Paneer Butter Masala
Also: paneer makhani, butter paneer
Cubes of fresh Indian cheese simmered in a smooth, mildly sweet tomato gravy enriched with butter, cream and cashew paste.
Identity criteria
- 1Paneer (fresh non-melting Indian cheese) is the protein
- 2Sauce is a smooth, strained tomato base — not chunky
- 3Enriched with butter and cream for a velvety body (makhani)
- 4Cashew paste adds richness and natural sweetness
- 5Mild, slightly sweet and buttery rather than fiery
Components
tomato puréeessentialblended smooth, the foundation of the gravy
paneer cubesessentialfresh acid-set cheese that holds shape and does not melt
ginger, garlic, onionessential
butter and creamessentialthe makhani richness that defines the dish
cashew pasteessentialthickens and adds nutty sweetness; key to the silky texture
garam masala, kasuri methi (dried fenugreek), kashmiri chilli, sugaroptionalkasuri methi gives the characteristic aroma
Technique
- blending and straining the gravy
- produces the signature smooth, lump-free sauce rather than a rustic curry
- cashew enrichment
- gives body and sweetness without flour, the makhani hallmark
- finishing with butter and kasuri methi
- adds glossy richness and the dried-fenugreek aroma central to its identity
Form & serving
- Served
- in a bowl, paneer in glossy orange gravy, swirled with cream
- Temperature
- hot
- Portion
- shared main
- Pairs with
- naan · butter naan · jeera rice · roti
Character
Flavour
Texture
soft cheese cubes in a velvety smooth gravy
Eaten
A crowd-pleasing restaurant and special-occasion vegetarian main across India and the diaspora, served with bread or rice.
When
year-round
Variations & related
Regional variations
- paneer makhani · North India
near-identical, the vegetarian counterpart of butter chicken
- kadhai paneer · North India
a drier, spicier, chunkier relative — a distinct dish
Related dishes
- sibling butter chicken
shares the makhani tomato-butter-cream gravy with paneer in place of chicken
- pairs-with naan
classic bread for scooping the gravy
Substitutions
cream → extra cashew paste or coconut creamadmissible
a workable dairy-light enrichment that keeps the silky body
paneer → tofuadmissible
vegan adaptation; changes the dish but keeps the form (then no longer canonical paneer)
smooth tomato-cashew gravy → thin watery tomato sauceinadmissible
without the rich smooth base it is not butter masala
Common mistakes
- Leaving the gravy chunky instead of blending it smooth
- Omitting cashews and cream, losing the rich makhani body
- Skipping kasuri methi, missing the signature aroma
- Using rubbery overcooked paneer that has been hard-fried
Provenance
A North Indian restaurant-born dish, the vegetarian sibling of butter chicken, popularised from Delhi's Punjabi kitchens in the mid-20th century.
References
- 1.North Indian restaurant cuisine
Confidence: high