Tasty Paneer Paratha
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Don’t let the simplicity of paneer paratha fool you! Maybe it doesn’t sound that exciting, but when I first made paneer paratha, I was simply blown away!
Paneer is “Indian cottage cheese.” I wouldn’t substitute with regular cottage cheese, however! Please don’t make that mistake! I did that the very first time I made paneer makhani in North America and it was one of my biggest regrets! Regular cottage cheese is most certainly not paneer, but that’s a whole other story!
Paneer is a popular protein source that’s widely consumed among vegetarians and non-vegetarians in India! Paneer is indeed my favourite vegetarian protein source! It’s an extremely versatile ingredient, such as tofu. If you’re not in India while reading this, you can typically purchase paneer at your local Indian or South Asian store. If you don’t have one near you, then you can make your own paneer by following my Homemade Paneer recipe! It’s a little time consuming, but fresh paneer is absolutely scrumptious, and it will be well worth the effort! In India, we usually don’t need to make our own paneer because we can get it freshly made from street-side vendors!
I consider paneer to be like a blank canvas. It’s not that flavourful on its own, but you can cook it in so many ways! I’m sure you’re going to love preparing it with some fragrant Indian spices stuffed in this delicious stuffed paratha recipe! So let’s get started!
Why Make Paneer Paratha
Growing up, my favourite paratha recipe was Punjabi Aloo Paratha, or stuffed potato paratha. This was a classic that I could never get enough of! Other parathas I’ve had as a kid in New Delhi included the following:
Pyaaz or onion
Gobhi or cauliflower
Methi or fenugreek
Dal puri, a paratha stuffed with seasoned ground up chana dal or lentil split peas.
Oddly enough, my mom never made paneer paratha! After making this recipe, I really don’t know why not! I’d say that this paneer paratha is honestly even easier than making aloo paratha! All you need to do here is make your paneer mixture and stuff it in your bread! With the aloo paratha, you need to boil your potatoes, let them cool, and then prepare your mix. Here we’ll be simply grating our paneer, mixing in some goodies into a bowl with our paneer, and we’re ready to rock and roll!
I definitely recommend paneer paratha for a satisfying brunch or snack! Here’s why you should be making this tasty paneer paratha recipe:
Filling and protein-packed
Can be made ahead of time for lunch
Goes well with yogurt, pickle or ketchup (you can debate me on the ketchup if you want!)
Quick to make with minimal ingredients
The method for this stuffed paratha will be like any other stuffed paratha. However, as I mentioned earlier, we’re really saving some time by not having to cook the paneer mixture! This makes the preparation process extremely quick, so this may be one of the easiest stuffed paratha recipes you can find out there!
Ingredients for Tasty Paneer Paratha
Let’s go over what we’ll need to make this simple and delicious paneer paratha recipe:
Paneer
Atta flour
Water
Kashmiri mirch
Garam masala
Mango powder
Salt
Cilantro
Ginger
Green Chillies
Ghee
Butter
Tips for an excellent Paneer Paratha
Finely grate the paneer and mix with the seasoning really well for an evenly seasoned paratha.
There is enough seasoning in the paneer to season the flour as well. However, if you prefer the flavour, you may add salt while kneading the dough as well.
Ensure that you let the dough rest before making the paratha for the softest bread.
Heat tawa pan until lightly smoking to get the classic smoky flavour in the paratha.
Top with additional ghee or butter for added yumminess.
Knead a smooth, soft and pliable dough
Combine the atta flour, ghee and water in a large bowl or a stand mixer and knead until smooth, soft and pliable. If the final dough is hard, the paneer mixture will tear through the dough.
Let dough rest for 20-30 minutes before stuffing. Resting helps to relax the dough so it is easier to stretch and roll out.
Add the stuffing
There are two ways to stuff the paratha. I tend to lean towards method 1 since it helps ensure the centre of the final paratha is stuffed evenly. In my experience, sealing the dough in method 2 creates a thicker centre which pushes the stuffing out.
Let me know if you have any tips for me!
How to Make Paneer Paratha
Method 1
Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Working with two portions at a time, roll dough out into 4 inch disks.
Add a spoonful of paneer stuffing in the centre of one disk and cover with the second disk.
Press gently to seal the edges and using a rolling pin, roll out into a thin disk, careful not to break the seal.
Method 2
Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time, roll dough out into a 4 inch disk.
Add a spoonful of stuffing to the centre of the disk, and seal around the edges of the disk. This will resemble a dumpling.
Gently press down, lightly dust flour onto the dough, and roll out into a thin disk.
Cook the Paneer paratha
Heat tawa on medium high heat until just smoking. Add stuffed paratha on tawa and cook until lightly roasted (light brown spots).
Flip the paratha and apply ghee on top and around the sides of the paratha. Press down gently with a spatula to crisp up the paratha.
Once the paratha has golden-brown spots and shiny, the paratha is ready to serve. Immediately serve with butter/makhan or ghee and any side condiments (pickle, yogurt).
Watch How to Make Tasty Paneer Paratha Here:
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cookingwithanadi. Thank you!
Tasty Paneer Paratha
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Atta flour
- water, as needed
- Ghee, as needed
- Butter, if desired
- 150 g paneer, finely grated
- 1 tsp Kashmiri mirch
- 1 tsp Garam masala
- 1 tsp Mango powder/amchur masala
- 2/3 Cup Cilantro
- 2 tsp ginger
- 1-2 green chillies, chopped
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the paneer and all the ingredients for the paneer mix. Mix well to combine.
- To make the paratha, combine flour and water little bit at a time and knead into a smooth dough. The dough should be smooth but not sticky.
- Divide the dough into even number of portions and roll 2 portions into a thin disk (about 5-7 inches diameter, 8-12 portions).
- Add in 1-2 Tbsp of paneer mix and spread evenly, leaving a rim at the edge of the disk.
- Place the second rolled disk over the paneer and pinch to seal the edges.
- Heat a pan/tawa on medium high heat and place your paratha. Cook for a minute or two or until you have brown spots on the underside.
- Flip the paratha and cook other side. While it cooks, spread some ghee on top of the paraha and around its edges.
- Finish with some butter, serve hot, and enjoy :)
Nutrition Facts
Calories
294.95Fat (grams)
6.89Sat. Fat (grams)
3.96Carbs (grams)
50.70Fiber (grams)
2.27Net carbs
48.43Sugar (grams)
1.77Protein (grams)
7.07Sodium (milligrams)
176.88Cholesterol (grams)
16.00Nutrition info is an estimate.