Paneer Dishes Compared: Which Is Leanest, Which Has Most Protein
By Shivam Verma, FounderPublished Last updated
Paneer is a great vegetarian protein, but the dish you cook it into changes everything. Paneer tikka is grilled and lean; paneer butter masala and shahi paneer drown it in cream. Same paneer, very different plates. This page ranks the common paneer dishes on calories and protein so you can get the protein without the cream tax when you want to.
Paneer dishes, ranked by protein
Gravies are one katori, 150 g. Paneer tikka is a plate, because that is how it is served and eaten.
| Dish | Protein (g) | Calories | Fat (g) | Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paneer tikka1 plate (150 g) | 18 | 265 | 17.0 | Grilled, no gravy |
| Paneer butter masala | 13.8 | 360 | 30.5 | Butter and cream |
| Kadai paneer | 13 | 240 | 16.0 | Semi dry, peppers |
| Palak paneer | 11.4 | 230 | 17.6 | Spinach gravy |
| Matar paneer | 11 | 220 | 13.0 | Tomato and peas |
| Shahi paneer | 11 | 290 | 22.0 | Cream and cashew |
Read the fat column next to the protein one. Paneer butter masala and kadai paneer are within 1 g of protein of each other, and 14.5 g of fat apart.
The cream tax
Paneer itself does not change between these dishes. What changes is how much of the katori is paneer and how much is gravy, and what that gravy is made of.
Grilling is the cheapest way to eat paneer because nothing dilutes it. A plate of paneer tikka is mostly paneer, so 265 calories buys 18 g of protein. A katori of shahi paneer is paneer suspended in cream and cashew paste, so 290 calories buys 11 g. Same ingredient, nearly the same calories, and 7 g of protein difference.
Matar paneer is the quiet winner among the gravies. The peas add bulk and fibre in place of cream, which is why it is the lightest of them at 220 calories while holding the same 11 g of protein as shahi paneer at 290.
The verdict
For lean protein, paneer tikka, and it is not close. 18 g a plate with no gravy to dilute it, and the lowest fat per gram of protein on the list.
For an everyday gravy, kadai paneer or matar paneer. Kadai gives you the most protein of the gravies at 13 g; matar is the lightest at 220 calories. Both keep the cream out.
Paneer butter masala and shahi paneer are treats. They are not bad protein, they are expensive protein: you pay 30.5 g of fat for 13.8 g of protein in the butter masala, which is a trade worth making sometimes and not on a Tuesday.
For what a paneer dish costs inside a full meal, build the plate in the Indian food calorie calculator and switch the gravy for a grilled starter to see the difference.
Common questions
Which paneer dish has the most protein?
Paneer tikka, at about 18g protein per plate, because it is mostly paneer with no diluting cream gravy. The gravy dishes sit around 11-13g a katori.
Which paneer dish is lowest in calories?
Matar paneer (about 220 a katori) and palak paneer (about 230) are the lightest gravies. Paneer tikka is about 265 a plate but the highest protein. Paneer butter masala is the heaviest at about 360.
Is paneer good for weight loss?
Yes, if you choose the dish well. Paneer tikka or a light matar/palak paneer gives strong protein without heavy cream. Butter masala and shahi paneer are treats because of the cream and cashew gravy.
Every dish in this comparison
Related guides
- High-Protein Indian Foods, Ranked Per Serving
The Indian foods that actually deliver protein, ranked, from paneer tikka and chicken tikka to chana dal. Real numbers per serving, not per 100g marketing.
- Which Dal Has the Most Protein? All 5 Compared
Chana dal leads at about 11g protein per katori, moong is the lightest. Here are the common dals ranked by protein, calories, and when to eat each one.
- Homemade vs Restaurant Indian Food: Calorie Gap
Restaurant Indian food runs 30 to 50 percent higher in calories than home cooking, and the reason is invisible: 3 to 5 times the oil, ghee, and cream.
See all of them on the guides and tools hub.
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