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Home » Curry » Cauliflower Paneer Curry (Instant Pot)

Cauliflower Paneer Curry (Instant Pot)

Published: Jul 11, 2020

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This Cauliflower Paneer Curry is a easy one pot dish made with cauliflower florets, paneer, creamy coconut milk and warm spices. Packed with full of flavor,this curry is done in under 30 minutes in the instant pot. Serve this Indian curry with roti, naan or rice.

cauliflower paneer curry served in a black blwol garnished with onion and corinader leaves and lemon on the side

In India we call it Gobi Paneer Curry. Gobi is the hindi name for cauliflower and Paneer is Indian style cottage cheese.

This Cauliflower Paneer Curry

  • is a easy one pot comfort food
  • is loaded with warm spices and creamy coconut milk
  • gets done in less than 30 minutes
  • can be made in the instant pot or stove top
  • pairs well with rice or any flat bread

Ingredients needed to make this Indian Curry with Cauliflower and Paneer:

cauliflower paneer curry ingredients

Step by Step Instructions:

1 -Select the saute mode on the instant pot and heat the oil. Now add the cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds. Add the onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until the onion turns soft. You can splash with little water while cooking, to avoid burning. Make sure the onions are soft before moving to the next step. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for 45 seconds.

2 & 3 – Add the pureed tomato and cook till all the moisture is absorbed and tomato gets thick and the oil starts to ooze out.

4 & 5- Add the turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, garam masala, tomato paste and salt. Coat the spices with the tomato mixture. If the pot gets too hot and the bottom is burning, cancel the saute mode or splash with some water.

7- Add the coconut milk and mix it well.

sauteed onion, tomato and masala mixture in the instant pot

8 & 9- If you turned off the saute mode in step 5, turn it on now. Add the cauliflower florets and mix them with all the spices.

10- Add the paneer cubes and gently stir. Add a cup of water and gently deglaze the pan.

11 – Press cancel, secure the lid and adjust the vent to sealing position. cook on high for 2 minutes.

12- After 2 minutes, do a quick release by moving the knob from sealing to vent. The curry will look little watery, but will thicken up in few minutes. You can also sauté for 2-3 minutes till the curry thickens slightly. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Finally add lemon juice and fresh coriander leaves.

Let the curry rest for atleast 15 minutes before serving.

cauliflower and paneer added to the masala mixture and cooked for 2 minutes in the instant pot

Substitutions:

To make it vegan, substitute paneer with tofu

Coconut milk can be substituted with cashew cream

The spices like coriander & cumin powder, garam masala can be substituted with curry powder

Variations:

This curry base can also be used with vegetables like egg plant, potato, green peas and sweet potato.

Tips:

To get the best tasting curry, finely chop the onions and saute them till soft and pale brown.

Coat the spices with oil, until they become fragrant.

Use large cauliflower florets, if not the florets will become soft and mushy.

This curry is not about the creamy sauce, we are going to use coconut milk in small quantity and let the paneer and cauliflower shine through.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve this curry with chapathi, garlic naan, regular naan, jeera rice or millets. We also had some some sprouts salad on the side.

cauliflower paneer curry served with chapathi and sprouts salad on a large black plate garnished with coriander and lemon

More Indian Curry Recipes –

Baingan Bartha

Instant Pot Paneer Butter Masala

Masala Egg Curry with Cashew Cream

Cashew Curry

Instant Pot Stuffed Baby Eggplant Curry

If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to give a star rating below. For more recipes and to see what’s cooking in my kitchen, follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

cauliflower paneer curry served in a black blwol garnished with onion and corinader leaves and lemon on the side

Cauliflower Paneer Curry

Cauliflower Paneer Curry is a easy one pot dish made with cauliflower florets, paneer, creamy coconut milk and warm spices.
5 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner, lunch
Cuisine: Indian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: Madhavi

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 1 medium cauliflower ( 20- 22 cauliflower florest)
  • 200 gms paneer cubes if using frozen, thaw it
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 large tomato, pureed
  • 2 tsps minced ginger
  • 2 tsps minced garlic
  • 1 tsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1.5 tsp coriander powder
  • 1.5 tsp garam masala
  • ¾ tsp red chili powder or to taste
  • ½ cup coconut milk
  • 1 cup water or as needed
  • 2.5 tbsp oil
  • lemon juice to taste
  • finely chopped coriander leaves

Instructions

Instant Pot Method –

  • Select the saute mode on the instant pot and heat the oil. Now add the cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds. Add the onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until the onion turns soft. You can splash with little water while cooking, to avoid burning. Make sure the onions are soft before moving to the next step. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for 45 seconds.
  • Add the pureed tomato and cook till all the moisture is absorbed and tomato gets thick and the oil starts to ooze out.
  • Add the turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, garam masala, tomato paste and salt. Coat the spices with the tomato mixture. If the pot gets too hot and the bottom is burning, cancel the saute mode or splash with some water.
  • Add the coconut milk and mix it well.
  • Add the cauliflower florets and mix them with all the spices. Add the paneer cubes and gently stir. Add a cup of water and gently deglaze the pan.
  • Press cancel, secure the lid and adjust the vent to sealing position. cook on high for 2 minutes.
  • After 2 minutes, do a quick release by moving the knob from sealing to vent. The curry will look little watery, but will thicken up in few minutes. You can also sauté for 2-3 minutes till the curry thickens slightly. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Finally add lemon juice and fresh coriander leaves.
  • Let the curry rest for atleast 15 minutes before serving.

Stove Top Method –

  • Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. Let the cumin sizzle and then add the finely chopped onion. Cook till the onion turns soft
  • Add the pureed tomato and cook till all the moisture is absorbed and tomato gets thick and the oil starts to ooze out.
  • Add the turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, garam masala, tomato paste and salt. Coat the spices with the tomato mixture and cook for a minute.
  • Add the cauliflower florest and coat with the masala mixture. Add a cup of water and cook for 10 minutes till cauliflower is soft to touch. Do not over cook.
  • Add the paneer cubes and coconut milk and cook for few more minutes till the curry comes together. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
  • Finally add some lemon juice and finely chopped coriander leaves.

Notes

All the spices can be adjusted according to your taste.
This curry will not have lot of gravy, we are using small quantity of coconut milk and let let the cauliflower and paneer shine through.
If making in the instant pot, keep the cauliflower florets large to avoid over cooking.
If using frozen paneer, thaw it for 45 minutes on the counter top. If in rush, soak it in water. 
Do not over cook the curry, cauliflower and paneer will become mushy.
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @MadhusEverydayIndian or tag #MadhusEverydayIndian!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rebecca

    December 19, 2021 at 6:37 am

    5 stars
    I did the instant pot method and really enjoyed the ease and flavours.

    Reply
    • Madhavi

      December 20, 2021 at 9:59 am

      So glad you enjoyed the curry Rebecca.

      Reply
  2. Sujatha

    July 12, 2020 at 3:09 am

    5 stars
    Excellent taste. We prepared and tasted the curry which gave excellent taste

    Reply

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Hello there, I am Madhavi, welcome to my blog! I share vegetarian, dairy and egg recipes from India and around the world. Hope you enjoy my recipes and Happy Browsing!

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