Paneer jalfrezi recipe with step by step photos – I had made chicken Jalfrezi from a cookbook few times before and my people loved it. I wanted to share a vegetarian version made using paneer since jalfrezi recipes are fairly easy and taste good. Chicken jalfrezi is very popular in UK and there is also a vegetarian version made with mixed vegetables.
This recipe is almost the same just with an addition of paneer to it, thus the name paneer jalfrezi.
It pairs well with plain basmati rice, jeera rice, roti, naan or can be used to make kathi rolls. It is kids’ friendly too, just reduce the chilli powder. To make this recipe you can also use cubed paneer.
More Paneer recipes
Matar paneer
Paneer Makhani
Paneer masala
Paneer bhurji
Paneer jalfrezi recipe
Paneer jalfrezi
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 ¼ cup tomatoes or ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp. puree
- 1 cup onions , thinly sliced (2 medium onions)
- 1 green chili slit
- 1 ½ tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 cup capsicum or bell peppers cubed or sliced
- ¼ cup tomatoes , thinly sliced , deseeded (optional)
- 250 to 300 grams paneer or 11 oz , (replace with mix veggies to make veg jalfrezi)
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped.
Spices
- ½ tsp cumin or jeera
- 1 to 1 ¼ tsp garam masala
- ½ to ¾ tsp red chili powder
- 1/8 tsp turmeric
- 1/3 tsp salt or as needed
- ¼ to ½ tsp dried fenugreek leaves or kasuri methi crushed
How to make the recipe
- Chop the veggies. If using store bought paneer, soak it in hot water for 20 mins. Cube or cut to finger length pieces. Set aside. Puree tomatoes and set aside.
- Heat oil in a pan and saute cumin until they crackle. Saute onions & chilli until onions turn transparent. Then add ginger garlic paste & fry for 2 mins to remove the raw smell.
- Then pour tomato puree and fry until it thickens a bit. Add chilli powder, garam masala, turmeric and salt. Saute until the raw smell of tomatoes vanishes.
- Add the bell peppers & fry until slightly tender. Next add in paneer and kasuri methi. Gently stir in to coat the paneer with the spice paste. Cover and cook on a low heat just for 2 mins. Sprinkle coriander leaves and serve paneer jalfrezi with rice or roti.
NUTRITION (estimation only)
If you are a beginner or new to Indian cooking, I highly suggest you to check the supporting step by step photos for best results. Step by step photos with description available below after the recipe card.
Preparation
1. Wash and chop tomatoes. Add them to a blender and make a smooth puree.
2. Set aside tomato puree, capsicum / bell peppers cubed or sliced, ginger garlic paste, thinly sliced onions along with slit and deseeded green chili. If using store bought paneer, soak it in hot water for 20 mins. Remove and cut to desired size.
How to make paneer jalfrezi
3. Add oil to a hot pan. Saute cumin in hot oil until they begin to splutter.
4. Add chilli and onions. Fry until transparent just for a while.
5. Add ginger garlic paste. Freshly ground paste works better.
6. Fry until the raw smell goes off.
7. Add tomato puree and cook for a while.
8. Add salt, turmeric, spice powders and stir. I added a bit of coriander powder since my garam masala was very strong.
9. Cook until the raw smell of tomatoes goes away.
10. Add bell peppers and if desired few thinly sliced tomatoes.
11. Stir and cook until the peppers are half done.
12. Add paneer and crushed kasuri methi. Mix everything gently to coat the masala well over paneer. Be gentle else paneer may break. Cook for just 3 to 4 minutes.
13. Adjust salt now. Stir. Add chopped coriander leaves.
Serve with naan, roti or plain basmathi rice.
Poonam says
Simple yet so tasty
Thanks for sharing the recipe.
One twist we made was added kalonji seeds to it at the end as well. It gave the extra nice restaurant like flavor to it
Debottama Roy says
So easy yet super tasty. An incredible recipe.
swasthi says
Thank you so much
Beena says
Very easy to make and very tasty, I will follow your recipes in future. Thank you.
swasthi says
Welcome Beena
Swarsh says
Hi Swasthi, I just love all your recipes and this one was no different. All your recipes just come out so perfect each time! Thank you!
swasthi says
Welcome Swarsh
Thank you so much. Glad to know the food turns out good.
Flashinscissors says
Wow! DH and I made this recipe today. Deeeeeeelish!!!!
We used half a carton of tomato passatta for speed, didn’t have any green chilli so used dried red chillies instead. We hadn’t read the comments before cooking and we cut our paneer into cubes which stirred in nicely. Remembered the chilli powder just at the right time.
Found it to be really, really tasty I would recommend.
Will make sure next time we make it we use green chillies as per recipe, for the added oomph, and also add the sliced fresh tomatoes too!
Very impressed, and we look forward to trying out other recipes from your repertoire.
Barbara xx
swasthi says
Hi Barbara
Thanks a lot. So glad to know you liked it. Do try other recipes too.
Aarthi says
Very tasty and easy to make
swasthi says
Thanks Aarthi
shikha says
yummmmm i like it so much not only this all the veg recipies
swasthi says
Thanks Shikha
amali says
I love paneer. This would be my go to recipe, but i would make a small change by making paneer into smaller cubes. doing so i will get the juicy sauce completely for every bite of paneer.
swasthi says
Hi Amali,
You can make to small cubes, paneer jalfrezi is prepared and served in restaurants with long blocks of paneer, hence i too made it that way. You can try with small cubes. Do share with us how it turned out
rajen says
healthy food
swasthi says
Thank you
Moumita Malla says
It looks so yuuum
swasthi says
Thanks Moumita