Paneer Makhani Recipe | Makhani Paneer | Restaurant Style Paneer Butter Masala

Paneer Makhani is considered by many as the most delicious or even the best paneer recipe in the world. It is a sumptuous and succulent Punjabi dish that perfectly encapsulates the nature of Punjabis—rich, robust, and hearty, with generous lashings of makhan (butter), cream, and paneer (Indian cottage cheese) braised in a luscious and aromatic tomato-based gravy.

Our paneer makhani recipe is a classic, and is mildly spiced and slightly sweet and tangy at the same time. The acidity of the tomatoes and the richness of the butter, cream, and paneer come together to create an irresistibly delicious and velvety blend of textures and flavours. The sprinkling of crushed kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) at the end enhances all the flavours and also imparts a distinctive aroma.
 

Paneer Makhani—also known as makhani paneer, paneer butter masala, and paneer makhani masala—is typically a special restaurant dish. This iconic dish is reportedly among the top five items ordered in Indian restaurants worldwide. Paneer tikka masala, created in the UK, is a variation of this dish, and is as widely popular abroad as the desi original is in its homeland.

For vegetarians, this paneer makhani recipe restaurant style is an excellent alternative to butter chicken, which was famously invented by Kundan Lal Gujral of Moti Mahal restaurant in Daryaganj in Delhi in the 1950s when he concocted the sauce by mixing fresh butter into a tomato-based curry. This makhani sauce (or makhani gravy as it is called in Delhi) soon became a restaurant standard, used for cooking chicken, paneer, and other ingredients. Actually, paneer makhani is a vegetarian version of butter chicken, with both using the exact same gravy.
 

Follow our quick and easy paneer makhani recipe video to replicate this classic restaurant-style dish at home. Not only is it a great choice for special occasions like weddings, parties, and festivals, but is also perfect for a weekend meal with family and friends. The gravy (before adding the butter and cream – till step 2 below) can be made ahead of time and has a reasonably long shelf life of one month in the freezer. Indeed, it tastes better after the gravy has matured in the fridge for a day.

Paneer makhani is excellent with hot tandoori roti, roomali roti, naan, and lachcha paratha, as well as any basmati dish like steamed rice, cumin (jeera) rice, ghee rice, and spinach rice. Aromatic basmati rice complements the rich and creamy paneer makhani really well.
 

And if you want to make a complete Punjabi meal, you must try our:

Dal Makhani
Chicken Malai Tikka
Fish Tikka
Malai Kofta
Pindi Chana
Gajar ka Halwa
How to Make Paneer at Home

Or if paneer is what you want, then see our Top Paneer Dishes or take a look at all our Paneer Recipes here