Matar Paneer
This Indian vegetarian builds paneer, turmeric and coriander into a fuss-free meal you can have ready in about 80 minutes. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 10 steps.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and pan. At medium difficulty across 10 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (9)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegetarian — no meat or fish, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Gluten Dairy
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over high heat until it’s shimmering hot.
- Add the paneer, then turn the heat down a little.
- Fry until it starts to brown at the edges, then turn it over and brown on each side – the paneer will brown faster than you think, so don’t walk away.
- Remove the paneer from the pan and drain on kitchen paper.
- Put the ginger, cumin, turmeric, ground coriander and chilli in the pan, and fry everything for 1 min.
- Add the tomatoes, mashing them with the back of a spoon and simmer everything for 5 mins until the sauce smells fragrant.
- Add a splash of water if it’s too thick.
- Season well.
- Add the peas and simmer for a further 2 mins, then stir in the paneer and sprinkle over the garam masala.
- Divide between two bowls, top with coriander leaves and serve with naan bread, roti or rice.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet · Pan · Saucepan
Watch how it's made
Hosted on YouTube — pressing play loads content from YouTube.
What to serve with Matar Paneer
- Chicken Handi Chicken
- Lamb Biryani Lamb
- Tandoori chicken Chicken
- Lamb Rogan josh Lamb
Tips & common questions
How long does Matar Paneer take to make?
About 80 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 10 steps and 12 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Matar Paneer vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat, fish or shellfish, so it is suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheese for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Structured source recipe — not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Recipe data for Matar Paneer via TheMealDB (open database). ▶ Video. Original source. Consomee adds the scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.