Whenever I plan a menu for a get-together (gosh, I miss those), the first thing I think about is what vegetarian main dish to serve. I always have a couple of options, but there has to be one recipe on the table that stands out, a dish worthy of a special occasion.
In the past, vegetable korma or veg biryani have served as my go-to vegetarian entertaining recipes, but today, I’m sharing a dish that, while not quite as popular, is just as grand, if not more so.
Paneer Lababdar is the fancy vegetarian main dish you’ve been seeking. Impressive enough for any celebratory gathering and simple enough to make on a weeknight.
Paneer lababdar traditionally takes a long time to make, but my recipe is made in minutes and requires you to dirty just one pan. How’s this possible? My onion masala, of course. Make it once, and it’ll feed you for weeks, maybe months.
At first glance, this north Indian dish might seem similar to other popular creamy tomato-based paneer recipes, like paneer makhani or matar paneer, but make no mistake, paneer lababdar is its own distinct dish.
It calls for ghee, cream, cashews, and – the main thing that differentiates this dish from the rest – the paneer, prepared two ways. This recipe calls for both shredded paneer and larger paneer pieces, preferably triangles.
It’s not every day that you see shredded paneer in gravy, but that’s what makes this paneer lababdar recipe inimitable (silly story: while writing this blog post, I asked my husband, who was sitting next to me, scrolling through his phone, if he knew another word for “stand out.” Without pause, he replied with “inimitable.” I asked him how in the world that word came to mind so quickly, and without answering me, he started playing the Hamilton song, “Wait for It,” and when I tried to interrupt the song to ask him what was happening, he told me to “wait for it.” 😂 I eventually heard the line, “I am inimitable, I am an original.” I just thought you should know this happened, lol).
If you’re familiar with paneer, then you know it’s a cheese that doesn’t melt. That means the shredded paneer mixes into the curry, adding texture so that you get a spoonful of cheese in every bite.
After you shred the paneer, you’ll want to slice the remaining paneer into either cubes or, to really make this a showstopper of a dish, take a few extra minutes and cut the paneer into triangles!
Here’s how to make paneer lababdar:
Melt ghee, add spices, then water, and onion masala. Simmer.
Add cashew powder and shredded paneer.
Stir in some heavy cream, dried fenugreek leaves, and the paneer triangles. Top with more shredded cheese, more cream, and cilantro leaves.
This creamy, mildly spiced, aromatic curry is sure to be a hit with kids and adults. It’ll be the star of your meal.
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Paneer Lababdar (Paneer in a Creamy Cashew Curry)
Paneer Lababdar (Paneer in a Creamy Cashew Curry)
Ingredients
- 1 14 ounce block of paneer
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Spices
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
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- 1 ½ cups water
- ½ cup frozen onion masala 2 frozen cubes
- 2 tablespoons cashew powder
- 2 teaspoons crushed kasoori methi dried fenugreek leaves
- 4 tablespoons heavy cream divided
- Cilantro garnish
Instructions
- Cut approximately 1 inch (which is about 3 ounces) from a 14 ounce block of paneer and shred it using a hand grater. Set aside for now.
- Cut the rest of the paneer into triangles that are ¼ inch thick OR whatever shape you'd like.
- Melt ghee in a pan on the stovetop over medium heat and once hot, add cumin seeds and when they turn brown, add the spices all at once, quickly stir, then add the water and the onion masala and bring it to a simmer and let it cook together for 3-4 minutes, or until the onion masala melts.
- Add the cashew powder and all but ¼ cup of the shredded paneer (reserve ¼ cup shredded paneer for garnish) and mix well.
- Add 3 tablespoons of heavy cream, dried fenugreek leaves, and the paneer and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the paneer is warmed through.
- Garnish with the ¼ cup shredded paneer, the remaining 1 tablespoon of cream, and cilantro.
Video
Notes
- To make cashew powder, add cashews to a blender or food processor and blend until finely ground (you do not want to turn the cashews into a paste). You can also find cashew powder on amazon.
- To crush dried fenugreek leaves, you just crush it between your fingers.
Sarah says
Can you please share the ingredients and amounts if we’re not using the premade onion masala?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Sarah, I haven’t tested this without the onion masala but my guess would be 1 onion, 2 tomatoes and about 1 tsp of ginger paste and 1 tsp garlic paste. Let me know how it goes if you try it that way 🙂
Julie says
Ashley, this looks quite similar to your Patiala, which is my absolute favorite of yours. Would you say there’s much difference between them?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Julie, the flavor is different – the roasted cumin powder adds a unique flavor here. If you like the decadence of the Patiala, I’m sure you’ll really enjoy this recipe too 🙂 Let me know what you think if you give it a try!
PD says
Could you share quantities if we don’t use the premade onion masala?
Ren says
Ashley, have you tried this with almond powder instead of cashew? Will it be a close substitute?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Ren, I’m sure almond flour will taste great in this dish too. While I haven’t used it in this recipe, I have used it in other curries. Let me know what you think of the dish 🙂
Judy says
Made this a few days ago. It was sooooo good!!
Thank you Ashley!!! Love your recipes and stories that go with them!
My Heart Beets says
Judy, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for letting me know how this dish turned out for you 🙂
Cathy says
Well Ashley you’ve done it again! Such an easy recipe (with premade Onion Masala) and it is oh so delicious…. this is comfort food at its best 🙂 and will be perfect for Fridays during Lent too! I used coconut cream in place of cream as I didn’t have any, I think it made it all the more richer…. Thanks for another wonderful recipe!
My Heart Beets says
Aw thank you, Cathy! I’m so glad you liked it! 🙂
Maddy says
Can this be made without heavy cream?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Maddy, it can but it won’t be quite as rich.
Cheryl P says
Hi Ashley. The onion masala recipe looks great but it makes way too much for someone like me who lives alone. How can I make just enough for this recipe?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Cheryl, I’m sure it’ll be fine to halve the recipe. Let me know if you try it 🙂
Julie says
Cheryl the first time I tried it, I made a half batch because I also thought it would be too much, and that worked out fine. Now I actually make a double batch because I love the convenience of having it ready in the freezer.
Jennifer says
So cashew powder is not something I can find in the spice isle of the Indian grocery store? How do you usually convert the nuts into powder? Food processor? I have a pretty good blender, but it’s not a VitaMix & I don’t think it would work so well with making a fine powder out of nuts. Also, this recipe looks very tasty, & it also makes me think of labrador retriever dogs. I guess Labrador is a region in Eastern Canada . . . .
My Heart Beets says
Hi Jennifer, do you have a spice blender – if so, you could try a small amount in there. Or you could make a large batch of powder in a food processor and store extra powder for future recipes. Let me know what you think if you try this!
Sue says
Labardar is not a region in Canada .
Its just title like Paneer Fantastic ! Or awesome .
Cathy says
Jennifer, I ground cashews in a coffee grinder I only use for spices. You only want to do a few at a time and let the machine cool down thoroughly before doing the next bunch. If you overgrind it will become ‘paste-y’ so its best to just pulse til its just fine enough. I just took my time, ground up enough to put in a glass jar which I keep in the freezer to use in recipes, so that it doesn’t go bad.
Rekha Rajkumar says
This looks great! Would you make the cashew powder with raw or toasted cashews?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Rekha, either type works – if you have raw, you can use that but I’ve made this with roasted as well, and it’s just as good 🙂