Recipe- Restaurant Style Paneer Butter Masala

Paneer butter masala is a dreamy vegetarian curry recipe. It's a straightforward recipe to make, and the sauce's flavor is similar to butter chicken sauce, without the meat, of course. You'll love it! Complete the meal with a side of perfect basmati rice and some tandoori cauliflower. And if you love paneer recipes, also try our easy palak paneer! Paneer butter masala is much like butter chicken only it's made with paneer instead of chicken. We've based the recipe on our popular easy butter chicken recipe. The sauce is rich, creamy, and has perfectly balanced flavors.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter or cooking oil
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons chopped ginger
4 cloves garlic, crushed
14 ounce can diced tomatoes, fire-roasted tomatoes are great in this recipe!
½ cup water
2 tablespoons cashew butter, can sub almond butter
1-2 teaspoons salt, to taste
Optional: 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Optional: ½ cup heavy cream
12 ounces (350 grams) paneer, cut into bite-sized cubes
Cilantro, to serve

Spices

2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon garam masala, can sub curry powder
½ teaspoon turmeric
Seeds from 4 cardamom pods, omit if you don't have this

Method

* Heat the butter in a large skillet or medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic and cook until the onion is very well-browned, about 10 minutes.

* While the onion is cooking, add the spices to a small bowl. When the onion is well-browned, add the spices and let them cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and water to the pot and scrape the bottom to remove any stuck-on bits.

* Add the cashew butter then carefully transfer everything to your blender. Blend on high until smooth then pour the curry back into the pot. Season to taste with salt and, if using, the sugar. If you find the curry too thick, add another ½ cup of water.

* Add the cream, if using, and the paneer to the pot and warm it on medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes. Cover the pot to prevent splatters. Serve with a little cilantro over the top.