Paneer Pulao

Paneer Pulao is a healthy and delicious rice dish that can be made under 30 minutes and makes for a great lunch box option. Here is how to make it.

Rice and paneer are two fav ingredients in my house. I am always looking out for dishes made using these two ingredients.

Today we will be seeing how you can make a finger-licking, power-packed main course meal by following just a few simple steps and using these two ingredients as the star.

Among the variety of dishes that can be made with rice, paneer pulao is the easiest rice recipe you can even try your hands on.

The roasted paneer cubes coated with fluffy rice and flavored with a lot of aromatic spices are a heavenly combination to indulge ourselves in.

Paneer cubes roasted nicely in pure desi ghee not only adds to the nutritive value of the pulao but also enhances the overall look of the dish.

Adding some finely chopped vegetables of your choice makes the pulao a lot more delicious and healthier.

Make this delectable dish in your next get together party or for your office or for your kid’s lunch box and see how your loved ones would not stop thanking you enough for tantalizing their taste buds.

Now lets us know all about this amazingly delicious fried rice recipe.

What is Paneer Pulao?

It is an absolute lip-smacking main course meal which is made by roasting large paneer cubes in ghee and then cooking them with rice.

Rice and paneer are infused with a lot of aromatic spices in order to make the pulao spicy and flavourful.

It is a one-pot meal which is healthy, delicious, and easy to make.

Serving Suggestions

It go really well with some nice curd or raita by its side.

Mixed pickles, Pappas, or any sort of Indian curry such as dal, rajma masala, chole masala, etc. perfectly complements Paneer Pulao.

Can you make it in a pressure cooker?

Yes, you can make paneer pulao in a pressure cooker as well.

Just follow the steps given below in a pressure cooker rather than in a kadhai or a pan and cook the rice for about 1 whistle on high flame and then one whistle on low flame.

Remove the pressure cooker from heat immediately and let the pressure release naturally.

Make sure to use fresh and soft paneer as it tends to get a little harder and chewy when cooked in a pressure cooker.

Can we make it with Brown Rice?

In order to make an even healthier version of paneer pulao, you can always use brown rice instead of white rice.

Just replace white rice with brown rice, increase the amount of water to 2 and 1/2 cups and rest the entire procedure and all the measurements are exactly the same.

Variations

Paneer Tikka Pulao – To make it a lot more flavorful, you can convert it into a Paneer Tikka Pulao.

Just marinate paneer cubes in a nice mixture of hung curd and some spice powders for ½ an hour and then roast them and add them into the pulao.

Achari – If you are also a pickle fan like I am, then you would also love giving an achari twist to your paneer pulao as I do. 

Add 2 tsp of my homemade Achari Masala in the pulao along with 2 tsp of oil from the mango pickle.

Add it while cooking vegetables for the pulao and mix it nicely along with the rice.

This is how you can give an amazing achari twist to your regular paneer pulao. 

With Palak – Add 1/4 cup of spinach puree in the rice while cooking and make Palak Paneer Pulao.

Other Variations – You can add corn, matar or peas, sautéed mushroom, methi, aloo, etc to this pulao for a change in taste.

You can replace rice with quinoa for a healthier version.

You can even replace water with coconut milk for a very flavourful pulao.

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Step by Step Recipe

Heat oil in a pan.

Add paneer cubes and fry until browned from all the sides. Remove them on a plate and keep aside.

Add ghee in the same pan.

Once the ghee is hot, add cumin seeds, bay leaf, black pepper, cinnamon, green cardamom and black cardamom and let them crackle for a few seconds.

Add green chillies and ginger garlic paste and fry for a few seconds.

Add onion and fry until they turn golden brown.

Add carrot and peas and cook for minute.

Add the fried paneer pieces, salt, garam masala powder, water, coriander and mint and mix everything gently.

Cover the lid of the pan and cook the pulao on low heat until rice is cooked and all the water is absorbed.

Remove the pan from heat and let it rest for 5 minutes. Fluff the pulao using a fork. Serve hot with a raita.

4.5 from 6 votes

Print

Paneer Pulao Recipe

Paneer Pulao is a healthy and delicious rice dish which can be made under 30 minutes and makes for a great lunch box option. Here is how to make it.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 491 kcal

Author Neha Mathur

Ingredients

• 1 cup Long Grain Basmati Rice
• 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 200 g Paneer Cut into cubes
• 2 tbsp Ghee
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 2 Bay Leaf
• 3-4 Black Peppercorns
• 1 inch Cinnamon
• 2 Green Cardamom
• 1 Black Cardamom
• 2-3 Green Chillies
• 2 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1 cup Onion Thinly Sliced
• 1/2 cup Carrot Cubed
• 1/2 cup Peas
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
• 2 cups Water
• 1 tbsp Fresh Coriander Chopped
• 1 tbsp Mint Chopped

Instructions

1. Wash the rice and soak in water for 30 minutes.

2. Heat oil in a pan.

3. Add paneer cubes and fry until browned from all the sides.

4. Remove them on a plate and keep aside.

5. Add ghee in the same pan.

6. Once the ghee is hot, add cumin seeds, bay leaf, black pepper, cinnamon, green cardamom and black cardamom and let them crackle for a few seconds.

7. Add green chillies and ginger garlic paste and fry for a few seconds.

8. Add onion and fry until they turn golden brown.

9. Add carrot and peas and cook for minute

10. Add the fried paneer pieces, salt, garam masala powder, water, coriander and mint and mix everything gently.

11. Drain the rice and add it in the pan and stir gently.

12. Cover the lid of the pan and cook the pulao on low heat until rice is cooked and all the water is absorbed.

13. Remove the pan from heat and let it rest for 5 minutes.

14. Fluff the pulao using a fork.

15. Serve hot with a raita.

Recipe Notes

You can replace white rice with brown rice but make sure to change the amount of liquid and the time of cooking as well.

Use the paneer cubes that are not brittle. They will otherwise crumble while frying.

Nutrition Facts

Paneer Pulao Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 491 Calories from Fat 243

% Daily Value*

Fat 27g42%

Saturated Fat 18g113%

Cholesterol 52mg17%

Sodium 112mg5%

Potassium 228mg7%

Carbohydrates 49g16%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 2829IU57%

Vitamin C 14mg17%

Calcium 284mg28%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.