4.9 from 158 votes
Paneer Bhurji Recipe (Punjabi Style)
Paneer Bhurji is a gently spiced, crumbled Indian cottage cheese dish cooked with onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and green chilies. It offers a soft, slightly chunky texture with aromatic spices such as turmeric, coriander, and garam masala. This mildly tangy preparation is suitable as a vegetarian main or side, often finished with fresh cilantro for brightness and served with flatbreads or rice.
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
20 mins
Servings:
3
Calories:
353 kcal
Course:
Breakfast, Snacks
Cuisine:
Indian
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons neutral cooking oil or ghee, butter or white butter, generic cooking oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ cup onion finely chopped) or 1 medium sized
- 3 to 4 garlic peeled, made to a paste in mortar-pestle or 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste, small cloves garlic, 1 inch ginger
- 3 to 4 ginger peeled, made to a paste in mortar-pestle or 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste, small cloves garlic, 1 inch ginger
- 1 or 2 green chili finely chopped or slit, or about ½ to 1 teaspoon, chopped
- 1 cup tomato tightly packed, finely chopped) or 2 medium sized to large tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder or ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 200 to 250 grams paneer (Indian cottage cheese)
- salt as required
- 3 tablespoons Coriander leaves - chopped, (cilantro)
Instructions
Preparation
- Crumble the paneer and set aside. You do not need to make a fine crumble. A coarse crumble with some chunks of paneer is fine.
- Finely chop the onions, tomatoes and green chillies. Keep aside.
- Crush the ginger and garlic to a paste in a mortar pestle and keep aside.
- Also remove the spice powders and keep aside.
Cup of Yum
Making Paneer Bhurji
- Heat oil or ghee or butter in a pan. Let the oil become hot on a medium-low or medium flame.
- Add cumin seeds. Let them crackle and change color. Once they get browned, add onions.
- Mix well and sauté the onions. When the onions become translucent, add ginger-garlic paste and chopped green chilies.
- Sauté for some seconds till the raw aroma of the ginger-garlic goes away.
- Then add tomatoes and sauté on medium-low heat till they become soft. You can add a pinch of salt so that the tomatoes get cooked faster.
- Now add all the dry spice powders - turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder.
- Mix the spice powders very well and sauté for 5 to 6 seconds on low to medium-low heat.
- Then, add the crumbled paneer. Mix throughly and cook for 1 minute on low heat.
- Don't cook the paneer for a long time as they harden and loose their softness.
- Lastly add the chopped coriander leaves and mix.
- Serve Paneer Bhurji hot with bread toast. You can also serve it with roti, plain paratha or as a stuffing in burrito or wraps.
Notes
- Homemade paneer works best; if using packaged or frozen, follow package prep instructions.
- Use ripe tomatoes for balanced tang; avoid overly sour varieties to maintain flavor harmony.
- Adjust green chili and red chili powder levels according to heat preference; avoid excess garam masala.
- Fresh coriander leaves brighten the dish; fresh mint can be used as an alternative garnish.
- Use oil, butter, or ghee for fat, noting each adds a different subtle taste.
- To make vegan, replace paneer with firm tofu; avoid silken or soft tofu for texture consistency.
Nutrition Information
Calories
353kcal
(18%)
Carbohydrates
9g
(3%)
Protein
10g
(20%)
Fat
31g
(48%)
Saturated Fat
11g
(55%)
Cholesterol
44mg
(15%)
Sodium
564mg
(24%)
Potassium
157mg
(3%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
4g
(8%)
Vitamin A
540IU
(11%)
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
1mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
1mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
1mg
Vitamin B6
1mg
Vitamin C
14mg
(16%)
Vitamin E
6mg
Vitamin K
6µg
Calcium
331mg
(33%)
Vitamin B9 (Folate)
13µg
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Magnesium
8mg
(2%)
Phosphorus
20mg
Zinc
1mg
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 3 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 353
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 353kcal | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 9g | 3% |
| Protein | 10g | 20% |
| Fat | 31g | 48% |
| Saturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Cholesterol | 44mg | 15% |
| Sodium | 564mg | 24% |
| Potassium | 157mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 540IU | 11% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1mg | |
| Vitamin C | 14mg | 16% |
| Vitamin E | 6mg | |
| Vitamin K | 6µg | |
| Calcium | 331mg | 33% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 13µg | |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
| Magnesium | 8mg | 2% |
| Phosphorus | 20mg | |
| Zinc | 1mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.