Here’s an easy recipe for the perfect restaurant style paneer butter masala for all you paneer (cottage cheese) lovers! I love serving this with parathas and jeera rice. It’s always a hit with family and guests!
This restaurant style paneer butter masala is definitely one of my favorite recipes forever, and it is one of my most viewed recipes on the blog. I decided to give the pictures and the post a face lift so that we can have the most amazing paneer butter masala for as long as we want!
So here’s the thing with paneer butter masala. If you are a paneer lover, it is the king of all paneer recipes.
More Paneer Recipes that you’ll love: Saag Paneer, Tandoori Paneer, Easy Palak Paneer, Paneer Bhurji, Creamy Matar Paneer and Spicy Achari Paneer
Creamy, slightly tart and makes me mop up the gravy with anything I can get my hands on. Just the thing you need when you are craving comfort food but want something that hits all the right notes.
This is completely against the healthy binge I’ve been on. But paneer butter masala has it’s own place. With some naan of course. Or tandoori roti. Or lachha paratha. Or bread. Whatever works. Or whatever’s on hand.
Because this is what I want after too many salads, or too much chicken or too much ghar ka khana and there’s nothing like it. You get that right?
This one’s a no brainer. It’s not a super long process and if you have some of my makhani gravy on hand, all you need to do is heat up some butter, let the gravy bubble up and add paneer. Done.
BTW this Makhani Gravy is mega awesome and super handy
Just in case you are wondering, paneer butter masala is also known as paneer makhani. They are made in a tomato based gravy and use oodles of butter and cream which gives the gravy a smooth, creamy texture.
If you are a paneer lover, here are some questions you will have. I know. And thats why I am here to answer them 🙂
How do you make paneer (cottage cheese) at home?
Making paneer at home is simple and needs only two ingredients – milk and acid (lemon juice or vinegar work well). You will need to heat milk and add the acid and simmer the milk till it curdles and separates into whey and paneer or cottage cheese. I have a super handy, step by step tutorial on how to make paneer here.
Coming back to my extra favorite paneer butter masala. You can always go to the whole hog and make your own paneer at home (which only takes 15 minutes BTW and is the most satisfying experience) or you can buy store bought paneer. This recipe is so versatile that if you would rather have chicken butter masala instead, you can always substitute the paneer for chicken. Works both ways!
Doesn’t that melting butter just take your heart away? And say gimme gimme.
Watch Paneer Butter Masala Recipe Video (Step by Step)
Restaurant Style Paneer Butter Masala
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons Butter
- 250 grams Paneer cubes or Cottage Cheese
- 3 Kashmiri Red Chilies
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Paste
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Paste
- 1 Bay leaves
- 1 inch Cinnamon Stick
- 3 Cloves
- 2 Cardamoms
- 1/2 teaspoon Peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons Cashew Nuts Chopped
- 1 teaspoon White Poppy Seeds Khus Khus (Optional)
- 1 Onion roughly chopped
- 6 Tomatoes roughly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon Chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Garam masala Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Ketchup
- 1 tablespoons Kasuri Methi Dry
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Cream
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- In a large pan or kadhai, heat a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of oil.
- Add red chillies, ginger, garlic paste and all the whole spices (bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and peppercorns). Alternatively, you can also wrap the spices in a muslin cloth and add them to the pan (take this out after the tomatoes are cooked down). Saute for a minute or two and add cashew nuts, poppy seeds (if using) and onions. Once the onions turn translucent, add the tomatoes. Mix well.
- Cover and cook till the tomatoes start breaking down and the mixture starts leaving oil at the edges. Switch off the flame and set aside to cool.
- Once cool enough to handle, fish out as many whole spices as possible, and blend the mixture to a smooth paste in a food processor or blender.
- In the same pan or kadhai, heat the remaining butter and add the blended paste prepared in step #4. Add garam masala powder, chili powder, turmeric, ketchup, salt along with 1/2 cup water. Bring this to a boil.
- Once the curry comes to a boil, simmer and cook for 30 minutes, till the oil separates slightly. Cut the paneer into bite sized pieces, add it to the gravy and mix gently.
- In another pan, dry roast the kasuri methi and grind it to a fine powder. Mix kasuri methi and fresh cream in the curry and switch off the flame. Serve hot.
Notes
- Paneer: If you'd like to try and make paneer at home, you can check out this recipe
- Tomatoes: Roma tomatoes work best for paneer butter masala because they are not as sour as the local varieties
This is the best Paneer butter masala recipe I have ever tried.. it’s just perfect. So simple beautifully explained n delicious. What more to say I hv always got compliments when ever I have served this to my guest. Thanks a lot dear
This is the kind of food we live to eat, right? Thanks Smitha, we are glad you liked our Paneer butter masala recipe