Tawa paneer masala recipe with step by step photos. Tawa paneer masala is a semi dry curry with capsicum/bell pepper, onions, tomatoes and paneer cubes cooked on tawa or a griddle. A popular restaurant side dish.
It is one of the easiest and quick paneer recipe you can prepare. This semi-dry curry can be cooked in less than 30 minutes. So easy that you can make these when you have unexpected guests at home or you want to cook something easy for dinner after a day’s hard work.
The best part is You can easily serve the tawa paneer masala with wheat bread or brown bread or pav. You don’t need to make chapatis or parathas. Of course you can make chapati or parathas, if you have time and are not too tired.
Few other Quick and easy paneer recipes on the blog are:
The entire recipe is made on a tawa/tava – a concave shaped round pan (shown in the step by step pics below) used in Indian homes for making various Indian flat breads like rotis and parathas. Even dosa and cheela (gram flour crepes) are made on the tawa. They are also used for shallow frying snacks like aloo tikki and for dry roasting spices, nuts and seeds.
If you don’t have a tawa, then you can easily use a frying pan or a medium skillet. If using a tawa, then use a medium sized or a large tawa, so that the food does not spill from the sides while cooking.
To make this recipe, you will need paneer/cottage cheese, capsicum, onion, tomatoes and the regular Indian spices-herbs. I have made a puree of the tomatoes. However, you can just finely chop them and add to the dish.
While serving paneer tawa masala, drizzle some lemon juice on top and garnish with coriander leaves. Accompany with some side salad.
How to make tawa paneer masala
1. Add the chopped tomatoes (3 medium tomatoes or 180 to 200 gms) in a blender and make a smooth puree. Keep aside.
2. melt 2 tbsp butter on a tawa or skillet.
3. add ½ tsp carom seeds/ajwain and fry them for a few seconds or till aromatic.
4. add 1 large onion, chopped (about 100 to 120 grams) and saute till translucent.
5. add the ginger-garlic paste (1 inch ginger + 4 to 5 medium garlic), 1 chopped green chili, 1 medium finely chopped capsicum/green bell pepper and saute for about 3 minutes.
6. then add the ¼ tsp red chili powder, ¼ tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp coriander powder and 1 tsp pav bhaji masala. If you don’t have pav bhaji masala, then add garam masala + amchur powder/dry mango powder. stir and saute for about a minute.
7. Add the tomato puree and stir.
8. Season with salt and saute with stirring at intervals.
9. Saute till you see butter releasing from the sides and the masala has thickened a bit. This takes about 8 to 10 minutes on a low flame. if the tomato masala looks dry, then add 1 or 2 tbsp of water and continue to saute.
10. Add the paneer cubes (200 to 250 grams) and stir well, so that the masala coats the paneer cubes evenly.
11. cook the paneer for 1 to 2 minutes. Then add ½ tsp crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves). Stir very well and switch off the flame.
12. garnish with coriander leaves and Serve tawa paneer masala with chapatis, naan or bread or pav. Accompany a few wedges of lemon slices which can be drizzled on the tawa paneer and a side onion salad.
tawa paneer masala
Ingredients
- 200 to 250 grams paneer (cottage cheese)
- 1 large onion - finely chopped or about 100 to 120 grams onions
- 1 medium capsicum or about 80 to 100 grams capsicum (green bell pepper)
- 3 medium tomatoes - chopped or 180 to 200 grams tomatoes
- 4 to 5 medium garlic cloves
- 1 inch ginger
- 1 green chili - chopped
- ½ teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds)
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon pav bhaji masala or ½ teaspoon garam masala + ¼ teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder)
- 2 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
- salt as required
- few chopped coriander leaves for garnish
Instructions
preparation
- Finely chop the onions and capsicum/green bell pepper.
- Roughly chop the tomatoes, green chili, ginger and garlic.
- Crush the ginger and garlic in a mortar-pestle to a paste.
- Add the chopped tomatoes in a blender and make a smooth puree. Keep aside.
- Chop the paneer in ½ inch cubes.
making tawa paneer masala
- Melt butter on a tawa or skillet.
- Add the ajwain (carom seeds) and fry them for a few seconds or till aromatic.
- Add the onions and saute till translucent.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, finely chopped capsicum/green bell pepper and saute for about 3 minutes.
- Then add the red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and pav bhaji masala. If you don't have pav bhaji masala, add garam masala + amchur powder/dry mango powder.
- Stir and saute for about a minute.
- Then add the tomato puree and salt.
- Stir well and saute till you see butter releasing from the sides and the masala has thickened a bit. This takes about 8 to 10 minutes on a low flame.
- If the tomato masala looks dry, then add 1 or 2 tbsp of water and continue to saute.
- Add the paneer cubes and stir well, so that the masala coats the paneer cubes evenly.
- Cook the paneer for 1 to 2 minutes. Then add the crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves). Stir very well and switch off the flame.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve tawa paneer masala with chapatis, phulkas, naan or bread. Accompany with a few wedges of lemon slices which can be drizzled on the tawa paneer and a side onion salad.
Awesome recipe I hv tried it…everytime it tastes better..I hv just added little almond powder for taste…thank u for the beautiful recipe
thank you suma for this super feedback on tawa paneer masala. if the recipe is good and foolproof, it will taste good every time. welcome and happy cooking.
I am not getting your app on play store..please help me with the link to download your app
Vidya, we no longer have app on play store. You have to check these website only for recipes.
An awesome recipe.Very tasty and delicious like all your other recipes that I have tried.
Thanks Winnie
Excellent recipe, thank you. I added additional garlic flakes and some fresh lime to give it some zest!
Welcome Sammyez. Glad to know the variation you did to paneer tawa masala recipe.
Thankful to u.
Ur recipes are just awesome.
I tried tawa paneer masala at both Houses(my parent house n at in law ).
Both my families loved this recipe.
It just turn out awesome,yummy n t
Welcome Meeta. Glad to know that everyone liked the tawa paneer masala recipe. Thanks for sharing this awesome feedback.
Any reason for deleting the app ?
HM, we are not able to manage the app well. few complaints are coming. however you can check the recipes in the website as the app is the exact replica of website. in fact website is better than app.
Hi, I used to try almost all the receipes. All are came out well. Ur dishes are just awesome. I’m waiting for non veg dishes :).
Thanks Sowmiya for your positive feedback on veg recipes. We only share vegetarian recipes. Although we have got many request to post non-veg recipes.
Thank you very much for your tawa paneer recipe. It’s easy to cook and delicious in taste.
welcome prabha and thanks for sharing this positive feedback on tawa paneer masala recipe.
Just Wow. Tried your tawa paneer recipe.It came out so tasty and yummy that I wanted it to share with you immediately.Full proof recipe.Loved it!!
Thanks Mrinal for this positive feedback. Glad to know that you liked tawa paneer masala recipe.
Hi dassana tried tawa paneer recipie it came out awesome ????,,,,i have tried your other recipie also ,,,,really you have made vegetarian recipies more and more interesting,,,,,thank you for sharing step by step recipie giving every detail,,,,keep up the good work????
welcome kavita. glad to know this. thanks for your positive feedback on tawa paneer masala.
I am a veg food lover and cooking addict and this site is the answer for all my cravings …thanks dasannna for all the wonderful recipies…everything i have made till today came out really well..i m newly wed and everyone is surprised to see my hubby happily eating the veg food i m making.He is actually a hardcore non vegetarian and used to hate all kind of vegetarian food..its all the magic of your recipies
thats nice to know shilpa. thanks a lot. vegetarian food can be made very tasty and flavorful. i am glad that the website is helping you in creating vegetarian recipes. stay happy, blessed and wish you all the best in life.
I’m a big fan of your recipes.. tried tawa paneer today and it came out very well. Instead of aam chur, I add a few cranberries for that tart taste. Came out well. Thank for the recipe!
welcome tara. glad to know this. thanks for sharing the variation you did to the recipe.
Sounds easy will give it a try . I usually come to your site for all my veg recipies and thanks to you they have come out real well.
Can I make this at night n serve in the morning? Coz really mornings are a super crunch time. I usually make all my sabzi pervious night n make rotis in the mornings.since it’s tawa paneer I m a lil apprehensive!!!
thanks safia. you can prepare in the night. refrigerate. then reheat in the morning and serve. if the gravy becomes thick, then add some water.
just now only I came too know about this app..it really came out well thank you ma’am
welcome radhika
Mam can we make frankie using tawa paneer?
you can easily make frankie with the tawa paneer masala. just keep a semi dry to dry gravy.
Hi i tried ur recipe it came out good but it had a little sour flavor. Can u suggest wht to do pls?
sourness could be due to tomatoes. you can add some cream or a little sugar to tone down the sourness.
This is an awesome recipe, I tried it & it came out yummy… thank you so much for the recipe
Welcome Jhumur
You are simply the best in the whole wide world. Your every recipe is to the perfection. What a balance in every dish. Simply mind blowing. Your fan.
Thanks a lot Mayuri for your kind words.
I made this recipe yesterday and it came out fantastic! The flavor and taste was excellent. I also like the pictures for each and every step. So happy I found your blog and excited to try more recipes!
thanks minal for sharing your feedback. sure do try the other recipes and i hope you like them.
Hello Dassana,
I have tried this and the result was just excellent. The Only alternative I used was, Shahi Jeera at the place of Azwain (Due to unavailability). Still the texture was same and it taste great. Thanks for sharing this.
Regards,
Abhijit
pleased to know this abhijit, thanks for positive views. you are welcome.
Mam, i try all d recipes js frm ur blog. Nvr even give a look towards others.js bcoz i hav a confidence dat i wl nvr fail if try ur recipes.
glad to know this rachna 🙂 thank you for you kind and encouraging words. do share your feedback when you try the recipes from blog.
Hello dassana mam I try this recipe today it just awesome everyone just love it
pleased to know this thank you kahekashan 🙂 for the feedback.
How do paneer taste. . Kindly rply
paneer has a bland taste and it absorbs the flavors of the sauce or gravy that you make.
Hey Dassana.. Your recipes are just amazing.. Could you tell me if there is any substitute for carom seeds or could I skip them?
thanks bhavi. just skip them. an alternative but not a substitute, would be cumin seeds.
Amazing recipe
Thank amit ..u made me a good cook
welcome dhananjay. glad to know this.
Hello…. Can I make this recipe without capssium
capsicum gives a very good taste. without capsicum some flavor and taste will be lost. but you can still make.
Hi,
Wanted to try this recipe. But I need to make it for a quantity that has to be served to 20 ppl..so if I use 600g of paneer can u tell me how to alter the quantity of ingredients accordingly..
use 1 kg of paneer and increase the quantity of all ingredients 4 to 5 times proportionately except the spice powders. add the spice powders as per taste.
I love this blog..they have the best and most easy recipes..and most of all my husband has started loving my veg food..thank u soo much..keep bringing in excellent recipes!
glad your husband started liking veg food and thankyou for your kind words 🙂 also you are always welcome rasha.
You deserve 10 stars!
thankyou adarsh 🙂
I’ve tried it and it was very delicious and easy to make!?
thankyou so much adarsh glad you liked the tawa paneer masala 🙂
Thanks. I’ll try to do the recipe
welcome.
Very nice recipe thanks, quick tasty and the perfect quantity for 2 people. I served with onion lachcha and roti, perfect!
glad to know this and thankyou tom 🙂
Can I substitute tamarind powder for the mango powder, or should I special order the mango powder. I just came across your blog & see that you use this ingredient quite often in your recipes. Can’t wait to try it!
tamarind gives a different kind of sourness than dry mango powder. skip the dry mango powder and add few drops of lemon or lime juice towards the end.