• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • Shop
  • About
    • Contact
    • Press

Honey, Whats Cooking logo

April 22, 2020 8 Comments

Mughlai Shahi Paneer (no cream, no ghee, no butter, gluten-free)

Jump to Recipe

Mughlai Shahi Paneer with step by step photos. Mughlai Style Shahi Paneer is a royal cheese dish that is popular in Northern India and considered Mughlai cuisine. This decadent dish is a blend of nuts, onions, spices, and flavored with cardamom, saffron, and garam masala.
Mughlai Shahi Paneer (no cream, no ghee, no butter, gluten-free)

Life in Quarantine with my husband

Transitioning from “normal” life to “quarantine” life wasn’t a huge adjustment for my husband and I since we were both already working from home. I wasn’t expecting too many surprises along the way, but there were certainly some changes. In the past, Friday nights were our movie nights. We would typically order in and choose a fun Bollywood movie to watch.

Now, on Friday nights, we no longer get takeout, but instead, I’ll make something yummy and fun so it at least feels like Friday. We also no longer choose a Bollywood movie for us to watch, instead, Mr. Honey will turn on one of his action/horror films on his laptop next to me, and I’ll tune into an old lovey-dovey Bollywood film. Although our taste in movies and shows are so different, I think it’s important to do things that make you happy while in quarantine, even if that means doing different things. I think it’s safe to say these days we are all spending plenty of quality time with our loved ones.
Mughlai Shahi Paneer (no cream, no ghee, no butter, gluten-free)

The Cleaning Situation

Let’s not forget the cleaning situation. My husband is so picky about cleanliness he seems to notice even the smallest drop of water on the floor which is not fun for me. On days I’m feeling extra nice, I’ll take it upon myself and clean a little extra only to find him redoing what I did an hour later. Sure it bothers me, but a partner who likes to clean isn’t necessarily a bad thing. He may get frustrated at my lack of cleanliness, but I sure appreciate his need for a clean home. 🙂

Needless to say, there is no other person I’d rather be quarantined with. What’s life without a little drama? Onto Mughlai Shahi Paneer. Since I’m home quarantined, I’ve been making indulgent dishes once a week, sometimes twice. It’s mainly because we have barely ordered out, and sometimes we both get tired of the same old food. Enter Mughlai Shahi Paneer.
Mughlai Shahi Paneer (no cream, no ghee, no butter, gluten-free)

What is Mughlai Style Shahi Paneer?

Mughlai Style Shahi Paneer literally means a royal cheese dish that is popular in Northern India and is considered to be Mughlai cuisine. This royal paneer dish is prepared by blending nuts, onions, ginger, and garlic into a creamy paste. The paneer is then added to a yogurt cream sauce and finally finished off with a touch of saffron, cardamom, and garam masala.

There are many variations of Shahi Paneer, some with tomatoes and some without, my version is without tomatoes which is the more “traditional” way of making Shahi Paneer. Additionally, I added milk instead of cream for a healthier Shahi Paneer. Feel free to add a tablespoon of ghee instead of oil for that extra richness. The preparation of this recipe is very similar to my Paneer Makhani dish.
Mughlai Shahi Paneer (no cream, no ghee, no butter, gluten-free)

Mughlai Shahi Paneer is:

Delicious
Royal
Rich & Creamy
Flavorful
Slightly Sweet
Lightened Up
Made with NO CREAM, NO GHEE, NO BUTTER
Mughlai Cuisine
Mughlai Shahi Paneer (no cream, no ghee, no butter, gluten-free)

How to make Shahi Paneer recipe step by step?

Prep

1. Soak almonds and cashews in hot water for at least 30 minutes.
2. Soak paneer in hot water for about 20 minutes.

3. Once done remove the skin off from the almonds – it should come off easily. Rinse, drain, and blend the almonds and cashews with half a cup of water until smooth and creamy.
4. To the paste, add ginger, garlic, green chilies, cardamom, and onions.
5. Blend until smooth.
6. Almond-Cashew paste is ready. Set aside.

Make the Sauce

1. Set aside the spices you’ll need. Cinnamon stick, bay leaf, hing, cumin seeds, cloves, and peppercorns.
2. Heat up a pan on medium heat. I like using my Ballarini Alumunium Wok for this dish. Once hot, add oil, followed by spices. Cook for 30 seconds.
3. Add the almond-cashew paste. Cook for about 5-7 minutes until the paste comes together.
4. This is what you want.

5. Slowly add yogurt and mix. Make sure you temper the yogurt to avoid any curdling. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes.
6. Now slowly add whole milk to avoid curdling. Dairy-free milk would work too. Cook for 8-10 minutes on low heat.

Cube & Add the Paneer

1. In the meantime, cube the paneer. 
2. Add the paneer to the sauce – half of it or all of it.
3. Add a pinch of saffron. 
4. Stir and cook for a minute. The color of the sauce will shift to a light pale yellow.

5. Add garam masala and cardamom powder. Stir.
6. Finish the dish with dry Kasoori Methi.

7. Serve with roti, naan, rice, or turn them into Paneer Kathi Rolls. Enjoy!

Pin Recipe Print Recipe

Mughlai Shahi Paneer

Mughlai Style Shahi Paneer is a royal cheese dish that is popular in Northern India and considered Mughlai cuisine. This decadent dish is a blend of nuts, onions, spices, and flavored with cardamom, saffron, and garam masala.
4.88 from 8 votes
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian, Mughlai
Diet No Butter, No Cream, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 518kcal
Author: Nisha

Equipment

Ballarini Aluminium Nonstick

Ingredients

Make a Paste

  • 1/3 cup cashews soaked & drained
  • 1/4 cup blanched almonds soaked & drained, remove skin
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp water
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 1 inch piece ginger
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 2 green chilies
  • 2 green cardamom pods

Cook

  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1/8 tsp hing asafoetida gluten-free hing
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 cloves
  • 3 black peppercorns
  • 1 inch piece cinnamon stick
  • 1/2 cup low-fat yogurt
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 400 grams paneer soaked & cubed; I like Haldiram's
  • pinch of saffron
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
  • 2 tsp dry fenugreek leaves Kasoori Methi

Instructions

Prep

  • Soak almonds and cashews in hot water for at least 30 minutes.
  • Soak paneer in hot water for about 20 minutes.
  • Once done remove the skin off from the almonds - it should come off easily. Rinse, drain, and blend the almonds and cashews with half a cup of water until smooth and creamy.
  • To the paste, add ginger, garlic, green chilies, cardamom, and onions.
  • Blend until smooth.
  • Almond-Cashew paste is ready. Set aside.

Make the Sauce

  • Set aside the spices you'll need. Cinnamon stick, bay leaf, hing, cumin seeds, cloves, and peppercorns.
  • Heat up a pan on medium heat. I like using my Ballarini Alumunium Wok for this dish. Once hot, add oil, followed by spices. Cook for 30 seconds.
  • Add the almond-cashew paste. Cook for about 5-7 minutes until the paste comes together.
  • This is what you want.
  • Slowly add yogurt and mix. Make sure you temper the yogurt to avoid any curdling. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes.
  • Now slowly add whole milk to avoid curdling. Dairy-free milk would work too. Cook for 8-10 minutes on low heat.

Cube & Add the Paneer

  • In the meantime, cube the paneer.
  • Add the paneer to the sauce - half of it or all of it.
  • Add a pinch of saffron.
  • Stir and cook for a minute. The sauce color will shift to a light pale yellow.
  • Add garam masala and cardamom powder. Stir.
  • Finish the dish with dry Kasoori Methi. Turn off the stove.
  • Serve with roti, naan, rice, or turn them into Paneer Kathi Rolls. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 518kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 340mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 111IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 648mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @honeywhatscooking or tag #honeywhatscooking!

Recipes You Will Love:

Paneer Makhani (no butter, no cream, gluten-free) Matar Paneer (vegetarian, gluten-free) Indian Vegetarian Meatballs – Paneer Quinoa Meatballs (whole wheat, GF option) Punjabi Kadhi (healthy, gluten-free)

Filed Under: Diwali, Easy Recipes, Gluten-Free, Indian, Main Course, Mughlai, One Pot Meal, Paneer, Vegetarian Tagged With: Recipes

Previous Post: « Whole Wheat Banana Walnut Muffins (healthyish, refined sugar free)
Next Post: Gajar Ka Halwa | Indian Carrot Pudding (gluten-free) »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tushar says

    April 23, 2020 at 9:30 pm

    5 stars
    Easy, delicious and unique.

    Reply
  2. Raksha Rathnam says

    April 26, 2020 at 4:31 pm

    5 stars
    This was delicious! I did end up adding a little bit of salt for my taste but the recipe cooked really well. Thanks for the recipe Nisha!

    Reply
  3. Madhuri says

    April 27, 2020 at 11:27 pm

    5 stars
    The recipe was so easy to follow for a rookie cook like myself! Love that I can change the serving size and it automatically helps convert the measurements.
    Recipe turned out great and delicious! Super creamy!

    Reply
  4. Khyati Sharma Uttam says

    May 1, 2020 at 1:15 pm

    5 stars
    I usually look for the recipes that have maximum star ratings. Today is my husband’s birthday and I started looking for a shahi paneer recipe. Yours did not have a high rating but when i followed and prepared your described recipe, it turned out to be the most delicious shahi paneer i have ever made at home..thank you so much for making my husband’s birthday so special..

    Reply
  5. Himani says

    May 2, 2020 at 12:18 am

    5 stars
    This was amazing !
    Have already tried it twice this week itself. Made it with paneer as well as some veggies turns out great everytime!

    Reply
  6. Rekha says

    May 4, 2020 at 9:17 pm

    5 stars
    Cant believe you made this so delicious with cashews and almonds. The shahi paneer just melted in my mouth. Quarantine life is hard right now though.

    Reply
  7. Rumya says

    May 21, 2020 at 9:35 pm

    5 stars
    This turned out AMAZING. Followed your recipe to the tee and especially appreciated the tips to soak the paneer and temper the yogurt. This honestly tasted like a restaurant dish with minimized calories and fat. Will be adding this to my heavy rotation for sure!

    Reply
  8. Shilpa says

    January 27, 2022 at 11:24 am

    4 stars
    Amazing results! I made a half recipe with a few scraps of leftover paneer I had in the fridge, and this is the best thing I could have done with it! I had all the ingredients right at home and it was so easy, I made this as well as 4 rotis in 1.5 hours total, including soaking time! The gravy was a little spicy for me but I am very sensitive to chili.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar





Subscribe

Don't miss a single post!

Trending

  • Mexican Pizza Taco Bell (vegetarian)
  • Bombay Grilled Sandwich (vegetarian, vegan option...
  • Indian Afternoon Tea
  • Tea Party Sandwiches (cucumber chutney, veggie cre...
  • World’s BEST Spaghetti RAO’s Homemade Marina...
  • Mango Chickpea Kachumber Salad (healthy)
  • Gajar Ka Halwa | Indian Carrot Pudding (gluten-fre...
  • Taco Bell Spicy Tostada (baked, vegetarian, gluten...

Footer

About Me

A foodie who is passionate about living a healthy-ish lifestyle, cooking, and traveling. You'll find a mix of everything here and lots of seasonal content. I moved from Jersey City leaving behind my family & friends to beautiful Southern California for love. I'm adjusting to the laid-back SoCal lifestyle and learning a lot about myself along the way. Come join me on a soul searching journey and I'll tell YOU "what's cooking" through my love for food, fashion, and travel.

MANGO 🥭 CHICKPEA KACHUMBER SALAD is delicious, MANGO 🥭 CHICKPEA KACHUMBER SALAD is delicious, refreshing, and healthy. This is a spin on the traditional Kachumber Salad with the addition of mango and chickpeas. This salad is sweet, spicy, tangy, and good for you!⁠
⁠
✔️ Healthy / Vegan / Gluten-free / Nutritious⁠
⁠
✔️ Recipe on the blog. Link in bio!⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
#indiansalad #kachumbersalad #summerrecipes #indiansalsa #healthyrecipe #vegansalad⁠
⁠
PANEER TIKKA QUESADILLAS are mouthwatering! Here's PANEER TIKKA QUESADILLAS are mouthwatering! Here's an Indo-Fusion dish you will love! I made a delicious marinade for the paneer and sauteed it along with the veggies. Assemble your whole wheat quesadillas and cook until the cheese has melted. The best part about this dish is my "special taco sauce" which complements these quesadillas perfectly. ⁠
⁠
✔️ Vegetarian / Nutritious / Whole Wheat / Gluten-free option / Easy to make⁠
⁠
➡️ Recipe on the blog. Link in bio!⁠
⁠
✅ Follow @honeywhatscooking for more recipes!⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
#paneerrecipes #quesadillas #paneertikka #paneer #mexicaninspired #paneertikkaquesadillas #indianfusion #indianfusionrecipes #indianfood #streetfood #castironcooking
Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms who show up s Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms who show up selflessly every single day. Also, a happy mothers day to all of you who want to be moms. ❤️  This is the most challenging role of my life, but the journey is totally worth it. Krish has made me a stronger and happier person. He gives new meaning to my life.  And lastly, my kid couldn’t give me one nice picture of us in Hawaii… there’s either someone in the back or he’s making a face or he just wants to get away. He just can’t sit still for a minute… and with that a Happy Mother’s Day to me! 🥰
.
#happymothersday #mothersday #16monthsold #myhappiness #mybaby #mybabyboy
Vacationing with a kid has been a completely diffe Vacationing with a kid has been a completely different experience. While it’s nice to spend time as a family, dinners can get tough with a baby. Sanjiv and I enjoyed a romantic evening at House Without A Key in peace because Krish “thankfully” fell asleep (he was behind us I promise… swipe). It was so nice to converse with my better half over live music + cocktails, delicious food, and the BEST coconut cake (last pic). A memorable meal and evening! ❤️ #mylove 
.
#housewithoutakey @halekulanihotel #loveofmylife #waikikirestaurant #waikikitravel #hawaiitrip #datenight #familytrip
Aloha 🤙! Our first family trip! We made it to H Aloha 🤙! Our first family trip! We made it to Hawaii safe and sound, and Krish was pretty good on the plane. It’s my first time in Hawaii and I’m loving Waikiki… the beach, food, window shopping, and city life. I love being able to walk everywhere. It’s the perfect amount of action and relaxation for me. This is totally my kinda vacation 😎!  Krish has been loving all the people-watching… something he doesn’t do much of back home. He’s been flexible and has pretty much adjusted to our schedule. Thank you 🙏🏼 guys for all the food recommendations (Duke’s Hula Pie) and tips on traveling with a toddler. I can’t thank you all enough. ❤️ #myworld 
.
.
.
.
#familyvacation #familyof3 #waikiki #dukeswaikiki #hawaii #hawaiivacation #firstfamilyvacation
Follow Me On Instagram
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Shop
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy

Subscribe for free recipes & monthly newsletter!

Don't miss a single post!

Recent Posts

  • Mexican Pizza Taco Bell (vegetarian)
  • Mango Chickpea Kachumber Salad (healthy)
  • Paneer Tikka Quesadillas (vegetarian)
  • Hara Bhara Kebab (vegan, healthyish)
  • Eggless Marble Cake
  • Tandoori Vegetarian Pizza with Jalapeno Cream Sauce

© 2022 Honey, What's Cooking.