Air fryer recipe · Mains
Makhani Paneer Bake
Paneer cubes coated in a thick makhani masala and baked with a cheesy top.
- 30 minTotal time
- 185°CAir fryer
- 2Serves
- VegetarianDiet
Nutrition per serving
- 825kcal
- 46.2 gprotein
- 9.0 gcarbs
- 68.2 gfat
- 1.2 gfibre
Per serving, about 2 servings. Figures are estimates from standard ingredient databases, not medical, dietetic, or nutritional advice.
Ingredients
- paneer250 g
- butter2 tbsp
- tomato puree3 tbsp
- cashew paste2 tbsp
- kasuri methi1 tsp
- cream2 tbsp
- cheese80 g
Method
Make the makhani base
Heat the butter in a pan, then add the tomato puree, cashew paste and kasuri methi. Cook on medium heat for 8 minutes until it thickens into a thick paste and the raw tomato smell fades. Cooking it down now keeps the bake rich, not watery.
Finish the sauce
Stir in the cream and cook for a further 2 min until the sauce turns glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. A thick sauce clings to the paneer instead of sliding off and pooling at the bottom of the dish.
Coat the paneer
Cut the paneer into cubes and fold them into the thick makhani sauce until every piece is well coated. Folding gently rather than stirring hard keeps the soft cubes whole so they do not crumble into the sauce.
Transfer to a baking dish
Spoon the coated paneer into a small air fryer safe dish and top with the grated cheese. Spreading it in an even layer helps the cheese melt and brown evenly across the top instead of in patches.
Bake until bubbling
Place the dish in the air fryer and air fry at 185°C for 8 min until the cheese melts fully and the top turns light golden. The bubbling edges tell you it is hot right through and ready to serve.
