Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and richly spiced with Indian flavors — this Bombay Potatoes recipe is the perfect side dish for any Indian meal!
Guys, we’re nearing the end of this crazy spree of Indian recipes!
I really love to create themed dinners, whether it’s for a dinner party or just for our family. Easy Indian sides dishes come in really handy with these meals, especially when they are as delicious as these Bombay potatoes.
What Type Of Potatoes Are Best For Bombay Aloo?
Bombay potatoes are sometimes called Bombay aloo, aloo Bombay or alu Bombay, as aloo means potato and alu means edible root in the Hindi language.
While these Bombay potatoes are usually served as a side dish, they can also be a main course.
If you’re looking for an easy Indian side dish to go with that curry or korma, look no further than these tasty Indian potatoes!
Follow along and learn how to make Bombay potatoes!
These little beauties are super fluffy with a crispy outer crust– just how roasted potatoes should be.
Many Bombay potato recipes call for boiling the potatoes and then frying them. This Bombay potato recipe roasts them for a healthier Indian potato dish.
They get a quick boil in some water seasoned with turmeric before they go in the oven, which is what gives them such a bright color.
I like them just as they are, but they are also great with both regular and sriracha-spiked ketchup. Blasphemous, I know.
What Do I Need To Make Easy Bombay Potatoes?
Quality spices are my secret kitchen weapon, and this Indian potato recipe uses a few that you might have in your pantry, and a few that you might want to acquire.
Turmeric
First, there’s the turmeric. You can find this stuff in just about any supermarket. Fair warning: turmeric stains like crazy so make sure you’re careful with it.
Curry Powder
Second, a good curry powder mixture. I like this curry powder which you can snag on Amazon.
The same brand makes my favorite garam masala (spice number 3!).
Black Mustard Seeds
Finally, you’ll need black mustard seed. This adds a lovely peppery flavor to the potatoes (and makes them look all fancy). I have a huge jar sitting around at my house. Truth be told, I can’t remember where I got them, but Amazon has a variety of options. Here is an organic one.
How to Make Bombay Potatoes
Here is the process to make these delicious Bombay Potatoes and it is really easy!
First, assemble the 8 ingredients.
Next, peel the potatoes and cut them up into bite-sized pieces. Place the potatoes in a large pot along with 1 teaspoon of the salt, turmeric, and enough water to cover by one inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain the potatoes from the water and transfer to a large bowl.
Add the oil, mustard seed, curry powder, garam masala, and remaining salt to the bowl and toss with potatoes.
Transfer the potatoes to a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and roast in the pre-heated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, flipping the potatoes once half-way through.
Remove from oven once the potatoes are fork-tender.
Serve hot in a serving dish of your choice and optionally garnish with parsley leaves.
Just look at that beautiful texture and color!
And, that is how you make Bombay Potatoes!
What To Serve with Roast Bombay Potatoes
- This delicious (and Vegan!) Chickpea Tikka Masala recipe hits the spot is perfect for this recipe. Serve it with plenty of fresh cilantro!
- Spiced Chicken Korma recipe is the stuff dreams are made of. Loosen up those pants and make this delectable Indian together with Bombay Potatoes!
- Creamy cashews add a velvety richness to this flavorful Indian Chicken Curry – pair with Bombay potatoes for the perfect meal!
- And lastly, this Indonesian Chicken Curry recipe is a savory and fragrant addition to your dinner lineup. If you’ve never tried Indonesian food, this is the perfect recipe to introduce you to it.
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Bombay Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 medium waxy potatoes - I used new potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt - divided
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons black mustard seed
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon of parsley leaves for optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the potatoes in a large pot along with 1 teaspoon of the salt, turmeric, and enough water to cover by one inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain the potatoes from the water and transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the oil, mustard seed, curry powder, garam masala, and remaining salt to the bowl and toss with potatoes. Transfer the potatoes to a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and roast in the pre-heated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, flipping the potatoes once half-way through. Remove from oven once the potatoes are fork-tender. Serve hot.
- Optionally garnish with parsley leaves
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Do you think these would work in an air-fryer?
Hi Kate,
I think so, give them a try and let us know!
– Linda
I tried these potatoes last week. I have to say, I am glad I reduced the recipe and only made enough for one as otherwise I would have demolished the whole tray. They are the tastiest thing I have ever ate. I served tofu saag and chana dal, they made the perfect accompaniment. Once we’re allowed to have parties again I will be making a huge batch of these as a buffet offering.
Hi Emma-Jane,
I laughed out loud reading your comment! Glad you love them!
– Linda
We had these Bombay potatoes today with some curry from the freezer – they were delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
Hello anetta…which potatoes did you use please? Russet?
Hello Anetta…..I am Indian and must say I am impressed with your recipes. I love potatoes and use them in a lot of my indian dishes. Baked potatoes seem like a good idea.Can you tell me which type of potatoes you used? I know you mention waxy but could you give some names like is it Russet?
I love Indian food and it was a dream come true to spend time in India last (3 months!) because my son was working there for a year. Your recipes sound wonderful with a singular (well two) exceptions – I never use curry powder and since they are all different, it is difficult to know which spices to use instead of the curry powder. Really – Indian food is not difficult and keeping the spices on hand (coriander, tumeric, cumin, black mustard seed, garlic, ginger, and chili’s are the most common) isn’t that hard. My “go to” curry powder is a mixture of those (heaping tsp coriander, scant tsp cumin, flat tspn tumeric, 3 garlic cloves, 3/4″ ginger, minced, 1 tsp salt, and ground cayenne to taste). Does your curry powder have all these ingredients?
One of the reasons I don’t use curry powder is that I don’t want all my dishes to taste the same. I have friends who are reluctant to try Indian food because they say they don’t like “curry” as if it were a flavour. Curry just means sauce in Hindu and that’s how the Indian’s use it.
Hi, Miriam! Wow, so jealous of the time you got to spend in India. I can’t wait until I have the chance to visit.
I love the variety of flavors in Indian dishes, and many times I choose to add spices individually (and toast the whole ones when I can!). You should check out my recipes for red lentil dal (https://thewanderlustkitchen.com/indian-red-lentil-dal/), sweet potato curry (https://thewanderlustkitchen.com/south-indian-sweet-potato-curry/), pepper chicken masala (https://thewanderlustkitchen.com/indian-pepper-chicken-masala/) and palak (https://thewanderlustkitchen.com/vegan-palak-paneer/).
I wanted to keep this recipe simple, and since not everyone has the space or cash to stock up on so many spices, I thought that using curry powder would be a nice compromise. The curry powder I use is from Frontier Co-op (https://www.frontiercoop.com/frontier-curry-powder-2-19-oz), which is my favorite spice company. It doesn’t contain salt or garlic cloves, but when I want garlic flavor I prefer to add fresh rather than granulated. I like to control my salt as well. Nothing beats the taste of fresh ginger, but I will say that Frontier’s ground ginger (which I also buy separately) is the best I’ve ever tasted.
It’s hard to know what part of “curry” people don’t like when they say they don’t like “curry.” It could be any of those spices, so there’s not much you can do unless you know specifically what it is they don’t like. If they don’t like curry, I’d shy away from curry powder 🙂
When do you peel and cut up the potatoes? Before or after boiling? You didn’t mention it but the photos show potato chunks,
Ack! Silly mistake on my part. I peel and cut them into bite-size pieces before boiling. I’ll update the post right now! Thanks for catching this 🙂