The BEST, home-style Punjabi matar paneer recipe. Instructions included for restaurant style mutter paneer masala. It’s incredibly flavorful thanks to the vibrant, spicy onion-tomato gravy. And who can resist that soft, succulent paneer cubes with perfectly cooked, soft green peas? A must try recipe for paneer lover!
Serve this mutter paneer curry with naan or rice with a side of salted lassi and onion lachha to create a tasty, healthy, simple Indian meal!
Paneer and peas curry is a popular North Indian recipe that you find in almost all restaurant menu. Many Punjabi households make it at home on a regular basis as well. Even though I am not Punjabi, I do make it once a month because green peas in any form are hubby’s favorite and paneer is mine.
This is one of the paneer curries that I prepare at home very often. Because this is HEALTHY and LIGHT recipe unlike other paneer curries e.g. paneer butter masala, shahi paneer, malai kofta. Meaning this is not a restaurant style version but it is the home-style recipe. Though I have added instructions below to make it creamy and restaurant style.
How to make Punjabi matar paneer recipe?
1) Heat the 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
2) Saute ginger, garlic and green chili for a minute.
3) Add onion and sprinkle some salt.
4) Cook till they become soft and translucent.
5) Mix in tomatoes.
6) Cook till they become little soft. Let it cool down a bit.
7) Meanwhile boil the green peas in microwave or pressure cooker. How I did: in microwave safe bowl, add peas, salt and 2 tablespoons of water. cover it and cook for 2-3 minutes or depends on your microwave. Here I have used frozen peas, so I microwaved it for few minutes. If you are using fresh peas then it takes little more time to cook.
8) Now onion-tomato mixture is cooled. Grind into a smooth puree.
9) Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the same pan. Once hot add prepared paste and saute.
10) Cook till all the moisture evaporates. If it is spluttering too much then partially cover the pan. Do stir in between. it starts to leave the sides of the pan and oil will ooze out.
11) Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder and garam masala.
12) Mix well and saute for a minute.
13) Add a cup of water or more or less as per your liking gravy consistency.
14) Stir and let it come to a boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
15) Add boiled peas and cubed paneer.
16) Mix well and simmer for 3-4 minutes so peas and paneer absorb the flavors.
17) Finally sprinkle chopped cilantro.
18) Stir gently and Serve. If not serving right away then keep matar paneer covered till the time of serving.
How to make restaurant style mutter paneer masala?
Add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream at the end. Alternately you can add cashew nuts paste as a vegan option (also use tofu, instead of paneer).
Matar Paneer Recipe (Easy, Healthy Punjabi Mutter Paneer Masala)
Ingredients
For Paste:
- 2 teaspoons Oil
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 medium or 1 cup Onion roughly chopped
- ½ inch Ginger chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic chopped
- 2 small Green chilies chopped
- 2 small or 1 cup Tomato roughly chopped
Ingredients for Matar Paneer Masala Recipe:
- 7 oz or 200 grams Paneer cut into cubes
- 1 cup Green Peas boiled
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup Water
- 1 tablespoon Cilantro or coriander leaves chopped finely
Instructions
Making paste:
- Heat the 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan on medium heat and add cumin seeds.
- Once they sizzle, add ginger, garlic and green chili and saute for a minute.
- Then mix in onions and little salt, cook till they becomes soft and translucent.
- Now add tomatoes and cook till they becomes little soft.
- Once cooled grind into a fine paste.
- Meanwhile boil the green peas in microwave or pressure cooker and keep it aside.
Making Matar Paneer Recipe:
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the same pan and add prepared paste. Cook till all the moisture evaporates and becomes thick paste
- Now add turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder and garam masala, mix well and saute for a minute.
- Add water to make gravy consistency and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Now mix in boiled peas and paneer, let it simmer again for 3-4 minutes.
- Lastly add chopped cilantro and mix.
- Turn off the stove and it is ready to serve.
This was amazing! Thank you for sharing. I want to make it with more gravy next time, would you recommend increasing the spices?
If making double amount of gravy, I would increase the spices quantity to only half amount.
This is easily one of my favorite recipes Delicious and easy to follow.
Thank you and glad that you liked it
In all my years of cooking and trying out new recipes this is the first time I am actually leaving a review. This recipe was AMAZING!!! The sauce was spicy and soupy, the paneer tender but flavoursome. I used have a tin of chopped tomatoes and ready frozen block of garlic and ginger but otherwise followed the recipe to the letter. Wow!! Writing this in my recipe notebook in ink! Thank you so much!
Thank you so much for writing.
I am very glad to know that you enjoyed this dish.