North India · Side dish
Paneer butter masala
Also called paneer makhani, paneer makhanwala, butter paneer, paneer butter masala gravy
Paneer cubes simmered in a smooth, mildly sweet tomato, onion and cashew gravy finished with butter, cream and kasuri methi. A restaurant favourite usually eaten with naan, roti or jeera rice.
The short answer
Paneer butter masala has about 444 kcal in a regular serving (1 katori, about 280 g), with 15.4 g of protein and 3.9 g of fibre. It rates 2.0/5 (limited fit) for weight management: it is low in calories for its weight, but a regular serving is a large portion and it is low in protein for its calories.
Reviewed by Deepu Oommen on 6 Nov 2026 · How we review
- Calories per serving
- 444 kcal
- 1 katori (about 280 g)
- For weight management
- 2.0 / 5Rated 2 out of 5. Limited fit for weight management
- Protein and fibre
- 15.4 g · 3.9 g
- per serving
- Brisk walking
- About 1 hr 25 min
- uses similar energy (70 kg adult)
What's in paneer butter masala?
Raw weights for one serving (1 katori, about 280 g), from the standard recipe
- Oil, 11 g
- Butter, 6 g
- Onion, 67 g
- Garlic, 5 g
- Ginger, 3 g
- Tomato, 91 g
- Cashew nuts, 7 g
- Sugar, 1 g
- Cream, 9 g
- Paneer, 61 g
- Coriander leaves, 2 g
How is paneer butter masala made?
Preparation 10 min · Cooking 40 min
- 1Fry the whole spices in oil and a little butter, then add onion, garlic and ginger and cook until soft.
- 2Add tomatoes and cashews, pour in a cup of water, cover and boil for 5 to 10 minutes; cool, remove the bay leaf and blend until smooth, then strain.
- 3Heat oil and butter, add the spice powders and fry briefly, then add the blended sauce and cook for about 5 minutes.
- 4Stir in salt, sugar and cream, add the paneer cubes and simmer for 5 minutes.
- 5Finish with crushed kasuri methi and chopped coriander.
Paneer butter masala nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (1 katori, about 280 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 444 kcal | 159 kcal |
| Protein | 15.4 g | 5.5 g |
| Carbohydrate | 15.4 g | 5.5 g |
| Fat | 36.1 g | 12.9 g |
| Fibre | 3.9 g | 1.4 g |
Calculated from a standard recipe (based on a recipe by Hebbar's Kitchen: Paneer Butter Masala (restaurant style), serves 5) using IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and USDA FoodData Central values for the raw ingredients, divided by the weight of the cooked dish (923 g for the whole recipe). Salt and dry spices are left out. The regular serving is the average portion in three chefs' recipes: Hebbar's Kitchen, Paneer Butter Masala (restaurant style) 185 g, Swasthi's Recipes, Paneer Butter Masala 274 g and Ranveer Brar, Restaurant Style Paneer Butter Masala 381 g. Food composition: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR), Hyderabad. How we calculate nutrition facts. Home and restaurant versions vary with the oil, rice and portion used.
Is paneer butter masala good for weight management?
It rates 2.0/5, a limited fit, because it is low in calories for its weight, but a regular serving is a large portion and it is low in protein for its calories.
- Calories per gram (35% of the rating)1.59 kcal · 71/100
- Protein per 100 kcal (25% of the rating)3.5 g · 35/100
- Fibre per 100 kcal (20% of the rating)0.9 g · 29/100
- Portion (20% of the rating)444 of 200 kcal (side dish) · 0/100
Each part is scored against fixed limits, then weighted. A higher rating does not mean a food causes weight loss. How the rating works
Lighter ways to have paneer butter masala
- Share one katori between two and add a dal or vegetable dish
- Ask for less butter and cream, or choose a tomato-based paneer dish like kadai paneer
- Eat it with roti rather than naan or butter naan
- At home, use low-fat paneer or half paneer and half peas or capsicum
- Keep the gravy to a spoonful or two and fill up on the paneer pieces
Common questions about paneer butter masala
How many calories are in paneer butter masala?
About 444 kcal in 1 katori, about 280 g, or 159 kcal per 100 g. A half katori has about 222 kcal.
Is paneer butter masala good for weight management?
It rates 2.0/5, a limited fit: it is low in calories for its weight, but a regular serving is a large portion and it is low in protein for its calories. See the lighter ways to have it on this page.
How much protein is in paneer butter masala?
About 15.4 g in 1 katori, about 280 g, which is 3.5 g for every 100 kcal.
How much walking uses the energy in paneer butter masala?
About 1 hr 25 min of brisk walking for a 70 kg adult uses similar energy to one regular serving.
Is paneer butter masala high in protein?
Paneer gives good protein, but the butter, cream and cashew gravy add a lot of fat, so the protein per calorie is only moderate.
Is paneer butter masala the same as shahi paneer?
They are close cousins; shahi paneer usually has more cream and nuts and is even richer.
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Compare it in:Paneer dishes
Information, not medical advice. Values are estimates for a typical recipe. Found an error? Tell us.