Makhani sauce is a rich & delicious base for many Indian curries. This creamy sauce is so easy to make with simple ingredients. Once you have this sauce handy, it is a child’s play to whip up delicious Indian curries like paneer butter masala or veg makhanwala.
This makhani gravy is a very versatile one and very delicious as such too. You can serve with steamed basmati rice or butter naan. Here is how to make best makhani sauce at home, instructions for making it vegan included.
If you love Indian curries you also know how important is a curry base. It can just make or break your curry. That is why the same paneer butter masala tastes exceptionally good in some restaurants and mediocre in some others.
But the good news is you can make the best ever makhani curry base or sauce at home that too with few Indian pantry staples. Also homemade makhani gravy means no food coloring and other junk that goes in all restaurant versions 🙂
Also by using the right ingredients, proportions and cooking technique, you can make the best ever makhani gravy that is vibrant with deep flavors. There is absolutely no need for store bought tomato sauce or paste here. just 100% homemade with all clean ingredients.
I am a big fan of butter naan and paneer butter masala combo. I can have it daily and that is why I mostly have a jar of this makhani sauce in my fridge. Homemade paneer is mostly there and with this sauce, paneer makhani is just 10 minutes away for us 🙂
This Makhani Sauce Recipe Is
Homemade from scratch, no store bought tomato paste or sauce
Gluten free & vegetarian
Can be made vegan by just replacing butter with oil
Rich creamy and delicious with less butter
Mildly spiced and flavorful, kids friendly
Versatile curry base for many Indian curries
Freeze beautifully.
I make this makhani sauce and use it in many ways. Apart from making makhani curries, I use this sauce to make naan pizza, use as sandwich spread or simply serve with steamed rice or roti. This is a versatile sauce that freezes wonderfully.
This makhani sauce recipe is vegan except for butter. Makhan means butter so to stay true to the name, I have done all the sauteing in butter. But instead of fresh cream I have used cashew cream to garnish. It is nothing but just letting the cashew paste sit for 30 minutes.
Whenever I make this makhani gravy, I use a portion immediately and freeze the rest. It keeps well for months but we usually finish off within 10 days.
What are the ingredients I need for Makhani sauce?
The base for this gravy is blanched tomatoes. I prefer to use desi tomatoes are they more juicy and slight tangy. Use red plump and ripe tomatoes for vibrant makhani sauce.
Other than tomatoes you will need some cashews, whole spices like bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Few spice powders like red chili powder, turmeric powder and whee bit of garam masala powder.
My secret ingredient in this makhani gravy is few saffron strands. They simply elevate the flavor, taste and color of this sauce. Do try adding saffron while making this sauce and you will also love it.
Some Tips To Follow Before Making Makhani Gravy
Use plump ripe and red tomatoes. They are more juicy and slightly tangy
Use kashmiri red chili powder for vibrant color.
Do note that the color of homemade makhani sauce is paler than restaurant ones as we don’t use any food coloring.
Instead of cashew paste you can use fresh cream
The sauce thickens well on cooling, so do not make it very thick initially.
To reheat the refrigerated sauce, heat some oil or butter in a pan and add the required amount of sauce. Saute well for few minutes before adding paneer or veggies.
This recipe yields spiced makhani gravy. You can increase the spice powders for more spicy gravy.
Let’s get on to the step by step tutorial for making makhani sauce.
How To Make Makhani Sauce
1. Begin by blanching soaking the cashews in warm water for 30 minutes. Here I have used 20 cashews as I also used cashew cream instead of fresh cream. See notes if you want cashews only for the gravy.
2. Next bring a large pot of water to rolling boil. Add 1/2 teaspoon sugar and mix well. Score the rinsed tomatoes on top and add to the boiling water. Blanch for five minutes.
3. Rinse under running cold water and peel the tomatoes. Add to a blender jar and blend into a very smooth pulp. If required you can sieve the pulp.
4. Now blend the soaked cashews into a very smooth paste along with the water.
5. To begin making the makhani gravy heat 2 tablespoons butter or oil in a thick pan.
6. Add the whole spices (bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom and cloves) and fry for a minute.
7. next add minced ginger-garlic or ginger garlic paste followed by slit green chili. Saute well for 2 minutes till the ginger garlic gets cooked.
8. next add the tomato puree.
9. and mix well.
10 Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes.
11. Once it reduces a bit, add chili powder, turmeric powder and required salt.
12.Mix well and simmer till the tomatoes are well cooked and leaves fat from the sides.
13. Add 1.5 cups water and 1 teaspoon sugar. mix well and simmer till the gravy thickens. takes around 8-10 minutes.
14. Now stir in the cashew paste and mix well. Simmer for 3-4 minutes.
15. Finally add crushed kasuri methi, saffron strands and chopped cilantro leaves. Mix well and remove from flame.
16. Let cool before storing in a clean dry jar.
How To Use Makhani Gravy
You can use this sauce for making Indian curries like paneer butter masala, paneer makhanwala, bhindi masala, veg makhanwala, malai kofta curries.
This sauce is very good as pizza sauce for making paneer pizza or naan pizza.
You can use this sauce while assembling sizzler plate
This sauce can also be used as sandwich spread, a side dish with steamed rice.
More Condiments You Will Like
I hope you will try this makhani sauce recipe and enjoy as much as we did. P
Makhani Sauce Recipe
Makhani Sauce Recipe
1 CUP = 250 ml
Ingredients
- 20 cashews soaked in warm water
- 6 large tomatoes ripe
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 inch cinnamon stick
- 2 green cardamoms
- 3 cloves
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste or 1/2 teaspoon each minced ginger, garlic
- 1 green chili slit
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
- salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh cream add if you are not using cashews
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi
- 10 saffron strands
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Begin by blanching soaking the cashews in warm water for 30 minutes. Here I have used 20 cashews as I also used cashew cream instead of fresh cream. See notes if you want cashews only for the gravy.
- Next bring a large pot of water to rolling boil. Add 1/2 teaspoon sugar and mix well. Score the rinsed tomatoes on top and add to the boiling water. Blanch for five minutes.
- Rinse under running cold water and peel the tomatoes. Add to a blender jar and blend into a very smooth pulp. If required you can sieve the pulp.
- Now blend the soaked cashews into a very smooth paste along with the water.
- To begin making the makhani gravy heat 2 tablespoons butter or oil in a thick pan.
- Add the whole spices (bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom and cloves) and fry for a minute.
- next add minced ginger-garlic or ginger garlic paste followed by slit green chili. Saute well for 2 minutes till the ginger garlic gets cooked.
- next add the tomato puree and mix well.
- Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- Once it reduces a bit, add chili powder, turmeric powder and required salt.
- Mix well and simmer till the tomatoes are well cooked and leaves fat from the sides.
- Add 1.5 cups water and 1 teaspoon sugar. mix well and simmer till the gravy thickens. takes around 8-10 minutes.
- Now stir in the cashew paste and mix well. Simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- Finally add crushed kasuri methi, saffron strands and chopped cilantro leaves. Mix well and remove from flame
- Let cool before storing in a clean dry jar.
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