This Creamy Matar Paneer Curry is the kind of recipe that will save the day when those random paneer cravings strike! Its super quick, yummy and is gluten free! All you need is a handful of pantry staples and 30 minutes to put this dish together, making it a perfect dinner option!ย Nothing beats a creamy, comforting and luscious curry, isn't it!?
Love Paneer? Try my Shaam Savera | Palak Paneer Kofta, Shahi Paneer, Paneer Lababdar - Creamy Paneer Curry or Authentic Saag Paneer Recipe!
Welcome to my second favorite way to eat paneer - creamy matar paneer curry. Because everyone needs an easy paneer recipe in their life and this one right here is everything that a good paneer curry should be - creamy, comforting, luscious.
Is it weird that I always have a block of paneer lying around in the fridge? Soft, delicious Homemade paneer for when I have the patience, but mostly store-bought because I'm a little lazy like that.
I'm not a big fan of green peas or matar as we call it in Hindi but in this curry, I kinda need them. It's just how the world works for me. When you want a quick and easy way to cook paneer, it's always matar paneer aka cottage cheese and green peas curry. I've tried this with potatoes (aloo matar paneer) and mushrooms (mushroom matar paneer) and those two rank a close second and third position but my first love - this matar paneer.
Here's Why You Need To Make This Curry ASAP
- Has a luscious, creamy gravy thatโs surprisingly light and delicious
- A super quick and yummy dish that comes together in a jiffy
- Makes for the perfect weeknight dinner or as a quick meal for unexpected guestsย
- Can be put together with just pantry staples
- It is a perfect way to include green peas in your familyโs diet
- Since it doesnโt have any cashews or cream, this dish is not just light, but healthier too
- Itโs a 100% vegetarian and gluten-free recipe, which can easily be made vegan by replacing paneer with tofu and curd with coconut milk
Quick Walk Through: Matar Paneer
Ingredients you'll need to make Matar Paneer
- Paneer: About 100 grams, cut into small cubes. I have used homemade paneer for this recipe, but a store-bought one works perfectly well too. Make sure to buy malai paneer though, as that will give you softer and creamier results.ย ย
- Green peas: Since green peas are in season right now, I have used fresh, par-boiled green peas for this recipe. But you can easily use frozen peas too. Simply thaw frozen peas and then boil as usual.ย ย ย
- Veggies: Onions and tomatoes, finely chopped, added in a 1:2 ratio.ย ย
- Spices: All you need is a handful of basic Indian spices for this recipe for flavour and spice. I have used turmeric, red chilli powder, jeera, coriander powder, chopped green chillies and garam masala.ย ย ย ย ย
- Yogurt: Plain Greek yogurt or hung curd works best as they are both thick and not very sour, making it ideal to achieve that luscious, creamy texture. I wouldnโt recommend subbing this with normal curd as that may make the gravy too sour and/or watery.ย
- Ginger and garlic: Both finely chopped for flavour and aroma.ย
- Oil: Any vegetable oil or neutral-flavoured oil like canola, sunflower, peanut will work for this recipe.ย
- Kasuri methi: Added towards the end for a beautiful, smokey flavour and enhances the taste of the entire dish. A little bit goes a way.ย
- Coriander leaves: Finely chopped and used as a garnishing. Adds a dash of earthy freshness to the whole dish and helps bring everything together.ย
How To Make Creamy Matar Paneer Curry
Here's a step-by-step collage showing you how to make matar paneer at home:
FAQs
I love making paneer at home whenever I can, because the result is always super soft and creamy paneer. Plus, I know exactly whatโs going inside, which gives me so much peace of mind. And guess what? Making paneer at home is easier than youโd think. All you need is two ingredients, 15 minutes,ย and delicious, homemade paneer is ready! Hereโs my easy homemade paneer recipe that I highly recommend you check out!ย ย
The main difference between kadai paneer and matar paneer is the spiciness of the gravy. Kadai paneer has a spicy gravy that's made with frying whole and ground spices, while matar paneer is creamier with a gravy that's made mainly with onions and tomatoes.
Absolutely! You can easily cook matar paneer ahead and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. But I would recommend consuming it within 2 days to make sure it retains the best flavor and texture.
However, a better to make matar paneer in advance is to make the base gravy and freeze it. On the day you're ready to serve, simply thaw on the counter and add paneer, matar, and serve. The gravy stays well in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
Overcooked paneer usually turns hard and rubbery. So make sure to cook the paneer for no more than 3-4 minutes at the end and then turn off the gas. Additionally, sometimes store-bought paneer can become a little hard and rubbery after cooking. But you can easily prevent this by soaking the paneer in warm water for about 15 minutes to soften it.
Top Tips To Make The Best Creamy Matar Paneer
- Avoid overcooking the paneer as it will become hard and chewy. Just a few minutes at the end should be enough.
- To make sure that the yogurt does not split while cooking, start with whisking it until it is smooth and has no lumps. Then gradually add the onion tomato mixture, one tablespoon at a time and mix it properly. After about 3-4 tablespoons, transfer this mixture to the pan to prevent it from curdling.
- Lightly rub kasuri methi in between in your palms before adding it to the pan to enhance the beautiful smokey flavour.
- Allow the onion, tomato and spices mixture to cool down completely before adding it to the mixture to avoid accidents.
- If you are in a rush, and want to make this dish even faster, you can use a hand blender to make the gravy directly in the pan. Although this may not give you the smoothest gravy, there will be no change in the taste.
Now I know everyones going to have their own secret way of making matar paneer and I'd love to know how you make yours (leave me a comment) but I prefer mine creamy and blended instead of super chunky with all the bits of onions and tomatoes separate. So I just use my hand blender to give it a quick whizz while it's still in the pan. If you are the chunky matar paneer kinds, skip that step and you'll be fine too.
And you know another thing that's so great about this recipe? It's naturally Gluten Free and you can totally make it vegan if you sub the paneer for tofu and the yogurt for coconut milk. I know there are a lot of you out there who are always looking for vegan alternatives and this one right here is a winner in that category!
Thatโs it! Who would have thought making delectable matar paneer would ever be this quick and easy! This dish is creamy, slightly tangy and fresh flavours are truly mouthwatering, and will even make non-paneer or matar fans fall in love! I serve my matar paneer with either hot rotis or plain rice. But this dish is super versatile and tastes amazing with naan, kulcha or even jeera rice.
Watch This Creamy Matar Paneer Curry Recipe Video
Creamy Matar Paneer Curry
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons Oil Vegetable Or Canola
- 2 Onion Finely Chopped
- 2 Teaspoons Ginger
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic
- 2 Green Chillies Chopped
- 4 Tomatoes Finely Chopped
- 1 Teaspoon Jeera Or Cumin Seeds
- 1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Coriander Powder
- ยฝ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- ยผ Cup Greek Yogurt Or Hung Curd
- ยฝ Cup Water
- 1 Teaspoon Salt I used 1 ยฝ Teaspoon
- 1 Teaspoon Roasted Kasuri Methi Optional
- 1 Teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- 250 Grams Paneer Or Indian Cottage Cheese Cut Into 1 Inch Pieces
- ยพ Cup Par Boiled Green Peas Or Frozen Matar Thawed And Boiled
- Salt To Taste
- 1 Tablespoon Coriander Leaves chopped
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan and add onion, ginger, garlic, green chilli and saute for a 5-6 minutes till the onions are translucent.
- Add tomatoes and mix. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes till the tomatoes are cooked through.
- Allow this to cool and transfer to a mixer. Puree this mixture into a smooth paste. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water if required.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in the pan add cumin seeds. Once they start to splutter add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder along with 2 tablespoons of water.
- Cook for 30 seconds and add the blended paste. Mix to combine and cook this for 7-8 minutes or till the oil starts to separate. Turn off the flame.
- Whisk yogurt in a bowl, and add the onion tomato mixture one tablespoon at a time to the bowl, mixing well after each time. After 3-4 tablespoons, transfer the yogurt mixture into the pan. This method helps avoid the yogurt curdling.
- Add ยฝ - 1 cup water and salt and bring this to a simmer. (I used ยพ cup of water)
- Switch the flame back on and add peas. Mix and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add garam masala, kasuri methi and paneer. Mix and simmer for 3 more minutes. Top with chopped coriander and serve hot.
Video
Notes
- Always combine some of the onion tomato mixture with whisked yogurt before adding it to the pan. This method helps avoid the yogurt curdling.
- Paneer: If you'd like to try and make paneer at home, you can check out this recipe. If you are using store bought paneer, submerge the packet in hot water for 10 minutes before using. This will soften the paneer.ย
- Garam Masala: I use homemade garam masala, but you can substitute it with any store bought garam masala. Please note that garam masala is different from curry powder
shazia says
thank u dude. this was a much needed quarantine meal and tasted better than a restaurant. i panfried the paneer at the start for a few min and added a tiny bit of honey to sweeten my tomato/yoghurt/masala sauce before i blended it all. mmmmmm!
Richa says
Sounds perfect, thanks Shazia!
Julie Falsetti says
You say to add all the spices with the tomatoes, but you then say to add the garam masala. I've made your recipe a couple of times and had no problem as I am an experienced Indian food cook. Nonetheless, I think you should review your steps and rewrite the recipe to make it clearer.
Richa says
Thanks for pointing that out Julie, I'll fix that.
Suganya says
I doubled the sauce for the paneer. The recipe is delicious. I followed every step to the T which I rarely do and Iโm happy I did that!
Thank you!!!
Richa says
I'm so so glad you enjoyed it Suganya!
Ketty says
Please send reply to my email RSVP as soon as possible about the yogurt curdling when I added it to the sauce.
Richa says
Haven't received an email from you Kitty. To avoid the yogurt from curdling, add it bit by bit like I've shown in the video.
Ketty says
Hello I tried your creamy mutter paneer recipe, but somehow it curdled I think I used too much of the greek yogurt. Is it still edilble? Can I add the paneer and still present it for dinner?
Richa says
And yes, you can still eat it.
Sara says
Finally, the matar paneer I have been searching for! Delicious, easy, tasty. Thank you for publishing your recipe. Family and guests loved your dish.
Richa says
Thanks Sara! So happy you enjoyed this
R says
Excellent recipe my kids love it โคโคโค
Richa says
Thank you!! So glad its a kiddie favourite ๐
Zeb says
Fantastic! Made my day! Thank you so much
Richa says
So glad you liked it Zeb!
elenor arkowitz says
how do i subst. cottage cheese for paneer. my cottage chese is soft with loose wet curds. in no way does it resemble paneer. is there a way to treet the cottage so it more or less resembles paneer?
Richa says
Hey Elenor, the cottage cheese available outside India is quite different from paneer. You can either drain the cottage cheese in a cheesecloth and then add it. Or make your own paneer (I have a recipe on my site), or use Halloumi.
Vasu says
Richa..love this version of matar paneer. I dislike chunks as well!
@eleanorarkowitz..u can bake cottage cheese in the oven until firm.30-40 mins. Cut and let cool before adding to the recipe with the peas.
Philippa says
This recipe looks great - I had a friend at university who used to bring leftovers of this dish on white bread sandwiches, which tasted amazing! Going to try this version tonight. A tip I got from a friend of Indian descent was to grate the tomatoes on a course box grater - cut one end off and grate, and the peel is left behind - no need to blanch and peel first.
Richa says
Thats a great tip about the tomatoes. Thanks for sharing!
Lauren says
Loved this recipe. It was easy to make and absolutely delicious. The flavors took me back to the food I enjoyed while in India. I used ghee and a bit of coconut oil, tomatoes from a can (squeezed so they weren't super wet), almost a cup of frozen peas, some extra spices to go with the garam masala, and heavy cream instead of yogurt (making it less tangy and more rich and sweet). Make sure you use enough salt so the flavors come fully out. My partner and I both agreed that the dish was restaurant quality if not better. Thank you so much for the recipe ๐
Richa says
Thanks for sharing Lauren!
Kate says
Thanks for the recipe. It was easy to make and tasted great!
Richa says
Thanks! Glad you liked it
Kristn says
What kind of tomatoes or what weight/volume of tomatoes are you using? 3 romas is a much smaller quantity than 3 beefsteak tomatoes.
Richa says
Hey Kristin, I'm referring to 3 roma tomatoes, but if the ones you get there are small, increase the quantity to 4.
Poornima says
It came out really good. Thanks
DG says
easy but awesome
Richa says
Thank you!
Joyce says
Can you give me a good source to get the spices for this dish. Thank you
Richa says
Amazon or an Indian grocery store in your city would have these.