Veg Recipes of India

shahi paneer recipe, how to make shahi paneer recipe | paneer recipes

by

shahi paneer
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Sharing is Caring!

shahi paneer recipe with step by step photos – shahi paneer is a delicious creamy gravy made with paneer. the creaminess comes from onions, nuts and curd. this is one of the popular and rich paneer recipe.

shahi means royal and as the name suggest this is a royal paneer dish. literally translated to royal cottage cheese. dry fruits, yogurt, saffron, whole spices and sometimes cream is added to make this dish royal and rich. few more mughlai recipes posted on the blog are:

in this recipe, i have not used cream nor i have used butter or ghee. feel free to use cream or butter if you want them.

the shahi paneer gravy or sauce is onions-almonds-cashew-melon seeds based. so this is very rich with the dry fruits in there. plus there is also yogurt. the result is a creamy, aromatic, semi sweet gravy with soft paneer cubes.

i have not added tomatoes to this dish since i have used yogurt. but you can substitute yogurt with tomato puree in the same proportions as mentioned in the recipe and still make a delicious shahi paneer. if adding tomatoes, then do add cream as both tomatoes and cream really go well with each other.

note: vegans can make the same shahi paneer recipe with tofu and cashew yogurt. i won’t advise using soy or peanut yogurt for this dish as these will ruin the taste. if using cashew yogurt than you don’t need to add cashews while making the paste.

serve the shahi paneer with jeera rice or rotis or naan.

if you are looking for more paneer recipes then do check:

shahi paneer recipe below:

4.95 from 40 votes
shahi paneer recipe
print
shahi paneer recipe
prep time
20 mins
cook time
20 mins
total time
40 mins
 

shahi paneer is a delicious creamy gravy made with paneer. the creaminess comes from onions, nuts and curd.

course: main course
cuisine: indian, mughlai
servings: 4
calories: 296 kcal
author: dassana amit
ingredients (1 cup = 250 ml)
main ingredients for shahi paneer:
  • 200 grams paneer (cottage cheese)
  • 1 to 1.5 cups strained stock (got from boiling the onions with dry fruits) + water OR 1.5 cups water
  • ½ cup full fat fresh curd (yogurt or dahi) - whisked till smooth
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder (dhania powder)
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder (lal mirch powder)
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
  • ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder (elaichi powder)
  • 1 or 2 tablespoon full fat cream OR 70-80% fat cream (amul cream which is available in india can also be used), optional
  • a pinch of saffron (kesar) - crushed
  • 1 or 2 drops of kewra water (screwpine water) - optional
  • salt and sugar as required
for the paste:
  • 1 medium sized onion - roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cashews (kaju)
  • 1 tablespoon almonds (badam)
  • 1 tablespoon magaz or melon seeds without the skin
  • 3 to 4 garlic - chopped (lahsun)
  • 1 inch ginger - chopped (adrak)
whole spices or garam masala:
  • 1 tej patta (indian bay leaf)
  • 2 to 3 cloves (lavang)
  • 2 to 3 green cardamom (hari elaichi or choti elaichi)
  • 1 to 2 black cardamom (badi elaichi)
  • 1 inch cinnamon (dalchini)
  • ½ teaspoon shah jeera (caraway seeds)
  • 2 to 3 tablespoon oil or ghee or butter
how to make recipe
preparation for shahi paneer recipe:
  1. boil onions, cashews, almonds, magaz, ginger and garlic in 1.5 cups water for 8-10 minutes till the onions become soft.
  2. strain the stock and keep aside.
  3. make a paste of the cooked onions, ginger, garlic along with the dry fruits adding 1 or 2 tsp of the strained water.
making shahi paneer recipe:

  1. heat 2 to 3 tablespoons oil in a pan. 

  2. fry all the "whole garam masala or whole spices" mentioned in the above list till they release their aroma in the oil.

  3. add the ground onion-dry fruits paste and saute till the oil starts to leave the sides of the paste.
  4. add the dry spice powders and stir.
  5. now add the whisked yogurt, stock+water, salt and sugar.
  6. stir well and simmer for 10-12 minutes or till the gravy thickens slightly on a low flame.
  7. if using cream, then whisk the cream till smooth and keep aside.
  8. add the cardamom powder and crushed saffron.
  9. stir and add the cubed paneer. if adding cream, you can add the cream with the paneer.
  10. simmer for 1-2 minutes till the paneer is cooked.

  11. add the kewra (pandan) essence and stir. addition of kewea is optional.

  12. garnish shahi paneer with some coriander leaves and serve the shahi paneer with jeera rice or rotis, naan or phulkas.
recipe notes

rough nutrition info per serving:

Nutrition Facts
shahi paneer recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 296 Calories from Fat 216
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 24g 37%
Saturated Fat 13g 65%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 58mg 19%
Sodium 39mg 2%
Potassium 138mg 4%
Total Carbohydrates 9g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 4g
Protein 10g 20%
Vitamin A 7.2%
Vitamin C 2.5%
Calcium 29.7%
Iron 3.4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.


how to make shahi paneer recipe:

1. cook onions, cashews, almonds, magaz/melon seeds, ginger and garlic in 1.5 cups water for 8-10 minutes.

making shahi paneer recipe

2. simmer till the onions become soft. strain the stock and keep aside.

making shahi paneer recipe

3. when cooled, make a paste of the cooked onions, ginger, garlic and dry fruits, adding 1 or 2 tsp of the strained water.

paste for making shahi paneer

4. heat 2 to 3 tablespoons oil in a pan. fry all the whole garam masala till they release their aroma in the oil.

spices for making shahi paneer recipe

5. add the ground onion-dry fruits paste and saute till the oil starts to leave the sides of the paste. then add the dry spice powders.

making shahi paneer recipe

6.  mix well.

add yogurt for making shahi paneer recipe

7. now add the whisked yogurt, the strained stock+water, salt and sugar.stir well and simmer for 10-12 minutes on a low flame or till the gravy thickens slightly.

shahi paneer gravy recipe

8. add the cardamom powder and crushed saffron.

making shahi paneer gravy recipe

9. stir and add the paneer cubes. if adding cream, you can add the cream with the paneer. simmer for 1-2 minutes till the paneer is cooked. add the kewra (pandanus) essence and stir (optional step).

shahi paneer recipe

10. garnish shahi paneer with some coriander leaves and serve the shahi paneer with jeera rice or rotis or naan.

shahi paneer recipe




Sharing is Caring!

Reader Interactions

{ 163 Responses }

  1. A 5 star recipe. Enjoyed eating it as much as I enjoyed making it. Thanks for posting it.
    Regards
    Kuldip

  2. I made the way it is mentioned. AWESOME! Better than any restaurant. Making certain changes in the way we cook brings so much of difference in the taste.

    • Thanks Rashmi. Glad to know that you liked this shahi paneer recipe. I agree with you sometimes even small changes can spoil or make a positive difference to the final dish.

  4. Hv tried for d frst tym at my in laws’ house. Following d exact recipe. Just cudnt blv it turned out to b soooo delucious. Exactly d way get in hotels. My new family luvd it lyk anythng coz its a new dish fr thm being bengali. Thnkuuuu sooo much.

  5. Great recipe! I have tried it a few times and its been appreciated all the time. Today, my 7 year old asks for seconds. She said that this was the best curry ever!

    Thank you!

  6. I loved this shahi paneer recipe very much. I nade it the second time today and it turned out awesome again! Thanks for such an easy and tasty recipe!

  7. I have tried this recipe twice.. and it was supposed yuummmmy.. exactly like restaurant style . Thnx a ton Amit for all your recipes.. they hardly fail in taste…. Previously I used to check different recipes of same dish I want to cook. But now I only read Ur’s. And follow it as it is. Shahi Paneer is really aussom.

  9. Hello mam… Mera question hai ki kya shahi paneer me hum tomatoes puree add kar sakte hain…?
    Thank u…

    • kirtika, there are two versions – one is this version, which has a curd+nuts base and the other is with onion-tomato base. in this recipe avoid adding tomatoes as with the proportion of curd (half cup) and tomatoes, the gravy becomes too acidic and not good for health. if it was just 1 or 2 tablespoons of curd, them tomatoes could have been added.

  10. Hi dassana,
    Today i made this recipe. It was so delicious. But i have a recipe request. Can you share the bhakarwadi snack recipe?
    Actually i want to make this snack at home.

  11. Dassana
    You are my teacher. When i want to make something new recipe i find your blog first. Can you share bhakarwadi snack recipe?

  12. At the outset, let me say that this and other receipes on the site are amazing. I am sort of forced to stay-at-home dad , as my wife recently started working. This site has saved us from eating outside food as well as ,trying out dishes , which are not easily available. Thanks for all the receipes and guidance.

    Now, I have few questions:-
    1. I have seen you talking about ‘when-oil-leaves-the-side’, for various receipes. I am not sure if I have seen that situation, even after a long time. I have followed your instructions to the letter but am unsuccessfull. Is there any other indicator to the same thing?
    2. In continuation of above, we add the masala after the oil has left the side of onion/tomato paste. I am wondering if we should saute, the masala, for few minutes before adding the water or the next things like chole.
    3.I am not good at cutting either onion or tomato. I am wondering if instead of cutting them, I can use them as paste using blender/mixer. Do you think, using paste of onion instead of finely cut onion , will impact the taste?

    Thank you in advance.

    • thanks a lot raj. your queries answered below:

      1. when sautéing the onion-tomato masala, the first sign to know that it is done is that it becomes glossy. the second sign is that the masala paste sticks to each other and leaves the sides of the pan. if you continue to fry or sauté, then you will see oil releasing from the masala itself. you will also see the oil releasing from the sides. the trick here is to stir continuously after the masala becomes one and leaves the sides of the pan.

      2. you can either add the spice powders before sautéing or once the onion-tomato paste is done. both ways can be done. water is always added after the spice powder is cooked.

      3. you can use pastes. the taste does change when using onion paste or tomato puree. with chopped onions and tomatoes, the taste is different. but with pastes, the dish does taste good. in fact you can even mince onions and tomatoes and use them.

  13. Amit, I am somewhat new to cooking and find your recipes to be excellent. Thank you for the hard work behind creating them!
    My most common complain with paneer dishes is that the paneer can come across as raw or uncooked. That is, it does not imbibe the flavor of the gravy. Will that be a concern in your recipe since there is no paneer marination step and the cooking time after paneer is added is only 1-2 minutes.

    • thanks gurdas. i usually add paneer cubes towards the end and they do get the taste of the gravy. usually homemade paneer need not be cooked for a long time as then they become hard.

      • Thank you so much for all the recipes. All turn out to be so good. Just a question. If we want to multiply the quantity which ingredients to multiply or double?

        • thanks sangeetha. for recipes where a set proportion is used eg like cakes, breads or sweets, the ingredients can be increased proportionately. but in gravy or curry recipes, it becomes tricky to increase the proportions as the flavors are complex. the ingredients have to be eyeballed and added using the method of ‘andaaz’ or approximation.

  15. it’s an amazing recipe. I have tried it a few times and it has never disappointed me. Thank you for sharing.

  16. Awesome recipe.. What should be the amount of sugar to be added? Is the gravy required to be a bit sweetened?

    • sandeepta, you can make without onion and garlic. taste will change. just add a pinch of hing to the recipe to mimic the flavors or both onion and garlic.

  19. Heylo Ma’am !

    I tried the recipe with just a lil bit of variation, it turned out awesome and was really appreciated by my family. Thanks.

  20. i made this shahi paneer…. was awesome.. the recipe wasby u but everyone praised me alot….. i really thank u frm my heart….

  21. Wow it’s amazing taste mouth watering I love the way u represented
    A small doubt I didn’t get the yellow color I’ll got orange color wat can I do?

    • thanks. there is nothing that can be done with the color change. the color will depend on the type of red chili powder. orange color is due to the fact that the red chili powder you used, must be having a deep red color.

  22. Hi Dassana. I’m not much of a kitchen person but I really look forward to trying your recipe for my Dad. I need a few clarifications though:
    1. I don’t understand ‘sugar/salt as required’. Can you tell me exactly how many teaspoons are required in the given recipe?

    2. Is it okay to use ginger-garlic paste available in market rather than chopping them at home? If so, how much of paste should be used?

    3. Would there be much difference in taste if I avoid melon seeds?

    PS: I tried your recipe of Sooji Halwa and it turned out to be great. My mom and dad used the word “perfect” ^_^… Made my day. Thanks a ton! I look forward to other such recipes.

    Love.

    • thankyou saumya sugar and salt as required because everyones taste and preference towards salt is different. always add salt and keep checking the taste as excess salt could also spoil any dish. It’s always better to use fresh ginger-garlic then market ones. if you are avoiding melon seeds then add some cashews.

      pleased to know your father loved sooji halwa. you are welcome and hope this help’s you.

  23. Awesome shahi paneer recipe and I’m trying all of your vegetarian recipes and also my sister, she loves your website.

  26. In my openion it is one of the best site to learn about recipes of various dishes. I make these dishes easily by the help of provided recipe.
    Thank you

  27. I Have tried almost all the recipes of yours all turned out great. I am a big fan of your receipes.

  29. Hi….loved this recipe ….ultimate taste.. I tried it twice and everytime it results better than earlier one. my husband just licked his fingers. Its too yummmmm… Thnx a lot

  31. Hi….just like other recipes, loved this one too…. Best compliment was when my hubby said “it tastes like hotel”.. All credit to you… Thnx a lot & God bless…. ☺

  32. Loved the recipe. First time I could cook a creamy curry without adding any cream! Family loved the flavors a lot. Thank you so much..

  33. Hiii….
    I like all your posts… The step wise pics specially are very helpful in making dishes… Earlier I hate cooking and hate to enter kitchen before mrg but now I love to cook and make new dishes for everyone.. Your site is very helpful for me in this matter… Thanks alot for such nice effort and inspiring cooking.. Its a boon for people like us to learn easy and new dishes… Keep posting and keep inspiring…
    Thank you..

  34. recipe looks awesome!!! wish to try but never tasted so don’t know the taste. should it taste sweet bcoz adding sugar n cream will make dish sweet. pl guide,confused.

  35. Thanks for the recipe. When ever we have guests I try new recipes from your site:-). Every recipe i simple and awesome.

  36. Dear Dassanna amit
    Thank u so much for all ur awesome vegetarian recipes. Whenever I made shahi paneer ur style my kids simply loves it.
    Priya

  37. Thanks for the great recipe…. it worked well with me.. The curd I used was slightly sour.. So, I added 3 tsp sugar and the taste was great… Thanks once more for sharing the recipe…

  39. Thank you so much for sharing all the awesome recipes. 🙂 Whenever I have any party at home I just open this Site and try out new things. Thanks again 🙂

  40. Great recipe and nicely explained. I have made shahi paneer earlier but it was very different and everyone in my family liked it very much. Thank you for this one I am up for more from you….

  41. Most shahi paneer’s I’ve had have green chilies sliced lengthwise and are very spicy (peppers, hot) — What can I add to this to give it that kick or should I try a different recipe for it?

  44. Your blog is very useful and well put!! I am always refering to your blog for all punjabi recipes i want to try. Thanks a lot for putting the pics along with the recipe. That really helps a looooot!!

  49. its very nicely explained step by step,,,easy to cook if it is explained in this way,,thank u so very much

  51. tried this recipe today. husband loved it. ur recipes r tooo good. thanx to u, i hav learnt cooking the kind of food which i thought was only made in hotels… 🙂

    • thanks divya for sharing feedback on shahi paneer. honestly speaking, hotel style food can be easily made at home. one just needs to know the secrets 🙂

  55. I loved it! I made this dish today and I must say this was the first time I have made something like this. and I am so happie my whole family loved it. and so, I think I am turning into a good cook. thanku so much dassana for this wonderfull recipy! thanku so much.

    • welcome diksha. yes, you are turning out to be a good cook. its quite evident from your comment. glad to know read your positive feedback on shahi paneer.

  56. Hi Dassana,

    I made this and this one turned out to be excellent, just like the ones they serve in hotels. My son, who is a paneer fan liked it so much, and he wants me to make this often, and am sure I’ll do so..Thanks so much!

  57. Hi Dassana, I’m just looking randomly for recipes and your recipes are just amazing. The way you have described each recipes step by step and with pics, just simply marvelous. I’m in love with your food blog. 🙂

  58. Hi..ur recipes r just amazing… I refer to ur site more often..be it palak paneer or sum aloo..thx…just want to ask can we add curd available in d mkt in dis recipe instead of homemade…. Thx so much

  61. Thank you didi, i know u would be elder than me as i am jst fifteen year old.Thats why calling u di.!!!Ur recipes r amazing.I tried many many of them and was appreciated by all my family members.Specially my papa.So thanks a lot for easy and really decious recepi guidance……

    • no issues shubhalakshmi in calling me didi. i am glad that you are finding it easy to cook the recipes. apart from documenting the recipes, i also wanted the recipes to be made easily by everybody, especially novices. i am happy that to some extent the purpose of the blog is achieved. thanks dear.

  62. Hi!
    Do you think sesame paste will go well with the recipe? Like 1/2 cashew and 1/2 sesame?

  63. U r already the inspiration to many homemakers….kip up ur gud work…n keep us updated with ur latest innovations and creations in ur kitchen……

  64. Hi
    Thanks for sharing the recipe , just wanted to know after adding the curd to the paste I observed the curd was broken any idea wat I missed?

    • Sudha, the curd should be fresh and full fat. if the curd is low fat then it will split….. and if it is sour and not fresh then also it will split.

  67. Hi , want to try this recipe tomorrow but unfortunately I cannot find magaz anywhere here closeby. Planning to try some mushroom dishes along with this. Will let you know the feedback Thank you

  69. I tried your recipe it worked out great everybody in the house liked it. Hats off to your work and your website is just awesome.
    BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT IT CAN BE BETTER IF WE ADD 3-4 BLACK PEPPER IN THE SPICES.

  72. I really liked the recipe and the method as it is explained stepwise and in very simple manner. I made this recipe and really enjoyed it with my family. Thanks for posting it.

  73. Finally I made this shahi paneer with my own homemade paneer 🙂 ..All thanks to your wonderful and detailed recipes .

    • if you are referring to this shahi paneer recipe, then stock here is got from boiling the onions with dry fruits. please check the video to know how its done. otherwise stock is made with boiling veggies with water and then straining the water.

  75. Thanks so much for writing this blog .I tried ur butter panner Masala and it was awsome

  76. Hi,
    Is it necessary to use melon seeds in shahi paneer? Dassana I really loved ur site n I even tried paneer tikka which really turned very yummy….

  77. Dear Dassana, I’ve been a regular on your blog and tried quite a few of your recipes. All of them were good. Today I did the shahi paneer and it really came out well and was an instantaneous hit. Please continue your good work.

  78. this paneer recipe is very delicious
    my husband and my parents sister,brother impressed in my cooking.
    thankssssssssssss……………………. a lot dasana….

  79. Ms. Ushagnanarajah, you are an indian and what is the great thing about saying
    ” I like Indian food ” . Everyone likes indian food but it should come from any other country men.

  82. Hi dassana,
    I came across ur blog when i was searching for mix veg recipe n i love ur blog! I tried many of recipe such as paneer tikka, kadhai paneer, aaloo pakora, dum aaloo, dal fry, falooda etc. I liked ur how to make paneer at home recipe very much that i dnt buy paneer from shop now n just make it at home as it made out very well. Thanks for ur recipes n keep posting such delicious recipes! 🙂

    • thanks samrudhi. am so glad that all the recipes you have mentioned worked well for you. i do have many recipes in the drafts, so i post at least one recipe almost everyday. comments like yours keeps me motivated and encouraged. thanks once again.

  84. Wow, beautifully colored, perfectly textured, creamy, yummy and what not!!
    Love it.
    It is very nice of you to have come with the video version of the recipe! Kudos!
    Good idea to add saffron.

  86. You have nailed it with the perfect pictures again Dassana.. And i like the idea of adding stock with nuts, first time ever I have heard of it. Gotta try soon..

  87. Hello Dassana Ji,

    I liked the new looks of your site, very peaceful. I feel like hang around here for more hours 😉
    I like paneer almost in any form, this looks nice and If you don’t mind please do share the recipe of salad that you served along with Paneer…is that Onion & Beetroot???

    Love & Hugs!

    • thanks rashida. its onion and beetroot yogurt salad. i call it salad as i have added very little of the yogurt. basically raw onions, boiled beetroots, green chilies, coriander leaves, roasted cumin powder, chaat masala and yogurt all mixed with each other. i have not taken pics, so wont be able to post the recipe.

  88. i tried low fat version of shahi paneer with ready made masala it was yummy ! But yours looking outstanding 🙂 quiet heavy gravy 🙂 lovely video presentation !