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Paneer Butter Masala, step by step on video
See how the onion paste, strained tomato puree, warm milk and cashew-almond paste come together in the pan.
8:04 · Recipe video · Cooking with Siddhi
Paneer Butter Masala is a widely popular North Indian curry, also known as paneer makhani or paneer makhanwala. Restaurant style paneer butter masala is very easy to make at home; you just need the proper proportion and method. This is my recipe, just the same as many restaurants serve.
Onions, ginger and garlic are sautéed in butter and ground to a paste, then cooked with a strained tomato puree and Kashmiri red chilli powder. The paneer goes in with warm milk, and a cashew and almond paste is stirred in at the end.
Every recipe on Cooking with Siddhi is cooked in my own kitchen before it goes live.
Why you will love this paneer butter masala
- Restaurant style: just like many restaurants serve, made at home.
- Cooked in butter: 4 tbsp butter through the recipe.
- Cashew and almond paste: stirred in at the end.
- Ready in 40 to 45 minutes: start to finish.
Ingredient notes
- Butter: 4 tbsp in total. It goes in three times: for the onions, 2 tbsp for the cumin and bay leaf, and a little more for the chilli powder.
- Tomatoes: 4 large, ground to a smooth paste. Siddhi recommends straining the puree so the seeds and skin separate.
- Milk: 1 cup, warm. Keep stirring while you pour it in.
- Nuts: 15 to 20 cashews and 8 to 10 almonds, ground to a fine paste.
Paneer Butter Masala Recipe
Restaurant style paneer butter masala: paneer cubes in a buttery onion and strained tomato gravy, finished with warm milk and a cashew and almond paste.
Ingredients
- 2 large onions, roughly chopped
- 4 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 200 g paneer (cottage cheese), cut into cubes
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 8–10 garlic cloves
- 1 inch ginger, chopped into small pieces
- 4 tbsp butter
- 15–20 cashew nuts
- 8–10 almonds
- 1½ tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 tbsp Kitchen King masala
- Turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Sauté the onions. Heat butter in a pan. Once it melts, add the diced garlic, ginger and onions and sauté for 2–3 minutes. Once the onion turns transparent, turn off the flame and let it cool.
- Make the nut paste. Meanwhile, in a small mixer jar, grind the cashew nuts and almonds into a fine paste. Set aside.
- Grind the onions. Grind the sautéed onions, ginger and garlic into a fine paste.
- Temper. In a pan, add 2 tbsp butter. Once it melts, add the cumin seeds and bay leaf. Cook for half a minute until a nice aroma rises.
- Cook the onion paste. Add the ginger, garlic and onion paste and mix well. Cook on a low-medium flame for 2–3 minutes.
- Make the tomato puree. At the same time, grind the tomatoes into a smooth paste. Strain the tomato puree so the seeds and skin separate.
- Add the spices. In the pan with the onion paste, use a spatula to make space in the centre. Add butter, and once it melts, add the red chilli powder and turmeric powder and mix everything together.
- Add the tomato. Add the tomato puree and mix well. Add salt to taste.
- Cook the gravy. Place the lid on the pan and cook the gravy on a high flame for about 4–5 minutes. Stir occasionally so the gravy does not stick to the pan.
- Add the paneer. Add the paneer cubes and mix them well into the gravy.
- Add the milk. Pour the warm milk into the pan, stirring while you add it.
- Cover and cook. Cover the pan with the lid again and cook on a high flame for 1–2 minutes.
- Add the nut paste. Give it a nice mix, then add the cashew and almond paste and stir gently. Adding this paste towards the end helps retain the initial flavours of ginger and garlic.
- Finish. With the lid on, cook for 2–3 minutes. The sizzling paneer butter masala is ready. Transfer it into a serving bowl.
Recipe by Siddhi Panchal.
Tips for restaurant style paneer butter masala
- Let the sautéed onions, ginger and garlic cool before grinding them.
- Strain the tomato puree so the seeds and skin separate.
- Keep stirring while you pour in the warm milk.
- Add the cashew and almond paste towards the end to retain the ginger and garlic flavour.
What to serve with Paneer Butter Masala
Transfer the sizzling paneer butter masala into a serving bowl and serve it hot. For more curries, try my Rajasthani Besan Gatta Curry, or the sweet and tangy Raw Mango Curry.
Paneer Butter Masala FAQs
What is paneer butter masala also called?
It is also known as paneer makhani, paneer makhanwala or paneer masala.
Why strain the tomato puree?
Straining it separates the seeds and skin from the puree.
When do I add the cashew and almond paste?
Towards the end. Adding it then helps retain the initial flavours of ginger and garlic.
Should the milk be warm?
Yes. Use 1 cup of warm milk and keep stirring while you pour it in.
How long does paneer butter masala take?
About 15 to 20 minutes of prep and 25 to 30 minutes of cooking, so 40 to 45 minutes in total.
More recipes
Find more curries in our Curries collection, or browse every recipe.