Paneer Cutlet

These Paneer Cutlet are easy to prepare crispy, tasty cutlets made with Paneer (Indian cottage cheese), mix vegetables, herbs and spices. Cutlets, kababs and patties make for tasty snacks. There are various ways and methods through which one can prepare these snacks.

About Paneer Cutlet

This recipe of paneer cutlet is similar to the Veg Cutlet Recipe which was one of my earlier posts way back in 2009. The addition of paneer makes these cutlets have a soft texture and yet they are crisp from outside. These cutlets have some veggies added to them – carrots, green peas and potatoes.

For a healthier option, you can even bake these paneer cutlet. I have pan-fried them. Please do not deep fry as these cutlets are light and soft and they may break while frying. You can even use tofu instead of paneer.

Paneer cutlet can be served hot or warm with any sauce or chutney or dip of your choice. I usually prefer coriander chutney or tamarind chutney or mint chutney. But since I had some tomato-cucumber-carrot chutney left in the fridge, I served these delicious cutlets with it.

How to make Paneer Cutlet

Preparing Paneer Mixture

1. First peel and take 3 small to medium potatoes, 1 medium carrot and ⅓ cup green peas in a stovetop pressure cooker. Add 2 cups water and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles on medium to high heat.

When the pressure settles down on its own, then only open the lid. Drain all the water and let the veggies cool down completely.

• You can add veggies of your choice. It is a good way to use leftover veggies like potatoes, french beans, carrots, green peas (fresh or frozen), beetroot, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet corn etc.
• You can also boil the veggies in a pan or Instant pot adding water as needed.

2. In a mortar-pestle take 1 green chili, 2 medium garlic cloves and 1 inch ginger.

3. Crush to a semi-coarse paste. Keep aside.

4. In a bowl crumble 200 grams paneer finely. You can even grate paneer. You will need 1.75 cups of grated or crumbled paneer. Cover and keep aside.

Make sure to crumble the paneer finely or else you will get larger chunks in the mixture.

5. Take the boiled veggies in a mixing bowl or pan. When you mash them, the vegetables can be warm or at room temperature.

6. With a vegetable masher mash the veggies very well.

7. Add the crushed ginger+garlic+green chilli paste.

8. Then add the following spice powders:

• 1 to 2 pinch of turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
• ¼ teaspoon red chili powder (or cayenne pepper)
• ½ teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder (ground cumin)
• ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder

You can adjust or vary the spice powders as per your taste preferences.

9. Add crumbled paneer.

10. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of rice flour and salt as required. Instead of rice flour, you can also use cornstarch or arrowroot flour or roasted besan (gram flour) or sattu flour or bread crumbs.

11. Next add 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves (cilantro).

12. Mix everything very well. Do check the taste and if required add more salt.

13. Take a portion of the mixture and shape it into cutlet.

14. In a plate take 3 tablespoons rava (sooji or cream of wheat). Place the paneer cutlet on the rava.

Instead of rava (semolina or cream of wheat), you can also use crushed oats, rice flour, bread crumbs, or crushed corn flakes.

If you want to make this dish gluten-free then use gram flour (besan) or rice flour or skip coating the cutlet with any flour.

15. Coat well and dust off the excess rava.

Frying Paneer Cutlet

16. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan or tawa or skillet. Keep the heat to medium-low or medium. When the pan becomes hot then place the paneer cutlet.

17. When the base is golden, flip gently without breaking them using a spatula.

18. Fry the second side too without golden. Flip a couple of times till the cutlets are crisp and golden. 

Place the fried paneer cutlet on kitchen paper towels to remove excess oil. Fry the remaining batches of paneer cutlet adding more oil if required.

20. Serve these mix veg paneer cutlet hot or warm with any sauce or dip or chutney like saunth chutney or mint chutney or mint cilantro chutney or tomato ketchup.

They make for a delicious tea-time snack. For best taste have them hot.

Helpful Tips

• You can use steamed sweet corn instead of green peas.
• Mix veggies of your choice can be included. You can add vegetables like potatoes, carrots, french beans, green peas, cauliflower, beets, broccoli, corn etc.
• If baking paneer cutlet, then bake at 180 degrees celsius in a preheated oven till the tops are golden and crisp. Brush some oil on the cutlets before baking.
• Less oil can also be used while pan frying. However don’t deep fry them as these cutlets are soft and can break while deep frying.
• Less spice powders can be added as per your preferences. For kids sensitive to spicy taste, skip green chilli and reduce ginger and garlic. Skip or add the remaining spice powders in less amounts.
• Tofu can be used instead of paneer.
• Use fresh homemade paneer, if possible.
• Skip garlic for a no onion and no garlic version.
• To make a gluten free option, coat the paneer cutlet in rice flour or gram flour (besan) and then fry. You can even skip coating the cutlets with any flour.

Few more tasty Paneer Snacks Recipes

Moderate • 55 mins

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Paneer 65 Recipe

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Indo Chinese Recipes

Paneer Manchurian Recipe – Dry and Gravy

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Paneer Recipes

Paneer Pizza | Paneer Cheese Pizza

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Snacks Recipes

Paneer Tikka Recipe

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This Paneer Cutlet post from the archives (June 2017) has been republished and updated on 22 September 2021.