Making this royal Paneer Pasanda is easier than you think. It's creamy, nutty & oh-so-delicious. It's rich in flavors and textures and there is not a chance that you will be disappointed. Its super yum!
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What is Paneer Pasanda?
Paneer Pasanda is a creamy paneer curry from the North of India, which is made with soft paneer slices stuffed with nuts and raisins and dunk in a onion-tomato based smooth and silky gravy.
The word 'Pasanda' means favorite and this dish really lives up to its expectation, thus is is often servings at special occasions and weddings because it's so luxurious and fancy.
This dish always reminds me of celebrations. I first tried it in a restaurant, but the best version was always made by my chachi (aunt). She would make it for family parties, and the way she stuffed the paneer with nuts and spices made it extra special. Now, whenever I make Paneer Pasanda, it feels like bringing a little bit of that celebration home!
Problems I faced during Recipe Testing
It took me a while to nail this recipe because
- Sometimes the stuffing would fall off.
- The gravy wasn't creamy enough.
- Flavors and textures didn't come together.
So in this post, I'll show you
- How to stuff the paneer without breaking it apart.
- How to get the smooth silky restaurant style gravy.
- Pro tips for perfect flavor and texture.
- How to meal prep this dish for parties.
Ingredient Notes
Please refer to the recipe card for the ingredients and measurements.
- Paneer - Use fresh Paneer for this recipe or thawed frozen paneer works best for this recipe. I used the Gopi brand for this recipe, found in the refrigerator section of Indian grocery stores. You will need a block pf paneer not paneer cubes.
How to make Paneer Pasanda step by step recipe
- Prepare the Stuffing by mixing chopped cashews, raisins, grated paneer, green chili, coriander leaves, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- Stuff the paneer by Taking a paneer slice, put a little stuffing in the middle, and cover with another slice to make a “sandwich.” Press gently. Repeat with all paneer slices.
- Shallow Fry the Paneer : Heat 1 tablespoon oil or ghee in a pan. Carefully place the stuffed paneer sandwiches in the pan and fry until golden on both sides. Remove and set aside.
- Make the Gravy : In a pan or a wok, heat the oil, add teh cuin seeds, cardamoms, black pepper, cloves ,cinnamon sticks, bay leaf and cook until aromatic.
- Throw in the sliced onions, chopped green chiliies and ginger garlic paste and cook until onions turn translucent,
- Next add the spices, red chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder, garam masala and cashews and cook until the onions turn brown. Now add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the oil separates. Add the onion-tomato-cashew paste. Cook for 4-5 minutes until oil starts to separate. Allow the mixture to cool.
- Add the mixture to the blender and 1/2 cup of water and blend into a smooth puree.
- Once pureed add another 1/2 cup water and sieve the puree for a smooth silky sauce.
- Lastly, heat another table spoon of oil, add the kashmiri red chili powder and kasuri methi, pour in the silky sauce and bring it to a boil. Your sauce is cooked.
- Optionally, stir in the cream and mix well.
- Gently place the fried stuffed paneer sandwiches into the gravy.
- Garnish with fresh coriander and a swirl of cream.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- Use fresh or thawed frozen paneer for easy slicing and soft texture.
- Don’t overstuff the paneer “sandwiches,” or they might break.
- Blend the gravy until very smooth for that restaurant-style finish.
- If your stuffing is coming out, coat the stuffed paneer sandwich in a corn starch slurry before shallow frying.
- Shallow fry the paneer on medium heat so it gets golden but stays soft inside.
Pairing Suggestions
Paneer Pasanda goes well with
- Garlic Naan, Laccha Paratha, Tandoori roti or I often pair it with rotis too.
- Jeera Rice of just plain basmati also goes very well with the curry.
- I also like to balance the richness with a refreshing Kachumber or Raita.
Meal Prep & Make Ahead Tips
- You can make the gravy a day ahead and refrigerate it.
- Stuff the paneer in advance and refrigerate in an air tight container.
- When ready to serve, shallow fry the paneer sandwiches, reheat the gravy and add the sandwiches to the to curry.
Final Thoughts
Paneer Pasanda is truly a “favorite” dish in my family, and I hope it becomes yours too! Try this recipe at home, take a photo, and tag us on Instagram @thebellyrulesthemind.official. I’d love to see your royal creations and hear how it turned out. Happy cooking—bring a little celebration to your table tonight!
Pairing Options
These are my favorite dishes to serve along with Paneer Pasanda:
Creamy Restaurant Style Paneer Pasanda Recipe
Making this royal Paneer Pasanda is easier than you think. It's creamy, nutty & oh-so-delicious. It's rich in flavors and textures and there is not a chance that you will be disappointed. Its super yum!
Ingredients
For Paneer Sandwich
- 250g paneer (cut into 8 thick slices, then each sliced in half to make 16 thinner pieces)
- 2 tablespoon grated paneer (for stuffing)
- 2 tablespoon chopped cashews
- 2 tablespoon raisins
- 2 tablespoon chopped coriander (cilantro)
- 1 green chili, finely chopped
- Salt to taste
For the Gravy:
- 2 tablespoon oil or ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 6 cloves
- 3 green cardamoms
- 6 peppercorns
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, pureed
- 1-inch ginger, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 8-10 cashews (for gravy)
- 1/2 cup milk or cream
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
- Salt to taste
Corn Flour Slurry for coating paneer Sandwich
- 2 tablespoon cornflour or all-purpose flour (for sealing the paneer)
- 2 tablespoon water (to make a paste)
- Oil for shallow frying
Instructions
- Prepare the Stuffing by mixing chopped cashews, raisins, grated paneer, green chili, coriander leaves, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- Stuff the paneer by Taking a paneer slice, put a little stuffing in the middle, and cover with another slice to make a “sandwich.” Press gently. Repeat with all paneer slices.
- Shallow Fry the Paneer : Heat 1 tablespoon oil or ghee in a pan. Carefully place the stuffed paneer sandwiches in the pan and fry until golden on both sides. Remove and set aside.
- Make the Gravy : In a pan or a wok, heat the oil, add teh cuin seeds, cardamoms, black pepper, cloves ,cinnamon sticks, bay leaf and cook until aromatic.
- Throw in the sliced onions, chopped green chiliies and ginger garlic paste and cook until onions turn translucent,
- Next add the spices, red chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder, garam masala and cashews and cook until the onions turn brown. Now add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the oil separates. Add the onion-tomato-cashew paste. Cook for 4-5 minutes until oil starts to separate. Allow the mixture to cool.
- Add the mixture to the blender and 1/2 cup of water and blend into a smooth puree.
- Once pureed add another 1/2 cup water and sieve the puree for a smooth silky sauce.
- Lastly, heat another table spoon of oil, add the kashmiri red chili powder and kasuri methi, pour in the silky sauce and bring it to a boil. Your sauce is cooked.
- Optionally, stir in the cream and mix well.
- Gently place the fried stuffed paneer sandwiches into the gravy.
- Garnish with fresh coriander and a swirl of cream.
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