Vegetable and paneer dishes
Calories in Kadai Paneer
One bowl of kadai paneer has about 344 kcal, with 13.8 g of protein, 23.4 g of carbohydrate and 21.7 g of fat. In the Indian Nutrient Databank's recipe, 50 g of paneer is cooked with 100 g of tomato, 75 g of onion, capsicum and tomato puree in 1 tablespoon of oil. Restaurant bowls with more paneer and oil are higher.
Nutrition in 1 bowl of kadai paneer
| Nutrient | 1 bowl of kadai paneer | 2 bowls of kadai paneer |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 344 kcal | 688 kcal |
| Protein | 13.8 g | 27.6 g |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 23.4 g | 46.8 g |
| Total fat | 21.7 g | 43.4 g |
| Dietary fibre | 6.6 g | 13.2 g |
| Sugars | 17.6 g | 35.2 g |
Of this energy, about 27% comes from carbohydrate, 57% from fat and 16% from protein.
1 bowl of kadai paneer is about 16% of the daily energy requirement of a sedentary adult man and 21% of a sedentary adult woman's (ICMR-NIN, 2020).
These figures are from the Indian Nutrient Databank (INDB), which calculates each dish from a standard recipe using Indian food composition data. They describe that recipe and that serving: a larger portion, or more oil, ghee or sugar, gives more. Source: Vijayakumar A, Dubasi HB, Awasthi A, Jaacks LM. Development of an Indian Food Composition Database. Current Developments in Nutrition. 2024;8(7):103790 (Indian Nutrient Databank, INDB).
What this figure covers
Kadai paneer is paneer and capsicum in a thick tomato and onion masala. The recipe behind the figure uses 50 g of paneer, 100 g of tomato, 75 g of onion, 30 g of capsicum, 2 tablespoons of tomato puree and 1 tablespoon of oil, and counts all of it as one bowl. That is a substantial serving of a rich dish, more than the katori many homes would serve per person, so a smaller helping scales down accordingly. Restaurant kadai paneer usually has more paneer and visibly more oil than this recipe.
Fat supplies 57% of the energy, carbohydrate 27% and protein 16%. The 21.7 g of fat comes from two places, the tablespoon of oil and the paneer, and the paneer accounts for most of the part that is saturated. The carbohydrate comes largely from the generous quantity of tomato, onion and puree in the masala. Compared with matar paneer at 374 kcal, kadai paneer is a little lighter and lower in protein, 13.8 g against 18.3 g, because capsicum takes the place of peas.
What goes into one serving
The recipe INDB analysed makes 1 bowl. These are its main ingredients; spices, salt and water are left out.
What changes the number
- 01
Oil in the kadai
The masala is fried in a tablespoon of oil, and the dish is meant to look glossy. Each extra teaspoon is about 44 kcal, so a bowl of kadai paneer cooked with one more comes to 388 kcal.
- 02
Paneer cubes per serving
This bowl has 50 g of paneer. Restaurant portions tend to be built around more paneer and less vegetable, which raises both protein and fat. A home version with more capsicum and onion and the same paneer is lighter per spoonful.
- 03
Fried paneer and butter
Paneer that is deep-fried before going into the masala, and a spoon of butter or ghee to finish, are common restaurant habits. A teaspoon of ghee takes this bowl to 389 kcal and two teaspoons to 434 kcal.
- 04
Serving size
Half the recipe's bowl is about 172 kcal. When kadai paneer is one of several dishes shared at a table, that half bowl may be the more realistic figure for one person's helping.
How kadai paneer compares
Other dishes of the same kind, one serving each, lightest first. Serving sizes differ, so read the serving before the number.
| Dish | One serving | Energy (kcal) | Protein (g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bharwa Bhindi | 1 bowl of bharwa bhindi | 104 | 2.3 |
| Cabbage Matar | 1 bowl of cabbage matar | 106 | 5.4 |
| Sookhe Aloo | 1 bowl of sookhe aloo | 109 | 1.7 |
| Sarson ka Saag | 1 bowl of sarson ka saag | 124 | 4.3 |
| Aloo ki Sabzi | 1 bowl of aloo ki sabzi | 181 | 3.1 |
| Bhindi Sabzi | 1 bowl of bhindi sabzi | 184 | 3 |
| Soya Chunks Curry | 1 bowl of soya chunks curry | 184 | 6.8 |
| Aloo Gobi | 1 bowl of aloo gobi | 187 | 3.3 |
| Aloo Palak | 1 bowl of aloo palak | 192 | 5.5 |
| Beans Thoran | 1 bowl of beans thoran | 197 | 3.9 |
| Baingan Bharta | 1 bowl of baingan bharta | 212 | 4.5 |
| Masala Arbi | 1 bowl of masala arbi | 215 | 3.5 |
| Dahi Aloo | 1 bowl of dahi aloo | 227 | 5.9 |
| Paneer Butter Masala | 1 bowl of paneer butter masala | 228 | 11 |
| Palak Paneer | 1 bowl of palak paneer | 230 | 11.9 |
| Bharwa Karela | 1 bowl of bharwa karela | 231 | 1.4 |
| Matar Mushroom | 1 bowl of matar mushroom | 259 | 10.7 |
| Aloo Methi | 1 bowl of aloo methi | 276 | 4.6 |
| Aloo Matar | 1 bowl of aloo matar | 280 | 9.7 |
| Kadai Paneer | 1 bowl of kadai paneer | 344 | 13.8 |
| Matar Paneer | 1 bowl of matar paneer | 374 | 18.3 |
| Paneer Tikka | 1 plate of paneer tikka | 412 | 22.4 |
In a meal and in a day
One bowl of kadai paneer is about 16% of a sedentary man's daily energy requirement and 21% of a woman's. Eaten with naan or butter roti, as it usually is outside the home, the meal becomes heavy quickly: two bowls alone are 688 kcal with 43.4 g of fat. At home, a bowl with plain rotis and a salad is a complete meal, with 13.8 g of protein and 6.6 g of fibre, and does not need a dal alongside.
Ways to keep it lighter
- Double the capsicum and add onion petals so each bowl has more vegetable for the same 50 g of paneer.
- Fry the masala in 2 teaspoons of oil and let the tomatoes cook down in their own juice.
- Toss in the paneer at the end without deep-frying it.
- Share one bowl of kadai paneer between two people when the meal includes dal or another sabzi.
Before you rely on the number
Kadai paneer is one of the richer vegetarian dishes: 21.7 g of fat in a bowl, part of it the saturated fat of paneer. Restaurant versions go higher, on fat and usually on salt too. Anyone managing cholesterol, blood pressure or a heart condition should keep to the portions and fat limits their doctor or dietitian has set.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
Kadai Paneer: common questions
How many calories are in 2 bowls of kadai paneer?
A second bowl takes the total to about 688 kcal, with 27.6 g of protein, 46.8 g of carbohydrate and 43.4 g of fat. Three bowls come to 1,032 kcal. Half a bowl, about 172 kcal, is a fairer figure when the dish is shared.
How much protein is in kadai paneer?
About 13.8 g in a bowl, 16% of its energy, almost all from the 50 g of paneer. That is more than palak paneer (11.9 g) and paneer butter masala (11 g) in this comparison, and less than matar paneer (18.3 g), where peas add to the paneer.
Is kadai paneer good for weight loss?
It is the second-heaviest bowl of sabzi here at 344 kcal, so it needs handling as a main dish. The protein makes it satisfying, and a home version with less oil and more capsicum is reasonable with plain roti. A restaurant portion with naan is another matter. For weight loss the day's total intake counts, and kadai paneer takes a large slice of it.
Kadai paneer or paneer butter masala: which has more calories?
In this set of recipes kadai paneer does: 344 kcal a bowl against 228 kcal for paneer butter masala. Both use the same weight of paneer per bowl, but this kadai paneer recipe has more tomato and onion and a tablespoon of oil. At a restaurant the order can easily reverse, since makhani gravy is made with a lot of butter and cream.
The recipe, the ingredients and related reading
Kadai Paneer
The recipe on this site, step by step.
Capsicum: nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Tomato: nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Onion: nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Paneer: nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
How Much Protein Is in 100 g of Paneer, and in a Normal Serving?
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Vegetarian Protein Sources in India: Full Food List
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Which Cooking Oil Is Best in India? Mustard, Groundnut, Rice Bran and More
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Indian food calorie counter
Add up a whole plate in rotis, katoris and cups.
Calories in every dish
All the cooked dishes, with calories per serving.
Learn to read a plate
Certification in Nutrition
Estimating what is on a plate and turning it into a meal plan is taught in this NNWA course.