Matar paneer is a restaurant style creamy, delicious and rich peas paneer curry. Matar paneer is one of India’s most popular paneer dishes. In most Indian homes, it is made during winters when fresh peas are in season. However it can also be made with frozen peas anytime around the year.
This matar paneer is the best when you plan for a special meal. Some roti, phulka, garlic naan or plain basmati rice, jeera rice or ghee rice will be great to pair up with this.
I usually make matar paneer with blanched onions, tomatoes and cashews blended together. It is a super quick recipe and is great to make when you are in a hurry.
I have shared that method at the end of the post as method 2 (upon readers request).
Today’s recipe takes some time since the onions and tomatoes are sauteed first and pureed. This is what makes the dish simply superb and unique.
This recipe is roughly adapted from my Paneer butter masala which is a popular recipe on the blog.
More Paneer Recipes
Kadai paneer
Paneer makhani
Paneer tikka masala
Step-by-step photos
Preparation for matar paneer gravy
1. Heat a pan and add 1 tbsp oil. When the oil turns hot, add 2 green cardamoms, 1 inch ginger (chopped) and 3 garlic cloves (chopped). Saute just for a minute. I did forget to add the cardamoms here so added in the tempering later.
2. Add 1 cup chopped onions. Saute them until they turn pink to light golden. The raw smell of the onions has to go away.
3. Then add 1½ cup chopped tomatoes, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon turmeric.
4. Saute for 2 to 3 mins. Cover the pan. Cook on a medium flame until the onions and tomatoes turn mushy. Add cashews and turn off the stove.
5. Cool this mixture completely. Transfer to a blender jar. Make a smooth puree without adding water.
How to make matar paneer recipe
6. Heat a pan with 2 tablespoons oil. Add 1 inch cinnamon and a small bay leaf. You can also skip them and just add half teaspoon cumin seeds. Fry them for a min.
7. Pour the onion tomato puree. If your puree is not smooth, then pass it through a strainer. Add ¾ to 1 teaspoon red chili powder, ¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala and ½ to ¾ teaspoon coriander powder. You can also add the spice powders first to hot oil. If the pan is too hot , it burns them so I added later.
8. Saute all of these until the mixture comes together & turns thick. Keep stirring often.
9. Add ¾ cup boiled green peas or frozen peas. If using fresh peas, then you may need to boil them. Drain and use here. I used frozen peas, so just rinsed well and added. Pour 1 to 1¼ cups water to make a gravy.
10. Mix well. Cover and cook until the gravy thickens. Taste the gravy and add more salt if needed.
11. Add 1 slit green chilli, 250 grams paneer and 1 teaspoon kasuri methi. Mix gently and cover. Cook just for 2 to 3 mins. Adding green chilli at this stage gives a unique flavor.
12. Add chopped coriander leaves and 3 to 4 tablespoons cream. Mix well. Transfer to a serving bowl.
Serve matar paneer with basmati rice, naan, roti, phulka, jeera rice or ghee rice.
Recipe
Matar paneer recipe (Mutter paneer)
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
To saute & puree
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 cardamoms (elaichi)
- 3 garlic (cloves )
- 1 inch ginger chopped
- 1 cup onions cubed (1 large or 2 medium)
- 1½ cup tomatoes (2 large) chopped
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 10 cashewnuts
- ½ teaspoon salt
For matar paneer gravy
- 2 tablespoon oil or butter
- 1 inch cinnamon (dalchini) (optional)
- 1 small bay leaf (optional)
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon red chili powder (less spicy variety)
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon coriander powder
- ¾ cup green peas (matar) (boiled or frozen)
- 1 to 1 ¼ cup water (use more if needed)
- 1 green chili deseeded & slit (optional)
- 250 grams paneer (indian cottage cheese)
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- ¼ teaspoon salt as needed (about ¼ to ½ tsp)
- 2 tablespoon coriander leaves (cilantro)
- 3 to 4 tablespoon cream
Instructions
Preparation for mutter paneer
- If using store bought paneer, soak it in a bowl of hot water for 20 mins. Drain the water and use. This step helps to keep the paneer soft.
- Pour 1 tbsp oil to a hot pan. When the oil turns hot, add 2 green cardamoms, ginger & garlic.
- Fry for a minute. Next add 1 cup chopped onions & saute until they turn light golden.
- Put in 1½ cup tomatoes, ¼ teaspoon turmeric and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Saute for 2 to 3 mins. Cook covered until soft & mushy.
- Add 10 cashews. Cool this completely. Make a fine puree of this in a blender without water.
How to make matar paneer
- Heat 2 tbsps oil in the same pan. Saute 1 inch cinnamon & 1 bay leaf for a minute.
- Pour the pureed onion tomato mixture. If your puree is not smooth, then pass it through a filter/sieve.
- Add ¾ to 1 teaspoon chili powder, ¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala and ½ to ¾ teaspoon coriander powder.
- Saute until the masala comes together and turns thick. Keep stirring to prevent burning.
- Next add ¾ cup green peas. Pour 1 to 1 ¼ cups water. If using fresh peas, boil them until tender in a pot, drain and use. If using frozen peas then you can rinse and use.
- Mix well to make a thick gravy. Add more water if needed.
- Mix and cook covered on a medium heat until the gravy thickens and traces of oil appear over the gravy.
- Crush 1 teaspoon kasuri methi in your palm & sprinkle all over. Mix well.
- Check salt and add more if needed. Add 1 slit green chilli & 250 grams cubed paneer.
- Cover and cook just for 2 mins. Sprinkle coriander leaves and cream.
- Stir well. Serve matar paneer with jeera rice, naan or paratha.
Video
Video of matar paneer recipe
NUTRITION (estimation only)
Notes
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Matar paneer – method 2
Ingredients to follow from recipe card except for 1½ tsp ginger garlic paste to use below. Here are the instructions:
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil & add the cubed onions.
- Boil for 2 to 3 mins. Drain the blanched onions.
- Make a fine paste of blanched onions, tomatoes, chili, and cashews.
- Optional step. Saute paneer in little oil and immerse them in hot water until used.
- Saute cumin, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon & bay leaf in oil for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Fry ginger garlic paste until the raw smell goes off.
- Add the ground paste & fry until it leaves the sides of the pan.
- Also the raw smell must disappear.
- Add chili powder, garam masala, coriander powder and salt. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add peas and 1.5 cups water. Cook until the gravy thickens.
- When the gravy turns thick, you will also see some oil on top of the gravy. There is not much oil used in the recipe so you can see very little oil on top.
- To the thick gravy, add paneer and kasuri methi.
- Cook for just 2 to 3 minutes.
- Using cream is optional. Pour cream to a bowl, add little gravy and mix well. Stir this in to the pan.
- Switch off the stove and add finely coriander leaves. Serve matar paneer with roti or rice.
Reema Noronha says
I always hesitated to make paneer dishes as they never tasted like restaurant paneer.. but this recipe I tried and it turned out to be so delicious. I have tried many of your recipes and you never disappoint me. They always turn perfect. We are Blessed to have you on this planet:)
swasthi says
Hi Reema,
Thank you so much for the comment! Very glad to know your matar paneer turned out good. Hope you enjoy more recipes from here!
🙂
Deepa says
Amazing it turned out, everyone loved it!!
swasthi says
Thanks Deepa
Glad it turned out good!
Shwetha Desai says
I made this recipe at home and turned out delicious! Thank you so much Swathi!
swasthi says
Welcome Shwetha!
Wendy says
This is the best recipe I’ve ever used to make this. It’s my favorite Indian dish. So good!
swasthi says
Hi Wendy,
Thank you so much! I saw the picture. Yes it turned out so good.
🙂
Priti says
Received the best compliments from my husband, but better yet, my picky children. All took more than 1 serving! Thank you, great recipe and easy to follow. I didn’t add green chilli bc of kids but I bet it makes it better.
swasthi says
Hi Priti,
You are welcome. Glad you all liked it. Thanks much for the comment.
🙂
Ria says
Can I add yogurt instead of cream? Will it taste good.
swasthi says
Hi Ria,
Yes you can use yogurt. But both serve different purpose. Cream adds creamy texture while yogurt does not add texture but will make the curry slightly tangy. You can actually skip cream and just add few more cashews. If you prefer yogurt then add about 2 to 3 tbps to the blender along with onions and tomatoes. Hope this helps.
anna says
Hello!
If I want to make double the amount do i double all the ingredients? I know it’s tough to tell with the spices, but what do you think?
Thanks!
swasthi says
Hi Anna,
Yes you can double the recipe. Just reduce the ginger to 1.5 inch piece. Hope you enjoy!
anna says
Thank you so much! Your recipees are always a great turnout and my Indian husband always appreciate it!
swasthi says
Welcome Anna!
Glad to know!
Arpitha Domalapalli says
Can I swap out the paneer for tofu and would I have to cook the tofu before adding to the sauce? I also only have black cardamom. Is that fine to use?
swasthi says
Hi Arpitha,
Yes I suggest using extra firm tofu. Press down for about 30 mins beneath a heavy pan. Then cube and fry them in a tsp of oil until crisp otherwise they turn too soggy in the curry. You can just skip the cardamoms. Black cardamoms are stronger in flavor. If you like you can.
Dave says
Hi there!
Very delicious curry. It was easy to make and turned out great! Will be making it again.
swasthi says
Hi Dave,
Thank you so much for trying!
Cora says
Hello,
Are Kasuri methi and fenugreek seeds interchangeable? I have seeds but live in a small town with no ethnic markets, cannot find fenugreek leaves.
swasthi says
Hi Cora,
No they are not interchangeable. You can simply skip the kasuri methi. We Indians are so much used to the flavor in north Indian dishes that we can’t do without it. Matar paneer will still taste very good without the leaves. Hope you enjoy the dish.
Masdhusudhan says
Thank you Ms Swathi. We prepared this last night and reached the awesome taste just like restaurant taste.
swasthi says
Welcome Madhusuhan,
Glad your matar paneer turned out good. Thank you.
Sweety says
Hi Swathi,
Do you soak the frozen paneer to prepare using Method 1?
swasthi says
Hi Sweety,
I usually do not soak paneer. Instead I cover & cook the paneer only for a minute or 2 on a low flame after adding it to the gravy. I feel this gives the same result as soaking in water.
Kavita kamath says
Oh sorry I didn’t check it got it ,,,,thanks for including in the above recipie😘😘
swasthi says
No Problem Kavita!
Kavita kamath says
Hi swasti can’t find your previous matar paneer recipie again please help
swasthi says
Hi Kavitha,
I have updated the same recipe in this page as method 2. However I have now published the other one too on this link peas paneer gravy. Sorry for the inconvenience. Since I updated here I had unpublished it.
🙂
Kavita kamath says
Hi kindly send me the previous recipie of matar paneer it was really awesome
swasthi says
Hi Kavita,
You can find the recipe here
Kavita kamath says
Thank you Swasti this recipie is the best recipie I have ever tried ,,,,,I tried several other recipes of matar paneer but nothing match like yours, ,,,I searched in your blog but was not able to find it,,,,kindly make this recipient easily available on your blog
Thanks a ton😙😙😙
swasthi says
Hi Kavitha,
You are welcome. So happy to hear that. Yes sure I will include that method as well here. Actually the quantities are same but the method is different.Thanks a lot for the comment.
🙂
Dipesh Kataria says
Hello. I am in a country where they don’t have green cardamom. What replacement spice can I use?
swasthi says
Hi,
You can skip it and the other whole spices too if you don’t have.
Valentina Gianetti says
Hello Swasthi! My name is Valentina and i’m italian.. I live with my two twins boys age 3 and my husband. I love India.. I love Asia.. I love indian and a lot of asian food (but not korean!! 😀 ).. and I LOVE your blog, i tried some recipes and they are wonderful, the really indian restaurant taste. I have a couple of book of indian cuisine (one is very big and complete), but nothing compare with your recipes 🙂 I’m writing to you to ask an advice: what if I prepare this matar paneer gravy today (without paneer), store it in the fridge and serve it tomorrow? I think to put again it in the pan and add paneer and cream etc etc.
Thank you so much!
swasthi says
Hi Valentina,
Glad to know you! Thanks a lot for following my recipes. Your comment made me very happy.
🙂
Yes you can make the gravy ahead, 1 to 2 days is fine. As you mentioned just put the paneer and cream after reheating. Have a great weekend!
🙂
Valentina Gianetti says
Thank you! Tomorrow my guests will taste some Indian cuisine ^_^
Have a nice week end too
swasthi says
You are welcome Valentina
🙂
Pari says
Dear Swasthi
I have been following your blog for the past few months. I always love the way you cook and the food turns out awesome. Thank you so much for the recipes. Matar paneer came out so well.God bless
swasthi says
Hi Pari
You are welcome. Very happy to know the food turns out good. Thank you so much.
🙂
rekha says
Can I put milk instead of cream as I do not have it
swasthi says
Hi Rekha
Just use 4 to 5 more cashews in the recipe instead of cream. Don’t use milk.
Debu says
Wow!!! Amazing matar paneer. Tasted out of this world. Thanks a ton
swasthi says
You are welcome Debu
Thanks for trying
Bob says
Hi
Preparing to make this and I noticed the ingredients list is missing the amount of turmeric. I will guess 1 tsp.
Thanks for sharing this recipe
Addicted to Indian food
Bob
swasthi says
Welcome Bob,
1 tsp would be a lot, You can use about 1/8 tsp (i.e half of a quarter tsp). Thanks for the mention I will update the list.
melisha noronha says
I tried this recipe and it came out very well. My fussy toddler also loved it. I didnt have cream and hence skipped it but didnt feel the gravy lacked anything. It was creamy and rich anyways.
swasthi says
Hi Melisha,
Thanks for trying. Glad to know your kid loved it.
🙂