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.

Here are some more Pulao Recipes, that you can make for your everyday meals – Prawn Pulao, Chicken Pulao, Mumbai Style Tawa Pulao, Gobi Pulao, and Pudina Rice.

About This Recipe

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

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

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.

This pulao is,

• Delicious
• High in Protein
• Filled with the goodness of veggies
• Easy to make
• Apt for weekday meals

Ingredients

Rice – You can opt for Long Grain Basmati Rice to make this Pulao. They are very aromatic and turns out nice and fluffy.

Paneer – This is the key ingredient, that gives this Pulao a rich touch. Also, it is high in protein, so good to include it in everyday meals. You can make Paneer at home or even use the store-bought one.

Vegetables – Along with Paneer, you can also add some onions, carrot, and peas, just like I have added. You can add more vegetables of your choice to make it wholesome and nutritious.

Whole Spices – As we are not using any spice powders in this recipe, it gets its taste from whole spices such as cumin seeds, bay leaf, black pepper, cinnamon, green cardamom, and black cardamom.

Mint and Coriander Leaves – Along with a hint of freshness, it also adds a nice color to the Pulao.

Other Ingredients – We will also require oil, ghee, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste, salt, water, and garam masala powder.

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.

Now 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storage Suggestions

This Pulao lasts in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days, when stored properly in an airtight container. Reheat it properly in a pan or in the microwave before serving.

If you feel the Pulao has become a little dry, you can sprinkle a little water on top while reheating.

Serving Suggestions

Paneer Pulao can be served on its own with a side of Raita such as Boondi Raita, Cucumber Raita, Palak Raita, Burani Raita, or any Raita of your choice.

You can also serve it with Indian Curries and Dals such as Rajma Masala, Chole Masala, Dal Makhani, etc.

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. 

Tawa – Just add in some Pav Bhaji masala along with other spice powders to make this Pulao spicy.

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.

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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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.

4.43 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 491kcal

Author: Neha Mathur

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• 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)

US Customary or Metric

Instructions

• Wash the rice and soak in water for 30 minutes.
• 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.
• Now 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.
• Drain the rice and add it in the pan and stir 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.

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.

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