Paneer and Broccoli Masala (No Onion No Garlic)

Paneer and Broccoli Masala is lip-smacking paneer curry with a healthy twist of broccoli. It is satisfying, delicious, easy-to-make, and nutrient-dense. Serve this paneer and broccoli curry for lunch or dinner for a complete and filling meal.

Jump to:

• About Paneer and Broccoli Masala
• Ingredients
• Step by Step Directions
• Serving Suggestions
• Helpful Tips
• Frequently Asked Questions
• More Paneer Recipes
• Recipe Card

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About Paneer and Broccoli Masala

Paneer curries are my family’s absolute favorite, and I often make these curries for dinner. However, I have to make variations of the paneer curries to keep them interesting. And I found that the combination of paneer and broccoli is exciting and delicious. 

Broccoli is a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and fibers. So adding broccoli to the paneer curry makes it a nutrient-packed dish. The win situation is that broccoli in the curry with paneer is not boring at all, and in fact, it is delicious. 

Paneer and Broccoli Masala is full of flavors, without onion and garlic, and goes perfectly with Indian flatbread or rice. I have not used too much oil for this curry and did not use butter or cream to make this paneer dish. And hence it is healthy and yet amazingly delightful.

Ingredients

1. Paneer: Using fresh and soft Paneer is essential for the success of the curry. I have used Homemade Paneer to make this curry. But if you are using a store-bought Paneer, make sure to bring it to room temperature before using it in the recipe. You can also Place the Paneer in a Ziploc bag or container and place it in hot water for at least 20 minutes to make the Paneer soft.
2. Broccoli: Use fresh and tender broccoli to make this curry for the best flavors. You can add more or fewer broccoli florets in the recipe as per your preference. 
3. Tomatoes: Choose the tomatoes, which are ripe and pulpy. Ripe tomatoes will not be very sour. In this recipe, we are cooking tomatoes before blending. The cooking will remove the rawness of tomatoes. 
4. Cashews: Makes the gravy smooth and creamy. I highly prefer cashews over a lot of heavy cream in my sauces. Sub the cashews with an equal amount of raw almonds. You can also use broken cashews as a cost-effective option.
5. Spices: I have used basic spices in this recipe which can readily be available in our pantry. I have used my homemade Kitchen King Masala to make this curry, but you can also use Garam Masala for the flavors. This curry is mild to moderately spicy, as I have used Kashmiri dry red chili and Kashmiri red chili powder. So add the green chili and red chili as per your taste.
6. Yogurt: I have added low-fat yogurt to the curry for more creaminess. But you can either skip it or add cream to make the curry richer.

Step by Step Directions

Stir-Frying Paneer and Broccoli

• Heat oil in a large and shallow frying pan on medium heat.
• Add paneer cubes and saute for 5-6 minutes or until lightly golden. 
• Saute on medium heat and stir it gently at intervals.

• Then add broccoli florets and mix well.
• Continue cooking for 7-8 minutes or until broccoli florets become soft and tender.
• Cook on medium heat, stirring gently and occasionally.

• Then add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, kitchen king masala or garam masala, amchur powder, and salt.
• Toss well so the masala coats evenly to the paneer and broccoli mixture. 
• Turn off the heat, and set the paneer and broccoli mixture aside.

Making Paneer and Broccoli Masala Gravy

• Heat oil in a pan or Kadai on medium heat.
• Instead of oil, you can also use ghee or butter.

• Add dried red chili, chopped ginger, and green chili, saute them for a minute.

• Then add chopped tomatoes and cashews.
• Mix well. 

• Add red chili powder, kitchen king or garam masala, cumin powder, and coriander powder.
• Mix well.

• Continue cooking this mixture for 7-8 minutes or until tomatoes are soft and mushy.

• Allow the mixture to cool down a bit, and take it into a blender jar.
• Blend the tomato mixture into a fine puree.

Making Paneer and Broccoli Masala

• Take the puree in the same pan in which you made the gravy.
• Heat the gravy and bring it to a boil.
• Cook the gravy for 4-5 minutes or until the fat releases from the sides.

• Add paneer and broccoli mixture into the gravy, and mix well.
• To adjust the consistency of the gravy, add ½ cup of water, and mix well.
• You can add less or more water as per the consistency of the curry you prefer.
• Cook paneer and broccoli masala for 8-10 minutes.

• Add salt (remember there is salt in the paneer mixture as well), sugar, yogurt, Kasoori methi, and coriander leaves.
• Mix everything well and cook for two more minutes.

• Turn off the heat, and transfer the Paneer and Broccoli Masala to a serving bowl.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve this curry with your favorite Indian flatbread, like Roti, Naan, Kulcha, or Paratha.
• I love to have this Paneer and Broccoli Masala with plain rice for a comfortable and light meal.
• This curry can also be served with your favorite Pulao or brown rice.
• Having only a bowl of this curry without andy accompaniment will also make a light and filling lunch.

Helpful Tips

• Use fresh and soft Paneer for the best flavors and taste. You can add more paneer and lessen the amount of broccoli if you want.
• Use fresh broccoli for the best results. If you like the crunchy broccoli in this curry, do not stir-fry it too long with paneer. In contrast, stir-fry it well and cook well in the gravy if you like very tender and soft broccoli. Instead of stir-frying, you can blanch the broccoli and then add in the gravy with paneer.
• I like to add low-fat yogurt to this curry to keep it healthy and low-fat. But instead of yogurt, you can also add cream if you want.
• I have added kitchen king masala to this curry. But you can add garam masala instead of kitchen king. Also, my spice blend is not too spicy, and so this curry is moderately spicy. But you can add more or less garam masala and other spices as per your taste preferences.
• Amchur powder provides a slight tanginess to the curry and brightens the flavors of paneer and broccoli mixture. However, if you do not have amchur powder, skip it.
• Sugar does not make the curry sweet but instead enhances the other flavors. However, it is optional if you do not prefer adding sugar to the curry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Skip or Replace Cashews?

Cashews bring richness and creaminess to the curry. Also, it makes the gravy thicker. So I would not recommend skipping it, but if you don’t want to use cashews, try to replace it with other options. 

1. Instead of cashews, use blanched almonds (almonds without skin).
2. Replace with melon seeds (Magastari Seeds), and add 3 tablespoon of melon seeds instead of cashews.
3. Use heavy cream instead of cashews. Add 3-4 tablespoon of cream in the final step of the recipe, and skip adding yogurt. 
4. We can use Khus Khus (poppy seeds) in the recipe to replace cashews. Soak 1 tablespoon poppy seeds in hot water for 15 minutes, drain the water and blend poppy seeds with 2-3 tablespoon of milk into a smooth paste. Add the paste to the gravy and then cook.
5. We can also combine 2 tablespoon melon seeds and 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, soak in hot water for 15 minutes and blend them into a smooth paste. Add little water or milk to make a smooth paste. Add this paste to the gravy and then cook.

How To Make My Store-Bought Paneer Soft?

Place the whole block of paneer or paneer cubes into a ziplock bag or a container. And submerge the plastic bag or container of paneer in hot water. Leave it in hot water for at least 20 minutes. Meanwhile, if the water gets cold, replace it with hot water. You can also directly place the paneer block or cubes into hot water and leave it for 20 minutes. Then drain the water completely before adding it to the gravy.

More Paneer Recipes

You May Also Like Broccoli Recipes

• Broccoli Cheese Paratha (Healthy Indian Flatbread)
• Broccoli Stir Fry / Indian Style Broccoli Stir Fry

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