A vegetarians’ paradise–Paneer or cottage cheese is a popular soft cheese used widely in India. In fact, paneer is one of the most versatile ingredients in an Indian household. Not only is it tasty, but paneer is also packed with nutrition. In fact, paneer is an excellent protein source for vegetarians. It is also low on carbohydrates, so if you are a vegetarian on a keto diet, paneer is your savior. Paneer is a favorite with kids, too. They enjoy it as a bhurji, as a stuffing in a parantha, or sometimes even as a filling in a home-style paneer and capsicum sandwich. Here is a list of the top 30 interesting paneer dishes ways in which you can relish the best paneer dishes.
Some of these paneer-based recipes are quick and easy to make, some are simple paneer dishes, and some restaurant-style. Your regular query of ‘what to make with paneer’ will be answered after reading this post.
Table of Contents
How To Make Paneer (Cottage Cheese) Recipe At Home With Vinegar (Sirka)
A lot of people love to eat freshly made paneer (chenna) at home in India. You can make paneer at home too with just two ingredients. It’s easy to make and you can be assured that there are no additives.
| Ingredients | Quantity |
| Full cream milk | 1 Litre |
| Lemon juice or vinegar (sirka) | 1 Tablespoon |
Method
- In a vessel, pour the milk and bring it to a boil.
- Add the lemon juice/vinegar and bring it to a boil again.
- Once the curds separate from the whey, strain the contents through a muslin cloth.
- Pack the paneer in a thick cloth and put a plate on top for weighing it down and help the cottage cheese take shape.
- You can make different types of paneer too. You can add chopped ginger, jeera, and coriander leaves to the milk to make masala paneer.
- Tip – Do not throw out the whey, use it to knead your dough. The chapatis will come out soft and fluffy.
Classic Paneer Dishes – List Of Best Home Style Paneer Dishes
Nothing beats a bowlful of yummy home-style paneer with some freshly made rotis slathered with ghee or a plateful of steamed rice. Here are some simple paneer recipes that can be cooked at home with a few humble ingredients.
1) Paneer Bhurji Recipe | An easy to make paneer dish
- Preparation Time – 10 minutes
- Cooking Time – 15 minutes
Paneer bhurji is one of the most easy-to-make classic paneer dishes. Crumbled paneer in a chopped onion-tomato base with spices like turmeric and red chilies is a popular favorite. Add a dollop of butter or ghee for the tempering to bring out the flavors.
Serving suggestion – Eat paneer bhurji with a flaky paratha or some butter doused tawa bread. SO yum!
2) Matar Paneer Recipe | A paneer dish with simple flavors
- Preparation Time – 20 minutes
- Cooking Time – 25 minutes
Matar paneer is a perfect Thursday night dinner when the weekend is almost there and you need some excellent vegetarian dishes for a home-style meal. Matar paneer is fairly simple to make. Best prepared in a pressure cooker, Matar paneer has rich tomato gravy and is made with sweet peas and some velvety paneer cubes.
Serving suggestion – Warm, soft chapatis with a bowl of Matar paneer is very heavenly.
3) Paneer Kofta Recipe | Soft paneer balls doused in a yummy gravy
- Preparation Time – 30 minutes
- Cooking Time – 25 minutes
Koftas are made with mashed paneer, spices, and refined flour. Rolled into small balls, fried till golden, and then these koftas are dipped in a luscious, creamy gravy. Paneer koftas are the perfect answer for those looking for tasty dinner recipes.
Serving suggestion – Crisp homemade parathas or a butter-laden naan would go well with paneer koftas.
4) Palak Paneer Recipe | Paneer made with the goodness of spinach
- Preparation Time – 30 minutes
- Cooking Time – 30 minutes
If Popeye was Indian, he would’ve probably eaten palak paneer all day, every day. Palak paneer is basically pureed spinach cooked with spices and tomatoes. Add some cubes of paneer and a dollop of ghee on top for that shiny deliciousness. (Read our review of the tastiest ready-to-eat palak paneer available in the Indian markets)
Serving suggestion – Peas pulao (Matar wale chawal) and a bowl of cool raita pair beautifully with palak paneer. You can also eat it with chapatis.
5) Paneer Paratha Recipe
- Preparation Time – 20 minutes
- Cooking Time – 10 minutes
Parathas are a staple in almost all North Indian homes. Grated paneer mixed with onions, coriander leaves, green chilies, and spices makes for an excellent filling for a paratha that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
Serving suggestion – You can have paneer parathas with a dollop of butter on top, your favorite pickle on the side, or some curd.
6) Paneer Masala Recipe | A hassle-free recipe
- Preparation Time – 20 minutes
- Cooking Time – 15 minutes
The classic masala of finely chopped onions, tomatoes, capsicum, and spices make for one of the easiest paneer recipes to can make in your kitchen with just a few simple ingredients. Just add small cubes of paneer to it and you are all set.
Serving suggestion – Parathas and chapatis taste great with paneer masala.
7) Paneer Pulao Recipe
- Preparation Time – 40 minutes
- Cooking Time – 30 minutes
Pulao (or pulav) is so versatile that you can add anything to it and it would always be as tasty. Adding some fried pieces of paneer to the rice when they are almost ready is nothing short of heavenly. You can also make this dish in rice cookers, for a quick and filling meal.
Serving suggestion – Serve paneer pulao with a boondi raita and a tangy dhaniya-pudina (mint and coriander) chutney.
8) Methi Malai Paneer Recipe | An aromatic paneer dish
- Preparation Time – 30 minutes
- Cooking Time – 30 minutes
Methi (fenugreek) pulsed and pureed and cooked with khada masalas. Add a dollop of malai or some fresh cream and small cubes of paneer. This dish is packed with the goodness of methi.
Serving suggestion – Methi malai paneer tastes great with homemade ghee smeared rotis.
9) Paneer Aloo Recipe | A weekday dinner
- Preparation Time – 15 minutes
- Cooking Time – 20 minutes
Paneer aloo is our savior when the other vegetable at home is karele or tinde. Paneer aloo is a staple in most Indian households with twists of their own.
Serving suggestion – Homemade chapatis are unbeatable with some aloo paneer.
10) Kalakand Recipe | For people with a sweet tooth
- Preparation Time – 10 minutes
- Cooking Time – 20 minutes
Kalakand is a popular Indian sweet that can be easily made at home. Homemade paneer (chenna) cooked with condensed milk, cardamom, and topped with nuts.
Easy Paneer Dishes In Under 30 Minutes
Don’t have time to make some tediously long recipe for dinner? Here are three quick and easy paneer dishes which can be made in under 30 minutes. No kidding!
1) Chilli Paneer Recipe | A Chinese-style paneer dish made under 30 minutes
- Preparation Time – 10 minutes
- Cooking Time – 15 minutes
- Quick and Easy Paneer Recipe
One of the easiest paneer recipes to whip up is chili paneer. Oriental food with a Desi twist, chili paneer can be made in under 30 minutes. In a hot wok add oil, chopped garlic, diced onions, and capsicum. Add some chili sauce, soy sauce, vinegar and seasoning, and pan-fried/deep-fried cubes of paneer.
Serving suggestion – Serve chili paneer with fried rice or Hakka noodles.
2) Tomato Paneer Recipe | 20 minutes to make a delicious paneer dish
- Preparation Time – 10 minutes
- Cooking Time – 10 minutes
- Quick and Easy Paneer Recipe
20 minutes – That’s all it takes to make a yummy bowl of tomato paneer. Just add some garlic, tomato puree, milk, and chunks of paneer.
Serving suggestion – Tomato paneer goes best with homemade chapatis.
3) Kashmiri Paneer Recipe | Mild flavored paneer dish
- Preparation Time – 10 minutes
- Cooking Time – 10 minutes
- Quick and Easy Paneer Recipe
A few khada masalas (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf), saunf and ginger powder, deep-fried chunks of paneer, and milk. That’s all. This white-colored Kashmiri paneer dish is ready in under 20 minutes. We promise we are not joking. This recipe is also known as Kashmiri Chaaman.
Serving suggestion – A mountain of rice, some mooli chutney and tangy dum aloo are the perfect accompaniments for this Kashmiri paneer.
4) Schezwan Paneer Recipe | A desi Chinese paneer dish
- Preparation Time – 10 minutes
- Cooking Time – 10 minutes
- Quick and Easy Paneer Recipe
Spicy schezwan sauce tossed with veggies and fried pieces of paneer is quick and easy to make. You can use a readymade schezwan sauce to make this at home and add veggies of your choice.
Serving suggestion – Hakka noodles or fried rice.
5) Grilled Paneer Sandwich Recipe | A kid-friendly paneer dish
- Preparation Time – 5 minutes
- Cooking Time – 5 minutes
- Quick and Easy Paneer Recipe
Sandwiches are convenient to pack for tiffin or a meal on the go. And what better than to stuff some paneer and vegetables to make a home-style sandwich with familiar flavors. Add veggies of your choice to the paneer and grill it between two slices of bread. Spread some pizza sauce on both sides for a tasty experience.
Serving suggestion – Ketchup and potato fries or potato wedges.
Best Restaurant Style Paneer Recipes
Sometimes all you want is restaurant-grade food at home and what better than some delicious paneer dishes to try your hand at.
1) Kadhai Paneer Recipe |A classic restaurant paneer dish
- Preparation Time – 20 minutes
- Cooking Time – 20 minutes
Kadhai paneer is one of the most popular paneer recipes you can come across in India. Kadhai paneer has a spicy base with roughly diced vegetables and masalas.
Serving suggestion – Roomali rotis taste brilliant with kadhai paneer.
2) Paneer Butter Masala / Paneer Makhni Recipe | A staple paneer dish
- Preparation Time – 20 minutes
- Cooking Time – 25 minutes
When you cannot decide what to cook for the guests, blindly grab some tomatoes and make a butter masala sauce. A velvety gravy with tomatoes, cream and kasoori methi, Paneer butter masala is always a crowd-pleaser. These days, there are readymade paneer makhani sauces available in the market too.
Serving suggestion – Butter naan and vinegar onions. Nothing else.
3) Shahi Paneer Recipe | An undying paneer classic
- Preparation Time – 20 minutes
- Cooking Time – 25 minutes
As the name suggests, shahi paneer is truly shahi. It is made with cashew paste, tomatoes, aromatic spices, yogurt, and cream.
Serving suggestion – Shahi paneer is best enjoyed with a crisp lachcha parantha or butter naan.
4) Paneer Kishmish Korma Recipe | Sweet and sour paneer dish
- Preparation Time – 10 minutes
- Cooking Time – 20 minutes
Grated paneer cooked in spices, raisins, and milk makes for an aromatic korma. This paneer dish is preferred by those who love adding some sweetness to their meals.
Serving suggestion – Paneer kishmish korma and a warm lachcha paratha is a match made in heaven.
Low Fat Paneer Recipes
We all are always looking for low-fat recipes that can be enjoyed guilt-free. Here are the top three low-fat paneer recipes that are popular amongst a large audience.
1) Paneer Tikka Recipe | A popular paneer starter
- Preparation Time – 1 hour
- Cooking Time – 45 minutes
Paneer cubes, onions, tomatoes, and capsicum marinated in a yogurt base. Cooked in a tandoor for that beautiful smokey flavor. Paneer tikka can also be cooked on a grill pan at home.
Serving suggestion – Onion rings, green chutney, and a roomali roti are the perfect accompaniments.
2) Paneer Kebab Recipe | A succulent paneer dish
- Preparation Time – 20 minutes
- Cooking Time – 15-20 minutes
The food industry is buzzing with kebabs all around. For a vegetarian who loves to eat kebabs, we bring a paneer kebab recipe that is grilled on a tawa. Use olive oil to cook the kebabs. Mix grated paneer with spices and veggies of your choice and make small kebabs. On a hot tawa add a spoonful of olive oil and grill the kebabs on both sides till they form a golden-brown crust.
Serving suggestion – A vibrant green garlic and coriander chutney would taste lovely with the paneer kebabs.
3) Paneer Steaks Recipe | A BBQ kick
- Preparation Time – 1 hour
- Cooking Time – 15 minutes
This continental recipe uses zero oil. Cut paneer into thick steak-like pieces. Add a spoonful of BBQ sauce, chilies, salt, and oregano. Let it sit for 40 minutes in the refrigerator. On a grill pan, cook it on both sides. You can add any sauces, spices, or herbs in the marination according to your tastebuds.
Serving suggestion – Paneer steak can be served with steamed vegetables and toast.
4) Paneer Stuffed Capsicums Recipe | Healthy paneer dish
- Preparation Time – 20 minutes
- Cooking Time – 25 minutes
Crumbled paneer with chopped onions, corn, bell peppers, and Italian seasoning. Stuffed in capsicum cases and baked till cooked. You can use the same filling to stuff tomatoes and potatoes too.
Serving suggestion – Serve these with a chili sauce or a hearty tomato salsa.
Paneer Snacks – How to make vegetarian starters using paneer
Fancy schmancy, molecular-this, gastronomy-that, starters are welcome. Sure! But nothing beats some hearty classic snacks. For a vegetarian, no event is complete with some piping hot starters made with paneer.
1) Paneer Cheela Recipe | Healthy and flavorsome
- Preparation Time – Overnight
- Cooking Time – 30 minutes
Call it a ‘shaadi’ chaat counter dish or a power-packed breakfast, daal chillas stuffed with a paneer and vegetable filling is nothing short of perfection. For this, you will need to soak the dal overnight to prepare a smooth batter.
Serving suggestion – Serve paneer chilla with meethi saunth and a chili-coriander chutney.
2) Paneer Kathi Roll Recipe | With a delectable paneer stuffing
- Preparation Time – 30 minutes
- Cooking Time – 30 minutes
Crisp flaky paranthas or roomali roti stuffed with a lip-smacking paneer masala, onions, and chutney. Paneer Kathi rolls are a hot favorite for your child’s tiffin or if you need something filling for the party menu.
Serving suggestion – Mint-coriander chutney
3) Paneer Pakodas Recipe | A monsoon staple
- Preparation Time – 20 minutes
- Cooking Time – 15 minutes
The answer to every Indian’s rainy season cravings is pakodas. A classic vegetarian starter, paneer pakodas are loved by young and older family members of the house undoubtedly. Firstly, you make a besan (gram flour) batter seasoned with masalas. Then, dunk thick cubes of paneer into the batter. Deep fry till golden. Sprinkle some chaat masala. Paneer pakodas are ready!
Serving suggestion – Ketchup, sweet tamarind sauce, and hari chutney taste lovely with pakodas.
4) Paneer Cutlets Recipe | A party starter
- Preparation Time – 20 minutes
- Cooking Time – 20 minutes
Combine crumbled soft paneer, chopped onions, capsicum, bell peppers, and seasoning to make some yummy paneer cutlets. Add some cheese in the center for that extra flavor surprise when you bite into it. These cutlets can be deep-fried, shallow fried or grilled on a tawa, depending on your preference.
Serving suggestion – Ketchup, coleslaw and some fries on the side.
5) Paneer Papad Snacker Recipe | Crunchy paneer delight
- Preparation Time – 20 minutes
- Cooking Time – 20 minutes
Paneer pieces doused in a garlic and maida batter rolled in crunchy crushed paapads. Fried till golden. This crunchy paneer dish is a brilliant addition to your party list.
Serving suggestion – Ketchup and green chutney are the preferred accompaniments.
6) Paneer Momos Recipe
- Preparation Time – 40 minutes
- Cooking Time – 20 minutes
Momos are a hot favorite street food option in India. Mostly available with chicken or vegetable stuffing, momos never fail to put a smile on our faces. Small wrappers made with refined wheat flour stuffed with a vegetable and paneer stuffing and steamed till cooked.
Serving suggestion – Spicy schezwan sauce and mayonnaise.
7) Paneer Bread Roll Recipe | Say bye to potatoes
- Preparation Time – 10 minutes
- Cooking Time – 10 minutes
Pieces of moist bread stuffed with a paneer filling folded carefully and fried till golden brown. Bread rolls are usually made with boiled potatoes but taste great with paneer filling too.
Serving suggestion – Ketchup or a homemade green chutney.
Our mouth is watering just by writing about these dishes. Paneer is one ingredient that is always present somewhere in some dishes in our homes. Especially, North Indian households.
Is your favorite paneer recipe listed here? If not, which paneer dish is your favorite? Let us know in the comment box below.