Hello slow cooker! I thought it was time to bring my old friend out of retirement again to make this slow cooker paneer tikka masala. I only use my slow cooker every now and then, but it's such a handy way to make a hearty dinner with very little effort. There's no pre-cooking needed with this vegetarian curry recipe - just throw some raw veggies and some chunks of paneer into the slow cooker, and leave it to cook. Easy peasy.
If you've never had paneer before, it's an Indian cheese that's often used in vegetarian curries. But don't go imagining big chunks of cheddar or anything - paneer is much milder and creamier, so it doesn't feel overly heavy (I'm an enormous cheddar fan, but even I wouldn't stick a whole block in a curry). Its mild flavour means it takes on whatever flavours you cook it in, so it's really versatile (even paneer pizza works well!) - any kind of sauce will work really well with it.
My tikka masala sauce is really tasty, without being super spicy. The main base is tomatoes, with garlic, ginger, cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric... heaps of flavour with very little effort. It sounds like a lot of different spices, but these are the same basic ingredients I use in pretty much all of my curry recipes - I've never claimed I make authentic Indian curries, but I do make tasty and straightforward vegetarian food! I reckon you could stock your spice cupboard with less than 10 jars, and you'd have pretty much everything you need. I have a ton of random stuff in my spice cupboard, but I still find myself using the same things over and over again.
Since my paneer tikka masala is made in a slow cooker, it does end up a bit soupier than a standard curry. If you'd prefer a thicker sauce, you could always make this on the stove-top instead - but personally, I thought the thinner sauce was a good excuse to use a big chunk of naan bread to mop up the bowl (not that you need an excuse!).
When your slow cooker paneer tikka masala is cooked, finish it off with a good glug of cream and a sprinkling of fresh coriander (cilantro) - and don't forget the rice and naan bread! Oh, and a few onion bhajis. And maybe a vegetable samosa or two. Ooh, and poppadoms! Okay, I'll stop. Just make the curry.
📖 Printable Recipe
Slow cooker paneer tikka masala
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Print Pin CommentIngredients
- 450 g paneer cheese, cut into chunky dice (~ 3 ⅓ cups when diced)
- 1 onion, sliced or diced
- 2 bell peppers, cut into chunks (I used orange and yellow)
- 6 medium mushrooms, quartered
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon minced ginger or ginger puree
- 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes (~ 2 ⅔ cups in total)
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- Salt
- Black pepper
- 4 tablespoon double / heavy cream
- Fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped, to serve
Instructions
- Add the first 11 ingredients (paneer through ground coriander) to the slow cooker, and add a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well, and cook on high for 4.5 - 5 hours, until the vegetables are all soft.
- Add the cream, and mix well. Serve topped with another drizzle of cream if desired, and some fresh coriander (cilantro)
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.
Bit more pressed for time? My easy creamy chickpea curry can be whipped up in just 15 minutes!
Kat says
Hi there, planning to make this tomorrow. Would it be possible to make this at low temp for longer? If so how long do you think?
Becca Heyes says
I haven't tested this at different temperatures, but I'm sure you could leave it in for an hour or two longer if needed! It might go a bit mushier but it's probably worth a try.
Ang says
I haven't made it yet but was wondering do it need the cream as I haven't any or what could I substitute it with
Becca Heyes says
No you can totally skip the cream, it just won't be as creamy!
Carley says
Any tips on how you could prep and freeze this to cook later? I am pregnant and trying to get a good stash of frozen meals ready to make life easier once baby comes!
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
If it was me I'd cook it completely, then store it in a tub in the freezer. Then you can just defrost and microwave it to serve :)
Kate says
Hi! I love your recipes. Just tried out this one but on stove top as I don’t have a slow cooker unfortunately! I fried the onion and peppers (no mushrooms as I hate them!), added the garlic and ginger then the rest of the spices, then added the paneer and chopped tomatoes. Also added some frozen peas for good measure. I’ve covered it and I’m going to leave it on a low heat for 2 hours as I read that’s about the conversion time for slow cooker to stove top. Looking forward to seeing how it turns out! Mainly curious about the paneer as I usually fry it before adding it.
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
Hope you enjoy it! :) To be honest I wouldn't bother leaving it two hours - using a slow cooker is a great way to do hands-off cooking, but it doesn't actually need that long if you're doing it on the stovetop anyway. I'd just bubble it gently for 20 minutes or so, or until it looks right :)
Shaun @ 10Warriors says
HI Becca,
I'm becoming much more aware of what I puit in my body is what I become, and Im trying to eliminate most if not all meat products. It's going to take a bit of time, but for now I will be happy to eliminate most of the junk foods I've become accdustomed to the last 40 odd years, and turn to raw veggies and fruits.. all organic by the way..
So, that asid,e I'm looking for veggie recipes that appeal, and I can be a bit picky, but this one jumped out. I probably won't have all the ingredients as I don't like some of them, but looking forward to try this one out.. so.. thanks!
Shaun
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Thanks for your comment Shaun! I hope you'll find plenty of veggie inspiration here :)
Sima says
Hey Becca,
This is completely a new recipe for me with slow cooker. Hope it will yummy and Will try soon.
Thanks for sharing.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Thanks, hope you enjoy it! :)
Linda says
Thanks for sharing
Michael says
Thanks so much for this recipe. I'm really looking forward to trying it!!!
I love paneer and I'm always neglecting my slow cooker, so this is a really good excuse. :)
Cheers!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Thanks Michael! I neglect mine too much too, but I always enjoy using it!
Megan says
I am always looking for slow cooker recipes. Love mine and make soup weekly with it. This looks really good, I am going to try it this week!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Hope you enjoy it Megan! :)