What Is Paneer? Indian Cheese Explained, Plus What to Order

If you've read an Indian menu, you've seen paneer everywhere. Saag paneer, paneer tikka masala, matar paneer. It's the backbone of vegetarian Indian cooking, and it wins over plenty of meat eaters, too.

What is paneer?

Paneer is a fresh, unaged cheese. You make it by heating milk, adding an acid like lemon juice or vinegar so it curdles, then pressing the curds into a firm block. It tastes mild and milky, a bit like a firmer ricotta or a fresh farmer's cheese.

Why it doesn't melt

Most cheese is set with rennet and melts when it gets hot. Paneer is set with acid, which gives it a structure that holds together. You can simmer it, grill it, or fry it and it stays in soft cubes. That's what makes it so good in curry: it soaks up the sauce without falling apart.

Paneer dishes worth ordering

• Paneer makhani: paneer in a smooth tomato, butter, and cream sauce. The vegetarian cousin of butter chicken, and the best one to start with.
• Paneer tikka masala: tangier and more spice-forward.
• Paneer saag: paneer in spiced spinach. Earthy and comforting.
• Matar paneer: paneer and green peas in a homestyle tomato and onion gravy.

All four are vegetarian and marked gluten-free on our menu. Eat them with rice to keep it gluten-free, or with garlic naan if that's not a concern.

Paneer vs. tofu

They look alike on the plate, but paneer comes from milk and tofu from soybeans. Paneer is richer and creamier. Tofu is lighter, and it's vegan. If you don't eat dairy, try our vegan tofu palak, which is basically saag with tofu instead of paneer, or read our vegan Indian guide.