Restaurant-Style Butter Paneer is a creamy, tomato based dish with cubes of paneer (Indian cottage cheese), typically eaten with a classic naan or basmati rice.
This is hands down the BEST restaurant-style butter paneer recipe ever! You get that classic restaurant flavor, all in the comfort of your own home. I have tried countless recipes and variations of this recipe and none have come close to that restaurant flavor.
Whenever I go to an Indian restaurant (happens a lot even considering I’m Indian), I HAVE to get butter paneer, it’s just my favorite. I have tried to recreate it so many times, I’ve also tried many butter paneer dishes made by other home cooks, they just miss that restaurant flare.
How to Make Restaurant-Style Butter Paneer
This recipe is much easier to make than others since the gravy is made by simmering all of the ingredients in water to infuse all of the flavors, but does not require tempering or sautéing.
- Cube your paneer into 1 inch pieces and add to a bowl of warm water. Soaking your paneer will make it really soft from the inside, instead of a chewy, hard texture. I learned this method from my mom and I love how soft and buttery this makes the paneer.
- Starting out, adding all of the gravy ingredients in a pot with water, simmer for around 15-20 minutes. This will infuse the water with the spices and aromatics, allowing all of the flavor to be impactful. This is much easier than sautéing the veggies and adding water after since it requires almost no attention. You want the veggies to be really soft so that they blend easily.
- While the gravy ingredients are simmering, marinate the paneer after draining the water out. Simply add a but of avocado oil and tandoor masala. (I like to use the Swad Tandoori Masala, it does have a bit of food coloring it in, make this dish look extra delicious 😉 )
- Once the gravy ingredients and fully cooked and have been cooled for around 20 minutes, use a high speed blender to blend the gravy super smooth. I use a Vitamix, which gets the gravy as fine as it can be.
- In the same pot you cooked the gravy, add a bit of oil and on medium-high heat cook the paneer lightly. You don’t want much color on it, just a bit cooked on the outside. Remove once it is cooked.
- Add your blended gravy through a fine mesh strainer into the pot, along with a bit of butter. I like to use a strainer to make sure the gravy is ultra smooth.
- Then add your cooked paneer back, add all of the heavy cream and your honey. I like the touch of sweetness this adds. Simmer for around 15 minutes.
- Garish with kasoori methi and enjoy!
Ingredient Favorites
What to eat Butter Paneer With
I love garlic naan, so I alway recommend eating butter paneer with that. I am also a geera rice (rice made with whole cumin seeds) kind of gal, recipe coming soon!
One of my must have is a bit of raw onion and chilies, they just tie everything together.
Restaurant-style butter paneer is also not complete without a mango lassi, let me know if that is something you would like to see!
Restaurant-Style Butter Paneer
DifficultyMedium
Servings8
Prep time30 minutes
Cook time45 minutes
Total time1 hour15 minutes
Hands down the BEST restaurant style butter paneer recipe ever! You get that classic restaurant flavor, all in the comfort of your own home. I have tried countless recipes and variations of this recipe and none have come close to that restaurant flavor.
Ingredients
- 16 Oz Paneer
- 3 Plum Tomatoes, Quartered
- 2 Small Red Onions, Quartered
- 1 Head of Garlic, Peeled
- 1 Inch Fresh Ginger, Peeled
- 4 Dried Kashmiri Chilies, Deseeded
- 1/4 Cup Unsalted Cashews
- 1 Green Cardamom Pods (Elaichi)
- 2 Tsp Salt
- 1 1/2 Tsp Turmeric
- 1/2 Tsp Cumin Powder
- 1/2 Tsp Coriander Powder
- 1 Tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
- 1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1/2 Tsp Garam Masala
- 2 1/2 Tsp Swad Tandoori Masala
- 3 Cups Water
- 3 Tbsp Avocado Oil
- 3/4 Cup Heavy Cream
- Kasoori Methi (Dried Fenugreek Leaves)
- Butter
- Drizzle of Honey
Instructions
- 1
Cut the paneer into 1 inch cubes. Soak in warm water to soften.
- 2
In the pot you intend to cook the butter paneer in, add in your chopped tomato, onion, garlic, ginger, kashmiri chilies, cashews, green cardamoms and all of the spices. (Leave 1/2 tsp of tandoori masala for the paneer marinate.)
- 3
Add the 3 cups of water, turn the heat on medium, cover with a lid and cook for around 15-20 minutes. You want all of the veggies very soft.
- 4
In the mean time, drain the water from the paneer cubes, pat dry and season with avocado oil and tandoor masala. Cover and set aside.
- 5
Once the gravy is fully cooked, turn off the heat and set aside to cool for around 20 minutes.
- 6
Using a high-speed blender, blend the gravy until very very smooth.
- 7
In the same pot, add a but of oil and cook lightly cook the paneer. You don’t want them to brown just gently cook. Remove into a bowl once cooked (around 3 minutes).
- 8
Add a pat of butter to the pot and while using a fine-mesh strainer, add the gravy. This will make sure the gravy is ultra smooth.
- 9
Add the paneer back to the gravy and also add the heavy cream. Taste for seasoning and adjust to your liking. Add a bit of honey for a touch of sweetness.
- 10
Simmer for 15 minutes on low.
- 11
Garnish with kasoori methi and a bit of extra butter and enjoy with garlic naan or rice!
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