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Indian Vegetarian Recipes

Pulao Recipe – Veg Pulao

https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/vegetable-pulao-recipe-veg-pulao/

Pulao or pilaf, is comfort food at its best and I make it when I want to cook something quick, easy and satisfying. This one-pot dish made with rice and vegetables has added spices and herbs, giving it a mild aromatic flavor.

This special recipe is my mom’s and is my go-to recipe when making vegetable pulao. The dish is also vegetarian and is great on its own or paired with raita (an Indian yogurt dish), pickle and roasted papad (a crisp thin Indian snack).

About Vegetable Pulao

Called by various names such as pilaf or pulav, veg pulao is one of the most common rice dishes in India, the other being Veg Biryani.

You will find many different veg pulao recipes on this blog including Peas pulao, Kashmiri pulao, Tawa pulao, Paneer pulao and more. However the recipe I share here is my favorite and how I almost always end up making it.

What I like about making veg pulao is that it comes together quickly. Use a food processor for chopping the veggies and it will really come together fast.

Why this Recipe Works

  1. Spices: This recipe uses whole garam masala spices, rather than adding any pulao or biryani masala. Thus the aroma of the spices is distinctly felt in the dish.
  2. Rice: I usually like the texture of the rice to be a little soft in pulao, rather than being al dente, which is the way it is typically served in restaurants. So if you are like me, you will love this recipe. Read on below for tips on making the perfect rice for you pulao.

Tips for Preparing your Rice

The most important thing in a pulao dish is that the rice grains are cooked perfectly without sticking or becoming mushy. The rice grains should be separate and non-sticky after being cooked.

Below you will find some tips and suggestions to help you prepare the perfect rice for your pulao.

Type and quality of rice

  • Basmati rice is usually used to make pulao. The basmati rice should be fragrant and long-grained to get good results. Aged basmati rice will give you the best results.
  • You can also use other types of long-grained rice and short-grained Indian rice varieties like seeraga samba, sona masuri or ambe mohar. These rice varieties can often be purchased on Amazon.
  • In some parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala (Southern Indian states), seeraga samba rice is widely used to make pulao and biryani.
  • Even parboiled basmati rice (sella basmati) can be used to make this recipe.

Sticky rice grains vs. separate rice grains

Now that you have the correct rice, follow these steps to ensure you have separate rice grains in your pulao:

Soak the rice

It is always better to soak your rice for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking. Soaking rice grains gives them a better texture when they are cooked. If you do not have time to soak them, then just rinse the rice before adding it. Note that if you only rinse the rice, you will need to add some more water as presoaked rice grains require less water for cooking as compared to rice grains which are not soaked.

Add the right amount of water

Be sure that you do not add too much water, especially if you have presoaked your rice as recommended above.

Sauté the rice

After adding the rice grains to your pan, sauté them for 1 to 2 minutes on a low to medium flame, so that they are coated with fat (oil or ghee). The rice grains have to be separate & and yet well cooked in a pulao or biryani. Adding lemon juice also helps make the rice grains fluffier.

Rice to water ratio

For most rice varieties, the rice to water ratio is generally 1:2. However, this ratio can vary depending on the particular type of rice used or the cooking method used:

  • Example 1 – organic basmati rice requires more water while cooking and parboiled basmati rice will need more water as compared to regular basmati rice. For this reason, I recommend when cooking pulao, to use rice which you have cooked before. This way you will already know how much water to add.
  • Example 2 – when cooking pulao in a pressure cooker, generally less water is added. The steam generated in the pressure cooker helps in cooking the rice grains. However, the amount of water to be added will depend upon the size of the cooker. For example, in larger cookers, more water has to be added.

How to make Pulao

Preparation

1. Begin by rinsing 1.5 cups basmati rice in water until it runs clear of starch. Next, soak the rice in enough water for 30 minutes.

2. After 30 minutes strain the rice of all the water and keep aside.

3. While the rice is soaking, prep the veggies. Rinse and chop them. Make sure to chop the vegetables in small cubes. For cauliflower, chop them in medium-sized florets. Peel, rinse and slice 1 large onion thinly.

4. Keep all the whole spices aside. From the below list of spices, you can skip black pepper, black cardamom, star anise and mace.

5. Add chopped ginger (1 to 1.5 inches), garlic (4 to 5 small to medium garlic cloves, peeled) and 1 to 2 green chilies (green peppers) in a mortar-pestle.

6. Crush to a paste. You can also use a small grinder for crushing these. Add a bit of water if required while grinding in a small grinder or mixer.

Frying spices and onions

7. Heat 3 tablespoons ghee or oil in a deep thick bottomed pot or pan.

8. Once the ghee has melted and become hot, add all whole spices and fry for a few seconds until they become fragrant. The spices will also splutter while frying. The ghee should not smoke or become too hot.

9. Add 1 cup of thinly sliced onions.

10. Mix the onions with the ghee and begin to sauté them.

11. Sauté the onions on a low to medium-low flame. First, the onions will become light golden. Stirring often continue to sauté.

12. Sauté onions until golden.

13. Once the onions become golden, add crushed ginger + garlic + green chili (chili pepper) paste.

14. Stir and sauté for some seconds until the raw aroma of the ginger & garlic goes away.

15. Add ½ cup chopped tomatoes.

16. Mix and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes on a low flame.

17. Now add all the chopped veggies. You will need about 1 to 1.5 cups of mixed chopped vegetables.

18. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves (cilantro). At this step, you can also add 2 tablespoons of chopped mint leaves.

19. Mix and sauté again for 2 to 3 minutes on a low flame.

20. Add the rice.

21. Mix rice gently with the rest of the ingredients.

22. Sauté rice gently for 1 to 2 minutes on a low to medium-low flame, so that the rice gets well coated with the oil or ghee.

23. Pour 2.5 to 3 cups water into the pan. I added 3 cups of water. Depending on the quality of rice you have used, you can add less or more water. You can replace water with vegetable stock.

24. Add ¼ teaspoon lemon juice.

25. Season with salt. Mix very well. To figure out if you have added the right amount of salt, check the taste of the water. You should feel some saltiness in the water. This means the amount of salt added is right. If the water does not feel salty, then you need to add some more salt.

Cooking Veg Pulao

26. Stir and tightly cover the pot or pan with its lid.

27. Cover and cook the rice until all the water is absorbed. Cook on a low to medium flame. Usually, in the beginning, I cook on a medium-low or medium flame and then halfway through, I lower the flame. Check a few times during cooking to ensure there is enough water. Depending on the quality of rice, you may need to add more water. With a fork, you can also gently stir the rice without breaking the rice grains.

16. Once the rice grains are cooked, fluff them and let the rice stand for 5 minutes covered with the lid.

17. Serve pulao garnished with coriander leaves (cilantro), mint leaves or fried onions and fried cashews or fried raisins.

Serving Suggestions with Pulao

I recommend serving vegetable pulao with the following:

  • Raita (an Indian yogurt dish): Different variations I recommend include onion tomato raita, boondi raita or cucumber raita
  • Curry or korma: Choose any spicy or lightly spiced vegetable curry or korma.
  • With pickle and papad: If you do not have time or ingredients to make korma or raita, then just serve with some pickle and roasted or fried papad (an Indian flatbread)
  • Plain curd (yogurt)
  • Some sliced onions and lime or lemon
  • A simple Kadhi (a dish of thick chickpea flour gravy with vegetable fritters)

Variations

There are many variations that can be made in a pulao recipe. From adding different vegetables to using a vegetable stock or spicing with unique spices. See the points mentioned below.

Vegetables

Various types of vegetables can be added in a pulao, either alone or in a combination of two to three or more, depending on what you and your family like and prefer. Usually, a vegetable pulav is made with veggies like green peas, cauliflower, french beans, carrots, and potatoes.

Apart from these vegetables, you can also add broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, capsicum (bell peppers), cabbage, beetroot (beets), and tomatoes. The flavors and taste of pulao will vary with the type of vegetables added to it.

Masala and Spice Pastes

There are many pulao varieties made in the Indian cuisine with a mix of various masala or spice pastes and ingredients including:

  1. Curd (yogurt)
  2. Coconut milk: for example Coconut milk pulao or Brinji rice
  3. Green Masala Paste: Green pulao includes a green masala paste made from coriander leaves (cilantro), mint leaves, green chilies (chili pepper), ginger and garlic. Some fresh coconut can also be added. Green pulao is similar to chutney pulao.
  4. Red Masala Paste: Used in making red pulao and similar to green masala paste, however tomatoes are used as one of the major flavor and taste contributors.
  5. Pulao-biryani masala: A ground spice blend used instead of whole spices.
  6. Vegetable Stock: Some pulav recipes are cooked in vegetable stock instead of water. Pulao made in a vegetable stock has a different taste and color.
  7. Spices and Herbs: You can always alter the amount of spices and herbs as per your taste. If you like spicy veg pulao then you can add more green chilies (chili pepper) and include some spice powders like garam masala powder or red chili powder. You can also reduce the whole spices in the recipe (except cumin) if you want a less aromatic and milder veg pulao.

Restaurant Style

A vegetable pulao can be made more delicious and similar to a restaurant-style dish by incorporating the following methods:

  • Add some crisp golden fried onions (birista) as a garnish on the vegetable pulao. Fried caramelized onions not only taste good but also give a nice crunch in the soft textured pulao.
  • Add some fried dry fruits & nuts like cashews, almonds and raisins.
  • You can even add some saffron strands while cooking pulao. This will impart the lovely saffron aroma and flavor in the pulao. Even rose water or kewra water can be added.

Methods of cooking pulao

Pulao can be cooked in five ways:

  1. In a pan or pot (as shown in this recipe post)
  2. In a pressure cooker (mentioned in the recipe card below)
  3. In an instant pot (details written in the recipe card below)
  4. In an electric cooker
  5. In a microwave

You can use any of the above methods for cooking pulao, but just remember to add the correct amount of water. For example, in an electric cooker, you will need to add more water and in a pressure cooker you will need to add less water, then when making pulao in a pan.

In the notes section of the recipe card, I have mentioned the amount of water to be added when cooking veg pulao in a 3-liter pressure cooker. I have also included the steps for making pulao in the Instant pot in the notes section of the recipe card.

This recipe is from the archives and has been republished on March 4, 2020. 

Many of my recipes have detailed step by step photos and useful tips to help you make it easily and perfectly.

Pulao Recipe – Veg Pulao

Trying to get more vegetables in your diet? Try this vegetarian one pot meal of pulao. Use the vegetables that you like most, like peas, potatoes, and green beans, and the rice can be made in a pressure cooker or Instant pot or a pan. Try this simple recipe that packs a punch of flavor!

Diet:gluten-free,vegan,vegetarian

Servings (change the number to scale):4

(1 CUP = 250 ML)

For soaking rice

  • 1.5 cups basmati rice – 300 grams, rinsed & soaked for 30 minutes
  • water – as required for soaking

Vegetables

  • ½ to ¾ cup chopped cauliflower florets
  • ½ to ¾ cup chopped potatoes
  • ¼ cup chopped carrots
  • cup green peas – fresh or frozen
  • ¼ cup chopped green peas (french beans)
  • ¼ cup chopped green bell pepper (capsicum) – optional
  • ¼ cup sliced baby corn – optional

Other ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons ghee or oil
  • 1 cup thinly sliced onions or 1 large onion, sliced
  • ½ cup chopped tomatoes or 1 medium sized tomato, chopped
  • 1 to 1.5 inches ginger – crushed to a paste in a mortar-pestle
  • 4 to 5 small to medium garlic cloves
  • 1 to 2 green chillies (chili pepper)
  • 3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves – optional
  • ¼ teaspoon lemon juice – optional
  • 2.5 to 3 cups water or veg stock * check notes below for details. I added 3 cups of water
  • salt as required

Whole spices

  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds or 1 teaspoon caraway seeds (shah jeera)
  • 5 to 6 whole black pepper – optional
  • 1 tej patta (indian bay leaf)
  • 4 cloves
  • 3 to 4 green cardamoms
  • 1 black cardamom – optional
  • 1 small piece of mace – optional
  • 1 small star anise – optional
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 1 small piece of stone flower (dagad phool or patthar ke phool) – optional

For garnish

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves or mint leaves

Preparation

  • Rinse rice till the water runs clear of starch and become transparent while rinsing.
  • Soak the rice in enough water for 30 minutes. Drain all the water and keep the soaked rice aside.
  • Rinse, peel and chop the vegetables.
  • Crush chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies to a paste in a mortar-pestle or grind them in a small mixer or grinder with a bit of water.

Frying spices and onions

  • In a deep thick bottomed pot or pan, heat ghee or oil and fry all the whole spices mentioned above, till the oil becomes fragrant and the spices splutter.
  • Add the onions and saute them till golden. Saute the onions on a low to medium-low flame and stir often for uniform browning.
  • Add the ginger-garlic-green chili paste and saute for some seconds till their raw aroma goes away.
  • Add the tomatoes and saute for 2 to 3 minutes on a low to medium-low flame.
  • Add all the chopped veggies and saute again for 1 to 2 minutes on a low to medium-low flame.
  • Add rice and saute gently for 1 to 2 minutes on a low or medium-low flame, so that the rice gets well coated with the oil.
  • Add water and lemon juice. Mix and stir.
  • Season with salt and stir again.

Cooking veg pulao

  • Cover tightly and let the rice cook on a low flame, till the water is absorbed and the rice is well cooked.
  • Check in between a few times to check if the water is enough. Depending on the quality of rice, you may need to add less or more water. With a fork too, you can gently stir the rice without breaking the rice grains.
  • Once the rice grains are cooked, fluff and let the rice stand for 5 minutes.
  • Serve pulao hot with some side salad, sliced onion & lemon wedges or raita. You can also garnish it with chopped coriander or mint leaves or fried cashews or fried onions.
Tips & Suggestions

  1. Type and quality of rice: Pulao is always made with Basmati rice. The basmati rice should be fragrant and long-grained to get good results. Aged basmati rice will give you the best results. Even parboiled basmati rice (sella basmati) can be used. You can also use other types of long-grained rice and short-grained rice. These Indian rice varieties can be easily purchased from Amazon.
  2. For separate rice grains: Follow these steps to ensure you have separate rice grains in your pulao:
    • Soak the rice: It is always better to soak your rice for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking. Soaking rice grains gives them a better texture when they are cooked. If you do not have time to soak them, then just rinse the rice before adding it. Note that if you only rinse the rice, you will need to add some more water as presoaked rice grains require less water for cooking as compared to rice grains which are not soaked.
    • Add just enough water: Be sure that you do not add too much water, especially if you have presoaked your rice as recommended above.
    • Sauté the rice: After adding the rice grains to your pan, sauté them for 1 to 2 minutes on a low to medium flame, so that they are coated with fat (oil or ghee). The rice grains have to be separate & and yet well cooked in a pulao or biryani. Adding lemon juice also helps make the rice grains fluffier.
    • Rice to water ratio: For most rice varieties, the rice to water ratio is generally 1:2. However, this ratio can vary depending on the particular type of rice used or the cooking method used:
      • Example 1– organic basmati rice requires more water while cooking and parboiled basmati rice will need more water as compared to regular basmati rice. For this reason, I recommend when cooking pulao, to use rice which you have cooked before. This way you will already know how much water to add.
      • Example 2– when cooking pulao in a pressure cooker, generally less water is added. The steam generated in the pressure cooker helps in cooking the rice grains. However, the amount of water to be added will depend upon the size of the cooker. For example, in larger cookers, more water has to be added.
  3. Vegetables: You can add your favorite vegetables. Note that the vegetables add a lot of flavor to the rice. You can even add mushrooms to a give a meaty texture and umami flavor to the pulao. Button Mushrooms, morel mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms can be added.
  4. For making pulao in pressure cooker: For a 3-litre pressure cooker add 2.5 to 2.75 cups water. Follow all the steps as mentioned above. For an al dente texture, 2.5 cups is fine and for a softer texture 2.75 cups water is fine. Pressure cook rice on medium flame for 2 whistles. In case the rice grains are undercooked, then add ¼ cup water and pressure cook for 1 whistle more.
  5. For making pulao in Instant Pot: 
    1. Press sauté button on normal mode and set time to 10 or 12 minutes.
    2. Add ghee and let it melt in the steel insert.
    3. Add all the spices and let them splutter.
    4. Then add the sliced onions and sauté on normal mode till they become golden.
    5. Add ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and sauté for a couple of seconds.
    6. Then add tomatoes and sauté for 30 seconds to a minute.
    7. Add the vegetables, coriander, mint leaves. Deglaze and mix very well.
    8. Add rice and mix again very well.
    9. Add 2 cups water (or as required).
    10. Season with lemon juice and salt as per taste. Stir and mix.
    11. Pressure cook on high for 5 minutes.
    12. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes give a qpr (quick pressure release). Keep a check. If kept for more time even for 2 to 3 minutes longer after the 10 minutes time is over, the cooked rice at the bottom of the pot starts getting over cooked.

Nutrition Facts

Pulao Recipe – Veg Pulao

Amount Per Serving

Calories 429 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Cholesterol 25mg8%

Sodium 68mg3%

Potassium 501mg14%

Carbohydrates 75g25%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 1839IU37%

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%

Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 2mg10%

Vitamin B6 1mg50%

Vitamin C 32mg39%

Vitamin E 1mg7%

Vitamin K 11µg10%

Calcium 74mg7%

Vitamin B9 (Folate) 46µg12%

Iron 3mg17%

Magnesium 51mg13%

Phosphorus 149mg15%

Zinc 1mg7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Indian Vegetarian Recipes

Paneer Tikka Masala

paneer curry served in a white bowl garnished with cilantro with naan in the background

Paneer Tikka Masala is a popular Indian curry where cubes of paneer (Indian cottage cheese), onions and peppers are marinated with yogurt and spices, grilled and then tossed in a creamy tomato based curry. This dish goes extremely well with butter naan or paratha or basmati rice.

paneer curry served in a white bowl garnished with cilantro with naan in the background

About This Recipe

You know the most famous Indian food in the world? It is Chicken Tikka Masala, at least that’s what I think. You talk to anyone in the UK or USA and even if they don’t know much about Indian food they definitely know about chicken tikka masala. I think the dish is synonyms with Indian food in the west. The vegetarian version of it is of course Paneer Tikka Masala which is also quite popular and you would find it on the menu of most Indian restaurants.

Growing up in India, I had never heard of paneer tikka masala. Sure, we had paneer tikka but adding it to a curry was unknown, at least to me. I remember watching a MasterChef India episode some 10 years back which had chef Vikas Khanna and chef Kunal Kapoor talking about the origin of this dish. They also shared a recipe and so this recipe is inspired from their version.

They of course shared the recipe for chicken tikka masala but I changed it to paneer tikka masala and also made few changes depending on my preferences and availability. This recipe uses curry powder which is a common spice mix in the west (again this spice mix doesn’t even exist in India) and it makes sense since this dish originated in the UK. There are stories of how a chef added cream sauce to chicken tikka to please the taste buds of British people and that’s where it originated from.

There are 2 parts to this recipe- the tikka part where paneer, onions and peppers are marinated with yogurt and spices and then grilled. You can cook the tikka in tandoor, oven or in your pan. The other part of the recipe is the curry which is a smooth curry made with onions, tomatoes, cream and butter. The grilled tikka is added to the curry and then served as a main course with side of bread.

This Paneer Tikka Masala

  • is super creamy, smooth.
  • goes well with naan, paratha.
  • makes a comforting meal.
  • leftovers are great as well!

Ingredients

There are 2 parts to this recipe- the paneer tikka and the curry.

ingredients for paneer tikka masala arranged on a board

Paneer Tikka

Paneer: you can use either homemade or store bought paneer but whatever paneer you use, it should be firm and be able to hold it’s shape. You can find paneer at Indian grocery stores or make it at home.

Yogurt: for the marinade, it is best to use thick yogurt. Either use Greek yogurt or if using regular yogurt, use store bought yogurt which tends to be thicker than homemade yogurt. If using homemade yogurt, strain it using a muslin cloth for at least 3 to 4 hours to get rid of all the excess water.

Spices: the marinade uses coriander powder, garam masala, two types of chili powder, ginger-garlic and lime juice. You can also use fresh herbs like cilantro, mint.

The Masala/Curry

Curry base: the base is made with onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic which is quite a staple for most creamy Indian curries. I like using white onion for that sweet, subtle flavor.

Spices: this paneer tikka masala recipe uses curry powder which is a mix of spices and is popular in the western world. It’s not so much popular in India actually, in fact I didn’t even know it existed until I moved out of India. If you don’t have it, you can use a blend of coriander, cumin, turmeric and ginger.

Flavor enhancers: to make the curry creamy, we finish the recipe with butter, cream and cilantro!

Step by Step Instructions

1- We will start by making the paneer tikka. To a large bowl, add yogurt (1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon), make sure the yogurt is thick (if using regular homemade yogurt, drain the yogurt for 3 to 4 hours before using in the recipe). To that add the following:

  • 1 & 1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • juice of 1/2 lime

2- Using a spatula or whisk, mix until all the ingredients are well combined.

3- Now add 225 grams paneer (cubed into big cubes), 1 medium red onion (quartered and separated into petals) and 1 medium green pepper (cut into 1 inch cubes).

4- Mix until the paneer, onion and peppers are well coated with the marinade. You can use your hands here. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes at the least.

step by step picture collage of making paneer tikka masala

5- Meanwhile, let’s work the curry part of this recipe. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds and 1-inch cinnamon stick.

6- Let the seeds sizzle and then add 1 large white onion (roughly chopped), 3 to 4 large garlic cloves, chopped and 1-inch chopped ginger.

7- Stir and cook for around 5 to 6 minutes until onions turn light golden brown in color, stir often in between.

8- Then add 3 large tomatoes (chopped) along with the following:

  • 1& 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
step by step picture collage of making paneer tikka masala

9- Stir and cook the tomatoes for 7 to 8 minutes until soft and completely cooked. This step is important so do not rush this step.

10- Once the tomatoes are completely cooked, remove the pan from heat. Let it cool down a bit and then remove the cinnamon stick and transfer everything to a blender and blend to a fine paste. Set this aside.

11- Back to the tikka now, take the marinated paneer out of the refrigerator. Now, you can cook this in a pan or grill or in your oven. I have used a grill pan that I had. Spray the pan with oil and then add the marinated paneer, onions and bell peppers on the pan.

12- Cook until the paneer turns light golden brown in color and onions and peppers are slightly cooked, turning them few times in between for even cooking. Now it’s time to bring the curry together.

Oven instruction: arrange tikka on skewers and bake at 450 F degrees for 10 minutes and then broil for 2 to 3 minutes to get it browned (optional).

step by step picture collage of making paneer tikka masala

13- Now put the pan back on medium heat and add the pureed paste to it that we had prepared earlier. You can also add remaining 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder at this point if you prefer a brighter color of the curry.

14- Add 1 cup water (or more depending on how much gravy you want), and stir well. Then add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, 2 to 3 tablespoons cream and 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Mix and let it cook for 2 minutes.

15- Add the roasted paneer, onions and peppers into the curry.

16- Mix well and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with more cilantro and serve paneer tikka masala with naan or paratha.

step by step picture collage of making paneer tikka masala

Serving Suggestions

You can serve paneer tikka masala with the following:

  • Butter Naan: nothing like fluffy, soft homemade naan to dip into the curry.
  • Jeera rice: rice seasoned with cumin seeds makes the perfect pairing.
  • Roti: you can never go wrong with the classic Indian everyday bread.
  • Tandoori roti: another great bread to serve the curry with.
bowl of paneer tikka masala garnished with cilantro and spoons of spices placed on the side

Vegan Variation

For a vegan version of this recipe you can do the following substitutions:

  • use extra-firm tofu in place of paneer.
  • marinate the tofu with thick coconut milk (use the top part from the can) or vegan yogurt (plain almond milk works well).
  • replace butter with vegan butter.
  • replace heavy cream with coconut milk.

Tips & Notes

  • I don’t add cashews or any nuts to this recipe but you can definitely add some cashews along with the onions and tomatoes to make it more creamy.
  • Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) can definitely be added toward the end for that nice aroma.
  • If using store bought paneer, remember to soak it in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes before using in the recipe.
  • You can also strain the onion-tomato mixture after blending it, that will make the curry totally smooth. I didn’t do it to save time.
plate with naan and a paneer curry

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Paneer Tikka same as Paneer Tikka Masala?

No they are different. Paneer Tikka is served as an appetizer and has cubes of grilled paneer where for paneer tikka masala the grilled paneer is added to a creamy curry and served as a main dish.

What can I substitute the curry powder with?

Go for a mix of coriander powder, turmeric, cumin and ginger. For replacing 1 u0026 1/2 teaspoon curry powder in this recipe, I would probably use 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric and 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger.

Is Paneer Tikka Masala same as Paneer Makhani?

They are both popular paneer recipes but the way you make them is different. For the tikka masala, we first marinate the paneer, grill it and then add to the curry. For the paneer makhani, the sauce is made with nuts, onions, tomatoes and then paneer pieces are added to it directly.

This post has been updated from the recipe archives, first published in April 2014. I have updated the recipe with better photos, videos and made slight modifications to make it better. The curry part of the recipe is same but I have added onions and peppers to the tikka part. If you wish to make it like the old recipe, just skip on the onions and peppers.

If you’ve tried this Recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe! You can also follow me on FacebookInstagram to see what’s latest in my kitchen and on YouTube to watch my latest videos.

paneer curry served in a white bowl garnished with cilantro with naan in the background

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Paneer Tikka Masala

Paneer Tikka Masala is a popular Indian curry where spiced and grilled paneer tikka is added to a creamy curry. It is best enjoyed with warm naan!
Course Entree
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 367kcal
Author Manali

Ingredients

Paneer Tikka

  • 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp yogurt use thick plain whole milk yogurt which has been strained or Greek yogurt
  • 1 & 1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder for color
  • 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder or to taste
  • 1/2 lime juice of
  • 225 grams paneer cut into cubes
  • 1 medium red onion quartered and separated into petals
  • 1 medium green pepper cut into 1-inch cubes

Curry

  • 1 tablespoon oil I used avocado oil, use oil of choice
  • 2 tablespoons butter divided, unsalted or salted either works
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 inch cinnamon stick
  • 1 large white onion roughly chopped, around 150 grams
  • 3-4 large garlic cloves chopped
  • 1 inch ginger chopped
  • 3 large tomatoes roughly chopped, around 400 grams
  • 1 & 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder divided (for color, not hot)
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon sugar I used granulated white sugar
  • 1 cup water or more as needed
  • 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream 30-45 ml
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Instructions

  • We will start by making the paneer tikka. To a large bowl, add thick yogurt, make sure the yogurt is thick (if using regular homemade yogurt, drain the yogurt for 3 to 4 hours before using in the recipe or use Greek yogurt).
  • To that add ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, garam masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, red chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt and juice of 1/2 lime.

    Using a spatula or whisk, mix until all the ingredients are well combined.

  • Now add cubed paneer, onion (quartered and separated into petals) and green pepper

    Mix until the paneer, onion and peppers are well coated with the marinade. You can use your hands here. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes at the least.

  • Meanwhile, let’s work the curry part of this recipe. Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add cumin seeds and cinnamon stick.
  • Let the seeds sizzle and then add white onion (roughly chopped), chopped garlic cloves and chopped ginger. Stir and cook for around 5 to 6 minutes until onions turn light golden brown in color, stir often in between.
  • Then add the roughly chopped tomatoes along with curry powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste) and sugar. Stir and cook the tomatoes for 7 to 8 minutes until soft and completely cooked. This step is important so do not rush this step.
  • Once the tomatoes are completely cooked, remove the pan from heat. Let it cool down a bit and then remove the cinnamon stick and transfer everything to a blender and blend to a fine paste. Set this aside.
  • Back to the tikka now, take the marinated paneer out of the refrigerator. Now, you can cook this in a pan or grill or in your oven. I have used a grill pan that I had. Spray the pan with oil and then add the marinated paneer, onions and bell peppers on the pan.

    Cook until the paneer turns light golden brown in color and onions and peppers are slightly cooked, turning them few times in between for even cooking. Now it’s time to bring the curry together.

    Oven instruction: arrange tikka on skewers and bake at 450 F degrees for 10 minutes and then broil for 2 to 3 minutes to get it browned (optional).

  • Now put the pan back on medium heat and add the pureed paste to it that we had prepared earlier. You can also add remaining 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder at this point if you prefer a brighter color of the curry.
  • Add 1 cup water (or more depending on how much gravy you want), and stir well. Then add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, cream and chopped cilantro. Mix and let it cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add the roasted paneer, onions and peppers into the curry. Mix well and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with more cilantro and serve paneer tikka masala with naan or paratha.

Video

Notes

  1. I don’t add cashews or any nuts to this recipe but you can definitely add some cashews along with the onions and tomatoes to make it more creamy.
  2. Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) can definitely be added towards the end for that nice aroma.
  3. If using store bought paneer, remember to soak it in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes before using in the recipe.
  4. You can also strain the onion-tomato mixture after blending it, that will make the curry totally smooth. I didn’t do it to save time.
  5. Older recipe: I have updated the recipe to make it better. The older recipe didn’t have onions and pepper added to the marinade and had a tablespoon of less butter in the curry. You can definitely use the old recipe, it’s almost same except these minor changes.

Nutrition

Calories: 367kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 536mg | Potassium: 574mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1803IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 357mg | Iron: 1mg
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