Paneer Butter Masala

Learn how to make Paneer Butter Masala recipe with step by step pictures. Easy Restaurant Style Paneer Butter Masala recipe.

Paneer Butter Masala – one of the most popular Indian gravies using Paneer or Cottage Cheese. I can swear that this is one curry recipe that finds its way into road side eateries to highway dhabas to super posh restaurants – all alike. No restaurant menu would be complete without the legendary Paneer Butter Masala. Not just that, it is the safest option to order when you are not sure about a restaurant. Nothing can really go wrong with the combination of Paneer and Butter in a curry right? Right.

So there is a small story with how this batch of creamy delicious Paneer Butter Masala got made. One fine Sunday, I made fresh Paneer at home and immediately used it to whip up some really good Paneer Butter Masala to go with our rotis. For once, I was satisfied with the pictures I clicked – it was one of the days when everything fell in to place. And then I did the unthinkable. I accidentally deleted (wiped off clean) all pictures from my SD Card without having taken any backup. Sigh. I lost quite a lot of pictures (and recipes) and I can’t put in words the feeling of utter helplessness.

There was nothing I could do about it. Except that I could cook and click again. Ha! So that is exactly what I did. Albeit feeling a little bad for the lost pictures. The good thing about all this drama was we made Paneer Butter Masala twice in a week and both the times it was a super hit. Unlike many recipes that use fresh cream for Paneer Butter Masala, I don’t use any. And yet, it turns out creamy and delicious. Read on the recipe below to know more 🙂

Check out other Paneer/Cottage Cheese Recipes here.

How to make Easy Paneer Butter Masala

📖 Recipe

Paneer Butter Masala

Ramya

Learn how to make Paneer Butter Masala recipe with step by step pictures. Easy Restaurant Style Paneer Butter Masala recipe.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Side Dishes

Cuisine North Indian

Servings 4 people

MEASUREMENT

1 cup = 250ml, 1 tablespoon = 15ml, 1 teaspoon = 5ml

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 Medium Onions
• ▢ 2 Medium Ripe Tomatoes
• ▢ 200 grams Paneer/Cottage Cheese recipe link in notes
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Butter/Oil
• ▢ 6-7 Whole Cashews
• ▢ 1 Dried Bay Leaf
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Kasoor Methi/Dried Fenugreek Leaves
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
• ▢ A Generous Pinch of Turmeric Powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Sugar
• ▢ Salt as needed
• ▢ Water as needed

COOK MODEPrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

 

• Powder the cashews into a finely in a mixer/blender and add ½ cup of water, make a smooth paste out of it – this is the cashew cream/milk. Set aside.
• Chop onions and tomatoes into cubes. Sprinkle some water and set them on microwave high for 4-5 mins until they are cooked and there is no raw smell. Let them cool down completely. Make a smooth puree out of it. Set aside.
• Chop Paneer into cubes. If taken out of fridge, immerse them in hot water for 5-6 mins. Set aside.
• In a pan, heat butter/oil. Add dried bay leaf and ginger garlic paste. Sauté until the raw smell is gone. Add the pureed onion tomatoes. Sauté until the butter/oil starts to leave from edges.
• Add all the masala powders – red chilli powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder, sugar and salt. Mix well and cook for 3-4 mins on low flame until they are cooked. Add some water and let the gravy boil on low heat.
• Add the prepared cashew cream/milk and mix well. Soon the gravy begins to thicken – add ½ cup of water as needed and boil the gravy for a couple of mins. Crush kasoor Methi/Dried fenugreek leaves between your palms and add it to the gravy. Add cubed paneer and mix well. On low heat boil the gravy for another 3-4 mins. Remove from heat.
• Serve hot with rotis, kulcha, paratha or any Indian bread 🙂

Notes

• Checkout Homemade Paneer/Cottage Cheese recipe.
• Instead of cooking onion tomatoes in microwave, can be cooked on stove top too. Either use a teaspoon of oil or sprinkle some water and cook covered until they are tender.
• I used cashew cream but instead of it, regular cream can be used too. When using fresh cream, don’t boil the gravy after adding it. There are chances of it curdling.
• While making the cashew milk, I used my instant method of powdering them fine first followed by adding water. If you can plan ahead, soak them in some water for 30mins and then grind into a smooth paste – there is no difference in texture or taste.
• Adding a small amount of sugar helps in cutting the tanginess of tomatoes.
  Butter makes this gravy rich but I have made it just oil or half-half oil-butter - works well too!
• If the paneer is straight out of the fridge, immerse it in hot water for 5-6 mins so that it is soft again.
• Dried Fenugreek Leaves or Kasoor Methi is very important for this dish. There is a slight bitterness in these leaves but they add to the taste of this gravy making it unique.
• Always crush the Kasoor Methi/Dried Fenugreek Leaves before adding to the gravy to make them fragrant.
• Adjust spices as per preference.

Keyword Side Dishes for Roti

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Vegan Paneer Butter Masala Recipe with Step by Step Pictures

Powder the cashews into a finely in a mixer/blender and add ½ cup of water, make a smooth paste out of it – this is the cashew cream/milk. Set aside.

Chop onions and tomatoes into cubes. Sprinkle some water and set them on microwave high for 4-5 mins until they are cooked and there is no raw smell. Let them cool down completely. Make a smooth puree out of it. Set aside. Chop Paneer into cubes. If taken out of fridge, immerse them in hot water for 5-6 mins. Set aside.

In a pan, heat butter/oil. Add dried bay leaf and ginger garlic paste. Sauté until the raw smell is gone. Add the pureed onion tomatoes. Sauté until the butter/oil starts to leave from edges.

Add all the masala powders – red chilli powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder, sugar and salt. Mix well and cook for 3-4 mins on low flame until they are cooked. Add some water and let the gravy boil on low heat.

Add the prepared cashew cream/milk and mix well. Soon the gravy begins to thicken – add ½ cup of water as needed and boil the gravy for a couple of mins. Crush kasoor Methi/Dried fenugreek leaves between your palms and add it to the gravy. Add cubed paneer and mix well. On low heat boil the gravy for another 3-4 mins. Remove from heat.

Serve hot with rotis, kulcha, paratha or any Indian bread 🙂

Recipe Notes

• Checkout Homemade Paneer/Cottage Cheese recipe.
• Instead of cooking onion tomatoes in microwave, can be cooked on stove top too. Either use a teaspoon of oil or sprinkle some water and cook covered until they are tender.
• I used cashew cream but instead of it, regular cream can be used too. When using fresh cream, don’t boil the gravy after adding it. There are chances of it curdling.
• While making the cashew milk, I used my instant method of powdering them fine first followed by adding water. If you can plan ahead, soak them in some water for 30mins and then grind into a smooth paste – there is no difference in texture or taste.
• Adding a small amount of sugar helps in cutting the tanginess of tomatoes.
• Butter makes this gravy rich but I have made it just oil or half-half oil-butter - works well too!
• If the paneer is straight out of the fridge, immerse it in hot water for 5-6 mins so that it is soft again.
• Dried Fenugreek Leaves or Kasoor Methi is very important for this dish. There is a slight bitterness in these leaves but they add to the taste of this gravy making it unique.
• Always crush the Kasoor Methi/Dried Fenugreek Leaves before adding to the gravy to make them fragrant.
• Adjust spices as per preference.

I would be delighted to know if you have tried this recipe, don’t forget to share your feedback and comments below. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me! I am also available on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter 🙂