Name: Paneer Makhani Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 335 min
Yield: 3
Ingredients: 15 cashews (soaked in warm water); 4 large tomatoes (ripe); 1 tablespoon butter; 1 bay leaf; 1/4 inch cinnamon stick; 2 green cardamoms; 3 cloves; 1/2 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; 1/4 cup fresh cream (add if you are not using cashews); 1 teaspoon kasuri methi; 10 saffron strands; 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves; 2 cups cubed paneer

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Paneer makhani recipe– absolutely delicious restaurant style easy paneer curry in tomato cashew sauce. I guarantee this is the only recipe you need for making the best paneer makhani at home, restaurant style or in fact better 🙂 Paneer makhani is a variation of paneer butter masala and tastes wonderful with roti, naan, jeera rice, peas pulao etc. Here is how to make perfect butter paneer curry or paneer makhani with step by step photos.

Few days back I shared this super delicious makhani sauce with you guys. Many of you wanted the recipe for this paneer makhani curry and here it goes 🙂

Paneer makhani is a wonderful Punjabi curry with paneer as main ingredient. Makhani means butter so this is basically a variation of butter paneer masala. Though most of the ingredients used in this both curries are same, I always felt paneer butter masala is different from paneer makhani.

Making paneer makhani is super quick and easy. If you have tried my makhani gravy you can put together this curry literally in five minutes. Even if you are making from scratch you need just 20-25 minutes for making this curry.

Easy paneer recipes like paneer masala, paneer lababdar, shahi paneer, paneer korma, paneer ghee roast or stir fry are our top favorites at home.

Paneer makhani with hot butter naan, tandoori roti or mild rice recipes like corn pulao is our all time favorite dinner. I make this often as my kid loves it. I usually use homemade paneer so it is healthier too.

This Paneer Makhani Recipe Is

Very rich with smooth and flavorful gravy

Tastes unique with wonderful aroma

Restaurant style side dish for naan and other flatbread

Kid friendly, vibrant

Absolutely delicious

Easy to make, sauce can be made ahead.

Difference Between Paneer Makhani & Butter Paneer Masala?

Basicallt both paneer butter masala and paneer makhani are made in the same way. Spiced tomato gravy is sauteed in butter to which you add paneer cubes.

However paneer butter masala has a sweet taste due to the use of onions and sugar. Paneer makhani has more sharp flavor and taste as we don’t use onions in this. Moreover fresh cream is optional in paneer makhani but used in butter paneer masala.

So What Goes Into The Making Of Paneer Makhani?

As I said above this is paneer curry where you first prepare a moderately spiced, smooth and slightly tangy makahni sauce. To that sauce you further add paneer cubes and simmer for few minutes.

Making the makhani sauce is the main task but very easy. To make paneer makhani sauce you will need

tomatoes- tomatoes form the base of this gravy so use really good, plump and ripe tomatoes. i prefer to sue desi tomatoes over salad ones.
butter- to stay true to its name I have cooked the entire gravy in butter. Though I have used less quantity of butter the flavor is incredible. So my suggestion is to use butter. However if you are vegan or want to avoid butter read on to know your other options.
Cashews- my biggest tip for making super rich and creamy paneer makhani is cashews. Soak cashews for good 30 minutes in warm water, grind to a very fine paste and let it sit for another 30 minutes. What you have now is wonderful cashew cream that yields excellently rich curry.
Whole Spices– Regular whole spices like bay leaf, cloves and cardamom
Spice powders- The set of standard spice powders you use for most of the Indian curries like turmeric powder, chili powder, garam masala powder.
Saffron- It is my secret ingredient in this curry. It adds such a delicate flavor note and color to the curry better than restaurants.

How To Make Paneer Makhani?

Prepping For Paneer Makhani

First of all soak cashews in warm water for 30 minutes. Strain and grind to a very smooth adding water as required. Set this aside undisturbed. It thickens and becomes creamy.

Next bring a pot of water to rolling boil. Add 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Add rinsed tomatoes after scoring them on top and add to the boiling water. Blanch for five minutes.

Now rinse under cold water and peel the tomatoes. Add the tomatoes to a blender jar and blend into a very smooth pulp.

Now blend the soaked cashews into a very smooth paste along with the water or add more if needed.

Making Paneer Makhani

Heat butter in a thick pan. Add the whole spices and fry for a minute.

Next add the minced ginger garlic, slit green chilies and saute.

Next add tomato puree and mix well.

Simmer for 5-6 minutes or till the tomato puree reduces a bit.

Once reduced, add spice powders and salt.

Simmer till the tomatoes are well cooked and releases fat from the sides.

Add 1.5 cups water, cover and simmer for 12 minutes so that the gravy thickens

Add the cashew paste reserving a bit for garnish. Mix well and simmer for 2 minutes.

Add paneer cubes and mix. Simmer for a minute.

Finally add saffron strands, kasuri methi and mix well.

Serve paneer makhani hot or warm.

How To Make Paneer Makhani With Pre made Sauce?

If you have homemade or store bought makhani sauce then here is how you use it.

Heat 1/2 teaspoon butter or oil in a pan. Add 1 cup of makhani sauce with a splash of water. Stored sauce thickens so the water is required. Mix well and simmer for 3-4 minutes.

Add the paneer cubes and mix well. Simmer for a minute and remove from flame. See only 5 minutes. It is very helpful to jar of makhani sauce handy 🙂

Tips To Make Best Paneer Makhani

First of all use best fresh paneer for any paneer recipe. Homemade paneer is best and second is fresh one from trusted brands.

If using store bought paneer you can slightly toast it before adding to the curry.

I have used cashew cream instead of fresh cream. You can easily replace cashew paste with fresh cream

For lighter curry you can use almond paste.

Adding saffron lends a beautiful color and flavor. After adding saffron mix really well.

After adding paneer do not boil and also do not simmer for long as it will make paneer chewy.

How To Make Vegan Paneer Makhani?

A vegan paneer makhani is technically not possible as when you replace paneer and butter with something else it is no longer paneer makhani 🙂 However you can totally make this curry vegan by replacing

butter with oil or vegan butter
Paneer with tofu
cream with cashew cream (this recipe uses cashew cream only)

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I hope you will try this paneer makhani recipe and enjoy as much as we did. P