• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Shweta in the Kitchen

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
    • Work with Me
    • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
    • Work with Me
    • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Shop
×

Home » Curry » Matar Paneer

Matar Paneer

Published: Mar 10, 2020 · Modified: Jun 28, 2020 by Shweta Arora · This post may contain affiliate links

Tweet
Pin
Share
404 Shares
Jump to Recipe

Matar Paneer is an extremely popular vegetarian North Indian curry dish made of paneer(Indian cottage cheese) and Matar (green peas) in a creamy, spicy onion-tomato base gravy. It can be served with rice as well as naan or paratha or roti.

Matar Paneer

This Matar Paneer Curry is my go to Indian recipe to make for dinner parties, small gatherings or when you need that special dinner on weekends or weekdays!! It's very easy to make, turns out delicious no matter what and is loved by all including my lil one!! Its Vegetarian, gluten-free and can be made vegan too! 

To keep things simple, I like to make my matar paneer recipe with cream but there are a lot of variations that come with this recipe and every home has its own way. Some like to add cashews, few prefer yogurt while some skip all these and still this paneer matar sabji turns out delish!!

Matar Paneer

Is this Restaurant style

I wouldn't call this a restaurant style matar paneer recipe as this is my everyday version cooked in most punjabi homes. Hence its even better than that served at restaurants.

Being an everyday curry it doesn't have much richness to it that will make you feel heavy after eating. The only rich or calorie dense ingredient here is cream (not counting the paneer) which is used in very little quantity and can be skipped too if you want it for a casual meal.

How to make vegan matar paneer 

To make this recipe for matar paneer vegan, use Tofu instead paneer, skip ghee and use oil only. Skip cream or use vegan/cashew cream. 

Can I freeze Matar Paneer Curry

Yes!! Let the curry come to room temperature and then pack in portion you tend to use in freezer safe ziplock bags or containers. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and then microwave or heat in a pot over stovetop until completely hot and bubbly. You can adjust the consistency by adding some water (if needed). 

Serving Suggestion:

My favorite way of serving matar paneer masala is with naan or fresh homemade laccha paratha's (whole wheat flaky multilayered flatbread) or zeera rice with side of kachumbar (indian spiced onion tomato cucumber salad). 

Matar Paneer

How to make Matar Paneer

You can make this mutter paneer recipe either on stove top or in your Instant Pot. Below are detailed step by step instructions for both

Step by Step Method (Stove Top):

Soak the frozen paneer in some hot water and once soft, cut in cubes and keep aside. You can keep them soaked in warm water until ready to use while you make the gravy. Skip this step if using fresh paneer.

In a dutch oven or thick bottomed cooking pot, heat oil on medium flame & once hot add the cumin seeds, bay leaves, cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon stick. Once cumin seeds start spluttering add the onions & saute till they turn translucent. Add in green chilies (optional), ginger & garlic paste and cook till raw garlic smell disappears.

Stir in the tomato puree/paste & mix. Cook for 2 mins stirring intermittently. Then add all the ingredients listed under “Dry Indian Spices” along with salt, pepper powder and ketchup. Cook till this mixture thickens & starts oozing oil from the side (approximately 2 mins).

Adjust the consistency by adding a cup or two of water. Mix & simmer till it comes to a boil. Now crush the dry Fenugreek leaves between your palms & add it to this gravy. 

Add the boiled green peas, mix well. After about 2 mins, lower the heat and then add cream and mix. Final step is to add the paneer & mix with light hands to prevent the paneer from crumbling. Simmer for few minutes and Matar Paneer recipe is ready to be served. Top it with some coriander for garnishing and serve warm with serve warm with some zeera rice or naan/paratha/roti with side of salad.

Step by Step Method (Instant Pot):

Soak the frozen paneer in some hot water and once soft, cut in cubes and keep aside. You can keep them soaked in warm water until ready to use while you make the gravy. Skip this step if using fresh paneer.

Mattar Paneer - Step 1

Start Instant Pot on saute mode (normal). Once its hot, add the oil/ghee and allow the oil to heat up. Then add the cumin seeds, bay leaves, cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon stick. Once cumin seeds start spluttering add the onions & saute. When the onions turn translucent, add green chilies (optional), ginger & garlic paste. Saute till raw garlic smell disappears. Stir in the the tomato puree/paste & mix.

Mattar Paneer - Step 2

Add all the ingredients listed under "Dry Indian Spices" along with salt and pepper powder. Add ketchup (optional but highly recommend) & mix.  Cook for a few seconds and then add the paneer cubes and peas along with 1 cup of water. Mix well, make sure nothing is sticking to the pot. Cancel the saute mode. Close the Instant Pot lid with vent to sealing. Cook on manual (pressure cook) mode at high pressure for 3 mins followed by quick release. 

Mattar Paneer - Step 3

Crush the dry fenugreek leaves between your palms and add it. Mix to stir and adjust seasoning and water as needed.  The dish is ready to be served. To take it up a notch, start the instant pot on saute mode and add in the cream, mix and saute for 2-5 mins. If your tomato gravy still tastes sour even after adding cream add a pinch of sugar to cut the sourness down. Finally garnish with some cilantro and serve warm!!

That's it our Mutter Paneer is ready, serve it hot with Indian bread like Roti/Chapati/Naan or some hot rice, chutney and salad. Enjoy!!

Matar Paneer

More such delicious Paneer Curry recipes for you to try: 

  • PALAK PANEER
  • PANEER BHURJI
  • PANEER BUTTER MASALA
  • PANEER BABYCORN JALFREZIE

Hope you enjoy this Mattar Paneer recipe as much as we do!! If you give this recipe a try, we did love to hear from you ❤️ Please let us know your rating ⭐️and feedback in the comments below. Thank you!

Tried this recipe?Please rate the recipe by clicking the stars below
Matar Paneer

Matar Paneer

Shweta Arora
Matar Paneer is an extremely popular North Indian curry dish made of Indian cottage cheese (paneer) and green peas (Matter/mutter) in a creamy, spicy onion-tomato gravy. It can be served with Rice as well as Naan or paratha or roti. 
4.80 from 5 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • Instant Pot
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoon cooking oil/ghee
  • 1 cup green peas frozen or fresh
  • 400 gms paneer block
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2-3 green cardamoms
  • 1 inch cinnamon stick
  • 3-4 cloves
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds zeera
  • 2 green chillies finely chopped, optional and to taste
  • 1 tablespoon ginger minced/grated
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced
  • 1 medium medium yellow onion finely chopped
  • 3-4 medium tomatoes pureed approx 1 cup or use 2 tablespoon of tomato paste or 1 cup of store bought tomato puree
  • 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup optional but recommend it
  • 1 tablespoon dry Fenugreek leaves Kasoori methi
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ⅛ teaspoon pepper or to taste
  • some finely chopped coriander for garnishing

Dry Indian Spices :

  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder haldi
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or to taste (lal mirch powder)
  • ½ tablespoon coriander powder (dhania powder)
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds powder (zeera powder)
  • ¼ teaspoon garam masala or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur)optional

Instructions
 

Using Stove Top:

  • Soak the frozen paneer in some hot water and once soft, cut in cubes and keep aside. You can keep them soaked in warm water until ready to use while you make the gravy. Skip this step if using fresh paneer.
  • In a dutch oven or thick bottomed cooking pot, heat oil on medium flame & once hot add the cumin seeds, bay leaves, cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon stick. Once cumin seeds start spluttering add the onions & saute till they turn translucent.
  • Add in green chilies (optional), ginger & garlic paste and cook till raw garlic smell disappears.
  • Stir in the tomato puree/paste & mix. Cook for 2 mins stirring intermittently.
  • Then add all the ingredients listed under “Dry Indian Spices” along with salt, pepper powder and ketchup. Cook till this mixture thickens & starts oozing oil from the side (approximately 2 mins).
  • Adjust the consistency by adding a cup or two of water. Mix & simmer till it comes to a boil. Now crush the dry Fenugreek leaves between your palms & add it to this gravy.
  • Add the boiled green peas, mix well. After about 2 mins, lower the heat and then add cream and mix.
  • Final step is to add the paneer & mix with light hands to prevent the paneer from crumbling. Simmer for few minutes and Matar Paneer recipe is ready to be served.
  • Top it with some coriander for garnishing and serve warm with serve warm with some zeera rice or naan/paratha/roti with side of salad.

Using Instant Pot:

  • Soak the frozen paneer in some hot water and once soft, cut in cubes and keep aside. You can keep them soaked in warm water until ready to use while you make the gravy. Skip this step if using fresh paneer.
  • Start Instant Pot on saute mode (normal). Once its hot, add the oil/ghee and allow it to heat up.
  • Add the cumin seeds, bay leaves, cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon stick. Once cumin seeds start spluttering add the onions & saute till they turn translucent.
  • Next add green chilies (optional), ginger & garlic paste and cook till raw garlic smell disappears.
  • Stir in the the tomato puree/paste followed by all the ingredients listed under “Dry Indian Spices”, salt, pepper powder and ketchup (optional but highly recommend) & mix until well combined.
  • Now add the paneer cubes and peas along with 1 cup of water. Mix well, make sure nothing is sticking to the pot.
  • Cancel the saute mode. Close the Instant Pot lid with vent to sealing. Cook on manual (pressure cook) mode at high pressure for 3 mins followed by quick release.
  • Open the lid, crush the dry fenugreek leaves between your palms and add it. Mix to stir and adjust seasoning and water consistency as needed.
  • To take it up a notch, start the instant pot on saute mode and add in the cream, mix and saute for 2-5 mins. If your tomato gravy still tastes sour even after adding cream add a pinch of sugar to cut the sourness down.
  • Top it with some coriander for garnishing and serve warm with serve warm with some zeera rice or naan/paratha/roti with side of salad.

Notes

  • I would recommend using good quality (store bought) tomato puree/paste. It gives a great color to the gravy. Alternately you can use fresh tomato puree made at home & add 1 tablespoon of store bought tomato puree for enhancing the color. 
  • For Stove top method: I have boiled the green peas with some salt till cooked, drained & then soaked them in cold water to retain their fresh green color. Its only at the end that I added them to the gravy but you could cook these along too. Add them when you add water & boil till green peas are cooked. 
 
Tried this recipe?Mention @shwetainthekitchen or tag #shwetainthekitchen!
Follow me on YouTube!Subscribe to my channel to get the latest Recipe Video updates.

Matar Paneer

Happy Cooking!!
Shweta

Tweet
Pin
Share
404 Shares
« Puran Poli
Samosa Rolls »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Natalie

    February 21, 2021 at 3:58 pm

    5 stars
    So delicious! I made this for the first meal I’ve shared with friends in months, and everyone loved it. I only had about 150g paneer from some I made a while ago, so I also used tofu, which I dry fried before adding. Amazing recipe. I’ll make this one many times. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Shweta Arora

      February 22, 2021 at 12:21 am

      Hi Natalie, I'm so glad to know you and your friends could enjoy this recipe together. Yes, Paneer and tofu both work well for this recipe. Thank you for trying!!

      Reply
  2. Sadanandan Thottol

    January 12, 2021 at 5:56 am

    4 stars
    it looks delicious we would try it on weekend

    Reply
    • Shweta Arora

      January 12, 2021 at 9:30 am

      Thank you! Let me know how it turned out!!

      Reply
  3. Priyanka

    March 20, 2020 at 11:22 am

    Hi! How much onion do you use?

    Reply
    • Shweta Arora

      March 21, 2020 at 10:29 am

      Hi Priyanka, thanks for catching it. I use a medium sized yellow onion finely chopped. Recipe updated too.

      Reply
  4. Anonymous

    December 11, 2012 at 11:52 am

    Wonderful blog! I found it while surfing around on Yahoo News.
    Do you have any suggestions on how to get listed in Yahoo
    News? I've been trying for a while but I never seem to get there! Thanks
    Also visit my webpage :: easy ways to make money now

    Reply
  5. Hema

    December 10, 2012 at 6:10 pm

    Perfect side dish, kids would love this..

    Reply
  6. Shweta in the Kitchen

    December 10, 2012 at 2:21 am

    Thanks everyone for the wonderful words 🙂

    Reply
  7. Shweta in the Kitchen

    December 10, 2012 at 2:21 am

    Thanks Katie, would love to know how it turned out 🙂

    Reply
  8. Rumana Ambrin

    December 05, 2012 at 4:41 am

    Perfectly done..

    Reply
  9. Shabbu

    December 02, 2012 at 4:50 pm

    Yummy recipe...nice presentation..
    Shabbu's Tasty Kitchen

    Reply
  10. Kitchen Queen

    December 02, 2012 at 9:20 pm

    simple dish but lovely taste. do visit my space in your free time.

    Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a comment & rate the recipe Cancel reply

If you love the recipe, please provide a star rating along with your comments. Your comments and reviews make my day, and they also help others find my recipe online.

Thank you!
Shweta

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

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

About Me!

Hi There!! I'm Shweta! Welcome to Shweta in the Kitchen.
Read More…

Mexican Recipes

Vegetarian Burrito Bowl

Easy Vegetarian Burrito Bowls

Mexican black beans

Mexican Black Beans

Guacamole with Tortilla Chips

Guacamole Recipe

Vegetarian Nachos on a baking tray

Vegetarian Nachos

Vegetarian Crunchwrap Supreme

Vegetarian Crunchwrap Supreme

Quinoa Enchiladas Soup

Quinoa Enchilada Soup

vegetarian taco pasta in a bowl garnished with cilantro and green onions

Instant Pot Taco Pasta (Vegetarian)

Tortilla Enchilada Pizza

See More;

Featured in SITK

Popular Recipes

Mango Kulfi
Fruit Salad With Condensed Milk
Idli Recipe | Idli Batter Recipe
Vegetarian Nachos
Pav Bhaji Recipe
Vegetarian Crunchwrap Supreme
Rasmalai Cake
Dal Fry Recipe
Batata Bhaji
Eggless Sugar Cookies

Footer

SITK Featured in

Home | Contact | Privacy Policy | About

Copyright © 2023 Shweta in the Kitchen on the Foodie Pro Theme