021 at 2:00 am
    Thank you
    Reply
Kelly Caiazzo
February 15, 2021 at 8:24 am

This was so delicious and our 9 and 10 year old loved it (they’re also big fans of Vegan Richa’s eggplant baignan and butter soy curls). We left out the chili for them but everything else was made as called for and it was incredible! We did get a burn notification on our instant pot and had to add more water, but once we did and scraped the bottom it was fine. Will absolutely be making this again! We used Forager cashew brand yogurt, unsweetened plain.
Reply
N.C.
August 15, 2020 at 3:02 pm

We enjoyed this dish a lot. I did not use my IP because I opted to serve the Soy Curls over quinoa, so I used our IP to make the quinoa, and made the sauce on the stove. I didn’t cook the Soy Curls in the sauce as directed, though. I don’t care for the soft mushy texture of Soy Curls after they’ve rehydrated and cooked in sauces. Instead, I rehydrated them in Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Broth, and then baked them for 20 minutes at 350 degrees, stirring half way through. This gives the Soy Curls a more chewy texture, which we prefer. I put the Soy Curls on top of the quinoa, and then ladled the sauce over the top.
Question: How do you remove the cloves (along with the bay leaves and cinnamon stick) before serving? I couldn’t easily see the cloves to remove them, so I had a couple of bites where I bit down on a clove, and that was all I could taste, which was off putting.
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  August 16, 2020 at 6:19 pm
  awesome! thanks for the rating and the info! You could grind them in a coffee grinder or use a
  ‘bouquet garni’ tie them in a pouch of cheesecloth tied with kitchen twine
  Reply
Samta Jain
June 24, 2020 at 9:15 pm

This is such a delicious dish! I had never heard of soy curls until I tried this and they’re tasty and filling. We don’t miss roti at all. I have shared the Vegan Richa website with many friends. I appreciate all the hard work you do on each recipe, especially vegan Indian cuisine as well as a variety of desserts.
Reply
Maia
May 30, 2020 at 4:02 pm

Seriously amazing recipe with depth and character. The variation of spices creates a unique flavor. I bought Fenugreek seeds not the Fenugreek leaves and did NOT use them, because I did a quick research on using seeds in place of the leaves and it would have been a mistake. Instead the internet said that Maple Syrup has a similar molecular compound so I used a tiny bit of that instead. I couldn’t find Fenugreek leaves at the market that’s why the change. I added about 1/2 tsp of garem masala not coriander. I added some Kosher salt to taste after it was made and that really made a difference. Also, I had never used Soy Curls before and never used an Insta-Pot for sautéing so that was fun and it worked out really well. Thank you Richa for an incredible recipe. My husband who is mostly and newly vegan really liked this dish too. Looking forward to making other meals with soy curls. BTW: for the person who posted re: the tomato…I used 2 Tomatoes and that I believe was the correct amount of tomato to use. Hope that helps.
Reply
- maia
  May 30, 2020 at 4:05 pm
  I should clarify …re: the tomato. I doubled this recipe that’s why I used 2 tomatoes and 1/2 tsp garam masala. If I was making the original recipe it would have been one tomato instead. Hope this helps to clarify
  Reply
Holly
May 22, 2020 at 5:33 pm

This is a real winner Richa! Such a delicious sauce. This was my first time using soy curls. What a great introduction to them! Thanks for an awesome dinner tonight 😊
Reply
Ponnington
April 10, 2020 at 11:24 pm
Hi Richa! I am really looking forward to making this on Sunday evening. I hope you can help me clear up two things:
1. The recipe calls for 1 and 1/2 cups or 354 g of dry soy curls. These don’t seem to be equivalent. A whole bag of Butler Soy Curls is 227 g before being rehydrated. 1 and 1/2 cups appears to be less than a whole bag. Which quantity should I use?
2. I am planning to cook this dish in a regular pot. May I confirm that I should be adding the soy curls dry and not rehydrating them? I don’t have much experience cooking with soy curls as I only brought a few bags home with me after a trip to the U.S., so any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  April 24, 2020 at 9:32 am
  See Also
  Baked Nippattu Recipe | Iyengar Bakery style Baking Nippattu
  Hi Ponnington! You will need more than one bag as 1.5 cups is 354g. it’s 1.5 cups dry and yes, you just add them in dry without rehydrating them as they will become hydrated during the cooking process.
  Reply
  - Shilpa Sharma
    November 13, 2020 at 2:01 pm
    Hi Richa, thanks for all these wonderful recipes! I agree with Ponnington’s comment above. I too was confused about the 1.5 cups, as that’s definitely not 354 g of soy curls. Even in your butter ‘chicken’ recipe with soy curls you’ve listed 1 c of soy curls as 55 g (which is about right for me).
    Anyway, just wanted to point that out as it may be worth modifying (if people don’t scroll down to the comments).
    Take care!
    Reply
    - Richa
      November 13, 2020 at 2:08 pm
      The widget which provides conversion sometimes picks up wrong values from the database, let me check
      Reply
    - Richa
      November 13, 2020 at 4:56 pm
      Updated to 183 g
      Reply
- Richa
  November 13, 2020 at 4:55 pm
  Hi ponnington, yes you use them without rehydration and you are right the weight was wrong on the widget. You need just 180g
  Reply
Adhi
April 10, 2020 at 11:12 pm

Hi Richa,
Could you tell me, please, how much do the timings change if instead of an instant pot I use a pressure cooker? Thank you!
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  April 24, 2020 at 12:22 pm
  yes, just cook for the time counting from the time the the cooker comes to pressure
  Reply
Mary Sanders
March 24, 2020 at 8:39 pm
Can’t wait to make this! I found soy curls at a Natural Grocers store for about half the price they would have been from Amazon. Already have. the kasoori methi and the other Indian spices so will probably make this (stovetop) this weekend. Diabetes has flared up again so will probably be eating it with cauliflower rice; know that you have some good-looking recipes for it. Thanks for everything!
Reply
Maneesha
March 23, 2020 at 7:57 am

Amazing recipe, Richa! I made this with canned chickpeas and pressure cooked for 5 mins. Amazing flavor!! Thanks so much! I love your website and have both your cookbooks! I’ve also gifted your books to my friends. Any plans for a 3rd? 🙂
Reply
- Richa
  March 23, 2020 at 1:03 pm
  Thank you Maneesha! I am writing on on instant pot. its delayed now with all the unceretainty. Testing recipes is harder with limited resources. But hopefully things will be on track to get done by end of year then editing and all that.
  Reply
  - Maneesha
    March 25, 2020 at 7:09 am
    Wowww that’s AWESOME NEWS!! I love your blog and your cookbooks!
    Reply
  - Lori
    October 16, 2020 at 4:20 am
    I’m THRILLED to hear you’re working on an Instant Pot book! I hope this is still in the works. Your other two books are my hands-down favorites — I’ve never been so excited about cooking! — and this third book will fill a serious void in my collection. All of the time and energy you put into your recipes, blog, and books is very appreciated and helps to make this world a better place. Thank you!
    Reply
    - Vegan Richa Support
      October 16, 2020 at 9:40 am
      wow Lori, I can’t thank you enough for your support!!! Your enthusiasm is infectious! I love it. I’m so pleased
      Reply
Avni Levy
March 18, 2020 at 3:23 pm
Thanks! Do you recommend soaking them before?
Reply
- Richa
  March 18, 2020 at 7:32 pm
  i havent really used them, so id say try either way
  Reply
Avni
March 17, 2020 at 6:20 pm
Can I use Nutrella nuggets instead of soy curls?
Reply
- Richa
  March 18, 2020 at 3:19 pm
  you can, you’ll need tot cook them longer as thy are harder and chewier
  Reply
Kody
March 12, 2020 at 6:23 pm
Quick question.
How much dried spice would you sub for the whole spices? Such as the cardamom pods, clove and cinnamon sticks.
Also, very excited to try this recipe out. I bought dried Fenugreek specifically for it!
Reply
- Tess
  May 21, 2020 at 9:48 am
  Would using vegan sour cream work instead of yogurt? It’s hard to find small portions of yogurt in the store and I don’t use it too often. Thanks for any thoughts!
  Reply
  - Vegan Richa Support
    May 21, 2020 at 11:35 am
    Yes, that will work.
    Reply
Jenny Knight
March 02, 2020 at 10:03 am
I just sent your Every Day cookbook and your Indian cookbook to my sisters in Minnesota (I already own them). They like curry and are trying to eat less meat and dairy. I hope to make vegans out of them!
Is this a recipe in which I could substitute the ground mustard and celery seeds for the fenugreek? I can’t eat fenugreek because it is related to peanuts and gives me a similar allergic reaction. Are the celery seeds ground also? Would I use 3 tsp of the two combined (not 3 of each, I assume)?
Reply
- Richa
  March 02, 2020 at 6:53 pm
  1/4th tsp of ground mustard
  1/4th tsp of celery seeds (not ground).
  Reply
Savi Rajan
February 18, 2020 at 9:35 am
Hi Richa,
Please advise me where can I get soy curls? I live in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Thank you.
Reply
- Richa
  March 08, 2020 at 2:55 pm
  On amazon, seems expensive. You can also use other substitutes like Seitan.
  Reply
Sarah
February 17, 2020 at 1:14 pm

this is sooooo good. I just love the flavors (which are lingering in my mouth as I type this). I used the stovetop method as I am sans IP. A fabulous recipe! Thank you Richa!
Reply
DrewT
February 16, 2020 at 11:35 pm
I usually don’t post about recipes I haven’t tried, but I know I will be trying this one, and if it’s half as good as your butterless chickenless butter chicken I will love it. I am so grateful for your site, and the obvious hard work you put into it. There are a couple of vegan cooking sites I follow closely, but if I were going to recommend just one, yours is it — hands down.
Reply
- Richa
  February 17, 2020 at 12:03 pm
  Thank you so much for this wonderful note!! It brightens up my day!
  Reply
Maren
February 15, 2020 at 1:58 pm

I just made this for dinner! It’s so delicious! Love the combination of spices. The dish has a rich, complex flavor. The cilantro on top is a perfect compliment. I can’t wait to eat the leftovers! <3
Reply
Ingrid Scott
February 15, 2020 at 1:37 pm

I made this today, and we loved it. I had ordered and used the Methi leaves and not the ground fenugreek that I had. Thank you for answering my question.
The only thing I did differently, I used a small can of tomatoes with chilies instead of 1 Tomato. I will try it the next time though.
Very good indeed! 🙂
I also have your Indian Kitchen cookbook and will make a lot from it. I love all those spices!
Reply
Nicole
February 14, 2020 at 3:16 pm
Can you substitute ground cardamom and cloves? I don’t have the whole seeds.
Thank you!
Reply
- Richa
  February 14, 2020 at 6:28 pm
  yes add 1/4 tsp ground cardamom and a generous pinch of ground cloves with the other ground spices
  Reply
  - Mary S
    July 09, 2021 at 8:44 am
    Thanks….all I have is the ground spices.
    Reply
Ingrid Scott
February 13, 2020 at 2:13 pm
I only have Fenugreek seeds, can I use them instead or are they totally different? I want to make this, sounds delicious!
Thank you!
Reply
- Richa
  February 13, 2020 at 2:49 pm
  you can use the seeds, powder them and use only 1/4 tsp as they have a much stronger bitter flavor.
  Reply
Laura
February 13, 2020 at 5:06 am
If you have a regular pressure cooker, can you just just that instead of an instant pot? Thanks for a recipe with soy curls as they often baffle me.
Reply
- Richa
  February 13, 2020 at 12:44 pm
  yes, just cook for thee time counting from the time the the cooker comes to pressure.
  Reply
  - Laura
    February 13, 2020 at 12:48 pm
    Thanks so much! Will try soon.
    Reply
Jane
February 13, 2020 at 12:51 am
In your recipe list:
1 to tomato
Could you please clarify?
Reply
- Richa
  February 13, 2020 at 12:45 pm
  its 1 tomato, updating now
  Reply
  - Jane
    February 13, 2020 at 1:17 pm
    Thank you!
    Reply
Sue
February 12, 2020 at 9:40 am
This looks delicious Richa! We are big fans of fenugreek. I will make this next week. :). Thanks for the recipe.
Reply
Mallikarjuna
February 12, 2020 at 9:00 am
A must visit blog that every recipe lover should visit.
Reply