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Indian · Punjabi

Shahi paneer

Vegetarian

शाही पनीर · shahi paneer

Paneer simmered in a smooth, mildly sweet sauce of onion, cashews, yogurt and cream, scented with cardamom. Rich and gentle rather than hot.

Shahi paneer is an Indian curry, ready in about 40 minutes and made with cashews, paneer and heavy cream. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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Top view of homemade Shahi Paneer on rustic wooden table, perfect for Indian cuisine lovers.
Photo: Alberta Studios / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
10 min
Cook
30 min
Total
40 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
413

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Simmer the onion (opens in a new tab), cashews (opens in a new tab), ginger, garlic (opens in a new tab) and tomato (opens in a new tab) in 200 ml of the water for 12 minutes until soft. Cool briefly and blend until very smooth.

    A sauce simmering in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Nanda Mends on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Heat the ghee (opens in a new tab) and briefly fry the cardamom (opens in a new tab), cloves (opens in a new tab) and bay leaf (opens in a new tab). Add the purée and cook, stirring, until it thickens and the ghee separates.

    • 8 min
    • medium heat

  3. Step 3

    Lower the heat and stir in the yogurt (opens in a new tab) a spoonful at a time so it doesn't split, then the chilli powder, salt, sugar (opens in a new tab) and remaining water.

    • 4 min
    • low heat

  4. Step 4

    Add the paneer (opens in a new tab), cream, garam masala (opens in a new tab) and saffron (opens in a new tab) and simmer gently for 3 minutes.

    • 3 min
    • low heat
    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
North India, India · Commonly attributedBelongs to the Mughlai-style repertoire; 'shahi' means royal.More food from India
Dish
Dinner · Curries · Main courses
Cooking method
Simmered, Blended
Taste
creamy, mild, aromatic / warmly spiced, rich
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients · Low-carb
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Calorie-conscious
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Festive & celebration · Child-friendly
Cook more with
Cashews · Paneer · Heavy cream · Ghee · Cardamom · Cloves
Techniques
Simmering · Bhunao · Wet grinding · Emulsification

Allergens

  • Contains: Milkfrom ghee, yogurt, paneer, heavy cream
  • Contains: Tree nutsfrom cashews

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

413 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 318 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 15%
  • Carbohydrate 16%
  • Fat 69%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy413 kcal130 kcal
Protein15.9 g5 g
Carbohydrate16.9 g5.3 g
Net carbohydrate14.5 g4.6 g
Sugars8.7 g2.7 g
Added sugars1 g0.3 g
Fibre2.4 g0.8 g
Fat32.5 g10.2 g
Saturated fat17.1 g5.4 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol81 mg25 mg
Sodium1077 mg339 mg
Salt equivalent2.7 g0.8 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
456 mg
Calcium
434 mg
Iron
1.3 mg
Magnesium
65 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
295 µg
Vitamin C
14 mg
Vitamin D
2 µg
Vitamin B12
1.2 µg
Folate (DFE)
30 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: saffron.
  • 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

  • Adding cold yogurt to a boiling sauce makes it curdle.

Serve with

  • Serve with naan, roti or a saffron pulao.

Storage

  • Keeps 3 days refrigerated.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently; add a splash of milk if thick.

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 1, 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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