17 Paneer Recipes for Meatless Mains and Cheesy Snacks
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If you’re new to cooking with paneer, you’ve been missing out. Made from cow’s or buffalo milk, this unaged fresh cheese boasts a low-moisture content that keeps its texture firm and springy, even when cooked—much like halloumi or queso panela (a.k.a. Mexican grilling cheese). Traditionally used in South Asian cuisines, like Indian, Sri Lankan, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi, paneer is the vegetarian-friendly protein in dishes like paneer curry, paneer tikka masala, and palak paneer. But its universal appeal makes it adaptable to almost any world cuisine, and today it’s made the leap from Indian grocery store darling to supermarket superstar.
You can cook paneer simply: Marinate it for a few minutes before grilling to form a charred crust. Or you can put this durable cheese to work, chunking it into pieces and simmering it in curry recipes or frying planks in oil before folding them into gravy or tossing them into a salad. You could also shred it on a box grater for paneer bhurji, a dish similar to tofu scramble but saucier. Or you could just get to scrolling and find your new favorite paneer recipe.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne1/17Paneer-Stuffed Peppers
Drawing inspiration from Indian-style kadai paneer recipes, we packed spicy, chunky tomato sauce into bell peppers and roasted them. Feel free to switch it up and serve the sauce with hearty chapatis, over grains, or repurpose it for tomorrow night’s dinner.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne2/17Toasted Tomato-Paneer Sandwiches
These sizzled sandwiches use the same sauce as the Paneer-Stuffed Peppers above–a great reason to make a double batch. Paneer crisps on the outside but won’t ooze out of a grilled cheese, so pair it with a friend, like mozzarella or cheddar, for melty satisfaction.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell3/17Paneer Butter Masala
Butter chicken fans, we see you. This vegetarian alternative calls for cubes of squeaky-soft paneer stirred through a creamy tomato sauce seasoned with ginger, garlic, and fenugreek leaves. “I’ve made this too many times to count,” one reader reports, noting that this paneer butter masala recipe “freezes beautifully and is our go-to for a warm, home-cooked meal.”
Photo by Issy Croker4/17Potato, Paneer, and Sweet Corn Kebab
Bind diced carrots, corn, and potatoes with grated paneer for these ingenious veggie-based skewers from Maunika Gowardhan’s Tandoori Home Cooking. Spiced with garam masala, cardamom, and dried mango powder, they’re delicious whether grilled or shallow-fried in a sauté pan.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton6/17Chhena Poda
Crowned with a stunning caramelized top and loaded with crunchy cashews and chewy raisins, this ghee-soaked paneer cheesecake takes a cue from flan—it’s served upside down so the sauce cascades down the cake’s exterior. If ever you thought about making fresh paneer, this is the time to do it.
Photo by Sohla El-Waylly, Food Styling by Sohla El-Waylly10/17Paneer With Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce
Taking a cue from matar paneer, this recipe calls for simmering snap peas in a smashed cherry tomato sauce tinged with coriander, cumin, and mild, tangy Kashmiri chili powder. Serve with plenty of puffy naan to soak up the sauce.
Photograph by Maria Be, food styling by Thu Buser, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua11/17Ajwaini Paneer Tikka Skewers
A bright, herbaceous chutney contrasts the salty-smoky flavors of grilled paneer in these vegetarian skewers. You need just 30 minutes to marinate the cheese, but you could leave it in the Greek yogurt mixture for up to two days if you like to plan ahead.
Photo by Martin Poole12/17Paneer and Broccoli Masala
Craving Indian restaurant-style masala curry? With this recipe, you’re less than an hour away. Drape al dente broccoli florets and cubes of fried paneer in a silky coconut sauce flavored with ginger and garlic—if you cook with these flavors regularly, consider making a ginger-garlic paste to keep on hand and quicken your prep time. A flurry of spices, including turmeric, black mustard seeds, cumin seeds, coriander, curry leaves, and dried red chiles (or swap in a pinch of red chili powder like cayenne or Kashmiri), plus a finishing dollop of tamarind paste rounds things out.
Photograph by Peden + Munk, Food Styling by Adriana Paschen, Prop Styling by Ceci Garcia13/17Paneer Kathi Rolls
Inspired by the street food that sustained recipe developer Rachel Gurjar as a student in India, these wraps fold marinated paneer, peppers, and onions into warm flour tortillas, which are more readily available than the more traditional flaky parathas (but if you’ve got a source for parathas, feel free to swap them in).
Photograph by Doan Ly, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Christina Allen14/17Palak Paneer
Fold crispy paneer cubes into a fragrant spinach purée to create this North Indian staple in your home kitchen. The trick to this palak paneer recipe is to use a more common, store-bought variety of paneer, like Gopi or Nanak, which tend to hold shape better when cooking, as opposed to homemade and higher-end varieties.
Photograph by Yudi Ela, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk15/17Cheesy Charred Green Beans
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Katherine Sacks16/17Homemade Herbed Paneer Cheese
This four-ingredient recipe (five if you count the herbs) is a delicious and approachable gateway to making your own cheese. Add your homemade paneer to curry, salads, or pan fry and serve it as a party appetizer.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone17/17Grilled Cheese Tacos
The versatility of paneer recipes spans well beyond the cuisines of southern Asia. Give it a quick char and wrap slabs in warm tortillas (or fry and stick on buns) with salsa, avocado, grilled onion, or whatever taco toppings float your boat.
