How to Make Paneer: Simple Steps, Common Mistakes, and Best Uses

When you make paneer, a fresh, unaged Indian cheese made by curdling milk with acid. Also known as Indian cottage cheese, it’s the star of dishes like Paneer Butter Masala and Palak Paneer—soft, crumbly, and absorbs spices like a sponge. Unlike Western cheeses, paneer doesn’t melt. That’s why it holds its shape in curries, grills perfectly, and stays chewy even after hours of cooking.

You don’t need a cheese press or cultures. Just heat whole milk, add lemon juice or vinegar, let it curdle, strain it in a cloth, and press it under a weight for 30 minutes. The key? Use full-fat milk. Skim or low-fat milk gives you dry, crumbly paneer that falls apart in your curry. And don’t boil it too hard—gentle heat makes smoother curds. If your paneer turns out grainy, you probably added acid too fast or stirred too much. Keep it slow, keep it calm.

Paneer isn’t just for curries. It’s fried for starters, grilled on skewers, stuffed in parathas, or even swapped for halloumi in salads. People in India eat it daily—vegetarians rely on it for protein, and even meat-eaters crave it. It’s cheap, quick, and endlessly versatile. You’ll find it in street food stalls in Delhi and home kitchens in Mysore. The same paneer that goes into Butter Masala also works in spicy stir-fries or sweet desserts like Rasgulla (though that’s made with a different process).

Related to paneer is halloumi, a salty, grillable cheese from Cyprus. Also known as Cypriot cheese, it’s firmer and saltier than paneer, and it squeaks when you bite it. They’re both fresh cheeses, but paneer is mild and absorbs flavor, while halloumi brings its own punch. If you’re substituting one for the other, know this: paneer won’t hold up on the grill like halloumi unless you press it longer and salt it.

And here’s what you’ll find in the posts below: real, tested ways to make paneer from scratch, how to fix it when it turns rubbery, what milk works best, and why some recipes fail even when you follow them. You’ll also see how paneer pairs with chutney, how it’s used in biryani, and why it dominates India’s most-ordered vegetarian dishes. No fluff. No theory. Just what works in a home kitchen, with ingredients you already have.