Scrumptious and satisfying Easy Matar Paneer Recipe made Punjabi-style is Indian cheese and green peas cooked in a traditional masala gravy. This dish is vegetarian, gluten-free, and incredibly delicious.
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What is Matar Paneer?
Matar Paneer literally translates to green peas and cheese. Matar is green peas and paneer is Indian cottage cheese. Both ingredients are cooked in an onion tomato gravy with Indian spices.
Matar Paneer is a delicious Punjabi dish that is popular in North India. It pairs well with roti, paratha, or Jeera Rice.
Mummy's Matar Paneer Recipe
Matar Paneer is one of those classic Punjabi dishes my mom made on special occasions or dinner parties or during Diwali. Those were really the only times we ever got to eat paneer. lol.
Growing up, my friends assumed I ate paneer all the time, but since paneer is cheese and tends to be high in fat, my mom rarely made it.
Now that I know how to cook, I don't believe in avoiding paneer and love making some kind of paneer dish once a month.
Punjabi-style Matar Paneer
There are so many different ways of making Matar Paneer. My mom's way is more traditional Punjabi-style Matar Paneer which is made in a simple homestyle masala gravy - without any cashews or cream.
The masala gravy consists of ginger, garlic, onions, and tomatoes cooked down to a paste-like consistency. The end result is delicious, mouthwatering Matar Paneer that you can soak up with roti, naan, paratha, or rice.
Here are some other Paneer dishes that you'll enjoy - Paneer Makhani (no butter, no cream), Paneer Kathi Roll, and Mughlai Shahi Paneer (no butter, no ghee, no cream).
Why You'll Love This Recipe
✔️ It's my Mom's recipe - moms know best!
✔️ Authentic Punjabi-style Matar Paneer
✔️ Matar Paneer recipe without cashews or cream
✔️ Scrumptious and Mouthwatering
✔️ Quick & Easy
✔️ Soulful & Satisfying
✔️ Gluten-free & Vegetarian
Ingredients
- Paneer: For this recipe, you can use homemade paneer or store-bought. I use store-bought and love brands Gopi and Haldiram's. Just be sure to soak the paneer in hot water for 20 minutes before cooking. This results in super soft paneer. You will need to lightly saute the paneer, but don't overdo it otherwise your paneer will be rubbery.
- Tomatoes - I recommend using fresh chopped tomatoes for this recipe.
- Red Onion: You'll need chopped red onion. Cook it down until it's lightly brown.
- Ginger & Garlic: Chopped or grated ginger and garlic.
- Green Chilies: I added 1 slit green chilli for this recipe, you can add up to 2 green chilies.
- Whole Spices: Cumin Seeds, Green Cardamom Pods, and Cloves.
- Powdered Spices: Turmeric Powder, Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder (paprika), Red Chili Powder (cayenne), Coriander Powder, Garam Masala Powder, and Salt.
- Kasoori Methi: Dry Fenugreek Leaves - make sure you rub them between the palm of your hands and add them at the end.
- Cilantro: Fresh Coriander Leaves.
- Water: You'll need water to create gravy for this dish.
- Oil: Any flavorless high-heat oil will work, such as Avocado Oil.
Step by Step Instructions - How to Make Easy Matar Paneer Recipe
Prep
1. Chop the ginger and garlic. Chop the red onions, I just used my Chopper. Puree the tomatoes using a NutriBullet.
Cook the Masala
1. Heat a pot on medium heat, once hot, add avocado oil followed by cumin seeds, green cardamom, and cloves. Saute for about 30 seconds.
2. Add the ginger and garlic and saute for about 30 seconds.
3. Add the red onions and ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir. Allow the onions to cook for about 7 minutes. Stir occasionally.
4. The onions should be slightly golden brown.
5. Add the spices - red chili powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, and coriander powder. Saute for a couple of seconds.
6. Immediately add water and cook down the spices. The water prevents the spices from burning.
7. Result of the onions and spices.
8. Add tomato puree and another ½ teaspoon of salt.
9. Stir.
10. Cover and cook for 20 minutes on medium heat. To speed things up, you can leave the lid slightly ajar.
Saute the Paneer
1. While the tomatoes cook down. Cube the paneer. Heat up a nonstick pan on medium heat, add oil, once hot, add cubed paneer.
2. Saute the paneer for 1-2 minutes max. DO NOT OVERCOOK THE PANEER else it'll become rubbery.
3. Transfer the paneer onto a plate with a paper towel. This will help remove some of the excess oil.
Make Matar Paneer
1. 20 minutes later - the tomatoes should look like this. Your matar paneer gravy is ready.
2. Add 1 ½ cups of water. Stir. Cook for a couple of minutes until heated.
3. Add frozen green peas that have been rinsed under warm water. Cook for another 2 minutes.
4. Now add dry kasoori methi leaves. Stir.
5. Add sauteed paneer cubes and cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute max. Do not overcook the paneer. Turn off the stove.
6. Add garam masala.
7. Finish with ¼ cup of chopped cilantro.
8. Matar Paneer is ready! Check for salt. Allow the flavors to marry for about 15 minutes before serving. Note - your gravy should be thick.
Expert Tips
- If using store-bought paneer, make sure you soak the paneer in hot water for 20 minutes before you cook it.
- Do not saute the paneer for too long else it will become rubbery. You don't want this. A quick saute with lightly golden paneer is what you want.
- Once you add the paneer to the gravy, again, do not overcook the paneer. Just cook it for 1-2 minutes in the gravy and turn off the stove.
Serving Suggestions
✔️ Matar Paneer can be served with roti, paratha, or naan.
✔️ On special occasions, such as Diwali - you may serve with puri as my Mom does.
✔️ It also goes well with Jeera Rice.
✔️ A side of boondi raita and kachumber salad is delicious too.
How To Store Matar Paneer
- Refrigerator Option - Matar Paneer can be stored for up to 3 days in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator.
- Freezing Option - This dish can also be frozen in Ziploc bags, but I don't recommend it as the paneer flavor changes once it's been frozen. My mom used to freeze hoemade paneer when we were younger and the freezer taste was noticable. This is why I don't like to freeze any paneer dishes - they're better consumed fresh.
FAQ
Absolutely. If you have fresh green peas available, sure use them.
Paneer is an Indian cheese so it's not vegan. If you really want to make this recipe vegan, you can substitute tofu.
Additionally, you can substitute potatoes for paneer and you'll end up with Aloo Matar - I already have a recipe for this dish on my blog.
Mutter Paneer.
For Matar Paneer, my mom sautees the paneer, however you can always opt not to. Sauteing the paneer lends a slightly different flavor - think fried halloumi cheese - it's so good.
Regardless, make sure you soak paneer in hot water for 20 minutes before cooking it or leaving it uncooked.
For restaurant-style Matar Paneer, you need to add heavy cream.
Towards the end of the dish and just before you add the paneer, kasuri methi, garam masala, and cilantro - add 2-4 tablespoon of heavy cream for a richer flavor. The other option is adding ¼-1/2 cup of whole milk.
Make sure you add the dairy products slowly else your dish will curdle.
Either is fine. For this recipe, I used store-bought paneer. Just make sure you soak the paneer in boiling hot water for 20 minutes so it's soft.
Absolutely! Just note the color of this dish will be darker red. The taste will be great regardless.
Yes, paneer is gluten-free, hence making this dish completely gluten-free.
More Paneer Dishes
- Malai Kofta (no fry, no butter, no cream)
- Paneer Makhani (no butter, no cream)
- Mughlai Shahi Paneer (no butter, no ghee, no cream)
- Aloo Tikki Chaat
Tried this recipe? If so, please leave a comment & rate this recipe. That would mean so much to me. If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I'm happy to share and mention you. Thank you!
Recipe Card
Matar Paneer
Vegetarian, Gluten-FreeEquipment
Ingredients
for paneer
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 225 grams paneer, cubed & lightly sauteed
for matar paneer
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3 green cardamoms
- 2 cloves
- 4 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 inch piece ginger, grated
- 1 cup red onion, finely chopped, or 1 medium red onion
- 1 ½ cups tomatoes, pureed, or 2 ½ roma tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder, optional
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 2 teaspoon coriander powder
- salt to taste
- 1 ¼ cups water, divided
- 1 cup frozen green peas, rinsed under warm water
- ½ tablespoon kasoori methi
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- add sauteed paneer
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
for garnish
- sprinkle of fresh cilantro
Instructions
Prep
- Chop the ginger and garlic. Chop the red onions, I just used my Chopper. Puree the tomatoes using a NutriBullet.
Cook the Masala
- Heat a pot on medium heat, once hot, add avocado oil followed by cumin seeds, green cardamom, and cloves. Saute for about 30 seconds.
- Add the ginger and garlic and saute for about 30 seconds.
- Add the red onions and ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir. Allow the onions to cook for about 7 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- The onions should be slightly brown.
- Add the spices - red chili powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, and coriander powder. Saute for a couple of seconds.
- Immediately add water and cook down the spices. The water prevents the spices from burning.
- Result of the onions and spices.
- Add tomato puree and another ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Stir.
- Cover and cook for 20 minutes on medium heat. To speed things up, you can leave the lid slightly ajar.
Saute the Paneer
- While the tomatoes cook down. Cube the paneer. Heat up a nonstick pan on medium heat, add oil, once hot, add cubed paneer.
- Saute the paneer for 1-2 minutes max. DO NOT OVERCOOK THE PANEER else it'll become rubbery.
- Transfer the paneer onto a plate with a paper towel. This will help remove some of the excess oil.
Make Matar Paneer
- 20 minutes later - the tomatoes should look like this. Your matar paneer gravy is ready.
- Add 1 ½ cups of water. Stir. Cook for a couple of minutes until heated.
- Add frozen green peas that have been rinsed under warm water. Cook for another 2 minutes.
- Now add dry kasoori methi leaves. Stir.
- Add sauteed paneer cubes and cook for about 30 seconds to 1-minute max. Do not overcook the paneer. Turn off the stove.
- Add garam masala.
- Finish with ¼ cup of chopped cilantro.
- Matar Paneer is ready! Check for salt. Allow the flavors to marry for about 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- For Vegan Option - substitute tofu for paneer. I recommend using extra-firm tofu that's been pressed and then sauteed.
- For Paneer - Make sure you soak store-bought paneer in boiling hot water for 20 minutes to ensure it's soft. Also, when sauteing the paneer, do NOT overcook otherwise you'll end up iwth a rubbery paneer texture.
- For Masala Paste - Cook the onions down until slightly brown, then add the tomatoes. Cook the tomatoes until you have a paste-like consistency. This adds a ton of flavor to the masala paste.
Chandni says
Better than restaurant mattar paneer! Super easy to make and really good for meal prep. Definitely will be making this again.
sne says
I made this yesterday and it was honestly so delicious! I substituted with canned tomatoes and just put a little less salt then mentioned. Thank you Nisha for always adding so much detail to your recipes!
Prakriti says
My second time making it. This time added air fryer paneer. Delicious!
Kumar om says
Hi,
Indeed a very tasty dish, my son loves paneer and I was wondering in what different ways I could make paneer dishes. I made a dish with the masala suggested in this mattar paneer recipe. I did not add the mattar as my son does not like mattar. Did a bit of variation, cooked in a kadai, added malai and milk to make a thick gravy, and grated some paneer in the end. Lip smacking taste, my son loved it, thank you!