Akbari Paneer

Akbari Paneer is a unique and rich Mughlai inspired recipe.

Silky smooth tomato based curry this is great with naan, parathas or rice! 

Indian cuisine has so many interesting ingredients. From all of them, paneer is always a favorite. It is super versatile and can be prepared in a lot of different ways. 

Whether making mains, sides or even appetizers; paneer is always super delicious. I make it quite often for weeknight meals. Making the curries as part of meal prep helps a lot. 

If you are a paneer lover too; you must try this delicious Paneer Board for your party, Air Fried Malai Paneer and this Paneer Biryani. Also, if you like unique recipes, try this Litchi Kofta.

Jump to:

• What is Akbari Paneer
• Why this recipe works
• Ingredients and Substitutions
• How to make this recipe
• Expert Tips and Notes
• Recipe FAQs
• Pairings
• More Paneer Recipes
• Akbari Paneer

What is Akbari Paneer

An easy to make main dish using Paneer, Akbari Paneer uses shredded paneer and a delicious onion tomato based creamy curry. 

This recipe is not very popular at restaurants and we had it as part of a catering we ordered some time ago. Our caterer described what he would make as Akbari Paneer and we totally loved the idea! Since then, it appears on our dinner menu so often.

Plus, Akbari Paneer is perfect for my toddler. When served with some roti or naan it is a great meal for him. As the recipe is not very spicy, he does enjoy it a lot. 

A variation from other paneer recipes that use fried or cubed paneer like this Paneer Butter Masala or Palak Paneer; Akbari Paneer is made using shredded paneer. Here the paneer blends well with the sauce and creates a delicious curry that has paneer in every bite!

The signature orange colored sauce base for this recipe comes from a blend of cream and tomato. Together they also give the curry a creamy texture. 

Why this recipe works

• This recipe is perfect for weeknight dinner.
• We can make this recipe using store bought paneer or home-made.
• It is nut-free and can easily be made Vegan using tofu, non dairy cream and butter.
• It tastes amazing with naan, roti or parathas. Plus, it is great as a side for Jeera rice.
• This freezes really well. Simply heat through and serve.
• We can make this sabji as part of meal prep. A really great way to make the gravy before hand and add paneer just before serving.
• This recipe is different from the regular paneer recipes! 

The curry is also great to make delicious paneer pizza or sandwiches. It has the right consistency to stay put on the bread and not make everything too soggy.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Paneer: The key ingredient for the curry, shredded paneer is used here. Shred the paneer just before making the recipe or keep it covered at all times if shredding prior. If you are unable to shred paneer, just crumble it and use. Store bought and homemade works well.
• Peppers: Adding a lot of texture to the otherwise smooth gravy are these cubes of colorful peppers.
• Oil and Butter: We use both oil and butter here. Butter gives the curry the silky texture and flavor.
• Tomato Paste: A great way to get a bright color and tang of tomatoes in Indian curries. A teaspoon of this concentrated paste goes a long way! Add one more tomato to the recipe along with some lime juice to replace tomato paste.
• Cream: Whipping cream is the ingredient to blend with the tomato base and get an orange gravy along with some silkiness. Hence, I would strongly recommend using it for the recipe.
• Whole and Ground Spices: The recipe calls for a mix of whole and ground spices. Cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom and bay leaves are used whole. Moreover; turmeric powder, Garam masala and red chili powder are used ground. 
• Garam Masala: This is a flavorful blend of Indian spices and is used in several Indian recipes. Having some store bought blend helps make all these recipes quickly. It can be made at home using this garam masala recipe too.

See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.

How to make this recipe

1- Heat oil in a pan. Add garlic, ginger and green chili. Sauté till the raw flavor vanishes. 

2- Add onions and cook them for 5-6 minutes.

3- Cook till the onions are soft.

4- Then add diced tomatoes and mix well and let them soften for a few minutes.

5- Now add red chili powder, ground turmeric and garam masala and mix well.

6- Cook for 6-7 minutes till the tomatoes become mushy. 

7- Add water and season with salt and sugar. Mix well and bring to a boil. 

8- Remove from heat and transfer to a blender; Blend till smooth. 

9- Transfer to a bowl using a fine mesh colander and discard the seeds and peels.

10- In a pan heat oil. Add mustard seeds and let them pop. Then add cumin seeds and the whole spices. Sauté till fragrant. 

11- Add some butter and add the colored peppers. Sauté till slightly soft but not mushy.

12- Transfer all the prepared sauce and stir well. Bring to a boil.

13- Add tomato paste and mix it in.

14- Also add cream and mix well.

15- Add the shredded paneer and kasoori methi. Stir; cook for a couple of minutes and remove from heat.

16- Serve immediately with naan, roti or parathas.

Expert Tips and Notes

• Cook the paneer only for a couple of minutes. Over cooking it will result in chewy paneer. 
• Shred the paneer to add to the curry. If it is too crumbly or soft, simply crumble and add.
• Leave the whole spices in the gravy or fish them out before serving. 
• Add other vegetables like beans, carrots, peas and corn along with pepper if you like. 
• Akbari Paneer can be refrigerated for 3 days in an airtight container. It can be frozen for upto 3 months. Reheat through to serve. 

Recipe FAQs

Pairings

More Paneer Recipes

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