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–+ servings
Restaurant Style Paneer Butter Masala served in a bowl garnished with fresh cream and cilantro
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4.94 from 15 votes

Restaurant Style Paneer Butter Masala | Paneer Makhani

Restaurant Style Paneer Butter Masala is a popular recipe where Paneer cubes are simmered in a mildly rich onion tomato cashew nut based gravy
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian, North Indian
Keyword instant pot paneer butter masala, paneer butter masala, paneer makhani
Diet Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Method Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker, Stovetop
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 360kcal
Author Bhavana Patil

Equipment

Ingredients

For Onion Tomato Puree:

For Paneer Butter Masala:

Instructions

Stovetop Method:

  • Put the onions, tomatoes, cashew nuts, ginger, garlic, whole spices, and 1 cup of water into a pan and bring to a boil.
  • Cook on a medium flame for at least 15-20 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool. Blend to a smooth puree/paste using a high-speed blender.
  • In a pan, heat the butter, add the jeera seeds, and saute for 30 seconds.
  • Add Kashmiri red chili powder, bay leaf, give a quick stir.
  • Then add onion-tomato cashew puree. Close lid and cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the paneer, kasoori methi, garam masala, or kitchen king masala, salt. Mix well and bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Finally, gently stir in the cream, and paneer butter masala is ready to serve.
  • Serve Paneer makhani recipe hot with chapati, naan, rice, and onion slices.

Instant Pot Method:

  • Firstly, add 1 cup of water into the Instant pot insert. Place the trivet.
  • Put the onions, tomatoes, cashew nuts, ginger, garlic, whole spices, and 1 cup of water into a deep pan. Place the pan over the trivet.
  • Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 8 minutes.
  • Once the pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally.
  • Puree cooked onion-tomato mixture using a hand blender until smooth. If you don't have a hand blender, puree in a blender in batches once slightly cooled.
  • Then I usually sieve the onion-tomato puree for silky texture and discard the residue, but it's optional.
  • Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add butter/oil to the POT. Once hot, add cumin seeds and saute for 30 seconds.
  • Add Kashmiri red chili powder, bay leaf, give a quick stir.
  • Then add onion-tomato-cashew pureed mixture. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the paneer, kasoori methi, garam masala, salt. Mix well and bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Lastly, gently stir in the cream, and paneer butter masala is ready to serve.

Notes

Tips & Variations

 
    1. If using a store-bought paneer, soak it in hot water for 15-20 minutes before using it in the recipe.
    2. Grind the cooked tomato-onion mixture to a smooth paste. You can also strain the masala through a soup strainer to get really creamy curry.
    3. Always add the cream at the end of cooking else it will curdle.
    4. Use nuts in the gravy, it makes the gravy thick and creamy. I have used Cashews in this recipe but almonds, melon seeds also work.
    5. Adding sugar balances the flavors and so you can add ½ teaspoon of sugar or 1 teaspoon of honey in the end.
    6. I usually add kitchen king masala (also available in the Indian grocery store) in place of garam masala powder to get the restaurant-style flavor to the paneer recipe.
    7. I have added Kashmiri red chili powder to give nice red color to this dish. However, if you want to make it spicier add extra red chili powder.
    8. If you don't have whole spices then add an extra 1 teaspoon of garam masala instead at the end.
 
Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition

Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 494mg | Potassium: 450mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 965IU | Vitamin C: 10.5mg | Calcium: 358mg | Iron: 0.8mg