Paneer butter masala, also called paneer makhani, is the vegetarian partner of butter chicken: soft paneer in a smooth, mildly spiced tomato sauce enriched with butter. Restaurants usually finish it with plenty of cream. Here cashews blended into the sauce give the same silky body, so the cream becomes an optional final swirl.
Why this recipe works
- Simmering the tomatoes, onion and cashews together softens everything at once, so it blends to a completely smooth sauce.
- Cooking the purée in butter until glossy drives off the raw tomato taste, the same bhuna principle used for any curry base.
- Soaking the paneer in hot water keeps it soft, and adding it at the end stops it turning rubbery.
Method
Put the tomatoes, onion, cashews, garlic, ginger, cardamom, bay leaf, 1 tbsp butter and 250 ml water in a wide pan. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat, then cover and simmer on medium-low for 15 minutes, until the tomatoes have collapsed and the onion is soft and translucent.
Take out the bay leaf and cardamom pods and let the mixture cool for 10 minutes. Blend for 1 to 2 minutes until completely smooth, with no grit from the cashews. For a restaurant-smooth sauce, press it through a sieve back into the pan with the back of a spoon.
Tip: Never blend boiling liquid. Fill the jar no more than half full, and hold the lid down with a folded tea towel.
Meanwhile, put the paneer cubes in a bowl, pour over the hot water (just off the boil) and leave for 10 minutes, then drain. This keeps the paneer soft in the sauce.
Wipe the pan, add 2 tbsp butter and melt over medium-low heat. When it foams, stir in the Kashmiri chilli powder for 10 to 15 seconds until the butter turns red, then pour in the purée carefully, as it will splutter.
Simmer uncovered on medium-low for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until the sauce darkens to a deep orange, coats the back of a spoon, and small beads of butter glisten at the edges. Add a splash of water if it thickens too much.
Tip: If the sauce spits hard, turn the heat down and half-cover the pan, leaving a gap for steam.
Stir in the salt, sugar and garam masala, then crush the kasuri methi between your palms over the pan. Simmer for 2 minutes and taste: it should be gently tangy, slightly sweet and buttery. Add a little more sugar if it is still sharp.
Add the drained paneer and simmer on low for 2 to 3 minutes, just until heated through. Do not boil it hard, or the paneer turns rubbery.
If using cream, turn off the heat and swirl it in. Serve hot with naan, roti or jeera rice.
Swaps & substitutions
- Cashews → Melon seeds (magaz, 35 g): Nut-free. Soak them in hot water for 15 minutes before simmering; the sauce is slightly less rich.
- Fresh tomatoes → A 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes: Use 150 ml water instead of 250 ml. Tinned tomatoes give a steady colour when fresh ones are pale.
- Butter → Ghee: Same amounts. The sauce tastes nuttier and a little less creamy.
- Paneer → Firm tofu (250 g): Press it for 15 minutes and skip the hot-water soak. With neutral oil in place of the butter (same amounts) and no cream, the dish is vegan.
Storage & reheating
Cool within 2 hours and refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water, stirring, until steaming hot all the way through. The sauce freezes well for up to 3 months without the paneer; add freshly soaked paneer when you reheat it.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make paneer butter masala creamy without cream?
Simmer cashews with the tomatoes and onion, then blend until completely smooth. The cashews thicken the sauce and give it a creamy texture, and cooking the purée in butter until glossy adds the richness people expect from the restaurant version.
Should I add cream?
It is optional. Swirl in 2 tablespoons of single or double cream off the heat for a slightly richer, paler sauce; it adds roughly 15 to 35 kcal per serving, depending on the cream.
Why does my paneer butter masala taste sour?
The tomato purée was not cooked long enough in the butter, or the tomatoes were very acidic. Simmer until the sauce darkens and butter beads appear at the edges, then balance with a little more sugar, half a teaspoon at a time.
Why is my sauce grainy?
The cashews were not blended long enough. Blend for the full 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down the jar, and press the sauce through a sieve for a perfectly smooth finish.
Why did my paneer turn hard and rubbery?
Paneer toughens when it boils for a long time. Soak it in hot water for 10 minutes and add it at the very end, simmering for only 2 to 3 minutes.
Which allergens does this contain?
Milk (paneer, butter and the optional cream) and cashews, a tree nut. Use the melon-seed swap for a nut-free version.
Nutrition
| Calories | 361 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 15 g |
| Carbohydrates | 16 g |
| Fat | 27 g |
| Fibre | 3 g |
| Sodium | 618 mg |
More in Punjabi Recipes and Indian Curry Recipes. Learn the technique: How to Make a Curry Base (Bhuna Masala), Indian Spices: A Practical Guide.
