Paneer Butter Masala Recipe - Spice Up The Curry (2024)

Published: May 24, 2023 · Last Modified: Feb 29, 2024 by Kanan Patel / 51 Comments

Do you want to make Restaurant style paneer butter masala at home? If yes then you’re at the right place. It came out incredibly delicious + creamy, buttery. I bet you can’t stop eating it.

❤️About This Paneer Butter Masala Recipe

This restaurant style paneer butter masala is also known as butter paneer.

It has delicious, creamy, rich, buttery, medium spicy and vibrant looking onion-tomato gravy with soft, succulent paneer (Indian cottage cheese) cubes in it.

It pairs well with garlic naan or jeera rice.

This is the most popular, demanding paneer recipe served in Indian restaurants.

This tastes exactly the same as your favorite Indian restaurant.

It’s easy to make with easy-to-find ingredients.

🧾 Ingredient Notes

Here is the pic of restaurant-style paneer butter masala recipe ingredients. All the ingredients are easily available in any Indian grocery store.

• Paneer: It is available in the frozen section in Indian grocery stores. Occasionally I make homemade paneer, but for convenience, I mostly use store-bought. Once I cut them into cubes, I keep them in warm water to keep it soft.
• Whole spices (cloves, cinnamon, green cardamoms): It is added to the melted butter and sauteed. This gives a nice aromatic gravy.
• Tomatoes: When it comes to Indian food and tomato-based gravy I highly recommend used ripe Roma tomatoes (Plum tomatoes). Other verities give me a slightly sour taste.
• Kashmiri chili powder: This variety of red chili powder is not spicy and doesn't provide heat to the gravy. But it adds a nice deep red color. So when it is added to the melted butter, it gives beautiful vibrant color to the dish.
• Heavy cream: Here in the USA, I use heavy whipping cream (which has 35-40% fat content). In India, my mom uses the Amul fresh cream and it gives a good result. Or you can use malai that is collected from the top of the boiled milk. If using that then just add a splash of milk in malai and whisk it till smooth and runny, then add in the recipe.

👩‍🍳 How To Make Paneer Butter Masala? (Pics)

1) Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add onion, ginger, garlic and cashew nuts.

2) Cook until onions are soft and translucent or light pink.

3) Add chopped tomatoes and mix.

4) Cook until tomatoes are soft and mushy.

5) Now add turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder.

6) Stir well and cook for a minute. Turn off the stove and let the mixture cool down slightly.

7) Now add that mixture into the blender jar along with a splash of water.

8) Grind into a smooth puree.

9) Wipe out the same pan using a paper towel and melt the butter in it on medium heat. Add whole spices (cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms). Saute for 40-60 seconds or until you get the nice aroma of the spices.

10) Then add kashmiri chili powder and stir immediately.

11) Within 30 seconds add the prepared puree.

12) Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes. If yours is too watery then cook for a little more time until it thickens.

13) Now add water and mix well. Simmer for 4-5 minutes.

14) Add paneer, garam masala, crushed kasoori methi and cardamom powder. Mix well and bring it to a simmer.

15, 16) Add heavy cream, mix and cook for a minute.

💭 Expert Tips

• You should not simmer for longer after adding paneer pieces. Otherwise, paneer will get chewy.
• Sauté kashmiri chili powder for 30 seconds only. The longer your cook it will burn and gives off taste to the gravy. You may start sneezing.
• Always crush kasoori methi between your palm before adding. By doing so, it releases its flavor at most.
• Sometimes, kasoori methi catches up moisture (if living in a humid climate) and you cannot crush it into powder. In that case, toast it into the microwave for 45 seconds. Let cool down and then crush.
• Please do not cut down the butter amount. It gives the right amount of buttery, rich flavor. If making for guests and wants to make it super rich then you can add 1-2 tablespoons of more butter.

🍽 What To Serve With Paneer Butter Masala?

• It tastes best with garlic naan (or plain naan) or tandoori roti.
• It can be served with jeera rice or plain basmati rice.
• I would like to have some onion slices w/ lemon wedges (or Indian onion salad) on the side.
• It is a good idea to serve chaas or salted lassi on the side to soothe your palate from the spicy taste of the gravy.

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📋 Recipe Card