Go Back
–+ servings
Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Easy paneer butter masala

Paneer Butter Masala - rich, creamy, luscious gravy made with onion tomato base and few spices along with paneer/ Indian cottage cheese. This mild gravy is best paired with roti, naan or jeera rice.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: Easy paneer butter masala, How to make paneer butter masala restaurant style, instant pot paneer butter masala, paneer butter masala without cream
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 343kcal
Author: Lathiya

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 250 grams Paneer see notes
  • 1 Cup Onion roughly chopped
  • 2 Tomato roughly chopped
  • 1/2 inch Ginger
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 15 Cashews
  • 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Red chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon Coriander Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Garam masala powder
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon Jeera seeds
  • Kasuri methi a generous pinch
  • Salt As required

Instructions

Stovetop

  • Soak the cashews for 10 to 15 minutes. Soak the cubed paneer in water.
  • In a deep pan add onion, ginger, garlic, and chopped tomato. Add 1 cup of water.
  • Cover and cook till the onions and tomato become soft.
  • Let it cool down completely. Grind it along the cashews to smooth paste.
  • In the pan add 2 tablespoons of butter. When it is hot crackle jeera seeds. Then add ground onion tomato paste along with required water.
  • Add all spice powders except garam masala. Let it cook on medium flame thoroughly.
  • Cover the pan as the gravy splatter. Check the gravy consistency. Add ½ cup to 1 cup of water. Add salt.
  • Now add cubed paneer. Mix thoroughly in the gravy . Add garam masala.
  • Let it cook for 1 or 2 minutes. Before switching off the flame add kasuri methi by crushing in your fingers.
  • Serve warm with roti or naan.

Instant pot method

  • Switch on the instant pot and add chopped onions, tomato, ginger, garlic, cashews and spice powders except garam masala. Add 1/2 cup of water.
  • Close the instant pot with the lid. Press the pressure cook or manual button and set the timer to 3 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
  • Now either you can use an immersion blender to blend the onion tomato in the instant pot or remove the cooked onion tomato mixture to the blender and blend it to smooth paste.
  • Press the saute button in the instant pot. Add the butter in the instant pot. Once it melts, add cumin seeds.
  • When it crackles, add the onion tomato paste and saute. Add ½ cup of water and garam masala. Let it cook till the onion tomato paste becomes thick gravy consistency.
  • Add required salt and paneer. Let the gravy coat the paneer and cook for 1 or 2 minutes.
  • Crush the kasuri methi with your fingers and add it to the paneer butter masala.
  • Switch off the instant pot. Serve paneer butter masala with naan, roti or simple jeera rice.

Video

Notes

  • I have added Kashmiri red chili powder to give it a bright red color. If you do not have Kashmiri red chili powder, you can just add 1 teaspoon of red chili powder. The color of the gravy will differ though it tastes the same.
  • You can also add a dollop of butter on top of the warm gravy before serving for richness.
  • After you cut the Paneer, immerse it in warm water till using it in gravy. Do not cook for a long time in gravy. This ensures Paneer remains soft.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 12.3g | Protein: 18.4g | Fat: 23.9g | Saturated Fat: 15g