Paneer makhani is a delectable and rich Indian gravy made of paneer pieces cooked in a base of butter, tomatoes & cream. It is flavored with garam masala & other Indian spices.
This dish is often found in the menus of Indian restaurants and dhabas. Paneer Makhani is an all rounder dish which fits well any type of special occasion or party menu.
Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese) is one of the most loved foods across India and has started gaining prominence around the world as well in the form of gravies and snacks. Paneer Makhani is one of the simplest but highly popular Paneer dishes made all across the world.
How is the gravy different from other paneer dishes?
This dish has very unique flavor profile with slightly sweet, tangy and spicy notes. Tomato is one of the core ingredients in the gravy, and it is very important to choose ripe juicy ones to get the best flavor. The tomatoes are cooked in butter (called Makhan in Hindi) and that is the reason behind naming this dish Paneer Makhani.
Generally either cream or a paste of cashews and almonds is added to the gravy in order to achieve a smooth and silky texture. However, if you want to make a lighter gravy, you can also use milk as a substitute for cream.
Serving suggestions
It can be served alongside any Indian bread like Roti, Paratha, Puri or Naan, but can be also be enjoyed with Rice dishes like Jeera rice or Veg Pulao.
To make Paneer Makhani at home follow the detailed step by step recipe with photos posted below.
See more related recipes like:
- Paneer Butter Masala – paneer cooked in rich buttery gravy
- Matar Paneer – peas & paneer curry
- Dry Kadai Paneer – dry version of kadai paneer
- Kadai Paneer Gravy – gravy version of kadai paneer
- Paneer Tikka Masala – marinated & grilled paneer in gravy
- Paneer Capsicum Masala – paneer & capsicum in gravy
- Methi Malai Paneer – fenugreek & paneer curry
- Palak Paneer – paneer in spinach curry
- Malai Kofta – fried paneer dumplings in gravy
- Stuffed Tomato – paneer stuffed tomatoes in gravy
Suggested recipe collections :
- Paneer Recipes | 25 Easy Indian Paneer Recipes
- Indian Curry Recipes | List of 36 Indian Vegetarian Gravies
- Indian Sabzi Recipes | 20 Dry Vegetables | Sookhi Sabji
Paneer Makhani Recipe
Recipe Info
Ingredients For Paneer Makhani Recipe
- 200 gm Paneer
- 4-5 Large Tomatoes
- 1-2 Green Chilies
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Inch Piece of Ginger
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
- 2 Green Cardamom (Hari Elaichi)
- 2 Cloves Laung (Cloves)
- 1 Inch Dalchini (Cinnamon Stick)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
- 1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Coriander Powder (Dhaniya Powder)
- 1 Teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 Teaspoon Salt, or according to taste
- 1 Tablespoon Heavy Cream
- 1 Tablespoon Kasoori Methi (Dried Fenugreek Leaves)
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
Step By Step Instructions for Paneer Makhani Recipe
- Heat some butter in a pan and add cumin seeds, dalchini (cinnamon stick), elaichi (cardamom) and laung (cloves). Fry the whole spices for a minute.1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds (Jeera), 2 Green Cardamom (Hari Elaichi), 1 Inch Dalchini (Cinnamon Stick), 2 Cloves Laung (Cloves)
- Add finely chopped green chilies along with minced ginger and garlic to the pan. Fry for a minute so that they are roasted.1-2 Green Chilies, 1 Inch Piece of Ginger, 3-4 Garlic Cloves
- Make puree of the tomatoes and add it to the pan after the ginger-garlic is roasted. Sauté for 4-5 minutes till the tomatoes are cooked.4-5 Large Tomatoes
- Wait till the tomato puree has reduced and then add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt. Cook for a couple of minutes till the spices are roasted and the gravy starts to leave oil on the sides.1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder (Haldi), 1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder, 1 Teaspoon Coriander Powder (Dhaniya Powder), 1 Teaspoon Garam Masala, 1 Teaspoon Salt, or according to taste
- Add some cream and around 1/2 cup of water to the gravy. You can use milk instead of cream to make the dish lighter.1 Tablespoon Heavy Cream
- Add paneer cubes to the gravy. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 3-4 minutes till the paneer is soft and cooked.200 gm Paneer
- Sprinkle some crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) and mix everything together.1 Tablespoon Kasoori Methi (Dried Fenugreek Leaves)
- Paneer Makhani is ready. Drizzle some cream on the top along with some cilantro leaves for garnishing. Serve it hot along with any Indian bread or on the side of any Rice dish.
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The cumin seeds are not in the ingredient list!!!
Sorry about that Andre, I must have missed adding them. Thanks for bringing my attention to this. 🙂