Loading...
A restaurant-style classic featuring soft paneer cubes in a rich, creamy tomato and cashew gravy. This North Indian favorite is mildly sweet, tangy, and perfect with naan or rice.
For 4 servings
Prepare the Paneer and Gravy Base
Cook the Gravy
A comforting and nutritious Indian stew made with a blend of lentils and fresh spinach, tempered with aromatic spices. This wholesome dish, also known as Dal Palak, is perfect with rice or roti for a hearty, healthy meal.
Tender, protein-packed lentil meatballs simmered in a rich and aromatic tomato-onion gravy. A delicious vegetarian twist on the classic kofta curry, perfect with roti or rice.
A healthier, oven-baked version of the classic smoky Baingan Bharta. Tender eggplant is baked until soft, then mashed and cooked with onions, tomatoes, and aromatic spices for a delicious and easy dish.
Succulent cubes of soft paneer, crisp bell peppers, and onions are bathed in a smoky, spiced yogurt marinade and grilled to perfection. This classic appetizer, also known as Paneer Tikka, is bursting with flavor and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
A restaurant-style classic featuring soft paneer cubes in a rich, creamy tomato and cashew gravy. This North Indian favorite is mildly sweet, tangy, and perfect with naan or rice.
This north_indian recipe takes 55 minutes to prepare and yields 4 servings. At 499.52 calories per serving with 15.7g of protein, it's a moderately challenging recipe perfect for lunch or dinner.
Finish and Serve
Replace paneer with firm tofu (pan-fried until golden), butter with vegan butter or more oil, and heavy cream with cashew cream or full-fat coconut milk.
Substitute cashews with 2 tablespoons of melon seeds (magaz) or sunflower seeds to achieve a similar creamy texture.
For an even richer gravy, you can add 1 tablespoon of milk powder or 2 tablespoons of khoya (milk solids) along with the powdered spices.
Add 1-2 slit green chilies along with the ginger-garlic paste for an extra kick of heat.
Paneer is an excellent source of high-quality protein, which is essential for muscle repair, growth, and overall body function.
As a dairy product, paneer provides a significant amount of calcium, which is vital for maintaining strong bones and teeth.
Cashews and dairy products contribute monounsaturated fats and other essential fatty acids that support brain health and provide sustained energy.
Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, and spices like turmeric contain curcumin, both powerful antioxidants that help protect the body against cellular damage.
One serving of this Paneer Butter Masala contains approximately 400-450 calories, depending on the exact amounts of butter, cream, and oil used. This is an estimate and can vary.
Paneer Butter Masala is an indulgent dish and is high in fat and calories due to the use of butter, cream, and cashews. While paneer provides a good amount of protein and calcium, this dish is best enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
Yes, you can easily make it vegan. Replace paneer with firm tofu, use vegan butter or oil instead of dairy butter, and substitute heavy cream with cashew cream or full-fat coconut milk for a similar creamy texture.
For a perfectly smooth, restaurant-style gravy, two steps are crucial: 1) Use a high-speed blender to create a very fine puree. 2) Strain the blended puree through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any fibrous bits from the onions, tomatoes, and spices.
Yes, you can prepare the gravy base up to 2-3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, simply heat the gravy, add the paneer and cream, and simmer for a few minutes.
If you have a nut allergy or don't have cashews, you can use blanched almonds, melon seeds (magaz), or sunflower seeds. Soak them in hot water just like the cashews before blending.