Shahi Paneer (No Onion No Garlic) / Jain Shahi Paneer

Shahi Paneer is rich, creamy, flavorful, and truly worthy of its royal name. This No Onion No Garlic curry features soft paneer cubes simmered in a velvety tomato, yogurt, and cashew-based gravy that is aromatic, comforting, and incredibly satisfying.

This North Indian-style Shahi Paneer recipe is perfect for family dinners, festivals, celebrations, or weekend meals. Even without onion and garlic, the curry develops a wonderful depth of flavor from whole spices, tomatoes, yogurt, cashews, melon seeds, and a touch of cream. The result is a restaurant-style paneer curry that tastes luxurious yet is surprisingly easy to prepare at home.

Jump to:

• About Shahi Paneer without Onion and Garlic
• A Special Curry For Family Celebrations
• Why You Will Love Shahi Paneer
• Ingredients and Notes
• How To Make Shahi Paneer
• My Favorite Ways To Serve Shahi Paneer
• Helpful Tips For Making Shahi Paneer
• More Paneer Curries
• Shahi Paneer (No Onion No Garlic)

About Shahi Paneer without Onion and Garlic

Traditional Mughlai-style Shahi Paneer is usually prepared with a rich white gravy and often contains a generous amount of cream and nuts. While delicious, it can sometimes feel quite heavy.

Over the years, I have developed my own No-Onion, No-Garlic version that my family enjoys regularly. Instead of relying heavily on cream, I use yogurt along with cashews and melon seeds to create a silky smooth texture. 

The yogurt adds richness without making the curry overly heavy, while the tomatoes bring a pleasant balance of flavor and color.

Whenever we have guests visiting or want a special meal for festivals, this Shahi Paneer is one of my most trusted recipes. It always feels festive and elegant, yet it uses simple pantry ingredients that are easy to find.

Ingredients and Notes

For the Gravy

• Oil and Butter: Oil helps saute the spices and tomatoes while preventing the butter from burning. Butter adds richness and gives the gravy a restaurant-style flavor.
• Cumin Seeds: Provide a warm, earthy flavor and enhance the curry's overall aroma.
• Bay Leaf: Adds subtle depth and fragrance to the gravy while it simmers.
• Whole Spices: Black peppercorns contribute mild heat and a gentle spicy aroma. Cinnamon adds warmth and a slightly sweet flavor, complementing the creamy gravy. Green Cardamoms provide a delicate floral aroma and classic North Indian curry flavor. Black Cardamom adds a deeper, smoky flavor, making the gravy more robust. Cloves contribute warmth and a rich aromatic note.
• Tomatoes: The base of the gravy. Use ripe red tomatoes for the best color, flavor, and balanced sweetness.
• Ginger and Green Chili: Ginger adds freshness and a mild spicy flavor. Green chili provides gentle heat. Adjust the quantity according to your preference.
• Cashews and Melon Seeds: Cashews make the gravy creamy, rich, and naturally thick, while melon seeds add extra richness and help create a smooth, luxurious texture.
• Dried Kashmiri Red Chili: Enhances the gravy’s color while adding very mild heat.

For the Yogurt Mixture

• Plain Yogurt: Adds creaminess and richness while keeping the curry lighter than cream-heavy versions. Use fresh, thick yogurt.
• Ground Spices: Use turmeric, coriander, cumin, and Kashmiri red chili powder.

Shahi Paneer

• Paneer: Fresh, soft paneer is the star ingredient of this recipe. Homemade paneer made with whole milk gives the best texture and absorbs the flavors of the gravy beautifully. If using store-bought paneer, soak it in warm water for 10-15 minutes before adding it to the curry.
• Sugar: Balances the acidity of tomatoes without making the curry noticeably sweet.
• Garam Masala: Adds warmth, complexity, and the signature North Indian curry aroma. 
• Cream: Provides the final touch of richness and gives the curry its "Shahi" character.
• Kasuri Methi: Adds a distinctive restaurant-style flavor and aroma. Crush before adding for maximum flavor.
• Fresh Cilantro: Add freshness, color, and a bright finish to the dish.

How To Make Shahi Paneer

Making The Shahi Paneer Gravy

• Heat oil and butter in a pan or wok.
• Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, peppercorns, Cinnamon sticks, green and black cardamoms, and cloves.
• Stir and saute for a minute or until the spices are aromatic.

• Then add chopped tomatoes, ginger, green chili, cashews, melon seeds, dried red chili, and salt.

• Mix well and cook the mixture on medium heat for 8-10 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and mushy.
• Stir often.

• Add ½ cup of water, stir well, cover with the lid, and continue cooking over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes.
• Stir occasionally.

• Turn off the heat and let the gravy mixture cool down at room temperature. 
• Once it is cooled, remove the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and black cardamom.

• Then transfer the mixture to the blender jar and blend into a smooth puree, adding a little water if needed.
• Strain the gravy using a fine sieve to make it smooth and velvety.
• Set it aside.

Preparing The Yogurt Mixture

• In a bowl, take yogurt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and Kashmiri red chili powder.
• Whisk until everything is combined, and the mixture is smooth.

Making The Shahi Paneer

• Heat butter or oil in a pan or wok; lower the heat, and add ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder.
• Stir quickly and immediately pour the prepared yogurt mixture.

• Stir continuously and cook the yogurt mixture on low heat until it is cooked and the oil is separated for about 4-5 minutes.

• Add the prepared gravy, stir well, and add water as needed to reach the desired consistency.
• Cook the gravy over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes.

• Then, add Paneer cubes, sugar, garam masala, and salt to taste.
• Stir well and continue cooking on low-medium heat for 4-5 minutes.

• Finally, add Kasoori methi, coriander leaves, and cream.
• Stir well and cook for a minute.
• Taste and adjust the seasonings if required.

• Turn off the heat and transfer the Shahi Paneer into a serving bowl.
• Garnish with a drizzle of cream and chopped coriander leaves.

More Paneer Curries