Paneer Butter Masala (Instant Pot & Stovetop)
This Paneer Butter Masala, also known as Paneer Makhani, is incredibly delicious and so easy to make in the Instant Pot. Soft paneer cubes are simmered in a rich, mildly spiced tomato-based gravy that's creamy, comforting, and full of flavor.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb Paneer or Cottage cheese chunks (use firm tofu for vegan)
- 2 tablespoon Butter
- 1 Green chili pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 1 Onion cut in large pieces, about 1.5 cups
- 1 inch Ginger grated or finely diced
- 6 cloves Garlic minced
- 4 Tomato cut in large pieces
- 1/4 cup Cashews
- 2 tablespoon Dried Fenugreek leaves (Kasoori Methi)
- 1/4 cup Water
- 1/4 cup Cream heavy whipping cream (coconut milk for vegan)
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- 1 teaspoon Salt adjust to taste
Ground Spices
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Turmeric (Haldi powder)
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder (Dhaniya powder)
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin (Jeera powder) or Garam Masala
- 1-2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder adjust to taste
Whole Spices
- 1 inch Cinnamon (Dalchini)
- 5 Green Cardamom (Elaichi)
- 2 Black Cardamom (Moti Elaichi)
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Peppercorns
- 12 cloves Cloves (Laung)
Instructions
- Make a spice pouch by adding the whole spices to a cheesecloth. Tie it such that the spices cannot come out of it.
- Except for paneer, cream, and honey, add all ingredients, including the whole spices pouch and ground spices to the Instant Pot. Close the lid with the vent in the sealing position.
- Set the instant pot to manual or pressure cook mode on high pressure for 8 minutes.
- After the instant pot beeps, release the pressure naturally. You can also do a 15 minute natural pressure release.
- Remove the spice pouch carefully. Blend the contents in the instant pot with an immersion blender or regular blender to a smooth paste. If using regular blender, you may need to cool the ingredients before blending. Get the contents back to the instant pot.
- Add the cream and honey. Stir into the sauce.
- Add paneer chunks. Stir them into the sauce and let it rest for 5 minutes. You can cover with a glass lid.
- Paneer Butter Masala is ready to be served. Garnish with dry fenugreek leaves or cilantro.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker
- Follow the same steps as above if cooking in a stovetop pressure cooker. Pressure cook for 2 whistles on medium-high flame. Then let the pressre release naturally.
Video
Notes
Don't have a spice bag: If you don't have a spice bag, you can skip the whole spices and add about a teaspoon of Garam Masala (adjust to taste) at the end.
Freezing: This gravy freezes well. Skip adding the paneer and keep this sauce handy to prepare this or other curries.
Make it Nut-free: Some people are allergic to cashews or any nuts. You can either just skip the cashews and add some extra cream. If you can find, use 2-3 tablespoons of melon seeds (magaz) in place of cashews. They make the gravy thicker, while keeping it nut-free.
Using Store-bought Tomatoes: You can use store-bought diced tomatoes in this recipe in place of fresh tomatoes. If using store-bought tomato puree (passata), then add 1/4 cup extra water, as puree can sometimes stick to the bottom and cause a burn. Make sure to add tomatoes as the last ingredient before pressure cooking and do not stir, as sometimes they can cause a burn.
Variations:
- Matar Paneer / Mushroom Matar / Roasted Cauliflower - You can also add different veggies to this sauce and make delicious curries. All of the veggies can be added after making the sauce. Simmer for 3-4 minutes on saute mode to cook the veggies.
- Butter Chicken or Murgh Makhani - You can also cook butter chicken with this recipe. Add chicken thigh pieces on top of the other ingredients before pressure cooking. Cook for 10 minutes at high pressure. Remove chicken and cut into 2-3-inch pieces. Add back to the sauce. Voila, butter chicken is ready!
- Love this gravy? Make it a dip with naan and serve it as an appetizer.
- Vegan: To make this curry vegan, replace cream with coconut milk and paneer with tofu or vegetables.
Nutrition
Serving: 331g | Calories: 374kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 483mg | Potassium: 358mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1058IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 422mg | Iron: 2mg