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Are you ready to explore the delightful world of homemade paneer? Making small batch paneer at home is easier than you might think and perfect for when you need just enough for a meal or two. This creamy, silky cheese is a staple in many traditional Indian dishes, and once you try it, you’ll never look back. The process is surprisingly simple, and the result? A creamy, silky cheese that’s far superior to anything you can buy at the store.
Enjoy making your own homemade paneer and discovering its versatility. Use it in a rich and flavorful Saag Paneer, or enjoy it as a tasty snack, in salads, or as a protein-rich addition to various dishes.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Small Batch Paneer Recipe
- Simplicity: Only three ingredients are needed.
- No Special Equipment Required: All you need is a pot, a spoon, and some cheesecloth.
- Versatile: Can be used in numerous Indian dishes.
- Healthier Option: Homemade paneer is fresher and has no preservatives.
What Is Paneer?
Paneer is a fresh cheese that’s a staple in Indian cuisine, known for being easy to make and very versatile. Unlike other cheeses, paneer doesn’t need to be aged or cultured, so you can prepare it quickly. It has a soft texture that doesn’t melt, making it a great addition to many dishes.
Paneer is commonly used in traditional Indian recipes like Saag Paneer, but it’s also delicious as a snack or in salads. Marinating paneer is a great way to enhance its flavor. Just mix it with spices like turmeric, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and salt, along with a tablespoon of olive oil. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes to soak up the flavors, then cook it in a skillet with a little more olive oil for 2-3 minutes on each side until it’s golden and crispy.
Paneer has a mild taste, which makes it perfect for pairing with bold, spicy dishes. It adds a creamy element that balances out the strong flavors of Indian curries. Our small batch recipe is ideal for those cooking for one, ensuring you have just the right amount without any waste.
What Does Paneer Taste Like?
Paneer has a mild and milky taste, similar to cottage cheese or ricotta. On its own, it can be a bit bland because it’s traditionally made without salt. However, this makes it perfect for pairing with bold and spicy flavors. In our small batch paneer recipe, we add a little bit of salt to bring out its natural flavors without making it too salty. This way, it enhances the spices and ingredients you pair it with, creating a delicious balance in your dishes.
What’s The Best Way To Cook Paneer?
Paneer is a versatile ingredient in Indian cuisine, and there are two main ways to cook and enjoy it:
Adding Paneer To Dishes
Paneer is often cubed or sliced and added to curries and other dishes. It doesn’t need a lot of cooking time; just heat it through in the sauce to let it soak up all those rich flavors. This method enhances the overall taste of the dish without the paneer losing its shape.
Pan-Frying Paneer
Paneer also tastes amazing when it’s pan-fried. It gets a delightful texture and flavor, similar to halloumi. Here’s how to pan-fry paneer for a delicious snack or appetizer:
- Prepare the Marinade: In a small bowl, mix 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon with 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Gently fold the paneer cubes into this mixture.
- Marinate the Paneer: Let the paneer sit in the marinade for about 20 minutes to soak up all the flavors.
- Cook the Paneer: Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated paneer, spooning any leftover marinade over it. Cook for 2-3 minutes on one side, then flip to brown the other side for an additional 2 minutes.
- Cooking: Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated paneer, spooning any leftover marinade over it. Cook for 2-3 minutes on one side, then flip to brown the other side for an additional 2 minutes.
When you pan-fry paneer, it becomes irresistibly crispy and golden on the outside while staying soft on the inside. This makes it perfect for snacking or as an appetizer. Plus, pan-frying firms up the paneer, so it holds its shape well when you add it to curries or other dishes later. Enjoy the delightful contrast of its crispy exterior and soft interior!
RELATED: Comfort Food Recipes For One
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this easy paneer recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Milk: Use whole milk for this recipe. The high-fat content in whole milk is crucial as it separates into curds and whey during the cheese-making process. Nonfat and skim milk varieties lack sufficient fat and, therefore, won’t yield the desired results.
- Lemon Juice: This is the acidifying agent that reacts with the milk. When mixed with the milk, the acidity of the lemon juice prompts the separation of the milk into curds and whey, a crucial step in forming paneer.
- Salt: A touch of salt is added simply to enhance the flavor of the paneer.
Making Paneer (Fresh Indian Cheese): Step-by-Step Guide
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a small batch of paneer. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Simmer the Milk: Begin by pouring milk into a 2-quart saucepan. Heat it over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching at the bottom of the pot.
- Curdle with Lemon Juice: As the milk starts to bubble, add lemon juice and turn the heat to low. You’ll see the milk curdling almost immediately. Gently stir to gather the curds together. Continue heating for an extra 5 minutes, allowing the acid to fully separate the curds (white solids) from the whey (yellowish liquid). If the milk hasn’t fully separated after this, add another teaspoon of lemon juice.
- Strain the Curds: Place a strainer or colander over a bowl and line it with cheesecloth. Transfer the curds into the strainer, allowing the whey to collect in the bowl. Rinse the curds gently with cool water to remove the lemon taste.
Note on Cheesecloth: Cheesecloth is a fine, loose-woven fabric crucial for cheese-making, available in fabric stores, kitchen supply shops, or online.
- Remove Excess Liquid: Gather the cheesecloth and gently squeeze out excess whey and water.
- Season with Salt: Unwrap the cheesecloth, sprinkle salt over the curds, stir gently, and adjust the seasoning to taste.
- Shape and Press the Paneer: Transfer the curds, still in the cheesecloth, onto a large plate. Shape into a disc and top with another plate. Weigh it down with heavy pantry items like cans or a flour pack.
- Chill to Set: Refrigerate the weighted paneer for 1 hour to firm up.
- Ready to Use: Unwrap the paneer, cut it into cubes, and use as desired. Store the paneer wrapped in plastic wrap in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Expert Tips
- Before you start cooking, make sure to read the entire recipe, including the Ingredient Notes section, and examine the process photos. This detailed guide will help you understand how the recipe unfolds, ensuring your paneer turns out perfect every time. All the information you need is found within the body of this recipe post, so don’t miss a thing!
- Choosing the Right Milk for Paneer: Choose full-fat whole milk when making paneer. Skim milk or low-fat milk varieties are not recommended, as their lower fat content can lead to poorly set paneer.
- Managing Heat After Curdling: As soon as the milk starts to curdle upon adding lemon juice, promptly reduce the heat to low. Continuing to boil can affect the quality of the curds, so it’s crucial to manage the temperature as soon as curdling begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Paneer remains fresh in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, becoming firmer and less crumbly over time. For freezing, wrap the paneer tightly and store it in an airtight container in the freezer, where it can last for up to 2 months.
Absolutely. To make a larger batch of paneer, simply double the ingredients and use a larger pot to accommodate the increased volume.
Yes, paneer is a vegetarian-friendly cheese. It’s made without rennet, which is commonly used in many other cheese-making processes.
If the milk doesn’t curdle after adding lemon juice, try adding an extra teaspoon or two of lemon juice. Slightly increase the heat and stir gently to help the curds form.
While paneer and tofu may look similar when cubed, they are quite different. Paneer is a dairy-based cheese, whereas tofu is made from soybeans. Nutritionally, paneer typically contains more protein and fewer carbohydrates compared to tofu.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this paneer recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Did you get a picture? If so, please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Small Batch Paneer
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon salt (optional)
Instructions
- Simmer the Milk: Begin by pouring milk into a 2-quart saucepan. Heat it over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching at the bottom of the pot.
- Curdle with Lemon Juice: As the milk starts to bubble, add lemon juice and turn the heat to low. You’ll see the milk curdling almost immediately. Gently stir to gather the curds together. Continue heating for an extra 5 minutes, allowing the acid to fully separate the curds (white solids) from the whey (yellowish liquid). If the milk hasn’t fully separated after this, add another teaspoon of lemon juice.
- Strain the Curds: Place a strainer or colander over a bowl and line it with cheesecloth. Transfer the curds into the strainer, allowing the whey to collect in the bowl. Rinse the curds gently with cool water to remove the lemon taste.Note on Cheesecloth: Cheesecloth is a fine, loose-woven fabric crucial for cheese-making, available in fabric stores, kitchen supply shops, or online.
- Remove Excess Liquid: Gather the cheesecloth and gently squeeze out excess whey and water.
- Season with Salt: Unwrap the cheesecloth, sprinkle salt over the curds, stir gently, and adjust the salt to taste.
- Shape and Press the Paneer: Transfer the curds, still in the cheesecloth, onto a large plate. Shape into a disc and top with another plate. Weigh it down with heavy pantry items like cans or a flour pack.
- Chill to Set: Refrigerate the weighted paneer for 1 hour to firm up.
- Ready to Use: Unwrap the paneer, cut it into cubes, and use as desired. Store the paneer wrapped in plastic wrap in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
-
- Before you start cooking, make sure to read the entire recipe, including the Ingredient Notes section, and examine the process photos. This detailed guide will help you understand how the recipe unfolds, ensuring your paneer turns out perfect every time. All the information you need is found within the body of this recipe post, so don’t miss a thing!
-
- Choosing the Right Milk for Paneer: Choose full-fat whole milk when making paneer. Skim milk or low-fat milk varieties are not recommended, as their lower fat content can lead to poorly set paneer.
-
- Managing Heat After Curdling: As soon as the milk starts to curdle upon adding lemon juice, promptly reduce the heat to low. Continuing to boil can affect the quality of the curds, so it’s crucial to manage the temperature as soon as curdling begins.
- Prepare the Marinade: In a small bowl, mix 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon with 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Gently fold the paneer cubes into this mixture.
- Marinate the Paneer: Let the paneer sit in the marinade for about 20 minutes to soak up all the flavors.
- Cook the Paneer: Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated paneer, spooning any leftover marinade over it. Cook for 2-3 minutes on one side, then flip to brown the other side for an additional 2 minutes.
- Cooking: Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated paneer, spooning any leftover marinade over it. Cook for 2-3 minutes on one side, then flip to brown the other side for an additional 2 minutes.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I’ve been trying to make paneer for a few years but could never get a good curds to form. I recently discovered that you can’t make paneer with ultra-high pasteurized milk. Where I live (WI), all organic milk is UHT. I just purchased non-organic milk for the first time in years and am delighted to report that with your recipe & Sassy Cow whole milk I finally made paneer. Thank you!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! I’m thrilled to hear that our recipe worked for you.
Do you have a recipe for Mattar Paneer for One? Most recipes I find on-line seem too compIicated with too many ingredients. I have your book and love receiving recipes in my email.
Currently, we don’t have a recipe for Mattar Paneer, but we’ll add it to our list to work on. Thanks for the suggestion! I’m so happy you’re enjoying our recipes – thank you!
Thank you for this. I used to make this years ago but forgot how o did it. I am 87 years old. We used to call it cottage cheese! At least I know now I can make my own again. I loved it for snacks and sometimes as a butter substitute on bread if I had run out of butter. Love it. By the way I am not Indian. I grew up in South Africa.
Yeah..recipes made with Paneer is as special as chicken for vegetarians in india 🙂 like ‘Palak(or spinach) Paneer’ and “Paneer mutter(peas) masala”
I’m from India and paneer is part of my staple diet. It is used as a meat substitute in curries, wraps, rolls etc by vegetarians in India. I’m curious though, how is it any different from Ricotta? Can any person who has tasted both paneer and ricotta point out the difference? It is a significant question because if they’re the same then it means that many Italian recipes, making which was hitherto impossible in India, can now simply be made by substituting ricotta by paneer. In India 95% of cheese available is either processed, mozzarella or Gouda (not counting paneer because paneer is not viewed as cheese in India.)
I am Italian and I make my own ricotta using the same method and ingredients as in the paneer but not draining and pressing it as much. However, I do not salt the ricotta but “ricotta salata” is a salted, dried version that Italians use in salads, etc. Therefore, it seems as if Indians can either make their own ricotta or moisten the paneer to get the right consistency for making Italian dishes.
Wow, I’ve never made anything like this, looks delicious!
Thanks, Becky.
I would never have thought to make this myself, but you make it look easy! I love how few ingredients it uses. Great job!