Paneer Paratha Recipe: Origin & Recipes to Try Out!

Paneer is a very versatile dish loved by Indians, irrespective of their place. It can be incorporated into any meal however you want to. Paneer paratha is a dish that is filling and tasty as well. Down below, we have listed several paneer paratha recipe for you to make and try out! Read ahead to learn more about it!

Origin

Paratha is a dish well-loved by Indians. It is made using dough, called “atta,” and is literally flattened layers of dough cooked/fried with oil and topped with ghee or butter. Its origin lies in the Indian subcontinent and is a staple dish in places like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and other places like Trinidad and Tobago, Singapore, Myanmar, etc. Paratha is also pronounced differently in different areas, for example, “parantha” in Punjabi, “palata” in Burma, and “porotha” in Assam. Paratha is a versatile dish that can be stuffed with anything, from peas to potatoes to even paneer.

What is paneer?

Paneer, or “cottage cheese,” is very common in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan. It is made from cow’s milk mostly. The milk is curdled using an acidic substance, like lemon, then left to set over a while. Before it sets, that form is called “chana,” and it is also consumed. It is a very good source of protein. Other names of paneer are “poneer” or “fonir”.

Its similarity to tofu

It is very easy to get confused between paneer and tofu. When cooked properly and served, it might taste similar to some people. It even looks the same. But paneer and tofu are very different in nature. Paneer is a type of cheese made from milk (milk is curdled), and tofu is made from a very other thing; soy. Tofu is made after condensing soy milk. It was originated in China, while paneer was originated in India. Despite major differences, both tofu and paneer are excellent sources of protein.

Nutritional values (40 gm)

It’s importance in vegetarian diets

It is widely thought that vegetarian diets suffer from a lack of nutrients, especially protein. However, there are various ways vegetarians get their fill of protein. Paneer is one great source of protein for people who are vegetarian. It is also filled with healthy fats. Paneer is also a filling dish and a very important part of a vegetarian diet. You can include paneer in various ways in your diet. Make paneer curry, paneer sandwiches, or the fan favorite paneer paratha.

Side dish for paneer paratha recipe

Let’s face it. Parathas are incomplete without something for the side. Achaar and raita can also get boring after a while. So here are some quick and easy side dishes for your paneer paratha:

Aloo matar

Ingredients- oil (4 tablespoons), aloo (2-3 chopped in cubes), peas or matar (half cup), green chili, garam masala (half teaspoon), salt per taste, tomato (2), ginger garlic paste (1 teaspoon), onion (1 small, chopped), red chili powder (1 teaspoon), coriander powder (half teaspoon), turmeric (half teaspoon), cumin (half teaspoon), Fenugreek leaves dry (1 teaspoon), cardamom (2), cinnamon (half an inch)

Instructions- heat your oil in a pan. Add your cinnamon, cardamom, Fenugreek, and cumin. Sauté it, then throw in your turmeric, red chili powder, coriander. Let that cook for a minute. Then add onions, tomatoes, and ginger garlic paste. The gravy should be mushy in texture. Cook the gravy on low heat, then add your cubed potatoes, salt, peas, and green chili. Mix it well and then transfer it to a pressure cooker. Cook it until the potatoes are soft. For the final step, add garam masala and garnish with coriander. Serve with your paneer paratha.

Aloo gobi recipe

Ingredients- oil (4 tablespoons), gobi or cauliflower (1), aloo (2-3, chopped in cubes), cumin (1 teaspoon), fenugreek (1 teaspoon), ginger garlic paste (1 teaspoon), onion (1, chopped), green chili, turmeric (one-fourth teaspoon), red chili powder (half teaspoon), jeera powder (one-fourth teaspoon), coriander powder (half teaspoon), salt per taste, tomato (1), garam masala (one-fourth teaspoon), coriander (chopped)

Instructions- in a pan, heat oil, and add cumin and fenugreek. Toss them gently until they start giving out an aromatic smell. Now, add the chopped onions. Sauté for 30 seconds and add your ginger garlic paste, chili, turmeric, chili powder, salt, and coriander powder. Fry them on low heat. Now add in your tomato. Mix it well with the spices and create a gravy.

Finally, add in your potatoes and cauliflower (fry them separately before adding to the gravy mixture). If you want the gravy more watery, you can add water. Or you can keep it dry by letting the water dry down. Mix the aloo and gobi well with the gravy, and before serving, add garam masala and garnish with coriander. Serve with your delicious paneer paratha and enjoy.

Punjabi paneer paratha recipe

This paneer paratha recipe is a staple breakfast dish for Punjabis. It is stuffed with a mix of paneer and various spices to make it flavorful. You can make these parathas for your friends and family for breakfast, and it will be a huge hit! So, let’s get into the recipe

Ingredients

For making the dough- whole wheat flour (three fourth cup), plain flour (three fourth cup), oil, salt per taste.

For the paneer mixture- paneer (grated, one and a half cup), coriander (2 tablespoons), green chilies (2 teaspoons), chili powder (half teaspoon), ghee

Instructions

For the dough

Take a bowl and pour whole wheat flour into it. In the same bowl, add the plain flour. Adding plain flour will make the dough most stretchy and flexible. Then add oil and salt per taste. Now slowly pour water and mix the ingredients using your hands. Knead it well. The texture of the dough should be nonsticky and smooth. You need to knead the dough for 5 minutes so that it does not have any lumps. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth to retain moisture and don’t dry out.

The stuffing

For the stuffing, the main ingredient required is grated paneer. However, you can crumble the paneer with your hands if you want bigger chunks. Put the paneer in a big bowl. Add your coriander and green chili (chopped) for a fresh and spicy taste. Add amchur powder or chaat masala. Both of these ingredients are available in any local store. This will give a tangy kick to your paneer. Add salt, and mix well. Now you are done with your paneer stuffing. Divide it into portions and keep it aside.

Making the paratha

Divide the dough into separate portions along with the paneer mixture. Take one portion of dough and flatten it with a rolling pin. Place the paneer stuffing in the center of the dough. Close the sides of the dough so that the mixture doesn’t fall out. Once it’s tightly sealed, roll it out and cook it on a pan with oil (1 tablespoon). Cook until the outside turns crispy and has brown spots. Do the same with the other portions of dough and stuffing. Serve with any preferred side dish and enjoy.

Aloo paneer paratha recipe

This aloo paneer paratha recipe also includes onions and is a perfect dish for your weekend feasts, a simple lunchbox, or a picnic date. It is a delicious dish that is best enjoyed with raita, plain curd, or pickles. So, let’s get into the recipe:

Ingredients

For making the dough- wheat flour (one and a half cups), water (three fourth cups)

For the mixture- oil (2 teaspoons), onion (1-2 chopped), cumin (three fourth teaspoon), green chili (2), paneer (grated or crumbled), potatoes (4, boiled), red chili powder (half teaspoon), garam masala (half teaspoon), chaat masala (half teaspoon), salt per taste, coriander.

Instructions

For making the dough- take a bowl. Add your flour to it. Then slowly add water to the flour. Add water in small quantities and keep kneading slowly. Knead the dough for a few minutes to make it even and smooth in texture. After kneading, cover the dough with a wet cloth and leave it to rest for a few minutes.

For the mixture- heat oil in a pan. Add onions, green chilies, and cumin seeds and sauté it. Then add paneer, potatoes (mash them before), chaat masala, red chili powder, and garam masala. Fry this mixture for a few minutes and add coriander. Your mix is ready.

Making the paratha- separate the dough and the stuffing into 8 separate portions. Roll out each part and fill it with the filling. Then seal the dough so that the stuffing doesn’t come out. Fry it on a Tawa with some oil.

Paneer paratha recipe Kunal Kapoor

This paneer paratha recipe by Chef Kunal Kapoor is a game-changer. But before that, let us know a bit more about him.

Kunal Kapoor is an Indian celebrity chef. He’s known for being one of the judges at MasterChef India. He is also a Michelin star chef. So, let us take a look at this paneer paratha recipe by him.

Ingredients

For making the dough- two cups of whole wheat flour, water according to requirement, and salt.

For making the stuffing- paneer (two cups, grated), green chili (according to spice requirement), onion (1, chopped), salt per taste, coriander seeds (one and a half tablespoons, pounded), ginger and garlic chopped, cumin (1 teaspoon), chili powder (1 teaspoon), garam masala (one-fourth teaspoon), anardana (1 tablespoon)

Instructions

For making the dough- take a bowl, and add your whole wheat flour in, along with some salt for flavor. Gently start adding water to the flour. Knead and mix the dough gradually. Mix well so that there are no lumps. The dough should be shiny and not sticky. After you have kneaded the dough thoroughly, keep it aside, and cover it with a wet cloth. After 10-15 minutes have passed, take the dough and separate it into smaller balls.

For the mixture- take your grated paneer in a bowl. Add onions, ginger, garlic, green chilies, cumin, pounded coriander, anardana, garam masala, salt, and chili powder. Mix it thoroughly with the paneer.

Making the paratha- take your balls of dough and flatten them into a disc-like structure. Take your paneer stuffing and fill in the paratha generously. Seal it properly. Then dust your workplace with flour. Roll out the dough with your rolling pin. Now take a pan and put the flattened dough on it. Pour some ghee or oil and cook it. Serve hot!

Healthy paneer paratha recipe

Parathas are very high in calories. It is not that healthy. But there are ways that you can make your parathas healthy and low in fat content. So, you can enjoy parathas while watching your health! This recipe will teach you how to make low-fat paneer paratha:

Ingredients-

one teaspoon oil, whole wheat flour (one cup), low-fat paneer (crumbled), green chilies (1 teaspoon, chopped), fenugreek leaves (one-fourth teaspoon), coriander (chopped, 3 tablespoons), salt per taste

Instructions-

For the dough, take your whole wheat flour in a bowl. Whole wheat flour has a lot of health benefits and is a great option for people with diabetes. Knead it and let it rest for a couple of minutes. For the stuffing, take your low-fat paneer, and add turmeric, green chilies, fenugreek, and coriander. Add salt and mix it well. Your filling is ready. Now put your stuffing in the dough and seal it, so the stuffing does not come out. Flatten the dough with a rolling pin. Heat a Tawa and drizzle a small amount of ghee or oil (since we’re trying to keep it healthy). Cook the paratha and serve it hot with some low-fat yogurt on the side!

Final Thoughts

So, I hope this blog has been helpful. Make these delicious recipes for brunch or dinner, and you will surely not be disappointed. But remember too much of this paratha might prove to be unhealthy! So, keep it in moderation to avail yourself of the benefits. Get to cooking, now! And forget to tell us in the comment section below how you liked the paneer paratha recipe with a picture of it turned out to be! We will eagerly wait for it!