24 Best Rated
Dishes with Paneer

Originating from India's Moghul cuisine, shahi paneer is a cheese curry that is prepared with paneer cheese, onions, cashews, and a rich, spicy tomato-cream sauce. The dish is typically accompanied by Indian breads such as naan, roti, or puri. Often referred to as the Royal paneer, traditionally, it is prepared during special occasions and festivities as a vegetarian main course. Rich, hearty, and nutritious, shahi paneer is commonly garnished with coriander leaves.Expand

Malai kofta is a traditional North Indian dish consisting of fried potato and paneer balls in a creamy sauce. The dish is commonly served at festivals, celebrations, and weddings due to its rich texture and flavors. A typical dish of Mughal cuisine, developed in Medieval India by the cooks of the Mughal Empire, it is essentially a vegetarian substitute for a meatball curry, malai meaning cream, and kofta meaning dumplings. The dish is often prepared in a unique wok called a kadai, hence the other name of the dish, kadai kofta. Some food historians believe that these deep-fried dumplings have incorporated the influences of Turkish and Persian food cultures within them. The best and most usual accompaniments to malai kofta include naan bread and rice, and the dish is commonly garnished with shredded paneer and chopped coriander.Expand

Indian saag paneer is a famous vegetable curry which incorporates diced paneer cheese doused in a creamy mixture of fresh leafy greens, also known under the name saag. It is typically made with mustard, fenugreek, spinach, bathua, or collard greens, mashed and incorporated with tomatoes and a rich spice blend. In India, the saag mixture is believed to have originated in the Punjabi region, and paneer version is just one of many varieties which incorporates this fragrant curry base. It can be enjoyed as a smaller side dish or a nutritious main meal that is usually accompanied by roti or naan.Expand

Paneer naan is a traditional flatbread and a version of naan. The dough is made with a combination of flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and yogurt. Once rolled, it’s usually stuffed with freshly grated paneer cheese (preferably homemade), coriander, masala spices, and cumin. Although plain naan is baked in a tandoor, this stuffed version is typically baked in a tava pan until the dough puffs up and becomes golden brown. Once done, paneer naan is brushed with melted butter or ghee, and it’s then served while still hot. It’s recommended to pair it with various Indian dishes such as curries or dal makhani.Expand

Vindaloo is a flavorful curry dish that is popular in England and the Indian regions of Goa and Konkan. It is typically made with marinated pork, but it can also be made with chicken, beef, mutton, or paneer. The name of the dish stems from the mispronounced Portuguese dish called carne de vinha d'alhos, meaning meat marinated in wine vinegar and garlic. The Portuguese explorers brought the dish to Goa in the 15th century, when it was adjusted to local conditions - since there was no wine vinegar in India, the Franciscan priests made their own version with palm wine. Many Indian spices were incorporated into the dish, such as tamarind, cinnamon, cardamom, and hot chiles. Vindaloo was later brought to England, where it became another hot curry, losing some of the earthy flavors and the balance of numerous spices due to the excessive use of chiles in modern Anglo-Indian cuisine.Expand

Paneer makhani is a traditional curry originating from Punjab. The dish has a few versions, but it’s usually made with a combination of paneer cheese and a gravy consisting of ghee, tomatoes, cashews, cream, green chili peppers, garam masala spices, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger, garlic, red chili powder, sugar, salt, turmeric, and fenugreek leaves. The gravy is prepared first, and the paneer is added near the end of cooking. This mild and buttery dish dates back to the 1950s, and nowadays it’s typically served with butter garlic naan, paratha, or jeera rice on the side.Expand

Jalfrezi is an Indian technique for preparing a type of curry made by frying marinated pieces of meat, paneer, or vegetables in various spices (turmeric, coriander, cumin) and oil in order to produce a thick gravy. Apart from the standard onions, tomatoes, and bell peppers, the dish typically includes green chili peppers, so it can range from medium to very hot. Jalfrezi is especially popular in the United Kingdom, and nowadays it can be found in almost every Indian restaurant in London. Originally, it was invented in eastern India during the British Raj, when chefs made a recipe as a way to use up leftovers.Expand

This North Indian tikka variety consists of a combination of marinated paneer cheese and vegetables that are cooked in a tandoor - a traditional Indian oven. This vegetarian version of tikka is based on paneer, a crumbly cheese with a soft texture. Pieces of paneer, tomatoes, onions, and peppers are skewered, grilled, and then seasoned with lemon juice and chaat masala - a spicy powder. Sometimes the dish is served with various salads or mint chutney on the side. Variations on the dish include paneer tikka masala, which is served with spicy gravy, and paneer tikka rolls, which are wrapped in Indian bread. Expand

Kadai paneer is a traditional dish that's cooked in a unique wok called kadai, hence the name. The dish is made by cooking paneer cheese and bell peppers with freshly ground spices called kadai masala. There are two main versions of the dish – wet (with gravy) and semi-dry. The kadai masala spices contain red chili peppers, cardamom, cinnamon, fennel, cloves, and coriander seeds. Other ingredients in the dish include onions, ginger, and tomatoes for the thick gravy. Before serving, it's recommended to let kadai paneer rest in order to absorb flavors. The dish is usually accompanied by rice or paratha on the side.Expand

Palak paneer is a popular Indian vegetarian dish made with paneer cheese in a rich, thick sauce consisting of puréed spinach mixed with tomatoes, garam masala, garlic, and numerous spices. The key ingredients are even mentioned in the name of the dish, since palak means spinach in hindi, and paneer refers to the cheese. Palak paneer has roots in the Punjabi region, but there are also other variations of the dish throughout India. It is a highly nutritious meal that can be consumed either for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, accompanied by rice or Indian flatbreads such as naan and roti.Expand