This paneer curry recipe captures the essence of various traditional Indian dishes such as paneer makhani, kadai paneer, tikka masala and butter masala curries. It’s an easy-to-make, vegetarian curry with accessible pantry ingredients you can get in most supermarkets.
In This Post:
- ℹ️ Recipe Overview
- 🛒 Ingredients
- 📷 How To Make
- 📹 Watch The Video
- 💭 Recipe Tips
- 🍚 What To Serve With
- 💡Variations
- 📝 Full Recipe
Paneer Curry
Made with Indian cottage cheese known as Paneer, this delicious restaurant-style vegetarian curry is super easy to make. With its warmth from spices and tang from tomatoes, this rich and creamy curry is packed with flavour mellowed down by a touch of cream.
What I love about this recipe is that the same curry can be used to make butter chicken or you use tofu instead of paneer. Plus, it only takes about 30 minutes!
The curry pairs nicely with rice and naan bread or you can serve it over cauliflower rice for a low-carb version.
👉 If you’re looking for more vegetarian dinner recipes, make sure to try my lentil and mushroom Stroganoff, the baked Italian eggplant Parmigiana, or the quinoa-stuffed peppers. You can find all of my vegetarian recipes here.
What You’ll Need
Here is what you need to make this paneer curry.
- Paneer: The star ingredient, ensures it’s fresh and soft. You can get paneer from most supermarkets and Asian grocers. It’s rich in protein, vitamins and minerals.
- Tomatoes & onions: For the base of the curry sauce.
- Garlic and ginger: Essential for the curry’s aromatic foundation.
- Spices: A blend of coriander seed, garam masala, turmeric, and red chili powder.
- Cream & butter: For richness and a silky texture.
- Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves): For an authentic Indian touch. It has a unique taste that is hard to replicate with any other herb. They possess a slightly bitter yet savoury flavour, with a hint of nuttiness and a subtle aroma reminiscent of a mix of celery and fennel. This herb adds complexity and depth rather than any specific flavour. If you can’t find it, throw in a few fennel seeds and a teaspoon of maple syrup (yes, you read correctly).
How To Make Paneer Curry
Find the full list of ingredients, nutritional info, and instructions in the recipe card below. Here are some step-by-step pictures to guide you along.
Please note, the spices should be added before tomatoes to release aromas but my lovely photographer misread my instructions while taking the photos.
- Prepare the base: Sauté onions, chili, ginger and garlic.
- Spice it Up: Stir in the ground spices.
- Add tomatoes: Add tomatoes and cook until soft.
- Simmer: Let it simmer, allowing the flavours to meld.
- Sprinkle Kasuri Methi: dried fenugreek leaves, if using.
- Add Paneer: Cube the paneer and add it to the gravy.
- Finish with cream: Add cream for a rich texture.
- Garnish & serve: Garnish with fresh coriander/cilantro and serve with naan or rice.
Storage tips
Paneer curry can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. It’s freezer-friendly and can be frozen for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat gently.
More Indian-Inspired Recipes
Full Recipe
Find the full list of ingredients, instructions, and a nutritional breakdown below. If you have questions or cook this recipe, please let me know in the comments, and make sure to rate this recipe so it’s easy for others to find.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Cooked & Loved
Ingredients
- 800 grams Paneer about 1.8 lb, cut into cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium onion finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 tbsp ginger minced/grated/paste
- 1 tbsp garlic minced/rated/paste
- 1 tbsp chopped green chilies
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tbsp coriander seed powder
- 1/2 tbsp chili powder optional for extra heat
- 2 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 3 cups tomato puree passata or crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp crushed Kasuri methi dried fenugreek leaves
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup cilantro coriander, chopped, to garnish
Instructions
- Heat oil and butter in a pan on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and green chilies, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add garlic and chili and stir for 30 seconds to release the aromas.
- Add salt, coriander seed pepper, chili, turmeric, garam masala and stir for 15 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes and mix. Cover the pan and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, you can reduce the heat slightly.
- Add the fenugreek leaves, stir and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Finally, the heavy cream and paneer pieces and stir to combine. Cook on medium heat for a few minutes.
- Garnish with coriander/cilantro and serve hot with naan or rice!
Notes
- Can I replace the Paneer? You can easily replace it with chicken or tofu.
- Can this be made vegan? Yes! Replace heavy cream with coconut cream, coconut milk or non-dairy milk and replace paneer with tofu. Omit butter.
- Can I freeze this recipe? Yes! You can freeze Paneer curry and it will retain its texture and flavour for quite some time.
Such a really satisfying meal! I love how quick and easy it is to make, too!
Oooh, paneer is my favorite. This curry looks so good and comforting with such a wonderful combination of flavors.
Such a really comforting and flavorful meal!! Thanks so much for the recipe!
What a punch of flavor this curry has! Loved it!
My wife is a huge curry fan so I had to make this for her. She loved it!! Won’t be the last time I make it. Thank you for an awesome recipe!
This was easy to make and easy directions to follow! Turned out amazing! Will make again!