Matar Paneer Pulao is an easy, protein-packed, one-pot rice dish. It makes a great, comforting meal or lunchbox option that can be prepared on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot. Serve it with some cool cucumber raita for that complete meal.
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My kids love paneer, so I'm always making paneer almost every week and switching up between the different paneer recipes and serving them with roti/paratha or rice. One day, when I was feeling a bit lazy, I thought of making Matar paneer and rice as a one-pot dish. It turned out delicious! That is how Matar Paneer Pulao came into existence.
My kids loved it so much that they keep asking me to make their favorite paneer and peas pulao. So let's see how to make it!!
You will need
Paneer - This is Indian cottage cheese. You can either make it at home or use a store-bought one. I've used frozen ones for this recipe. Just soak the paneer in warm water for 20-30 mins, which helps make it really soft.
I'm directly using the soft paneer for this recipe, but you can also shallow-fry the paneer in a separate pan until crispy and golden brown, and then add it after the pulao is cooked.
Peas - I prefer adding just peas to this, as we as a family love the paneer peas combo. But you can definitely add more veggies to it. I've used frozen green peas. Fresh will work as well.
Rice - Use long-grain basmati rice to make this pulao. Love how flavorful and good it looks with basmati.
In addition to flavor the main ingredients, we will need
Fats - Oil or ghee for cooking. Ghee gives its own flavor to the recipe, so definitely give it a try!
Spices - I'm using a combination of whole spices as well as spice powders. If you usually cook Indian food, these spices should already be in your spice box or pantry.
Tomato puree - Store-bought tomato puree is your best bet here since it's concentrated and rich in tomato flavor. Alternatively, you can grind two tomatoes and use them in place.
Aromatics - can't live without ginger garlic, green chillies (optional).
Last but not least, some lemon juice and cilantro (coriander) to finish the recipe.
How to make Matar Paneer Pulao
Below is the step-by-step method to make Matar Paneer Pulao using an Instant Pot. Please refer to the recipe card for pressure cooker and stove top instructions.
If you are using frozen paneer, soak it in warm water for 30 mins or until it's completely soft. Drain and cut into cubes. Keep the cubes in warm water until ready to use to prevent them from drying.
Wash your rice until the water runs clear and soak it in 2-3 cups of water till you prep the rest of the ingredients.
Start the Instant Pot on saute mode and to it add the whole spices. Stir for a few seconds and add the onions, salt, and fry till light brown. Add ginger and garlic, and sauté until the raw garlic smell disappears.
Add all the spices and cook for a few seconds, followed by the tomato puree. Cook for a minute or two.
Drain the water from the rice thoroughly and add it, along with the green peas and 1 cup of water, mixing well. Deglaze if needed. Ensure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot. Drain the water from the paneer, too, and add it as well. Mix gently.
Close the Instant Pot lid with vent sealing and cook on manual or pressure cook (high) for 5 mins. Once the cooking is complete, quick-release after 5 minutes.
Open the lid and fluff up the rice using a fork. Close the lid and let it rest for 5 mins. Open the lid, add lemon juice, and fluff it up again. Be careful not to break the paneer (as much as possible). Finish off with some cilantro.
Delicious Paneer Matar Pulao is ready, serve warm with some cucumber raita.
More Rice Recipes
More Paneer Recipes
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Recipe Card
Matar Paneer Pulao
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1 cup paneer cubes approx 200 gms or 7oz
- 1 cup green peas
- 2 tablespoons ghee or oil
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced
- 1 tablespoon ginger minced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1-2 green chilies finely chopped
- ½ cup tomato puree store bought or homemade
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice adjust to taste
- 2 tablespoon cilantro leaves chopped
- 1½ teaspoon Salt adjust to taste
Whole spices
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cloves
- 1 nutmeg shell
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 small piece cinnamon
Spices
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder adjust to taste
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
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Instructions
Prep Work:
- If you are using frozen paneer, soak it in warm water for 30 mins or until its completely soft. Drain and cut in cubes. Keep the cubes in warm water until ready to use to prevent them from drying.
- Wash your rice until water runs clear and soak them in 2-3 cups of water till you prep rest of the ingredients or atleast for 10 mins.
Using Instant Pot:
- Start Instant Pot on saute mode and to it add the whole spices (bay leaf, cloves, nutmeg shell, cumin seeds and cinnamon). Stir for a few seconds and add the onions, salt and fry till light brown.
- Add ginger garlic, green chilli (optional) and saute till raw garlic smell disappears.
- Stir in the spices(turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander and garam masala) followed by tomato puree and cook for a min or two.
- Drain the water from the rice completely and add it along with green peas and 1 cup water, mix well. Deglaze if needed. Ensure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Add in the paneer (water drained). Give it a quick gentle mix.
- Close the Instant Pot lid with vent sealing and cook on manual or pressure cook (high) for 5 mins. Once the cooking is complete, quick-release after 5 minutes.
- Open the lid and fluff up the rice using a fork. Close the lid and let it rest for 5 mins. Open the lid, add lemon juice and fluff it up again. Be careful to not break the paneer (as much as possible). Finish off with some cilantro.
- Serve warm with some cucumber raita.
Using Pressure Cooker
- Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and once hot add the whole spices.
- Once they begin to sizzle add the sliced onions, salt and cook on medium-low flame until golden brown.
- Then add the ginger garlic green chilli (optional) and cook until the raw garlic smell disappears.
- Add all the spices and cook for few seconds followed by tomato puree. Cook for a min or two.
- Drain the water from the rice completely and add it along with green peas mix well. Saute gently on low flame for a min so that the rice and peas are nicely coated with the oil and onion mixture.
- Add 1.5 cups of water, salt, paneer (water drained) and close the lid.
- Let it cook for 1-2 whistles (I cook for 1 whistle but may vary depending on rice quality) and then switch off the gas.
- Allow the steam to go away naturally.
- Once the steam has escaped, open and fluff it with a fork.
- Add lemon juice and fluff it up again. Be careful to not break the paneer (as much as possible). Finish off with some cilantro.
- Serve warm with some cucumber raita.
Using Stove top
- Follow the exact same steps as mentioned above for cooking using pressure cooker. Just add more water i.e. 2 to 2.5 cups (varies based on quality of rice) of water for 1 cup of basmati rice. Cook on medium flame and get it to a boil. Then cover and cook on low flame till water is absorbed. Check in between if more water is required. Fluff with a fork and see if the rice is cooked. Once done, switch off the flame and let it sit covered for 5 mins. Then fluff with fork.
- Add lemon juice and fluff it up again. Be careful to not break the paneer (as much as possible). Finish off with some cilantro.
- Serve warm with some cucumber raita.
Notes
- To make it vegan, use tofu instead of paneer.
- If you prefer crispy paneer, pan-fry the paneer separately and add it later once the rice is cooked.
- I prefer using store-bought tomato puree for this recipe, just it's more concentrated and gives a good flavor and color. You can replace it with homemade tomato puree of 2 tomatoes.
Dawn Grieve says
Hi Shweta,
Just found your site, so many delicious recipes to try. My sister cannot digest cow milk protein, what cheese (goat or sheep is fine) would you recommend as a substitute for paneer? I was thinking feta. Thank you.
Shweta Arora says
Hi Dawn, Tofu would work as a great substitute for panner. You can also skip paneer or tofu and just make it with veggies of your choice. Hope this helps!!