Crispy Paneer Paratha: Cottage Cheese Layered Flatbread

Crispy on the outside and soft and flavorful on the inside- that’s what the famous paneer paratha is all about! Tempted already? Let’s take a quick look at what it takes to make this famous Indian breakfast specialty.  asd

What is Paneer Paratha?

Paneer paratha is an incredibly popular north Indian flatbread. It features a spiced cottage cheese stuffing, and is a healthy protein-rich breakfast that is popular all throughout the country. 

Just like most other kinds of parathas, these are served hot and are often paired with chutney or some mango pickle. You can have them as is, or serve them alongside an Indian curry of your choice. 

Jump to:

• What is Paneer Paratha?
• Ingredients For the Paratha
• How to Make the Paneer Parathas
• Crispy Paneer Paratha: Cottage Cheese Layered Flatbread

Ingredients For the Paratha

You’ll need a bunch of ingredients to make the paneer paratha, all of which you can easily find at a supermarket near you. 

For the paneer filling

• Paneer or Cottage Cheese (crumbled): 1 ½  cup
• Ginger garlic paste: 1 tsp
• Onions (chopped): ½ cup
• Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
• Red chili powder: 2 tsp
• Cumin powder: 1 tsp
• Coriander powder: 2 tsp
• Garam masala: 1 tsp
• Salt: 2 tsp or as per taste
• Lemon juice: Half a lemon
• Mint leaves (chopped): 2 tbsp

For the dough

• Whole wheat flour: 2 cups
• Salt: 1 tsp
• Oil: 1 tsp

How to Make the Paneer Parathas

Ready with the ingredients? Here’s the step-by-step rundown of how to make these soft and flavorful paneer parathas. 

Knead a soft dough using the ingredients mentioned under the dough. Keep it aside while we prepare the paneer filling. 

Take all the ingredients mentioned under paneer filling and give them a good mix. Make sure the salt is evenly distributed throughout the mixture or else the parathas will be unevenly salted.

Once the filling is ready, it’s time to fill the parathas. Divide the dough into equal-sized balls. You should be able to get 5-6 average-sized balls. 

Next, take a small dough ball and curve it into the shape of a tiny bowl as shown in the image. 

Fill it with the prepared filling and slowly try to close the mouth of the dough ball. Compress the enclosed dough and roll it out. 

Heat a pan on medium flame and transfer the rolled-out dough onto it. Roast one side for about 30 seconds and turn it over. 

Apply ghee on the roasted side and repeat the above step with the other side. Keep turning the paratha over until both sides have cooked properly. 

Serve hot with a dollop of butter on top and a small bowl of tomato sauce or ketchup on the side. 

Can I Make & Store This For Later?

Yes! You totally can. That’s the beauty of this recipe. Most parathas freeze really well, so you can make them in a batch and store them for later. That way, you’ll have a quick breakfast ready for those days when you’re super rushed. 

Make the parathas, and cook them on low to medium heat until they’re 70% done. Allow them to cool down completely and then stack them with a layer of parchment paper between each paratha. Now, you can transfer this stack to an airtight container and freeze it. 

The next time you want to have the parathas, get them out, defrost them and then cook them on high heat until they’re nice and crisp. 

Tips to Make the Paneer Paratha

Can’t wait to get started with the recipe? Wait up! Keep these little tips and tricks in mind to make sure you nail them. 

• Keep an eye on the amount of stuffing you add between the layers of the paratha. Overdoing it will cause the stuffing to bleed out through the layers, while understuffing will make your parathas taste bland and plain. 
• To make the paratha dough even more soft, add a little more oil. 
• The key to getting your dough right is to knead it well. Knead the dough for atleast 6-7 minutes, if not more. This will help your paratha dough get that firmness and elasticity that you’re looking for. 
• Make sure the paneer mixture is dry and doesn’t have excess moisture. This will ensure that the parathas are easy to assemble and fry. 
• While cooking the parathas, make sure the heat is low to medium. Once the surface starts to blister up and turn slightly brown, you can get it up to high heat. Following this process will ensure that your parathas don’t end up staying undercooked from within. 
• If your parathas are breaking apart while you’re rolling them, you might be using a filling that’s too watery, or dough that has become too soft. Getting both these components right is the key to getting your parathas to have the right texture. 
• If you’re making the paratha stuffing in advance and using it later, remember to allow the mixture to come to room temperature before you use it. 

Serving Ideas & Suggestions

Got a batch of fresh, piping hot parathas waiting to be served? Here are a few good ideas to get you going. 

• Any and all Indian parathas are slathered with some salted butter on the top, and this one is too! Sure, it might not be the healthiest thing to do, but the butter adds a rich and luxurious taste to the paratha. 
• You can serve the paneer paratha with a spicy chutney of your choice. If you don’t have the time to make it, you can also have it with some tomato ketchup. 
• If you’re someone who has low spice tolerance, you can tone down the spiciness of the parathas by dipping them in some raita- a yogurt based side. 
• These parathas taste absolutely great on their own- whether you have it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Since they pack in cottage cheese, they can be quite filling too. However, if you still want to go the extra mile, you can team it up with a nice Indian curry like Madras chicken curry. 

If you’re making these parathas during the summer months, you might also want to pair it with a nice refreshing drink like some mango lassi or a pomegranate and mint cooler.