Paneer Masala Recipe | Restaurant style paneer masala | How to make paneer masala in restaurant style with step by step instructions
Learn to make best Paneer Masala Recipe | Restaurant style paneer masala, a famous indian main course dish, known as paneer butter masala.
This dish is generally served in many North Indian cuisine restaurants and known as paneer butter masala. But I have tweaked it and made it without using butter.
Paneer Masala (sans butter) is an easy to make dish, where paneer cubes are simmered in delicious onion-tomato based gravy.
Certainly this curry is a vegetarians delight as paneer (indian cottage cheese) is dunked in smooth, creamy, luscious and flavorful curry.
This tastes amazing with naan, chapati or roti/indian flat bread.
Easy to make Indian cottage cheese/Paneer Recipe
This recipe is just chop, dump it in a pan, saute and blend recipe. After that add paneer cubes and serve hot with chapati/roti and some chilled Sol Kadhi, Sprouted moong salad and Masoor dal tadka for a hearty lunch.
Any paneer recipe can’t be easier than this. It turns out delicious, creamy and flavorful made at the comfort of your home.
It’s certainly fun to recreate the restaurant style recipes like Paneer Jalfrezi at home by tweaking it to suit your taste.
Paneer Masala Recipe | Restaurant style paneer masala, what exactly is this?
It’s also known as paneer butter masala, this gravy is rich and creamy made using onions, tomatoes, cashews and some whole spices and loads of butter.
A dash of kasuri methi on the top and drizzle of fresh cream makes it simply tempting.
But you will not find any butter in my recipe as my folks love this paneer sabzi made my way.
It’s probably one of the easiest recipes of paneer I have ever made. I have always loved the simplest ever recipes which are easy to cook with easily available ingredients at home.
And for me this recipe is always a first choice when it comes to making anything with paneer.
This recipe is hands down winner at my place for its amazing taste and simplicity.
Though my other variations of recipes with paneer are equally good like –
Paneer ke ande/ fake paneer eggs in gravy
Paneer Frankie/Kathi roll/paneer wraps
Hung curd and paneer cheesecake
So let’s begin making this delicious recipe with easy instructions to follow.
Step by step instructions and pictorial presentation to make Paneer masala
To make curry paste
Heat oil in a non-stick wok, add bay leaf, cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves and whole dry red chilies.
Add green cardamom, mix and saute till it becomes fragrant.
To this add onions and a pinch of salt, mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Cook till onions become translucent and turns to light golden brown color.
After that mix ginger-garlic-green chilis and saute for 1-2 minutes or till the raw smells goes away.
Next add chopped tomatoes and cashews. Saute well and switch off the flame.
Cool it and blend everything with a glass of water to make paste. Sieve it and keep it aside for later use.
Now in a pan put oil. Once heated add cumin, bay leaf and minced ginger & garlic.
To this add the sieved onion tomato paste, we made earlier.
Add Kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder and mix well.
Bring it to a boil and mix in diced onion petals.
Cook for about 5 minutes and add paneer/cottage cheese cubes.
Simmer the gravy for 2 to 3 minutes till everything is combined well.
In the last add kasuri methi by crushing it in between your palms.
Switch off the flame and add a drizzle of fresh cream. Transfer this to a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve hot with chapati/ roti / Paratha.
Recipe card 🔽
Paneer Masala Recipe | Restaurant style paneer masala
Ingredients
- 250 grams Paneer indian cottage cheese cut into 1 inch cubes
To make curry paste
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 inch stick Cinnamon
- 2 dry red chilies
- 4 Cloves
- 4 peppercorns
- 1 Green cardamom
- 2 Onions chopped
- 5 garlic cloves
- 2 green chilies
- 4 Red ripe tomatoes
- 10 Cashew nuts
- To make masala
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp minced ginger garlic chili
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Coriander powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 small Onion cut into dices layers separated (onion petals)
- 1 tsp kasuri methi
- 2 tsp fresh cream
- Handful Fresh coriander leaves chopped for garnish
Instructions
To make curry paste
- Heat oil in a non-stick wok, add bay leaf, cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves and whole dry red chilies.
- Add green cardamom, mix and sauté till it becomes fragrant.
- To this add onions and a pinch of salt, mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Cook till onions become translucent and turns to light golden brown color.
- After that mix ginger-garlic-green chilis and sauté for 1-2 minutes or till the raw smells goes away.
- Next add chopped tomatoes and cashews. Saute well and switch off the flame.
- Cool it and blend everything with a glass of water to make paste. Sieve it and keep it aside for later use.
- Now in a pan put oil. Once heated add cumin, bay leaf and minced ginger & garlic.
- To this add the sieved onion tomato paste, we made earlier.
- Add Kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder and mix well.
- Bring it to a boil and mix in diced onion petals. Cook for about 5 minutes and add paneer/cottage cheese cubes.
- Simmer the gravy for 2 to 3 minutes till everything is combined well.
- In the last add kasuri methi by crushing it in between your palms.
- Switch off the flame and add a drizzle of fresh cream. Transfer this to a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves.
- Serve hot with chapati/ roti / Paratha.
I hope you guys enjoyed reading my today’s post. Please share your valuable feedback in comments with us, as we love to hear from you.
You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and on Twitter.
I will see you soon with yet another interesting recipe. Come right back as I love to have you around.
Happy Cooking
Regards❤️
Lata
Pin it for future reference🔽
Such yummy looking paneer masala. Love all the flavors in this delicious curry. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Thanks a million Pavani.
Wah!! that creamy gravy with rotis and the melt in the mouth paneer, this is what I thought of when I saw this image. Now to make some.
It’s time to tie youe apron strings Seema. Please do try it. Thank you for writing in.
Who can resist some delicious creamy paneer masala? I can’t. Love it and if its with soft paneer all the more better. So tempting that I want to make it as soon as possible.
I guess paneer in any form is loved by everyone Mayuri. Please do try this. Thank you Dear.
I am in love with your paneer masala. I truly think that the Paneer masala without the butter tastes just as good and we really don’t need the extra butter. Love the smooth rich gravy with freshly ground spices.
You said it right Sandhya I haven’t added butter at all in this paneer masala recipe yet it turned out delicious.
I am glad you liked it. Thank you dear.
I have always been a paneer lover so keep on looking forward to make it in different ways. Your’s version is simple yet effective and must be super delicious. Definitely a worth trying recipe.
Thank you so much Shailender.
Paneer masala looks absolutely delectable and irresistible ! I make the curry with almost same method but make it in butter in place of oil and do not add diced onion. Lovely presentation as always.
Thanks Poonam.
Paneer butter masala looks gorgeous and totally delish! This is our family favorite! Such a rich gravy and love how beautifully you have served lata, tempting !
Thank you Priya for your kind words.
Pingback: Mushroom Do Pyaza | Khumb Do Pyaza | Mushroom and Onions curry - Yummy Tales Of Tummy
Pingback: Khatta meetha kaddu | Kaddu ki sabzi | Pethe ki sabzi | Pumpkin sabzi - Yummy Tales Of Tummy
Pingback: 28 Savory Cottage Cheese Recipes & Few Sweet! - Abby's Plate