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    Home » Indian Kitchen Hacks/How To

    How to Make Paneer (Fresh Indian Cheese)

    Published: Feb 10, 2014 · Modified: Apr 5, 2022 by Tanvi Srivastava · This post may contain affiliate links

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    Homemade Paneer. Learn how to make soft and creamy paneer at home using a handful of ingredients. It is super easy to make at home. Not only you can control the ingredients, the freshness and taste will surprise you.

    SinfullySpicy - How to Make Paneer (Fresh Indian Cheese)

    This post is long due. It is in my drafts for more than two years. I was trying different ways all this time but something wasn't right with the texture & taste of paneer I made at home.

    However, once you get a hang of it, making paneer could be the easiest thing you do in your kitchen. The steps are simple and there are just a few things you need to keep in mind and viola you are a cheese maker! I am sharing my recipe which will help you make moist, creamy and mildly chewy paneer every single time. Use it in curries to make bhurji with it. .The paneer cubes hold up their shape when added to curries or grilled on high heat.

    Block of Paneer wrapped in cheesecloth

    What is Paneer?

    Paneer/Panir is something you cannot imagine indian (especially north indian) cuisine without. With vegetarianism being the popular way to eat, it is hugely consumed as a source of protein and fat. From appetizers to curries to flatbreads to desserts, it is one favorite ingredient among indians.

    Back in India, freshest paneer is easily available in markets. It is so soft and creamy that you can eat it just as it is. It just melts in the mouth.

    Paneer is fresh cheese but its not made by fermenting or curing or using rennet (which is a popular enzyme used in cheese making in the western countries). It is sometimes referred to as indian cottage cheese but dont get confused, the taste and texture is entirely different from cottage cheese. Paneer is unaged, firm, unsalted and non- melting dairy product which is a somewhat similar to how ricotta is made.

    Pouring Milk into a pot

    How To Make Paneer At Home?

    There are 3 main steps involved in making paneer at home.

    • Boiling & Curdling the Milk- Add milk to a large pot and bring to a rolling boil. Once boiling, switch off the stove. Add the curdling agent (details below) and let the milk curdle.
    • Draining the Milk Curds - Drain the curds using a cheese cloth. Tie up the curds and let drain for an hour or so.
    • Pressing the curds into a block- Weigh down the curds to form a block. Refrigerate and cube.

    Refer to recipe card for detailed instructions.

    Milk Curds after adding vinegar
    Tying paneer curds in a cheesecloth

    Curdling Agents

    There are many ways to curdle the milk and the texture and taste of differs only a bit depending on the agent you choose.

    • Fresh Lemon or Lime Juice - This is one of the most common ways to curdle milk. The curds a bit of washing to do away the citrus taste but the texture is soft.
    • Vinegar - This is what I use. I love that the firm texture and how creamy it is. There is no need to wash the curds either. The milk curdles faster and the you get soft and delicious cheese with a hint of tang. Love it!
    • Sour Curd (Indian Yogurt) or ButterMilk - My grandmother used to use this method. You need sour curd or buttermilk for this method. In those days, curd was set at home and she used to set it out for a few hours to make it sour. This method yields firm paneer as well.
    Whey draining from paneer

    Variations You can Try

    • Add some ground pepper to the milk for black pepper flavored paneer.
    • You can also add ½ teaspoon turmeric to milk before curdling it for a yellow stained paneer to use it in savory recipes.

    How To Use Whey

    Whey is full of nutritients and is considered very good for the gut. However, I am personally not at all a fan of taste its so I simply use it to water my plants. Yes I know 🙂

    I have seen many people use it cake batters, for kneading dough, while making dal and in smoothies as well. You can try and see how you like it.

    Block Of Paneer after weighing
    Homemade Paneer Cubes

    Storing & Using Paneer

    You can use the paneer right away in your recipes. Store it refrigerated for 3-4 days. Freeze for a month. I like to cube or portion it before freezing.

    Few Tips

    • Milk :- Use full fat milk. You can use any high quality milk. I usually go for organic milk. Paneer is all about fat content in the milk. I bump the milk with some heavy cream for a softer cheese but its optional to add cream.
    • Temperature :- In the entire process, the temperature is very important. Adding the curdling agent when the milk is boiling or super hot will make a rubbery paneer. Please follow the instructions in recipe card.
    • Do not let too much water drain from the curdled milk once you have tied it up in the cheese cloth else paneer will be dry and the curds will never pull together to form a block.
    • It is better to cut when the block is cold. Use a sharp knife.

    FAQ

    My Paneer is Crumbly after weighing down. What could be the reason?

    There could be a few reasons. Using skimmed or toned milk makes a crumbly paneer. Letting the paneer curds cook after the milk has coagulated can also lead to this. Switch off the stove before adding curdling agent. You can use the crumbled paneer to make paneer bhurji.

    Can I use homemade paneer to make desserts like gulab jamun & rasmalai?

    Absolutely, You can. Don't weigh down the curds but let them drain a bit longer (say about 15 minutes) and use for making sweets.

    Is chenna and paneer the same?

    Lot of indian desserts are made using chenna which is basically unpressed paneer. Chenna is more soft and moist. Paneer is firm because we weigh it down. However, both are made by curdling milk.

    I used the exact quantity you mentioned but the whey is not green?

    Sometimes you need to add more curdling agents for coagulation. Dont worry add a teaspoon or more of curdling agent. You can also warm up the milk on stove for few minutes if needed for a clear green whey.

    Paneer Featured Image

    How To Make Paneer

    Tanvi Srivastava
    Learn how to make soft and delicious paneer at home every single time.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 3 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 18 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Indian
    Servings 8 oz
    Calories 169 kcal

    Equipment

    • Cheesecloth or Muslin Cloth
    • 2 bowls
    • 2 Large dinner plates
    • Large heavy Pot
    • Stirring Spoon preferably wooden
    • Heavy Object like can of beans or cast iron pot to weigh down the curds
    • Colander or Soup Strainer

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ gallon full fat milk
    • ¼ cup heavy cream
    • ¼ cup vinegar or lemon juice or sour curd

    Instructions
     

    Prep

    • Line the strainer with double layer of cheesecloth/muslin. Set it over a large bowl to catch the whey such that there is gap between the bottom of strainer and the bowl. Keep rubber bands or string nearby. I recommend setting this up near your sink so that once you have strained the curds you can hang the cheesecloth on the tap.

    Boil Milk & Make Curds

    • Rinse the pot you will be boiling milk in with water. Without wiping, add milk to the pot. Set on a low medium stove and let the milk warm up for about 5-6 minutes. Once the milk is warm, add the heavy cream.
    • Bring the whole mixture to a rolling boil. This will take 12-15 minutes on medium heat, you will need to intermittently stir the mixture to avoid formation of skin. Keep a close eye.
    • Once the milk has boiled, switch off the stove. Wait for 2 minutes. Add ¼ cup of vinegar (or lemon or sour curd) to the boiled milk.Stir gently. Immediately you will see that the milk will starts to coagulate.
    • It will take 40-45 seconds or so for you to start seeing greenish liquid separating (this is whey). This green liquid will be clear, if it's still whitish, you might need to add more vinegar( 1-2 teaspoon). Add 1 teaspoon at a time till you see clear green liquid.
      Tip:- If for some reason you dont see a green whey, switch on the stove and help the milk curdle.
    • Once the milk has curdled completely, carefully lift the pot and pour the curdled milk over the strainer lined with cheesecloth. The whey will collect in the bowl.
    • Carefully gather the ends of the cheesecloth and fasten with the help of rubber tie/ kitchen string. The whey will continue to strain.
    • You dont need to wash the curds if you are using vinegar or sour curd. If you used lemme juice wash the tied curds under running water a few times.
    • Hang the tied curds for 5 minutes so that the liquid drains away. Stop as soon as the water stops dripping in a continuous string. Just an idea :- You can set a bowl in your kitchen sink and hand from the kitchen faucet.

    Weigh Down the Curds to Make Paneer block

    • Place the cheesecloth on a plate and keep another plate on top of it to flatten down to a block. Next keep a heavy weight on top of it. I place a few can of beans in my cast iron skillet and use it to weigh down. Keep the curds weighed down for 30 minutes at room temperature.
    • After 30-40 minutes the paneer will be set. There will be some whey in the plate from weighing down. Collect it if you wish. See posts on ideas how to use it.
    • Once weighed down, place the paneer clock still wrapped in cheesecloth in the fridge for an hour. I find it much better to wait for 4-6 hours before cutting it.
    • Wrap the paneer block and using a sharp knife cut as desired.
    • Store in the fridge for 3-4 days. Use as needed.

    Notes

    • Milk :- Use full fat milk. You can use any high quality milk. I usually go for organic milk. Paneer is all about fat content in the milk. I bump the milk with some heavy cream for a softer paneer but its optional to add cream.
    • Temperature :- In the entire process of making paneer, the temperature is very important. Adding the curdling agent when the milk is boiling or super hot will make a rubbery paneer. Please follow the instructions in recipe card.
    • Do not let too much water drain from the curdled milk once you have tied it up in the cheese cloth else paneer will be dry and the curds will never pull together to form a block.
    • It is better to cut paneer when the block is cold. Use a sharp knife.
    • I recommend storing the paneer block in little bit of water (like we store fresh mozzarella) in the refrigerator. Cut out pieces as you need. However if you are freezing it, don't freeze in water.
    Variations 
    • Add some ground pepper to the milk for black pepper flavored paneer.
    • You can also add ½ teaspoon turmeric to milk before curdling it for a yellow stained paneer to use it in savory recipes.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 169kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 8gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 92mgPotassium: 362mgSugar: 12gVitamin A: 493IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 296mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Filed Under: Indian Kitchen Hacks/How To

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. spicesandpisces

      February 10, 2014 at 6:20 pm

      I tried making paneer a couple of times but wasn't happy with the outcome. I think it's just too much effort 🙁 I usually try making things from scratch but this one looks like not my thing. I am happy that you found the right way of doing it. Loved the second picture.

      Reply
    2. Deepa

      February 10, 2014 at 6:59 pm

      Paneer looks so soft and moist. The texture too seems to have turned out to be lovely.
      Deepa

      Reply
    3. Nandita

      February 10, 2014 at 8:19 pm

      Paneer looks fantastic! Loved the perfect cubes 🙂

      Reply
    4. Rosa Mayland

      February 11, 2014 at 12:05 am

      A wonderful cheese which I'll have to make very soon...

      Cheers,

      Rosa

      Reply
    5. Shema | LifeScoops

      February 11, 2014 at 7:15 am

      Nothing cant beat the taste of homemade paneer...Lovely pics and post !

      Reply
    6. Joyti

      February 11, 2014 at 10:40 am

      So pretty! Sharing at least one of these via Pinterest 🙂

      Reply
    7. Shibi Thomas @ FlavzCorner

      February 12, 2014 at 9:51 am

      Lovely clicks and the homemade paneer looks firm and perfect!!!

      Reply
    8. Kiran @ KiranTarun.com

      February 17, 2014 at 9:25 am

      There's nothing like homemade fresh paneer 🙂 Pinned!

      Reply
    9. Asmita (@FoodieAsmita)

      February 22, 2014 at 4:51 am

      Love fresh home made paneer. Tastier and more economical too.
      Awesome job with the clicks too!

      Reply
    10. Kishu Nagrani

      March 12, 2014 at 9:31 am

      WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF ADDING 1/4 CUP OF WATER

      Reply
      • Tanvi

        March 12, 2014 at 9:33 am

        So that when you boil the milk, it does not stick to the bottom

        Reply
    11. loncheados

      March 14, 2014 at 10:33 am

      Way cool! Some very valid points! I appreciate you penning this post and also the rest of the site is really good.

      Reply
    12. veenashankar

      March 27, 2014 at 4:39 pm

      Paneer looks so soft and moist.. nothing beats homemade

      Reply

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