Make rich and creamy Matar Paneer at home with this step by step recipe! Matar Paneer is one of the most popular paneer recipes where paneer (Indian cottage cheese) and matar (green peas) are simmered together in a luscious gravy made with tomatoes, onions and spices.

The popularity of paneer in Indian cuisine is unquestionable. For every event, wedding, parties in India (north India especially) there is at least 1 paneer dish on the menu. The most popular ones are butter paneer, palak paneer and of course matar paneer. Basically no special vegetarian Indian meal is complete without paneer.

What is Matar Paneer

Matar Paneer is a popular Indian curry made with paneer which is Indian cottage cheese and green peas. It can be made in various ways and usually enjoyed with rotis, paratha and rice. The paneer and peas are cooked with aromatic spices and the curry usually has a base of onions and tomatoes.

In India, my mom would often make matar paneer during winters when fresh peas were in season. The fresh peas added to the freshness of the dish. However, these days people make it all the time using frozen peas. Here in the United States, I don’t see fresh peas very often so I almost always make my matar paneer using frozen peas. This recipe uses frozen peas too.

Ingredients

Paneer: you can use store-bought or homemade paneer for this recipe. If using store-bought paneer, make sure to soak it in warm water for 20 minutes before using it in the recipe.

Onion & tomatoes: for this recipe, I like using yellow onions but you can also use red onions.

Green peas: as green peas are not readily available here in the US, I always use frozen green peas for making matar paneer. Soak them in hot water for 10 minutes before using in the recipe.

Spices: the basic Indian spices used in everyday Indian cooking like coriander powder, turmeric are used here as well. I also use a little bit of fennel powder.

How to Make Matar Paneer- Step by Step Instructions

If using store bought paneer, soak in warm water for 20 minutes before you begin the recipe. Also soak frozen green peas in warm water for 10 minutes before using in the recipe.

1- Heat 1 & 1/2 tablespoon oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add 5-6 cashewnuts and sauté few seconds until they become light golden brown in color. Then add 2 small roughly chopped yellow onions (230 grams) and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until it turns soft and very light brown in color. We don’t want it to turn very brown.

2- Then add 2 teaspoons of ginger garlic paste and cook for 1 minute.

3- Add 3 medium tomatoes/385 grams (roughly sliced) , 1 green chili (or to taste) along with 1/4 teaspoon salt.

4- Stir and cook the tomatoes for 5 minutes until they are very soft. Remove the pan from heat and let it cool down.

5- Then transfer to a blender and grind everything to a smooth paste and set aside.

6- Heat 1 tablespoon ghee and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a pan on medium heat. Add 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds and let them splutter. Then add 3/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder.

7- Stir and immediately add the prepared masala paste. This will give the masala a nice color. Mix until masala is well combined with the chili powder.

8- Then add the following:

• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel powder
• 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

Mix until combined. Then add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

9- Stir and cook the masala for 6 to 7 minutes. When done, you will oil ooze out of the masala and the color of the masala will change from orange to reddish. It will also reduce in volume.

10- At this point add 250 grams paneer and 3/4 cup green peas (frozen peas which I had soaked in warm water for 10 minutes before) and mix well.

11- Then add 1 & 1/4 cup water and the remaining salt (1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon or to taste). Stir everything and cover and let cook for 3-4 minutes.

12- Garnish with 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon garam masala, and sprinkle of cardamom powder. You may also add 1 to 2 tablespoons of cream at this point (I didn’t add any). Serve matar paneer hot with rotis or paratha.

Serving Suggestions

Serve matar paneer with plain roti, or naan or tandoori roti or parathas.

You can also serve matar paneer along with a side of jeera rice, and aloo gobi or any other dry sabzi.

Instant Pot Matar Paneer Instructions

To make this matar paneer in an Instant Pot, puree the tomatoes with the green chilies and cashews (soak cashews in hot water for 5 minutes before pureeing it). Press the sauté button on the instant pot. Once it displays hot, add 2 tablespoons of oil (or 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp ghee). Add cumin seeds, and let them sizzle.

Then add the onions and cook them for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1 more minute. Add the pureed tomato-cashew-green chili paste and stir. Add the tomato paste , salt and stir. Cook the masala for around 5 minutes until oil separates from the sides. Add all the spices (except garam masala and kasuri methi) and cook for 1 more minute. Add the paneer and green peas along with 1 cup water. Close the lid and pressure cook on high pressure for 2 minutes with the pressure valve in sealing position. Let the pressure release naturally for 3 minutes and then do a quick pressure release.

Press the sauté button again and add crushed kasuri methi, garam masala and cilantro. Taste test and adjust the salt as needed. You can also add some cream if you like.

Expert Tips

• Make it extra creamy: to make this Matar paneer extra creamy, add a couple of tablespoons of fresh cream at the very end. It will make the curry richer and creamier. Although, I prefer this basic version more.
• Fry the paneer cubes: a lot of people like frying their paneer in little oil before using it in the recipe. You can definitely do that. Make sure to soak the fried paneer in warm water for a few minutes before using it in the recipe. Fried paneer definitely adds to flavor.
• Soak the paneer: do not forget to soak the paneer in warm water for at least 20 minutes before using it in the recipe. This is especially important if using store-bought paneer.
• Fresh peas would need more time: if you are using fresh green peas in this recipe, make sure to add them first before adding the paneer and cook until they are soft and done. Add the paneer at the end once the peas are cooked and then simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Reheating: if you have leftovers, store it in the fridge and reheat in a pan or microwave. You would need to add some water while reheating as the curry thickens considerably.

Frequently Asked Questions

Older Recipe: I have updated the older recipe to a version that I prefer now. This recipe makes a more hearty matar paneer without using yogurt or cream. However, if you would like a copy of the older recipe, drop me an email and I will send you the pdf file.

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This post has been updated from the recipe archives, first published in August 2018.