Tawa Paneer Sabji (Paneer Tawa Masala)
Updated: May 8, 2024, By Swasthi
Make delicious Tawa Paneer sabji under 35 minutes with this easy recipe. This dish gets its name from a flat metal griddle known as tawa, on which paneer is cooked with spicy aromatics. It is more popular as a street-food and is also served in Dhabas and restaurants. It is best eaten with roti, Chapati, Parathas or even with flavored rice dishes like Jeera Rice.
Tawa holds a lot of significance in Indian cooking as we use it every day for cooking roti/chapati, dosa and parathas. Though you can use any kind of griddle to cook these foods, traditionally a large thick iron griddle was used. Even in the modern days a lot of restaurants and households use this kind of cookware.
Iron has the ability to retain high heat so an iron tawa makes a great cookware to impart smoky and caramelized flavors to any dish. For the same reason, a lot of restaurant and street food stalls use this kind of cookware. Tawa Paneer is one of the popular Indian street food (side dish) cooked on a iron tawa to impart much deeper flavors. This is the actual secret of a Dhaba & a street-side foods.
About the dish
To make the dish, paneer (Indian Cheese) is sauteed on a tawa (iron griddle) along with onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, spices and herbs. Sauteeing the masala on a high flame, larger burner, & larger tawa impart those smoky and delicious flavors to the dish. This step is what makes a huge difference and sets it apart from a regular Paneer Sabji.
Most of us, (home cooks) do not own or use an iron tawa for various reasons. For a long time I have made this dish on a dosa/paratha pan but I found out this kind of a pan did nothing to the dish. So in recent times I make mine in a steel pan which gives good results.
Like many other dishes, Tawa Paneer too is made in many ways. The key ingredient in every version is a good spice blend and bell peppers. Though a good garam masala is enough to flavor the dish, if you are trying to recreate the street or dhaba version make sure you use either Pav Bhaji Masala or Chole Masala.
This recipe was roughly adapted from the Popular Chef. Sanjeev Kapoor but has been modified after tasting several other versions of this dish.
More Paneer Recipes
Dhaba Paneer
Paneer do Pyaza
Achari Paneer
Paneer Bhurji
Methi Paneer
Paneer Jalfrezi
Photo Guide
How to make Tawa Paneer (Stepwise Photos)
1. Pour 2 tablespoons oil to a hot tawa or pan. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. When they begin to sizzle, add 1 teaspoon grated ginger or ginger garlic paste. Saute till it begins to smell good. Do not burn it.
2. Add 1 cup fine chopped onions and ¼ teaspoon salt. Keep stirring and fry evenly on a moderately medium flame till they turn golden.
3. While the onions are frying, chop 1 cup tomatoes (about 3 medium) to a grinder/blender jar. If you wish to add few cashews to make the dish rich, you may add. Grind to a fine puree.
4. When the onions turn golden, pour the tomato puree. Cook till the raw smell of the tomatoes vanishes. Keep stirring to prevent burning.
5. Add
- ¾ to 1 tsp garam masala or pav bhaji masala or chole masala
- ½ to ¾ tsp red chili powder
- ¼ cup capsicum chopped
6. Mix well and fry on a medium high flame till the mixture smells good. This usually takes 4 to 5 minutes.
7. Pour 3 to 4 tablespoons of water to deglaze the pan. Add 200 to 250 grams (2 cups) paneer and 1 teaspoon kasuri methi. Mix well, taste test and add more salt or masala if you want.
8. Cook covered for 2 to 3 minutes, until aromatic.
Garnish tawa paneer masala with coriander leaves. Serve with rice or roti.
Related Recipes
Recipe Card
Tawa Paneer Sabji (Paneer Tawa Masala)
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 2 cups (200 to 25 grams) paneer cubed
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 cup onions fine chopped
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds or jeera
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated or crushed (or ginger garlic)
- ¾ cup tomato puree or 1 cup chopped
- ¼ cup capsicum
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon red chilli powder (adjust to taste)
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala powder (or pav bhaji masala or chole masala, adjust to suit your taste)
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi or dried fenugreek leaves
- ⅓ to ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon coriander leaves chopped
Instructions
How to Make Tawa Paneer
- Heat a tawa with oil and add cumin seeds. When they sizzle, add ginger garlic and saute for a minute.
- Add finely chopped onions, sprinkle salt and saute until golden. While the onions fry, puree the tomatoes.
- Stir in the tomato puree and saute until thick. Add bell peppers, red chilli powder and garam masala. Saute the masala for 4 to 5 minutes until aromatic.
- Pour 3 to 4 tablespoons of water to deglaze the pan. Stir in the paneer and kasuri methi. Taste test and add more salt or masala if you want. Cook covered for 2 to 3 minutes on a low heat.
- Garnish tawa paneer masala with coriander leaves. Serve with rice or roti.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
About Swasthi
I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me
Follow Swasthi’s Recipes
Comments
This is the first time I made your pav bhaji masala and used it for this tawa paneer. I used a iron tawa which I bought from India and it came out so delicious like from the streets of Mumbai. Absolutely delicious.
This tawa paneer came out very good and my guests loved it. Thank you for posting
This is the first time I made a paneer dish. I’m just blown away by the flavors. Didn’t have methi so left out still tasted delicious. I’m so excited to have found your website. Thank you for the beautiful work you do.
Hi Felicity,
So happy to know you like it. Thanks for sharing back.
Thank You for this easy one. It is so much simpler than any other paneer recipe.
Thanks Priya
Hi Swasthi,
I made this today and it was great, but I was wondering how much red chilli pepper to add? It appears to have been omitted from the ingredient list.
Thank you for the wonderful site. I have found it to be a great resource.
Hi Jess,
Thanks for trying. I have updated the recipe for red chilli powder. Glad you like it.
🙂
Hi Swasthi, I tired many recipes from your blog and all came as expected and yummy too. This one is no exception, everyone in my family loved this curry. Can’t thank you enough. Stay blessed.
Hi Kranthi,
So glad to know! Thank you so much!
Hi plz try to put videos of the recipe and if not videos at least step by step pics of the process
Hi,
Yes I have step by step photos on almost all the recipes. I have it for this one too.
Heyy Swasthi!!!!! I tried ur resturant style kadhai paneer recipe !! Its was super tasty!! Loved it ^_^ Thnku fr such delicious paneer recipes 🙂
Welcome Ankita
Good
thank you
Thank you for your recipe
Welcome Veena
Swasthyi u r recipsss alllll superrrr .and esye methode …… tawa paneer ente jerik istamulla disha . Nann sawsthyinte recip nokiiyanee oroo dishum preper chyunnthyy.thnks
welcome Muhsinajerin,
Thank you
Thank u 4r u recipe .Itz really vry tasty
Welcome Zibna. Glad you liked it
Yummmmmmmmmmm
Ur recipes really ROCKSZZZZ swathi yummm
Thanks Maira
its really good and pls tell me how to make paneer
Thanks Divya
here is the link to make paneer at home
gud swathi tis receipes helps for hurry burry breakfast
Yes Bajoriya,
Good one to make when in a hurry. Have a good day.
🙂