Paneer Makhani
Creamy tomato curry with soft paneer cheese, finished with butter and cream for rich, restaurant-style comfort. Ready in under 30 minutes with minimal fuss.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 420
- Protein
- 18g
Ingredients
- 8 oz paneer cheese, cubed
- 1 can (14.5 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 0 to taste salt and pepper
Instructions
- 1
Place the 12-inch skillet on the stove and set heat to medium. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and wait until it melts and stops foaming, about 60 seconds.
- 2
Add 1 tablespoon of ginger-garlic paste to the hot butter and stir constantly for 30 seconds until it smells strongly fragrant and the raw edge softens.
- 3
Pour in the entire can of crushed tomatoes and stir until fully blended with the butter and paste, about 20 seconds.
- 4
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until the sauce darkens to a rust color and thickens slightly.
- 5
Pour in 0.5 cup of heavy cream and stir until completely smooth and uniform, about 30 seconds — the sauce should now look pale orange and creamy.
- 6
Gently add 8 ounces of paneer cubes to the sauce and stir slowly to coat them without breaking, about 20 seconds.
- 7
Simmer on medium-low for 4 minutes, stirring very gently every minute, until the sauce coats the paneer and the cheese is heated through but still soft.
- 8
Taste the curry and add salt and pepper a pinch at a time until it tastes balanced — savory, slightly tangy, and buttery.
- 9
Pour into bowls or onto plates and serve immediately with rice or naan on the side.
Tools you’ll need
- 12-inch skillet or saucepan
- wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
- cutting board and knife (for paneer, if not pre-cubed)
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