Instant Pot Paneer Butter Masala Paneer Makhani

There is one North Indian a la carte curry, which my family never discussed before ordering in a Restaurant & it is undoubtedly Paneer Butter Masala. There is no restaurant where we have not had this curry. It tastes great with Naan, Paratha, Roti’s, and the gravy, which goes well with Jeera Rice or Veg Biryani. So this curry is superhit in our family. Recreating this authentic restaurant taste at home was something I was always passionate about & here it is. If you follow this easy one-pot recipe as is, I am sure you will impress your family and friends. I have shared how to make Paneer Butter Masala in Instant Pot and Stovetop methods below. It is called by various names, such as butter paneer masala or butter paneer, or paneer makhani, and is a popular paneer dish on the restaurant’s menu. More Instant Pot Curry Recipes from my blog Black-Eyed Pea Curry, Lauki Ki Subji, Vegetable Korma, Chickpea Curry, Mushroom Masala This Butter Paneer dish is also Keto Friendly; replace cashew nuts with almonds or skip it and add more heavy cream at the end. If you are on a Keto or Low Carb Diet, check out my 40+ Keto Indian Food Recipes Collection.

Ingredients

Paneer: homemade or store-bought paneer cubed into 1-inch pieces (about 200 grams). Onion, garlic, and ginger: I have used roughly diced onions, along with garlic and ginger. Tomato: I have used 3 medium tomatoes. You can also use canned crushed or diced tomatoes. Cashew nuts: This is one of the most important ingredients to add creaminess to the dish. So do not skip it. You can also use almonds instead. In restaurants, they use a combination of white melon seeds (magaj) and cashew nuts. Cream: I have used heavy cream. You can also use cashew or coconut cream. Oil or Butter: I used butter in this recipe. Herbs & spices: I have used fresh-cut cilantro, kasuri methi for herbs, and red chili powder, and garam masala (or Kitchen King Masala) for dry spices. Whole Spices: Used cinnamon stick, cloves, and cardamom. You can also skip whole spices and just add extra garam masala at the end. Lemon Juice: Use fresh lemon/lime juice whenever possible.

How to Make Paneer Butter Masala?

Stovetop Pot Method

Put the onions, tomatoes, cashew nuts, ginger, garlic, whole spices, and 1 cup of water into a pan and bring to a boil. Cook on a medium flame for at least 15-20 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool. Blend to a smooth puree/paste using a high-speed blender. In a pan, heat the butter, add the jeera seeds, and saute for 30 seconds. Add Kashmiri red chili powder, bay leaf, give a quick stir. Then add onion-tomato cashew puree. Close lid and cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the paneer, kasoori methi, garam masala, or kitchen king masala, salt. Mix well and bring the mixture to a boil. Finally, gently stir in the cream, and paneer butter masala is ready to serve. Serve Restaurant Style Paneer Butter Masala/Paneer makhani recipe hot with chapati, naan, rice, and onion slices.

Instant Pot Method

Firstly, add 1 cup of water to the Instant pot insert. Place the trivet. Put the onions, tomatoes, cashew nuts, ginger, garlic, whole spices, and 1 cup of water into a deep pan. Place the pan over the trivet. Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 8 minutes. Once the pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally. Puree the cooked onion-tomato mixture using a hand blender until smooth. If you don’t have a hand blender, puree in a blender in batches once slightly cooled. Then I usually sieve the onion-tomato puree for a silky texture and discard the residue, but it’s optional. Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add butter/oil to the POT. Once hot, add cumin seeds and saute for 30 seconds. Add Kashmiri red chili powder, bay leaf, and give a quick stir. Then, add the onion-tomato-cashew pureed mixture. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the paneer, kasoori methi, garam masala, and salt. Mix well and bring the mixture to a boil. Lastly, gently stir in the cream, and paneer butter masala is ready to serve. Serve Instant Pot paneer butter masala or paneer makhani recipe hot with chapati, naan, rice, and onion slices.

What to Serve with Paneer Butter Masala?

This Paneer curry is a delicious side dish that perfectly complements various delicacies like naan, parotta, poori, and roti. I like serving it with Restaurant style Dal Makhani with jeera rice or ghee rice.