Paneer Butter Masala Recipe Restaurant-Style - Edible Garden (2024)

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This is a recipe for restaurant-style paneer butter masala recipe, with step by step pictures to guide you along the steps of making it. It’s one of the most popular recipes on this blog with hundreds of people trying and liking it. A few ingredients are what truly make this recipe stand out, the actual cooking process is really simple and straightforward that even a beginner cook can ace it. So why wait, try this paneer butter masala recipe and let me know how you go!

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Table of Contents

  • What is Paneer Butter Masala?
  • Recipe Tips and Notes
  • Step by Step Pictures to Make Paneer Butter Masala
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What is Paneer Butter Masala

Well, it’s one of the most popular recipes made with paneer or Indian cottage cheese around the world. Paneer is a hard, neutral “cheese” that lends itself really well to being cooked into a gravy or curry and this particular recipe for paneer butter masala is arguably the most delicious. It is creamy, delicate, has a slight tang from the added tomatoes, and has a kick from the spices.

You can adapt the flavour by adjusting the spices but in general, paneer butter masala is meant to be mild and creamy rather than a spicy curry. Paneer butter masala goes great with roti, vegetable pulao, chapati, puri, etc. You might also like matar paneer, it’s a different gravy recipe and equally delicious.

Check out other paneer recipes if you love cooking with paneer!

Paneer Butter Masala Recipe Restaurant-Style - Edible Garden (3)Pin

Paneer Butter Masala Recipe

nags

Paneer butter masala restaurant-style recipe, step by step, using fresh paneer and cream with other spices. A perfect, rich, decadent side dish for weekends and special occasions.

4.99 from 60 votes

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Paneer

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cubed paneer use fresh or thawed from frozen
  • 1 cup sliced onions
  • 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste freshly made is better
  • 1 tablespoon coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder adjust to taste, this gives a mild gravy
  • 1 tablespoon canned tomato paste 1 cup of fresh tomato puree from very ripe tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon tomato ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon kasuri methi dry fenugreek leaves
  • 3/4 cup milk more or less depending on how thin you want the gravy
  • 3/4 cup cream
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  • Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a pan and lightly fry the paneer cubes until light golden, turning frequently. Do this on a low flame so as not to overcook the paneer (see notes)

  • Drain the paneer and set aside

  • In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon oil and fry the onions until golden brown

  • Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for another minute or so until fragrant

  • Next, add the coriander powder, garam masala, chilli powder and some salt. Fry for 30 seconds.

  • To this, add the tomato sauce or puree, tomato paste, ketchup and kasuri methi. Mix well until all the ingredients combine well

  • Add milk to the above

  • Lower heat and cook covered for 5 mins.

  • Open lid, add the fried paneer/tofu and the cream.

  • Mix well and simmer for 3-4 mins in the open pan. Adjust salt if needed.

  • Serve hot with any main dish of your choice

Keyword paneer butter masala recipe

Recipe Tips and Notes

This recipe is very straightforward but I do have some tips and notes for you to try it and really get a fail-proof paneer butter masala, especially if you are a beginner.

  • If using store-bought paneer, buy a fresh or frozen block and cut it yourself rather than buying cubed frozen paneer. Paneer by the block tends to be more soft when cooked
  • When pan-frying the paneer, take care to do it on low heat and don’t overdo it. This will ensure the paneer doesn’t get rubbery
  • I have one ingredient in this recipe, the canned tomato paste, which really adds to the flavour of the dish. Try not to omit or substitute it. You need very less but the rest of the can may be used for pasta sauce, tomato soup or refrigerated until you need more so you don’t waste it
  • Adding ketchup may seem weird but trust me, it really elevates the taste of the gravy of this paneer butter masala
  • If you want to make a vegan paneer butter masala option, substitute the paneer with tofu and the cream with cashew cream (soaked and ground cashew paste). You can also use regular oil instead of the butter
  • You can use any cooking cream for the recipe, it doesn’t matter
  • The gravy will thicken as you keep it longer. Re-heating should bring the consistency back, or you can add some milk to make the gravy thinner before serving

Step by Step Pictures to Make Paneer Butter Masala

Heat a pan on low flame and add butter to it. Let it melt.

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Add the cubed paneer to this..

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and fry lightly until light golden brown.

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Drain and set aside

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In the same pan, add the oil and sliced onions. Fry until golden brown.

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Add the ginger garlic paste to this and fry for another 30 seconds to 1 minute or until fragrant.

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Take care not to burn the mixture, keep heat low

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Next, it’s time to add your spice powders – coriander powder, chilli powder, garam masala, along with salt. Fry for 30-45 seconds.

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Now add the tomato paste..

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ketchup..

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and kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

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Mix everything together and add the milk

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Keeping heat low, simmer covered for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, get the cream ready. Use Nestle cream for this recipe usually.

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Add the cream to the above along with the fried paneer

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Mix everything together gently and simmer for another 3-4 minutes and your paneer butter masala is ready!

Hat tip to the original recipe: vahchef.

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Paneer Butter Masala Recipe Restaurant-Style - Edible Garden (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between paneer masala and paneer butter masala? ›

What is the difference between paneer butter masala and paneer tikka masala? Paneer butter masala is essentially cooked in butter, has a smooth silky curry to which raw paneer is added. But paneer tikka masala is made with grilled paneer and is predominantly spicy and has some texture in the curry.

What is the difference between Kadai paneer and paneer masala? ›

Kadai paneer is spicier than the other two as there is the addition of freshly prepared kadai masala in it. Whereas shahi paneer and paneer butter masala are more rich and creamy and sweet in taste. Also, shahi paneer is prepared with dry fruits like cashew and almonds without having any tomatoes in it.

Is paneer butter masala junk food? ›

Yes paneer is healthy for dinner because it is lighter and nutritious.

Where did paneer butter masala originate? ›

Paneer makhani (also called paneer butter masala) is an Indian dish of paneer, originating in New Delhi, in which the gravy is prepared usually with butter (makhan), tomatoes and cashews.

Should you fry paneer before adding to curry? ›

How do you add paneer to a curry sauce? Prepare the sauce and then add the fried paneer to the bubbling hot curry. Although fried until crisp, it is best to add the paneer fry to a sauce just before serving. It will then retain its shape and become soft and delicious in the center.

What is a substitute for cream in paneer butter masala? ›

How do I make paneer butter masala vegan? It's important to use canned coconut milk (preferably full fat) to add the right thick creaminess to this dish. The coconut cream that I mentioned earlier will be the perfect vegan substitute for regular cream; and, paneer can be substituted with baked tofu.

Is it better to fry paneer before cooking? ›

Whether or not you need to fry paneer before cooking depends on the specific recipe you are following. Frying paneer can enhance its texture, add a crispy outer layer, and help it hold its shape during cooking. However, it is not always necessary, and some recipes may call for using paneer as is, without frying.

Which is better paneer butter masala or Shahi paneer? ›

Similar dishes include paneer butter masala and Kadai paneer. The subtle difference between paneer butter masala and shahi paneer is that more of whole spices are used in paneer butter masala, whereas shahi paneer has a sweeter taste when compared to paneer butter masala.

Is paneer masala the same as Tikka Masala? ›

No they are different. Paneer Tikka is served as an appetizer and has cubes of grilled paneer where for paneer tikka masala the grilled paneer is added to a creamy curry and served as a main dish.

Can I lose weight eating paneer masala? ›

Yes, comparatively paneer is a better food than most for consumption during your weight loss efforts! Paneer being rich source of protein and fat helps in feeling full and thus reducing your overall food consumption.

What is paneer called in the USA? ›

Although many Indians translate "paneer" into "cottage cheese", cottage cheese is made using rennet extracted from the stomach of ruminants, and cow's skim milk. Queso blanco or queso fresco are often recommended as substitutes in the Americas and Spain as they are more commercially available in many American markets.

Why is my paneer gravy bitter? ›

If the milk used to make paneer is already spoiled it will result into bitterness. If paneer is kept outside the fridge for long it will get infected with fungus which will give it a yellowish tinch and make it bitter.

Is paneer butter masala healthy? ›

No, this recipe is not good for diabetics, heart and weight loss BUT they can use low fat paneer, very little fresh cream and low fat milk and then eat a small amount. Can healthy individuals have paneer butter masala ? Yes, as there is healthy fat used in the recipe but don't over eat !

Why is paneer butter masala famous? ›

The butter paneer recipe is slightly sweet and spicy. It is rich in flavor, aromatic in smell and the paneer is nice and bouncy. Butter Paneer Masala is a perfect main course item to be cooked for lunch and dinner parties and festivities.

Why is paneer so tasty? ›

Why does Paneer taste so good? Paneer is non cured cheese made with acid coagulation without any bacteria and any enzymes. Therefore, in reality, it is not real cheese; it is coagulated casein and fat since it has no bacterial culture; it does not have much of keeping quality.

What is the difference between butter masala and masala? ›

Taste. Butter Chicken has a milder and creamier taste, while Tikka Masala has a spicier, earthy, and tangier taste. Butter Chicken is a buttery and creamy tomato-based sauce. At the same time, Tikka Masala has a slightly sour and tangy tomato-based sauce.

What is the difference between butter and paneer? ›

Butter is made by churning milk cream by hands in a pot. This process separates butterfat, fats present in milk, and buttermilk. Paneer is made by heating milk over 200 degrees Fahrenheit and then adding some common type of acid like lemon juice and vinegar to it.

How is paneer different from butter? ›

Butter is predominantly made up of milk fat. While paneer is milk soft fresh curd like cottage cheese has most of the milk components minus water and some whey protein lost in the whey which is removed while making paneer. You can note the diffy in the nutritional composition of these two dairy product.

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