Paneer jalfrezi recipe made with paneer, bell peppers, onions and spices. 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
Restaurant style paneer masala
Paneer bhurji
Preparation
1. Wash and chop 2 large tomatoes (about 1¼ cups chopped). Add them to a blender and make a smooth puree.
2. Set aside tomato puree. Slice 1 large capsicum / bell peppers. I used 2 halves of red and green here. Also slice 2 medium onions (about 1 cup). Slit and deseeded 1 green chili. Set aside 1½ teaspoon ginger garlic paste. If using store bought paneer, soak it in hot water for 20 mins. Remove and cut lengthwise to finger size.
How to make paneer jalfrezi
3. Add 1½ tablespoon oil to a hot pan. Add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds to hot oil. Let them splutter.
4. Then add green 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 ⅓ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon turmeric, ½ to ¾ teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 to 1 ¼ teaspoon garam masala. If your garam masala is too strong then add ¾ teaspoon garam masala & ½ teaspoon coriander powder.
9. Mix well and cook until the raw smell of tomatoes goes away.
10. Add bell peppers.
11. Stir fry until the peppers are half done. Taste test and adjust salt and spice at this stage.
12. Add 250 grams paneer. Mix everything gently to coat the masala well over paneer. Be gentle else paneer may break. Cook covered for just 3 minutes. I also added 1 teaspoon kasuri methi, just a personal choice.
13. Add 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves.
Serve paneer jalfrezi with naan, roti or plain basmati rice.
Related Recipes
Recipe card
Paneer jalfrezi
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 1½ tbsp oil
- 1¼ cup chopped tomatoes or ¾ cup + 2 tbsp. tomato puree (2 large)
- 1 cup onions , thinly sliced (2 medium onions)
- 1 green chili slit
- 1½ tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 cup capsicum (bell peppers sliced)
- 250 grams paneer (replace with mix veggies to make veg jalfrezi)
- 1 teaspoon vinegar (white or apple cider)
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped
Spices
- ½ tsp cumin seeds or jeera
- 1 to 1 ¼ tsp garam masala
- ½ to ¾ tsp red chili powder
- ⅛ tsp turmeric
- ⅓ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
Instructions
- Rinse and slice the onions, tomatoes & bell pepper. Slit and deseed green chili. Puree tomatoes and set aside.
- If using store bought paneer, soak it in hot water for 20 mins. Cut to finger length pieces. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let them crackle.
- Add onions & green chilli. Fry them until 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, sugar, vinegar and salt. Saute until the raw smell of tomatoes vanishes.
- Taste test the sauce and add more salt if needed.
- Add the bell peppers & fry until slightly tender. Next add paneer.
- 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.
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.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
This turned out to be banging and even impressed my very discerning flatmate (whose parents are Indian), who went for seconds! This will be one of my staples from now on! Also, any excuse to eat paneer 😉
Thank you so much for posting!
Just made this recipe. It is awesome. Thank you so much!
Turned out very nice. I used a mix of paneer and vegetables. Lightly sauteed the vegetables in oil before adding. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Meenal
You are welcome! Love the addition of veggies. Thank you!
Very simple and delightful change
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
So easy yet super tasty. An incredible recipe.
Thank you so much
Very easy to make and very tasty, I will follow your recipes in future. Thank you.
Welcome Beena
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!
Welcome Swarsh
Thank you so much. Glad to know the food turns out good.
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
Hi Barbara
Thanks a lot. So glad to know you liked it. Do try other recipes too.
Very tasty and easy to make
Thanks Aarthi
yummmmm i like it so much not only this all the veg recipies
Thanks Shikha
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.
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
healthy food
Thank you
It looks so yuuum
Thanks Moumita