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Published: July 29, 2019 | Updated December 17, 2020 | By Harini

Paneer Makhani Recipe

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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.

paneer makhani

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.

easy paneer makhan

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 or oil- You can use either butter or oil to make this gra
  • 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.

blanched tomatoes for makhani sauce

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

peeled tomatoes for makhani sauce

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

cashew paste for makhani sauce

Making Paneer Makhani

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

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

sauteing whole spices for makhani gravy

Next add tomato puree and mix well.

Making makhani sauce recipe

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

making makhani gravy recipe

Once reduced, add spice powders and salt.

Preparing makhani sauce recipe

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

Preparing makhani sauce recipe

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

simmering tomato sauce

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

Making makhani sauce

Add paneer cubes and mix. Simmer for a minute.

Finally add saffron strands, kasuri methi and mix well.

Makhani sauce ready

Serve paneer makhani hot or warm.

paneer makhani ready to serve

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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Navratan Korma

Malai kofta curry

I hope you will try this paneer makhani recipe and enjoy as much as we did. Please give a star rating ★ in the recipe card below. Follow us on Pinterest , Instagram, Facebook   for more recipes and ideas.

paneer makhani

Paneer Makhani Recipe

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Harini
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.
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 5 hrs 35 mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Indian
Servings 3
Calories 324 kcal

Ingredients
  

For Makhani Sauce

  • 15 cashews soaked in warm water
  • 4 large tomatoes ripe
  • 1 tablespoon butter OR oil
  • 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 teaspoon kasuri methi
  • 10 saffron strands
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves

For Paneer Makhani Curry

  • 2 cups cubed paneer or Tofu (Soy Paneer)

Instructions
 

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.

Notes

  • Increase or decrease spice powders as per taste
  • The recipe can be doubled or halved
  • Vegans can use tofu instead of paneer and oil instead of butter

Nutrition

Serving: 3cupsCalories: 324kcal
Tried this recipe? Snap a pic and share 🙂Mention cookclickndevou or tag cookclickndevour
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Shared by Harini

About Harini

I am Harini. The recipe developer, food photographer and chef behind cook click n devour. My aim behind this blog is to provide easy, tried and tested recipes that beginners can cook with confidence. I took keen interest in cooking and took courses on cooking, baking during teens purely out of passion. With a decade of cooking experience I am glad to share my recipes and culinary knowledge with you all here. Stay tuned and happy cooking!
Harini :)

Comments

  1. Nikita says

    June 5, 2020 at 3:34 pm

    5 stars
    One of the best paneer recepie ever
    Thanks Harini for the wonderful recepie .

  2. Mala Tibrewal says

    February 18, 2021 at 9:23 pm

    Excellent restaurant style paneer makhani, so easy to make , thanx for sharing the recipe

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Hello, I am Harini


The chef, author and photograper of cook click n devour.Here I bring to you tried and tested vegetarian recipes with step by step photos and videos to make cooking a pleasure and fulfilling experience. Happy cooking!
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