Paneer Makhani
Silky tomato-butter sauce loaded with golden paneer cubes, finished with Greek yogurt instead of cream for a massive protein upgrade. Rich, indulgent, and unapologetically decadent.
Paneer makhani is one of those dishes that makes people forget they're eating vegetarian. That rich, buttery tomato sauce clinging to golden paneer cubes is pure comfort food. I grew up eating this at every special occasion, and it was always drowning in cream and butter. Tasted incredible, but the macros were a mess.
When I started taking my protein goals seriously, I knew I had to rebuild this recipe from the ground up. The big move was swapping heavy cream for Greek yogurt. It actually gives the sauce a better tang and depth than cream does, and it adds protein instead of empty calories. I also bumped the paneer from the typical 8oz to a full 16oz because the paneer is the whole point of this dish.
This is my go-to dinner party recipe. It takes about 45 minutes, looks impressive, and delivers 32g of protein per serving. I make it with garlic naan and jeera rice and people always ask for seconds. Nobody believes it's a high-protein version until I show them the numbers.
The Protein Upgrade
A typical restaurant paneer makhani uses 8oz of paneer for four servings and finishes with heavy cream, landing around 16-18g protein per serving. We use a full 16oz of paneer and replaced the cream entirely with Greek yogurt, both in the sauce base and as a finishing swirl. The result is 32g protein per serving, nearly double the original.
Paneer Makhani
Ingredients
- 16 oz paneer (cut into 1-inch cubes) 28g protein
- 1 cup Greek yogurt (divided, half for sauce, half for finishing) 4g protein
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 large onion (finely diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 inch ginger (grated)
- 1 can (14oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp chili powder (adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar (to balance acidity)
- 1 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro (chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Lightly fry the paneer cubes until golden on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove and set aside on a paper towel.
- In the same pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until deeply golden, about 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add garlic and ginger, sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, chili powder, and half the garam masala. Stir for 30 seconds until the spices bloom.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir well and simmer for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and oil begins to separate at the edges.
- Let the sauce cool slightly, then blend until completely smooth using an immersion blender or regular blender. Return to the pan.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in half the Greek yogurt, one spoonful at a time, mixing well after each addition to prevent curdling.
- Add the fried paneer cubes, remaining garam masala, sugar, and salt. Crush the kasuri methi between your palms and stir in. Simmer for 5-7 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Swirl in the remaining Greek yogurt on top. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve hot.
Boost Your Protein
- Serve over quinoa instead of rice for an extra 4g protein per serving.
- Stir in half a cup of cottage cheese into the sauce for an extra 3-4g protein per serving.
- Add a side of Greek yogurt raita for an extra 8g protein.
Ingredient Substitutions
- No paneer? Use extra-firm tofu for a lower-calorie, vegan-friendly swap with similar protein.
- No Greek yogurt? Use cashew cream for a dairy-free version, though protein will be lower.
- No kasuri methi? Use a pinch of dried thyme for a similar earthy, slightly bitter note.
- Swap butter for ghee for a more traditional, nuttier flavor.
