We are cooking creamy paneer lababdar in minutes! This restaurant-style dish is perfect for a special occasion, yet simple enough to make on a weeknight.
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.
What is paneer lababdar?
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.
Shredded Paneer?
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.
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
- 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.
Mo says
This was absolutely delicious and easy (with my premade onion masala from your website) and we will make it again. My 18 year old daughter who loves fried paneer was skeptical that the paneer wasn’t getting fried first but loved the recipe. Cutting the paneer into triangles is a great idea and the shredded paneer thickened the sauce up nicely. This website is a gem so thank you for it!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thank you, Mo! I’m so happy to hear that this dish was a hit 🙂
Rinal says
Hi Ashley, what if you have onion masala then what will be recipe I am looking into?
Thanks in advance
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Rinal, are you looking for my onion masala recipe? If so, you can find it here: https://myheartbeets.com/indian-onion-masala/
Bindhu says
Thank you Ashley,never thought that paneer lababdar ,can be such an easy recipe that we can prepare in few minutes.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Bindhu! 🙂
Nihar says
Tried the Paneer Lababdar today. Every one love it.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Nihar, that’s great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out 🙂
Heidi says
Quick question: can I use almonds instead of cashews (my hubby is allergic).
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Heidi, I’m sure you can sub cashew flour with almond flour. Let me know what you think of the dish 🙂
Viren L. Gandhi says
I am not a BIG paneer fan. But, this recipe had converted me. Made it several times and it turned out consistently delicious. Ashley what I love about your recipes is very easy to follow. You even tell us how much salt to add instead of saying as per your taste. I am a die hard fan of your recipes. Stay awesome 😍
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Viren, happy to hear you’re a paneer fan now! Such a nice comment, thank you so much for the kind words. 🙂
Sudheera says
Thank you so much Ashley.
My husband, an amateur cook made this so easily with your frozen onion tomato paste. So tasty it was.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Sudheera, that’s awesome! Happy to hear that your husband made this with the masala!
Mona says
Thank you Ashley, this is such a delicious recipe. I just added a teaspoon of sugar to enhance the richness of the creamy gravy and the aroma of crushed cardamom. I’m drooling while writing the comment too. It’s a must for all my dinner parties!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Mona, I’m so happy to hear that! Love the sugar addition – I will have to try adding that next time, yum! 🙂