50+ Paneer Recipes
Love paneer? Then try these 50 plus paneer recipes including appetizers, main course, and desserts.
Also known as Indian Cottage Cheese, it is one of those ingredients that is cherished by almost everyone. Try some of the most famous paneer recipes including kadai paneer, paneer pakora, rasmalai, paneer ki kheer and many more.
What is Paneer
Paneer is a versatile ingredient made with milk that can be used in various ways when it comes to Indian cooking. You can use it to make curries, rice, appetizers, homemade simple sabzi, Pulav or even desserts, the options are endless.
It is also called Indian cottage cheese. It is a non-aged, non-melting cheese that is prepared with curdled milk. It is the favorite of many vegetarians from India. Most party menus would include paneer dishes and recipes made with paneer would be on the top in any Indian restaurants.
It is considered a rich and royal ingredient, therefore, you will definitely find a dish that has Paneer as its star ingredient in most of the festive or special meals. Every paneer recipe is unique in its appeal and taste.
Where to buy Paneer
In India, most milk dairies and sweet shops would sell freshly made paneer. Now it is also commercially available in super markets both in fresh and frozen aisles. Fresh ones generally have a shelf life of about 20 days when kept in refrigerator; while the frozen ones can be kept for many months.
In the US, you would find paneer in any Indian grocery store or even at Costco. You would again find both fresh and frozen variety. Fresh paneer is generally sold as a slab and is good for recipes that need larger pieces of paneer like paneer pakora. You can cut fresh paneer slabs in the size and shape required.
The frozen paneer comes in small cubes and is good for everyday homemade paneer recipes like matar paneer or paneer pulao.
How to make Paneer at home?
You can always make paneer at home very easily. To prepare paneer at home, you will need just 2 ingredients – whole milk & a curdling agent (lemon juice or vinegar). I use lemon juice when I want softer paneer for recipes like paneer bhurji and desserts like paneer kheer. For making paneer slabs I use vinegar.
To prepare the paneer, heat the milk in a pan and let it come to a light boil. Add the curdling agent and stir gently. Milk will start to curdle, keep stirring until the water separates.
Now, using a muslin cloth or cheesecloth strain the water. To set the paneer, wrap the paneer tightly in the cloth and press it down with something heavy like a cast iron pan. Once it is set properly in about 2 hours you can use it for your recipes.
There are 100’s of Indian recipes that can be prepared using paneer. This list is endless! I’ve grouped them here so you can find one easily.
Craving more? Subscribe to Whisk Affair to get new recipes and a newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! And stay in touch on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Paneer Methi Masala Recipe
Ingredients
To Marinate The Paneer
- 200 grams paneer
- ¼ cup thick plain yogurt (dahi, curd)
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 tablespoon crushed Kasuri methi
- ¼ cup crispy fried onion
- 1 tablespoon mustard oil (or any other cooking oil)
For The Gravy
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ cup thinly sliced onions
- 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
- ½ cup pureed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 cup chopped methi leaves (fenugreek leaves) (packed)
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened heavy cream
Instructions
Marinate The Paneer
- Rinse the paneer slab with water and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
- Note – If the paneer is chewy, then soak the cubes in hot water for 10 minutes.
- Mix all the marination ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.
- Add the paneer pieces to the bowl and mix well to coat them with the marinade. Set the bowl aside.
Make The Curry
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add onions and cook them until they are slightly browned (6-8 minutes), stirring frequently.
- Add ginger garlic paste and cook for 3-4 minutes until the onions are nicely browned.
- Add cumin seeds and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- Now add pureed tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir frequently while cooking.
- Add salt, coriander powder, chili powder, and turmeric powder, and cook until oil starts to separate from the sides of the pan.
- Add some water if required.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Now add methi leaves and mix well.
- Cover the pan and cook for 2 minutes.
- Now add the marinated paneer along with the marinade and 1 cup of water and mix well.
- Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add heavy cream and cook for another minute.
- Check for salt and add more if needed. Serve hot.
Thanks for sharing your great views with us. I love your writing by my heart. really nice knowledge giving to visitors.