Instant Pot Matar Paneer – Peas and Paneer

This Instant Pot Matar Paneer – Peas and Paneer recipe is the best homemade paneer recipe I have ever tasted. It is restaurant quality paneer made in the comforts of your home. It is super appetizing, easy to make, and very flexible. I like to serve it on a bed of rice, with Indian flat bread (naan), or tortillas.

What is paneer?

Paneer is a squeaky, fresh cheese from the Indian subcontinent. It is a vegetarian’s companion and is made by curdling milk with a vegetable-derived acid, for instance lemon juice. It has a milky flavor. You can make paneer at home; however, I buy mine from the Indian grocery store. I don’t have the patience to make it at home. There are many recipes online for making homemade paneer. I used Nanak paneer for making this recipe. You can buy any brand that you like or prefer for instance Haldiram, Verka, and Vadilal. Paneer is available in Indian grocery stores.

They key to cooking paneer is that you don’t cook it for too long. It tends to get hard and chewy if you cook it very long.

What do I need to make Instant Pot Matar Paneer?

Oil, paneer, onion, tomato, ginger, peas, cumin seeds, ground cumin, ground coriander, garam masala, ground turmeric, water, black cardamom pod, green cardamom pod, cloves, cinnamon stick, serrano peppers, heavy whipping cream, Kashmiri chili powder, salt, dried fenugreek leaves, and fresh cilantro leaves.

And most importantly an Instant Pot.

How do I make this Instant Pot Matar Paneer?

Some people like to stir fry or deep fry the paneer before cooking. However, I am too lazy to do that. You are welcome to deep fry or stir fry paneer if you like.

Firstly, select sauté on the instant pot and adjust to normal. Add oil to the pot. When the oil is hot add cumin seeds. Once the cumin seeds splutter add grated onions, serrano peppers, and ginger. Stir occasionally to prevent the onions from burning. When the onions turn golden in roughly 2 to 4 minutes add the spices (Kashmiri chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground turmeric, and salt). Stir well.

Then add the tomato puree. Using an  immersion blender blend the spices, onions and tomato puree until it becomes smooth. Let the tomatoes sauté for 2 minutes until the raw tomato odor is eliminated and the oil separates.

Add paneer, peas and water. Stir gently. Add the garam masala, whole spices (cloves, black cardamom, green cardamom, and cinnamon stick).

Press cancel. Secure the lid on and select manual/high pressure for 2 minutes. When done quick release the pressure. Finally, add heavy whipping cream. Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with tortillas or naan (Indian flat-bread).

Tried this recipe yet? Give us a rating, comment below in the reply section and let us know what you think.

Try some of our other recipes:

Instant Pot Punjabi Dhaba Chicken Curry

Instant Pot Butter Chicken / Instant Pot Murg Makhani

Instant Pot Indian Paneer and Peas/ Instant Pot Matar Paneer Restaurant Style

Shilpa

This instant pot paneer and peas recipe is restaurant quality paneer made in the comforts of your home. It is super appetizing, easy to make, and very flexible.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine North Indian, Punjabi

Servings 4

Equipment

• Instant Pot
• Immersion Blender

Ingredients

  

• 5 tbsp oil of choice
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1/2 onion large grated (1/2 cup grated)
• 2 Serrano peppers small (finely chopped) (optional)
• 1 tsp ginger (finely grated)
• 1 tbsp kashmiri chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin  (jeera powder)
• 1 tbsp ground coriander     (dhaniya powder)
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric    (haldi)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tomatoes pureed (1 cup pureed)
• 6 oz paneer (half of a 12 oz pack)  (chopped to 1/2 inch cubes)
• 1 cup peas (frozen)
• 1 and 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves  (kasoori methi/ kasuri methi)
• 1 whole black cardamom pod   (kali elaichi)
• 1 whole green cardamom pod (hari elaichi)
• 2 whole cloves  (laung)
• 1 cinnamon stick 2 inch piece  (dalchini)
• 1 tbsp heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves    (fresh and finely chopped)

Instructions

 

Prep

• Dice the paneer to 1/2-inch cubes.
• Chop the serrano peppers, and cilantro finely.
• Grate the onions finely.
• Puree the tomatoes.

Cook

• Select sauté on the instant pot and adjust to normal. Add oil to the pot. When the oil is hot add cumin seeds.
• When the cumin seeds splutter add grated onions, serrano peppers, and ginger. Stir occasionally to prevent the onions from burning.
• When the onions turn golden in roughly 2 to 4 minutes add Kashmiri chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground turmeric, and salt. Stir well.
• Then add the tomato puree. Using an  immersion blender blend the spices, onions and tomato puree until it becomes smooth. Let the tomatoes sauté for 2 minutes until the raw tomato odor is eliminated and the oil separates.
• Add paneer, peas and water. Stir gently. Add garam masala, whole spices (cloves, black cardamom, green cardamom, and cinnamon stick).
• Press cancel. Secure the lid on and select manual/high pressure for 2 minutes. When done quick release the pressure. Add heavy whipping cream and stir. Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with tortillas or naan (Indian flat-bread).

Notes

• On a scale of 1 to 5, in terms of spice levels, I would place it at 3.5.
• If you cannot handle heat, I would recommend reducing or eliminating  the Serrano peppers.

Keyword Dhaba Style Paneer, Easy Instant Pot Paneer, Indian Paneer Curry, Instant Pot Matar Paneer, Instant Pot Panerr Curry, Paneer and Peas Instant Pot, Punjabi Matar Paneer, Restaurant Style Matar Paneer