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 favourite recipes forever, and it is one of my most viewed recipes on the blog. I decided to give the pictures and the post a facelift 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.
OTHER MFS RECIPES YOU MAY LIKE
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 favourite 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)
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Restaurant Style Paneer Butter Masala
Prep Time: 10 minutes- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 6 portion
Category: main course
Cuisine: indian, north indian
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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!
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 Cashewnuts (Chopped)
- 1 teaspoon White Poppy Seeds (or 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
- to taste Salt
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). 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 grind the mixture to a smooth paste.
- In the same pan or kadhai, heat the remaining butter and add the curry paste. 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.
Absolutely delicious . Made this a few times now and love every bite. All my friends and family enjoy it aswell. Have shared with many people.
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So glad everyone liked it! Thanks for your feedback Shawn!
Perfect punjabi style paneer butter masala.
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Glad you liked it Anvesha!
Dear Madam,
In description video, you have put one punch of cloth, what this? what ingredients having cloth? Kindly to be give reply in this regard and also thank you for such a great recipe
Hi Bellari, I basically wrapped the spices up in the cloth and added it to the pot. This makes it easier to fish the whole spices out.
Hey Team,
I was looking this recipe only I had searched over thousand of websites for this perfect recipe and finally found it was awesome I had tried this at my home .
Thanks! Glad you liked it!
I tried it today….it was great and perfect panneer butter masala…loved it…thank you so much for the recipe
★★★★★
So glad you liked it Fathima!
This looks incredible!
This looks amazing! I can’t wait to try making it!
★★★★★
Thanks!
Hey in this recipe you use onions but your makhani gravy recipe doesn’t mention onions. I’m super confused. Should I or should I not? That is the question 😜
Hey Vee, I just have two slightly different recipes – one with onions and one without. You can use either of them because they both taste amazing! I hope you try it out!
My husband absolutely loves Indian food and this looks like an absolute must try!
Thanks Melanie!
Dear Rciha,
I tried the Paneer Butter masala yesterday and it was yummy! the recipe was so simple , special focus on how easy you’ve explained it to us.
Got a thumbs up from family !
Thanks again Richa.
Thanks Sonal! So glad you liked it 🙂
Love that gravy! looks so yummyy!
Thanks Nasreen 🙂
It says curry paste but no curry paste in ingredients
Hey Tammy, the curry paste refers to the paste that’s ground in Step #4
Excellent recipe. Finally found the taste I was looking for. Thank u!!
Thank you so much! Glad you liked it 🙂
Thanks for the yummy ???? recipe Rucha…
Me and my husband enjoyed it so much….
Keep it up….
Thank you, glad you and your husband liked it 🙂
Niveditha, thank you so much! You made my day with your comment. So glad you liked it, and I hope you’ll try out other recipes from the blog 🙂
Hi this is the best makhni gravy that I have tried so far.. Thanks for posting it.. I have found my most favourite dish recipe so simple yet delicious.
Thank Jo, I hope you like this recipe too!
Ooo oh my this looks good! And for so few calories I could enjoy this on my fast days! saving and making asap!
Thanks Jaideep, so glad you liked it!
i absolutely loved it. Superb taste and texture. This will become my go to recipe. Thank you very much for sharing 🙂
This is one of my favorite Indian dishes Laura, and it’s actually one of the most popular ones in India. I hope you try it!
I love the sound of this – Indian comfort food. Although I haven’t made much Indian food (at least compared to other types)
Thanks everyone!
Ma’am amazing !
The recipe absolutely like the ones served in restaurant. surely going to give a try
I am officially jealous now!! Enjoy in Bangkok!
I am officially jealous now!! Enjoy in Bangkok!