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Punjabi · Indian

Matar paneer

Vegetarian

मटर पनीर · matar paneer

Cubes of paneer and sweet green peas in a gently spiced onion-tomato gravy. An everyday North Indian curry that comes together in half an hour.

Matar paneer is a Punjabi curry from India, ready in about 35 minutes and made with paneer and green peas. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

Start cooking
Close-up of vibrant Indian mattar paneer curry with fresh ingredients in a ceramic bowl.
Photo: Prabal Pratap Singh / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
10 min
Cook
25 min
Total
35 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
328

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oil in a deep pan. Add the cumin (opens in a new tab) and bay leaf (opens in a new tab), then the onion (opens in a new tab), and fry until golden.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Add ginger, garlic (opens in a new tab) and chilli for a minute, then the tomato (opens in a new tab) purée, turmeric (opens in a new tab), coriander, chilli powder and salt. Cook until thick and the oil separates.

    • 8 min
    • medium heat

  3. Step 3

    Add the peas (opens in a new tab) and water, cover and simmer until the peas are tender.

    • 6 min
    • medium-low heat

  4. Step 4

    Add the paneer (opens in a new tab) and garam masala (opens in a new tab) and simmer 3 minutes more. Finish with coriander.

    • 3 min
    • low heat

    Soak paneer cubes in hot salted water for 10 minutes first if it is firm from the fridge.

    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
North India, India · Commonly attributedMore food from India
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Curries · Main courses
Cooking method
Sautéed, Simmered
Taste
savoury, spicy (chilli heat), sweet & savoury, aromatic / warmly spiced
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Calorie-conscious
With the listed swaps: Vegan, Plant-based, Ovo-vegetarian, Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Everyday · One-pan · Child-friendly
Cook more with
Paneer · Green peas · Cumin · Bay leaves · Onion · Fresh ginger
Techniques
Sautéing · Simmering · Bhunao

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom paneer

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

328 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 310 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 19%
  • Carbohydrate 21%
  • Fat 60%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy328 kcal106 kcal
Protein15.6 g5 g
Carbohydrate17.7 g5.7 g
Net carbohydrate13 g4.2 g
Sugars7.7 g2.5 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre4.7 g1.5 g
Fat22.5 g7.3 g
Saturated fat8.7 g2.8 g
Trans fat0.5 g0.2 g
Cholesterol43 mg14 mg
Sodium1115 mg359 mg
Salt equivalent2.8 g0.9 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
478 mg
Calcium
407 mg
Iron
2.1 mg
Magnesium
51 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
238 µg
Vitamin C
29 mg
Vitamin D
1.7 µg
Vitamin B12
1.1 µg
Folate (DFE)
51 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: coriander leaves.
  • Paneer: Queso fresco (FDC 172223) used as a stand-in: both are fresh, acid-set, unaged cheeses with similar fat and protein.
  • Garam masala: Curry powder (FDC 170924) used as a stand-in; both are ground blends of similar dried spices used in teaspoon amounts.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Common mistakes

  • Boiling paneer for a long time makes it rubbery.

Serve with

  • Serve with roti, paratha or steamed basmati rice.

Storage

  • Keeps 3 days refrigerated.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently with a splash of water.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 2, 3, 4

Masalas in this recipe

Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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