Instant Pot Paneer Masala Recipe (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Usha Rao

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Instant Pot paneer masala is a creamy Indian curry for flatbreads. It is a make ahead recipe and works great for weeknight dinners and parties as well.

Jump to:
  • What is paneer?
  • About the recipe
  • How to serve?
  • 📖 Recipe

What is paneer?

Paneer is fresh Indian cottage cheese prepared by curdling milk. Milk particles are collected in a cheese cloth and pressed into a firm block of cheese. Depending on the recipe, paneer is cut into cubes for curries and appetizers, and crumbled to prepare delicious sweets.

It is easy to prepare paneer at home. However, nowadays decent quality paneer is available in Indian stores and in stores like Whole Foods.

About the recipe

Paneer masala is a cream curry with onion tomato almond base that is jazzed up with heavy cream or milk. Beauty of the curry is that the base is a make ahead curry base and stores well in refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

The base stays fresh up to a week though I did not keep it that long. On the day of serving, heat up the curry with some oil or ghee, add cream or milk, paneer, simmer for a few minutes and voila, paneer masala is ready to serve!

How to serve?

Paneer masala pairs well with roti and Indian flatbreads but goes well even with jeera rice or any mildly flavored rice such as methi rice, hyacinth rice ~ anapaginjala annam, saffron rice or vegetable bagara.

📖 Recipe

Instant Pot Paneer Masala Recipe (2)

Paneer Masala

Paneer cooked in a creamy onion tomato almond base is a delicious, easy side dish for busy weeknights.

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: North Indian

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cooling Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 3

Calories:

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

Spice Powder

  • ¼" Cinnamon
  • 1 Clove
  • ¼ teaspoon Cardamom seeds
  • 1 ½ tablespoon blanched Almonds

Paneer Masala

  • 1 - 1 ½ tablespoon Oil
  • ½ teaspoon Cumin
  • ¾ - 1 cup chopped Onion less than 1 cup
  • 1 ½ tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
  • 1 cup chopped Tomato
  • 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
  • ¾ teaspoon Salt adjust to taste
  • ½ - ¾ teaspoon Chili Powder adjust to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
  • 2 tablespoon Water to deglaze
  • 1 ½ tablespoon Ghee or Oil
  • ½ cup Water add more depending on the consistency
  • ½ cup Milk 2%
  • 1 tablespoon Kasuri Methi
  • 250 grams Paneer cut into small cubes (I used Gopi Paneer)

Instructions

  • Grind all the ingredients under spice powder and keep aside.

Instant Pot Method

  • Set Instant Pot (IP) to Saute mode.

  • When the inner vessel is hot, add oil, cumin followed by onions and saute until light brown.

  • Add ginger garlic paste and saute until raw smell of ginger is gone.

  • Then add tomatoes, coriander, salt, chili powder, turmeric powder, spice powder and cook until soft.

  • Add 2 tablespoon of water to deglaze. Close the IP and pressure cook on ‘Manual’ or ‘Pressure Cook’ for 4 minutes and let pressure release naturally.

  • Let the mixture cool.

  • Cut paneer into cubes ½” cubes, about 40 cubes and bring water to a boil on a stove top. Turn off the flame and leave paneer cubes in hot boiling water for 4 minutes.

  • Meantime, grind onion mixture to a fine paste. This paste is now ready to store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, if meal prepping.

  • Set IP to ‘Saute”. Heat ghee and sauté the paste until oil begins to separate, about 3-5 minutes, add water and bring to a boil. Once IP is hot it will boil real quick, so keep an eye on it.

  • Add kasuri methi, milk and give a quick stir.

  • Add paneer and cook for 3-5 minutes until gravy thickens to desired consistency. Do not leave the inner pot in IP as the curry will continue to simmer.

  • Transfer paneer masala to serving bowl, garnish with cilantro and serve with roti.

Stove Top

  • Follow Instant Pot method steps but on stove top. Heat oil in a saucepan, add cumin, onions and saute until onions are light brown.

  • Add ginger garlic paste and saute until smell is gone, then add tomatoes, coriander powder, chili powder, salt, turmeric powder, spice powder and cook until tomatoes are soft. Let the mixture cool and make a fine paste using some water.

  • Transfer the paste to pan along with ghee cook and until oil begins to separate. Add water (will require more than half cup) and bring to boil, add milk.cream, kasuri methi, paneer and cook until flavors seep into panner and curry is done. Don't forget to put paneer in boiling water for 4 minutes before adding to the curry.

Notes

  • Milk - I used 2% milk but fat free also works just fine. If you want to indulge, use half & half or cream or combination of cream and milk.
  • Water - On stovetop you will need more than half a cup of water and adjust the water content to get the desired consistency of the curry.
  • Paneer - I used 250 grams of paneer as I prefer more paneer. Ideal quantity is about 200 grams for this recipe.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

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  1. Srivalli Jetti says

    This quick one surely makes life easy. Guess using Ip makes it all the more convenient. Great option.

    Reply

  2. Sushma Pinjala says

    Paneer Masala looks super delicious. Nice and creamy dish which goes perfect with roti or naan

    Reply

  3. Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

    Instant Pot Paneer Masala Recipe (7)
    How creamy this Paneer Masala looks and love the IP recipe. I am yet to make paneer subzi in IP. I will be trying this soon.

    Reply

  4. Pavani says

    Instant Pot Paneer Masala Recipe (8)
    Never made paneer masala in the instant pot. Thank you for the recipe. I’m going to try your recipe sometime for my paneer loving kids ☺️ Such a simple yet crowd pleasing dish this is.

    Reply

  5. Harini Rupanagudi says

    Beautiful color for the gravy Usha. I have heard from friends that they make the base gravy over the weekend and use it during the weekdays. IP is definitely a life saver and you have made this curry perfectly.

    Reply

  6. Rajani says

    The gravy looks smooth and creamy and delicious. Paneer is always a hit with my family, I use frozen vegetables when I am out of paneer.

    Reply

  7. Amara says

    Beautifully done paneer masala Usha, IP is sure a life saver in those busy times. Will try your recipe soon.

    Reply

  8. Suma Gandlur says

    That one sure fits the theme and still looks like a winner. Love that vibrant hue of the dish.

    Reply

    • MySpicyKitchen says

      Thanks Suma.

      Reply

  9. Srividhya Gopalakrishnan says

    Instant Pot Paneer Masala Recipe (9)
    Love paneer malasa any time. As you mentioned I make the curry base over the weekend and just add in some veggies or panner and call it a day. IP is a life saver for batch cooking. 🙂 Great pick for this theme.

    Reply

    • MySpicyKitchen says

      Adding veggies to this masala is a good idea. Will try it next time Srividhya. Thanks.

      Reply

Instant Pot Paneer Masala Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between paneer tikka and paneer masala? ›

A paneer tikka recipe is made of grilled paneer and no sauce (this is typically served as an appetizer). Paneer tikka masala also features cooked paneer, but it's in a creamy sauce.

What is the difference between paneer makhani and paneer masala? ›

Sauce: Paneer makhani has a rich, smooth, and slightly sweet tomato-based gravy that is made with butter, cream, and a blend of spices. Paneer butter masala, on the other hand, has a slightly tangy tomato-based gravy that is made with butter, cream, and a blend of spices.

What is the difference between Kadai paneer and paneer masala? ›

Kadai Paneer is a spicy gravy recipe which uses a lot of spices to give it a robust bold flavour. However, paneer butter masala is a sweetish creamy cashew nuts and tomato based curry which uses mild spices and nuts. The gravy is much subtle and rich and is slightly on the sweetish side.

What is the difference between paneer butter masala and butter paneer? ›

Paneer Butter Masala, also known as butter paneer is a rich & creamy curry made with paneer, spices, onions, tomatoes, cashews and butter. As the name denotes, the curry is cooked in butter which imparts it's characteristic buttery flavor to the dish.

Do I cook paneer before adding to curry? ›

Do you have to fry the paneer? Absolutely not! The thing is, raw paneer has a tendency to fall apart when added to a sauce. By frying the cubed paneer, you create a crispy crust to the cheese which helps it retain its shape when cooked into a hot curry sauce.

Is paneer tikka healthy or unhealthy? ›

Is Paneer Tikka safe for healthy individuals? Yes, this is a healthy recipe. Slightly high on fat but its good fat. Good fat keeps you fuller for a longer time.

Which paneer masala is best? ›

There are several good brands of paneer tikka masala, including:
  • Patak's Paneer Tikka Masala.
  • Shan Paneer Tikka Masala.
  • MDH Paneer Tikka Masala.
  • Priya Paneer Tikka Masala.
  • Everest Paneer Tikka Masala Ultimately, the best brand for you will depend on personal preference and taste.
Jan 29, 2023

Is paneer tikka masala spicier than butter chicken? ›

Tikka Masala is generally spicier than Butter Chicken. The spiciness of Tikka Masala comes from the use of chili powder, cumin, and other spices. On the other hand, Butter Chicken has a milder taste, with just a hint of spiciness from chili powder.

Is it better to fry paneer before cooking? ›

Whether or not you need to fry paneer before cooking depends on the specific recipe you are following. Frying paneer can enhance its texture, add a crispy outer layer, and help it hold its shape during cooking. However, it is not always necessary, and some recipes may call for using paneer as is, without frying.

Is paneer masala the same as tikka masala? ›

No they are different. Paneer Tikka is served as an appetizer and has cubes of grilled paneer where for paneer tikka masala the grilled paneer is added to a creamy curry and served as a main dish.

Which is better shahi paneer or Kadai Paneer? ›

Kadai paneer is made with kadai masala, bell peppers, tomatoes, kasuri methi & paneer. But shahi paneer uses none of these ingredients except for paneer. Kadai paneer is spicy & not creamy or sweet. But Shahi paneer is creamy, sweetish and is not spicy.

Can we eat butter and paneer together? ›

So, eating low fat paneer as a source of protein in dinner in moderate amounts of 4 to to 5 pieces as a part of a wholesome diet. Butter if used as a part of the meal and not in excess of the oil or fat already used, it should be fine.

Can we eat paneer butter masala during weight loss? ›

Paneer + Low Fat Paneer : Paneer contains high quality protein and calcium which aids in weight loss. Since paneer is low in carbs and high in protein it gets digested slowly and hence good for diabetes.

Is Shahi Paneer like tikka masala? ›

Paneer Tikka Masala, Paneer Butter Masala, Shahi Paneer, Paneer Labaabdar, and Kadhai Paneer are all popular North Indian dishes featuring paneer (Indian cottage cheese), but they differ in terms of preparation, flavors, and ingredients.

Is there a difference between tikka masala and masala? ›

Tikka is grilled or roasted meat marinated in yoghurt or spiced base before being cooked on skewers. Masala is a sauce made with cream, yoghurt, tomatoes, or spices to add flavour to the food.

Is tikka and masala the same thing? ›

Tikka refers to grilled or roasted pieces of meat that are either marinated in yogurt or spiced water before being cooked on skewers. Masala refers to a sauce made with cream, yogurt, or tomatoes; or a mixture of spices used to flavor food.

Why is paneer tikka so expensive? ›

But when you try to buy paneer dish from restaurants the cost includes many charges such as Cost of raw material, cost of Labor, Rent, Tax part, Maintenance cost, Miscellaneous and Profit margin etc.

References

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