Paneer Tikka Masala Recipe

Warning: I wouldn’t call this tikka masala recipe quick or super healthy but it is freaking DELICIOUS and so worth the little extra effort!!

This paneer tikka masala or paneer makhani (as I knew of it growing up in India) recipe is a labor of love – using whole spices, caramelizing the onions, slow cooking the tomatoes and a lot of butter is what brings out the amazing flavor. Believe me this is going to be better than your typical restaurant made tikka masala.

Can I Make Tikka Masala With Other Proteins?

It’s a fantastic recipe for the extra quarantine time you have on hand right now. And you can easily replace the paneer with any other protein of your choice.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Paneer Tikka Masala Recipe

Marinated paneer in a spicy buttery gravy.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Course: Dinner, Entree, Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: paneer, paneer butter masala, paneer makhani, paneer tikka masala, tikka masala

Servings: 6

Calories: 584kcal

Ingredients

For the paneer marinade

• 20 oz paneer cut into cube
• 1 cup yogurt
• 2 cloves garlic finely grated
• 1/2 inch ginger finely grated
• 3 tbsp tikka masala powder
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp chaat masala
• 1 tsp dry mango powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1 tsp turmeric

For the gravy

• 2 cups onion finely chopped
• 8 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 inch ginger finely chopped
• 6 tomatoes pureed (~3 cups tomato puree)
• 3 tbsp tikka masala powder
• 2 tbsp garam masala
• 2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
• 1/4 cup kasoori methi (dried fenugreek)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cloves
• 2 cardamom
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• 6 tbsp butter
• 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

To marinate the paneer

• Do this at least 4 hours in advance of when you plan to cook the vegetables. I prefer to do it the previous night and let it marinate overnight. The longer it marinates, the deeper the flavor.
• Whisk the yogurt with all the spices(tikka masala, garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder, chaat masala, dry mango powder, red chili powder, turmeric), ginger and garlic in a bowl.
• Add the cubes of paneer, mix well to make sure the paneer cubes are evenly coated with the yogurt marinate.
• Put the paneer in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-12 hours.
• Set the oven to a low broil. Place the marinated paneer cubes in a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
• Place the tray in the middle rack of the oven. Cook for about 12-15 minutes while stirring the paneer every 4-5 mins.
• The paneer should start turning golden brown from the edges towards the 15 min mark. Remove from the oven and keep it aside.

To make the gravy

• Heat oil in a large pot on medium heat.
• Once the oil is hot, add all the whole spices (bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, peppercorn. Let it cook for 1-2 mins until the spices start giving out a fragrant aroma.
• Add the onions to the spices, and set the heat to low-medium. Sweat the onions for about 20 mins on low-medium heat until they become translucent and then start caramelizing into a golden color. Keep stirring the onions every few minutes during this time.
• Once the onions start getting golden, add the ginger and garlic and cook for another 5 mins while continuing to stir.
• Add the remaining of the dry spices (tikka masala, garam masala, turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder and red chili powder). Add a few drops of water if the spices are sticking to the bottom of the pot.
• Add 4 tablespoon of butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Making sure the spices and butter mix well together.
• Add the tomato puree and stir it in well with the onion-spices-butter mixture.
• Cover the pot with a lid, decrease the heat to low and let it cook for 20-25 mins. The longer you let it cook at this step, the deeper the flavor will develop. Cooking the tomato puree for long also helps to remove the tangy taste of the tomatoes.
• Add 1 tsp of sugar to balance the tanginess from the tomatoes.
• Add the remaining 2 tbsp of butter and heavy cream at this point. Add the paneer and kasuri methi to the gravy. Mix well, season with salt to taste.
• Serve with roti/ paratha/ rice.

Nutrition

Sodium: 498mg | Calcium: 161mg | Sugar: 11.4g | Potassium: 774mg | Cholesterol: 60mg | Calories: 584kcal | Saturated Fat: 13g | Fat: 44.2g | Protein: 21.4g | Carbohydrates: 26.1g | Iron: 4mg