tawa paneer sabji - paneer tawa masala

Tawa Paneer Sabji (Paneer Tawa Masala)

By Swasthi on August 16, 2023, Comments, Jump to Recipe

Make delicious Tawa Paneer sabji under 35 minutes with this easy recipe. Paneer along with spicy aromatics is cooked on a tawa, a flat metal griddle, so it is known as Tawa Paneer. It is more popular as a street-food and is also served in Dhabas and restaurants. Tawa Paneer is best served with roti, Chapati, Parathas or even with flavored rice dishes like Jeera Rice.

tawa paneer sabji - paneer tawa masala

If you are wondering

What is Tawa Paneer?

Tawa Paneer is a popular Indian street food (side dish) containing paneer (Indian Cheese) which is sauteed on a tawa (iron griddle) along with onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, spices and herbs.

Tawa holds a lot of significance in Indian cooking as we use it every day for cooking roti/chapati, dosa and parathas. Though you can use any kind of tawa for these foods, Tawa Paneer is always made on an iron tawa, an iron griddle.

Iron has the ability to retain high heat so an iron tawa makes a great cookware to impart smoky and caramelized flavors to any dish.

So Tawa Paneer cooked in an iron tawa imparts much deeper flavors & this is the actual secret of a Dhaba & a street-side version.

Sauteeing the masala on a high flame, larger burner, & larger tawa impart those smoky and delicious flavors to the Tawa Paneer. This step is what makes a huge difference to the dish and sets it apart from a regular Paneer Sabji.

Most of us, (home cooks) do not own or use an iron tawa for various reasons. For a long time I have made this dish on a dosa/paratha pan but I found out this kind of a pan did nothing to the dish. So in recent times I make mine in a steel pan which gives good results.

Like many other dishes, Tawa Paneer too is made in many ways. The key ingredient in every version is a good spice blend and bell peppers. Though a good garam masala is enough to flavor the dish, if you are trying to recreate the street or dhaba version make sure you use either Pav Bhaji Masala or Chole Masala.

This recipe was roughly adapted from the Popular Chef. Sanjeev Kapoor but has been modified after tasting several other versions of this dish.

More Paneer recipes
Paneer do pyaza
Achari paneer
Paneer bhurji
Methi paneer
Paneer jalfrezi

How to make Tawa Paneer (Stepwise Photos)

1. Pour 2 tablespoons oil to a hot tawa or pan. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. When they begin to sizzle, add 1 teaspoon grated ginger or ginger garlic paste. Saute till it begins to smell good. Do not burn it.

temper cumin on tawa

2. Add 1 cup fine chopped onions and ¼ teaspoon salt. Keep stirring and fry evenly on a moderately medium flame till they turn golden.

saute onions

3. While the onions are frying, chop 1 cup tomatoes (about 3 medium) to a grinder/blender jar. If you wish to add few cashews to make the dish rich, you may add. Grind to a fine puree.

caramelized onions on tawa

4. When the onions turn golden, pour the tomato puree. Cook till the raw smell of the tomatoes vanishes. Keep stirring to prevent burning.

add tomato puree

5. Add

  • ¾ tsp garam masala
  • ½ to ¾ tsp red chili powder
  • ¼ cup capsicum chopped
spices

6. Mix well and fry on a medium high flame till the mixture smells good. This usually takes 2 minutes.

tawa masala on a griddle

7. Pour a few tablespoons of water to impart some moisture to the masala. Mix well and cook until the onions turn soft and the masala smells aromatic. Then add paneer and kasuri methi. Taste test and add more salt if you want.

paneer in tawa masala

8. Mix every thing well. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until aromatic.

Garnish tawa paneer masala with coriander leaves. Serve with rice or roti.

tawa paneer recipe

Related Recipes

Recipe Card

tawa paneer recipe

Tawa Paneer Sabji (Paneer Tawa Masala)

Easy tawa paneer masala – Simple and quick to make delicious paneer dish in a onion tomato base. Tawa paneer can be served with roti, chapati or rice. It also goes well in tiffin box.
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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Servings4
AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

  • 2 cups paneer cubed
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 cup onions fine chopped
  • ½ tsp cumin seeds or jeera
  • ¾ tsp ginger grated or crushed
  • ¾ cup tomato puree or 1 cup chopped
  • ¼ cup capsicum
  • ½ to ¾ tsp red chilli powder (adjust to taste)
  • ¾ tsp garam masala powder (adjust to suit your taste)
  • ½ tsp kasuri methi or dried fenugreek leaves
  • ⅓ to ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp coriander leaves chopped


Instructions

How to Make Tawa Paneer

  • Heat a tawa with oil. Add cumin and allow to splutter. Then add grated ginger and fry till you smell it good, for a minute.
  • Add finely chopped onions, sprinkle salt and fry evenly till they turn golden.
  • While the onions fry, puree the tomatoes.
  • When the onions turn golden, add tomato puree and mix well. Fry until the tomato puree thickens and the raw smell disappears.
  • Add capsicum, red chilli powder and garam masala. Mix and fry till the masala smells good for about 2 minutes.
  • Pour a few tablespoons of water to impart some moisture to the onion tomato masala. Saute until the onions are soft and cooked through.
  • Taste test and add more salt, paneer and kasuri methi. Stir well.
  • Saute for 2 minutes . Sprinkle coriander leaves. Transfer to a serving bowl and keep covered.
  • Garnish tawa paneer masala with coriander leaves. Serve with rice or roti.


Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts
Tawa Paneer Sabji (Paneer Tawa Masala)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 429 Calories from Fat 315
% Daily Value*
Fat 35g54%
Saturated Fat 17g106%
Cholesterol 74mg25%
Sodium 336mg15%
Potassium 333mg10%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 17g34%
Vitamin A 595IU12%
Vitamin C 25.2mg31%
Calcium 569mg57%
Iron 1.5mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes!

© Swasthi’s Recipes

Tawa Paneer Sabji (Paneer Tawa Masala)

About Swasthi

I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me

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5 stars
This is the first time I made a paneer dish. I’m just blown away by the flavors. Didn’t have methi so left out still tasted delicious. I’m so excited to have found your website. Thank you for the beautiful work you do.

5 stars
Thank You for this easy one. It is so much simpler than any other paneer recipe.

5 stars
Hi Swasthi,

I made this today and it was great, but I was wondering how much red chilli pepper to add? It appears to have been omitted from the ingredient list.

Thank you for the wonderful site. I have found it to be a great resource.

5 stars
Hi Swasthi, I tired many recipes from your blog and all came as expected and yummy too. This one is no exception, everyone in my family loved this curry. Can’t thank you enough. Stay blessed.

Hi plz try to put videos of the recipe and if not videos at least step by step pics of the process

Heyy Swasthi!!!!! I tried ur resturant style kadhai paneer recipe !! Its was super tasty!! Loved it ^_^ Thnku fr such delicious paneer recipes 🙂

3 stars
Hi swati
I tried your paneer tawa masala recipie. It was very nice and both my children liked it very much. I used to visit your website for recipes I need. Thank you for such easy and delicious dishes.

Good

Thank you for your recipe

5 stars
Swasthyi u r recipsss alllll superrrr .and esye methode …… tawa paneer ente jerik istamulla disha . Nann sawsthyinte recip nokiiyanee oroo dishum preper chyunnthyy.thnks

Thank u 4r u recipe .Itz really vry tasty

Yummmmmmmmmmm
Ur recipes really ROCKSZZZZ swathi yummm

its really good and pls tell me how to make paneer

gud swathi tis receipes helps for hurry burry breakfast