By Jehan Yusoof  |  Updated October 28, 2026  | 

How do you cook canned or tinned mushrooms?
Try my Sri Lankan-style mushroom curry made with your everyday pantry staple of canned mushrooms.
Mushroom curry is super quick to make and gives you the creamiest gravy in under 30 minutes.
And it’s one of the easiest vegan and vegetarian curries you will make.

If you try this, I’d love to know how it turned out. Just tap the stars★ in the recipe card; it helps other cooks find this recipe.

Why this canned mushroom curry works

This button mushroom curry was a part of clearing up my pantry and trying to create a quick meal at the same time.
I love how versatile the curry is; the creamy, thick gravy made with coconut milk makes it a mildly spiced dish that even kids can enjoy.
Don’t forget to stack up a few more extra cans of button mushroom because once you’ve made this recipe, it will be cooked regularly.

Ingredients for canned mushroom curry

You’ll find exact quantities in the recipe card below.

• Canned button mushrooms: whole or halved, drained.
• Oil: coconut oil or any neutral oil available to you.
• Tempering ingredients: curry leaves, sliced onion, sliced garlic cloves, lightly bruised cardamom.
• Spice powders: turmeric powder, red chilli powder
  • Curry powder: Use Sri Lankan unroasted (raw) curry powder or my Jaffna curry powder. If you don’t have this curry powder, use any curry powder available to you.
• Chopped or sliced tomatoes and tomato sauce
• Coconut milk
• Salt as needed

What you will need in the kitchen

• Chopping board and knife
• Wooden spoon
• Skillet or a medium-sized frying pan

How to make canned mushroom curry

Open the can of mushrooms, drain, and cut each mushroom in two.

Place a pan or skillet over medium heat. Pour in the oil, add curry leaves, sliced onions, sliced garlic, and lightly bruised cardamom.
Cook over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the onions turn light brown.

Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook them until they turn golden brown. 5 minutes.

Add turmeric powder, curry powder, and red chilli powder. Combine with the mushrooms and cook for another 3 minutes.

Finally, add the chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, and season with salt. Continue to brown the mushrooms over medium heat.

Pour in the coconut milk and simmer until you have a thick gravy.

Serve warm.

What to serve with canned mushroom curry

Mushrooms with their earthy texture can be a great option for your meatless meals, especially if you cook them as they are.

• Serve with rice
  • Plain white rice
  • Sri Lankan Yellow Rice (turmeric rice)
  • Vegetable fried rice (spicy)

• Vegetarian dishes to serve with creamy button mushroom curry
  • Gotu kola sambol(pennywort salad)
  • Spinach and coconut stir-fry(nivithi mallung).
  • Coconut and beetroot salad (mallum)
  • Sri Lankan Beetroot Curry (vegetarian, vegan)
  • Spicy cabbage stir-fry (5 ingredients)
  • Parsley salad (sambol)with coconut

More ways to serve the easy canned button mushroom curry.

• Imagine this thick curry, topped over toast with a few more condiments like crunchy onions, tomatoes, and even a crispy fried egg.
• Reduce the gravy, turn the mushroom curry into a dry dish, add a few chopped onions and tomatoes to a flatbread, cheese it, and you have an instant pizza.

FAQ: canned button mushroom curry

• Can I use fresh button mushrooms?
  • Yes, you can.
• Can I use other types of mushrooms to make the curry?
  • Honestly, I have no idea. You might be able to make the same mushroom curry, but there might be a change in taste and texture.
  • I would suggest only using button mushrooms for the recipe.
• What can I use instead of coconut milk for the mushroom gravy?
  • You can use any type of cooking cream out there; a tablespoon or two would do. 
  • But I find using coconut milk and reducing it to a thick consistency is how you make a good mushroom gravy. 

More mushroom recipes

• Garlic butter oyster mushroom
• Hot butter mushrooms (fried mushrooms)
• Sautéed mushrooms and onions
• Mushroom-peas masala curry
• Baked lemon chicken mushroom in coconut milk
• Chickpeas, pumpkin and mushroom curry (vegan, vegetarian)

Storing and reheating canned mushroom curry

• Storing: use glass containers with a lid to refrigerate, as plastic will stain due to curry powder. Consume within 48 hours.
• Freezing: avoid freezing.
• Reheating: you can either warm on a stove or use the microwave. Use a microwave cover, as the curry will splatter.
• Stop food waste by goes well with any type of morning breakfast eggs and potatoes. 

Watch more Sri Lankan recipes on my YouTube channel

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Canned Button Mushroom Curry (Sri Lankan)

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

A creamy Sri Lankan curry made with one can of button mushrooms, coconut milk, curry leaves. Mild, vegetarian, and ready in 30 minutes.

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Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons of coconut oil
• A sprig of curry leaves
• 1 medium-sized onion sliced fine
• 2 cloves of garlic sliced fine
• 2 cardamom pods slightly bruised
• 1 can (400–425 g / 14–15 oz) whole button mushrooms
• 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon of curry powder ( use any type of unroasted or roasted curry powder, you can also use Jaffna curry powder for a spicier version)
• 1/2 teaspoon of red chilli powder (increase or reduce as per your need)
• 1 medium-sized tomato sliced
• 1 tablespoon of tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup of coconut milk
• Salt to season

Instructions

1. Drain the mushrooms (rinse if you like) and halve them.

Temper the ingredients

1. Place a pan or skillet over medium heat.
2. Pour in the coconut oil (4 tablespoons) and gradually add curry leaves ( 5 to 8 leaves), sliced onions (1 medium), sliced garlic (2 cloves), and bruised cardamom (2) into the pan.
3. Cook the ingredients until the onions turn brown on the edges. 3 to 5 minutes.

Cook the mushroom curry

1. Add the mushrooms into the pan and cook them until they turn golden brown. 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add in the turmeric powder (1/4 teaspoon), curry powder (1 teaspoon), and red chilli powder (1/2 teaspoon).
3. Combine with the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes (3 minutes).
4. Finally, add tomatoes (1 medium) and tomato sauce (1 tablespoon), and season with salt.
5. Continue to brown the mushrooms over medium heat.
6. Pour in the coconut milk (1/2 cup)and simmer slowly until you have a thick gravy.
7. Serve warm.

Made this Sri Lankan canned button mushroom curry?
I'd love to know how it turned out.
Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and a comment; I read every one.
It helps other visitors trust the recipe and helps them find me too.

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As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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  Mueller HyperGrind Precision Electric Spice/Coffee Grinder Mill with Large Grinding Capacity and HD Motor also for Spices, Herbs, Nuts, Grains, White
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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 208Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 17gUnsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 29mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 2g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JEHAN
Recipe creator. Food Blogger. Video creator
I’ve been cooking and sharing Sri Lankan recipes, along with other dishes I love making at home on Island Smile since 2015. I’ve tested every recipe on this site more than once in my own kitchen before it goes on the blog.
I grew up eating this food, and I still cook it the way my family taught me, just written down clearly enough that you can follow.
If a recipe doesn’t work the way I say it will, tell me in the comments; I read every one, and I’ll help you fix it.