Restaurant-Style Paneer Butter Masala Recipe

Paneer Butter Masala is a rich North Indian paneer curry made with soft paneer cubes in a smooth tomato-cashew gravy finished with butter, cream and aromatic spices. This restaurant-style version is mildly spiced, creamy and ideal with naan, roti or jeera rice.

Recipe Summary

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25–30 minutes
• Servings: 4
• Cuisine: North Indian
• Course: Main Course
• Diet: Vegetarian
• Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 400 g paneer, cubed
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 12–15 cashews
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 green chilli
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp oil
• ¼ cup fresh cream
• 1 tsp kasuri methi
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander
• Water, as needed

Whole Spices

• 1 bay leaf
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1-inch piece cinnamon
• 2–3 cloves

Ground Spices

• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• Salt, to taste

How to Make Paneer Butter Masala

1. Prepare the gravy: Sauté the onions, ginger-garlic paste, tomatoes, cashews and green chilli until soft. Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then blend until smooth.
2. Cook the masala: Heat the butter, add the blended gravy, then stir in the ground spices and salt. Cook for 8–10 minutes, until the gravy thickens and the butter begins to separate.
3. Add the paneer: Add the paneer cubes with a few tablespoons of water. Cook gently for 4–5 minutes.
4. Finish with cream and kasuri methi: Stir in the fresh cream and crushed kasuri methi. Cook for another 1–2 minutes.
5. Garnish and serve: Finish with fresh coriander and a small swirl of cream. Serve hot.

Tips for the Best Paneer Butter Masala

What to Serve With It

Serve with:

• Butter naan
• Jeera rice
• Tandoori roti

Link to: Red Chilli Powder, Turmeric Powder, Coriander Powder, Cinnamon, and Cloves.