These low-carb, vegetarian-friendly paneer fritters with cucumber and mint raita are super tasty and a great source of protein, fibre, and nutrients. With a few hidden veggies inside, this is a fabulous dish for Meatless Mondays, lunchboxes, easy-to-grab snacks or brunch. If you looking for delicious and healthy paneer recipes, make sure to give these fritters a go.
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I first made these paneer fritters during the low-carb challenge. We had a few vegetarian participants who were asking for new recipes they could make. I was going through vegetarian protein sources in my head and paneer came to mind. I’ve only had paneer a curry-type dish, but its texture is perfect for things like fritters and patties.
Make sure to check out these Low-Carb Vegetarian Recipes.
What Is Paneer?
Paneer is essentially an Indian cottage cheese made from cow or buffalo milk. You might have tried or heard of Palak Paneer, a popular Indian spinach curry with cubed paneer cheese, which some people mistake for tofu.
It is a non-aged, non-melting cheese that is very similar to ricotta or cottage cheese but is quite firm in texture so it can be cut into cubes or sliced. It has a mild, milky flavour like cottage or ricotta.
Paneer cheese is high in protein, moderate in fat and low in carbohydrates; it is a great source of calcium and vitamins A and D. The better quality milk that paneer is made from, the more superior is its nutritional profile.
You can buy paneer at large grocery stores as well as speciality Indian or Asian grocers. You can also easily make it at home, check out this recipe (all you need are milk and lemon juice).
Paneer Fritters
With the addition of green peas (another good protein source), cheese and eggs, this recipe is suitable for lacto-ovo vegetarians or anyone wanting a meat-free dish that is still relatively low in carbohydrates.
These paneer fritters feature a little curry spice and are pan-fried to crispy golden brown and served with a simple, tangy cucumber and mint raita.
I hope you enjoy this paneer recipe. Let me know in the comments if you make it and leave a rating as it helps others to discover my recipes. Frequently asked questions and step-by-step photos of how to make this dish are below the recipe card.
What You’ll Need
- Protein: grated paneer cheese, frozen peas (defrosted), grated Cheddar or another firm cheese.
- Plus: grated carrots (you could use zucchini), red onion, garlic, salt, pepper and mild curry spice.
What Can I Use Instead Of Paneer?
If you can’t get your hands on paneer, you can use a mix of grated firm tofu and ricotta or grated Mozzarella.
How To Make Paneer Fritters
Step 1. Grate paneer, cheese and carrots and set aside. Defrost frozen peas in a bowl of boiling hot water. Finely dice onions and garlic.
Step 2. In a large bowl, combine grated paneer cheese with the remaining fritter ingredients. Use a spatula or a spoon to mix everything thoroughly.
Step 3. Heat a thin layer of olive oil or ghee in a frying pan. The larger the frying pan, the more fritters you can cook in each batch.
Once sizzling hot, add about two tablespoons of the mixture per fritter (in a pancake shape). Once the pan is filled, reduce the heat to medium-high, add a little more oil if it gets absorbed and the pan feels dry and smoky. Cook for about 4-5 minutes on the first side and 2-3 minutes second side or until browned and easy to flip with a spatula
Step 4. While the fritters are cooking, make the raita. Combine yoghurt, grated or diced cucumber and chopped mint in a small bowl.
You can serve paneer fritters hot or cold with cucumber raita on the side. Aioli, mayo, and sweet chilli sauce are also lovely condiments with the fritters.
What To Serve With Paneer Fritters
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Ingredients
For the fritters
- 200 g paneer grated (7 oz.)
- 50 g cheddar cheese grated (2 oz.)
- 1/2 carrot grated (juice squeezed)
- 200 g frozen peas defrosted in hot water (7 oz.)
- 1 garlic clove finely diced or minced
- 1/4 onion red or white, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1.5 teaspoons curry powder
- 3 eggs
- Olive oil for cooking
For raita
- 1/3 cup yoghurt
- 1 small cucumber grated or diced into small cubes
- 6-7 leaves mint chopped
Instructions
- Grate paneer, cheese and carrots and set aside. Defrost frozen peas in a bowl of boiling hot water. Finely dice onions and garlic.
- In a large bowl, combine grated paneer cheese with the remaining fritter ingredients. Use a spatula or a spoon to mix everything thoroughly.
- Heat a thin layer of olive oil or ghee in a frying pan. The larger the frying pan, the more fritters you can cook in each batch.
- Once sizzling hot, add about two tablespoons of the mixture per fritter (in a pancake shape). Once the pan is filled, reduce the heat to medium-high, add a little more oil if it gets absorbed and the pan feels dry and smoky.
- Cook for about 4-5 minutes on the first side and 2-3 minutes second side or until browned and easy to flip with a spatula
- While the fritters are cooking, make the raita. Combine yoghurt, grated or diced cucumber and chopped mint in a small bowl.
- You can serve paneer fritters hot or cold with cucumber raita on the side. Aioli, mayo, and sweet chilli sauce are also lovely condiments with the fritters.
This is an excellent very filling recipe. I made it for lunch and really enjoyed it. Even with weighing ingredients I made 6 pretty big size patties. Really appreciated and thank you. It really encourages to continue with the low gl diet.
Thanks, Anotonetta : ) Glad you enjoyed these fritters. Irena
I’m vegetarian so low carb can be tricky so this recipe is a real winner! I can even source paneer from my local supermarket. This one is now on high rotation!
Thanks, Maxine!
Any airfrying instructions?
Hey Pesh, I haven’t tried air frying these. I think if you can find instructions for similar fritters on Google, you should be able to use those for this dish as well. I do have an air fryer and will try fritters in it one time.