Bring the creamy, rich taste of restaurant-style Punjabi shahi paneer, home! Tender paneer cubes in a perfectly spiced creamy tomato and cashew sauce make for a delicious weeknight dinner or a treat for a special occasion. All you need is 30 minutes and a few straightforward steps.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ready quickly: The sauce for this shahi paneer does not need to simmer for hours to develop deep flavors. You can have this paneer dish cooked in 30 minutes!
Authentic flavors: This shahi paneer recipe is authentically Punjabi. If you want your paneer to taste just like the kind you get from your favorite Indian restaurant, this recipe will be a winner.
Meatless favorite: If you are trying to cut down your meat intake or do not eat meat at all, shahi paneer is satiating and has a good amount of protein too!
Ingredient Notes
- Paneer: Paneer is a semi-soft cheese, with a texture like firm tofu. You can generally find it in large bricks, which you can cut to your desired shape. You can typically find paneer in the dairy section of the store, or you can buy pre-cubed paneer from the freezer section.
- Ginger & garlic paste: You can purchase pre-ground ginger & garlic paste from the grocery store. If not, you can use fresh ginger and garlic, as the sauce will be blended.
- Cashews: I recommend using unsalted cashews to avoid extra salt in the sauce.
- Tomato passata: Tomato passata is made of pureed and strained tomatoes. Passata is uncooked, so it can be slightly acidic.
- Heavy whipping cream: Also labeled as just heavy cream. Heavy whipping cream has a fat content of 35% or higher.
- Spices and seasonings: You will need a cinnamon stick, Kashmiri red chili, garam masala, red chili flakes, and salt.
A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.
Substitutions
- Paneer: Tofu or halloumi cheese can be used in place of paneer. If you use halloumi cheese, reduce the amount of salt you add to the gravy as halloumi is very salty on its own.
- Heavy whipping cream: Half-and-half cream, full-fat Greek yogurt, or a splash of whole milk are all good substitutes for heavy cream. Full-fat whipping cream will give you the richest, restaurant-style dish.
- Red chili flakes: You can use red chili powder instead of chili flakes.
- Kashmiri red pepper: You can use regular sweet paprika if you do not have Kashmiri chili powder.
- Tomato passata: Use canned crushed tomatoes, or chopped fresh tomatoes if you do not have any canned tomatoes on hand.
Variations
- Extra spicy: Add chopped green chilies to the aromatics before blending. This will give your shahi paneer a good kick of heat.
- Meat version: Use this gravy with homemade chicken tikka instead of paneer for a recipe similar to butter chicken.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep Work Before Cooking
Collecting all ingredients: This will make cooking so much easier. Gather all the spices you will need, and keep them nearby.
Chop and prep ingredients: Finely dice the onions. Cut the paneer into slices and then cut each slice diagonally to make triangle pieces.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add one tablespoon of oil, and the onions and ginger-garlic paste.
Once the onions are translucent, add the cashews and let them toast lightly until golden brown. Add in the spices and cinnamon stick to the skillet and combine with the onions and cashews.
Add the tomato passata to the mixture once the spices are fragrant and toasted after 2-3 minutes. Cook through for another 2-3 minutes.
Remove the cinnamon stick from the skillet and let the tomato mixture cool slightly. Transfer the cooled sauce to a blender with water. Blend until all the ingredients are smooth and the cashews have broken down with no visible chunks.
Transfer the sauce back to the skillet over medium heat, and season with sugar and salt. Add the heavy whipping cream, and combine.
Add the paneer to the pan, and heat for 2-3 minutes until the paneer is warmed through.
Expert Tips
Avoid paneer breakage: Do not cut the paneer slices too thin. This will ensure the paneer does not crumble apart as it cooks in the sauce.
Blending liquids: Always be careful when blending hot liquids. It is not advisable to put hot liquids in a blender, as there is a risk of the liquids exploding from the top.
Extra smooth sauce: If you prefer an extra smooth sauce, pass the blended sauce through a fine-mesh sieve before putting it back in the skillet. This will get rid of any large pieces of cashews.
Make Ahead & Storage
- You can make the tomato and cashew gravy 1-2 days ahead. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you're ready to serve, reheat the gravy and add the paneer.
- Store leftover shahi paneer in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave before serving.
- You can freeze shahi paneer, but be mindful that the texture of the paneer might change slightly. Freeze for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stove.
Serving Suggestions
- Rice: Shahi paneer and rice are the perfect match. Serve with onion pulao, chicken pulao for some extra protein, or plain jasmine rice.
- Flatbread: Your favorite breads are the perfect match for shahi paneer. Some of my favorites include traditional tawa naan, cheese naan, or even a cheese paratha.
- Salads: To add some freshness to your meal, try homemade kachumber salad, or pickled red onions.
More Indian Recipes
Punjabi Shahi Paneer (Restaurant Style)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 oz Paneer - cut into triangles, or your desired shape
- ½ Yellow onion - diced
- 1 tablespoon Ginger & garlic paste
- ¼ cup Cashew nuts - unsalted
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 2 teaspoon Garam masala
- 2 teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- 1 teaspoon Red chilli flakes
- 1 cup Tomato passata
- 1 cup Water
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon Kosher salt - or to taste
- ¼ cup Heavy cream
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add one tablespoon of oil, and the onions and ginger-garlic paste.½ Yellow onion, 1 tablespoon Ginger & garlic paste
- Once the onions are translucent, add the cashews and let them toast lightly until golden brown. Add in the spices and cinnamon stick to the skillet and combine with the onions and cashews.¼ cup Cashew nuts, 1 Cinnamon stick, 2 teaspoon Garam masala, 2 teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder, 1 teaspoon Red chilli flakes
- Add the tomato passata to the mixture once the spices are fragrant and toasted after 2-3 minutes. Cook through for another 2-3 minutes.1 cup Tomato passata
- Remove the cinnamon stick from the skillet and let the tomato mixture cool slightly. Transfer the cooled sauce to a blender with water. Blend until all the ingredients are smooth and the cashews have broken down with no visible chunks.1 cup Water
- Transfer the sauce back to the skillet over medium heat, and season with sugar and salt. Add the heavy whipping cream, and combine.1 tablespoon Sugar, ¼ cup Heavy cream
- Add the paneer to the pan, and heat for 2-3 minutes until the paneer is warmed through.
✱Recipe Notes
- To avoid your paneer from crumbling, try not to cut the paneer into thin slices. You want the paneer to be sturdy enough that it does not crumble as it cooks. Alternatively, for some extra texture you can lightly fry the paneer!
Selena says
This actually tasted just like my favorite Indian restaurant - I was so impressed with the flavor!!
Sunena Anand says
Love to hear that, Selena!