Paneer is a humble vegetarian favorite that has been loved for generations by Indian families. However, Paneer may soon take over halloumi to become the popular cheese of choice by millennials. With sales rising rapidly for the delicious creamy grillable delight,
Indian cottage cheese is a popular social media trend. TikTok has more than 266,000,000 views of videos about this cheese.
The sales have also risen. At Sainsbury’s paneer sales have grown more than 60 per cent in two years. Waitrose reports that paneer searches have increased by more than 81% in one year.
Tesco’s sourcFEMAIL was told by e that Paneer sold more in 2021 and 2020 than it did the previous year. It’s also the third most popular Indian product at Sainsbury’s, behind Bombay potatoes and pilau rice.
Sainsbury’s has even launched a new Taste the Difference paneer jalfrezi & saffron pilau rice ready meal due to the surging popularity of the ingredient.
M&S have seen sales of our paneer jump 22 per cent in the last year – with no signs of sales slowing down.

Indian cottage cheese, which is often used as a vegetarian substitute in curries, has been a big social media hit. TikTok videos about it have received more than 266,000,000 views. Here is an attempt by social media users to make butter paneer.
The surge is down to both to social media where delicious grills and curries have soaring success with millions of people sharing dishes with #paneerrecipe #paneer #paneertikk #paneerlove – and to the rise in vegetarianism with people searching for meat free alternatives.
South Asian restaurants often serve cheese cubed, marinated and served in the exact same way as chicken. However, chefs are increasingly using the versatile ingredient to create new dishes and show off its versatility.
Kricket is a high-end Indian restaurant located in West London that serves cheese on butternut squash. Guosto meal kits recently introduced a paneer Naanwich, a festive sandwich featuring an Indian twist.
Jordan Moore Senior Recipe Developer at recipe box Gousto FEMAIL:Halloumi is the most popular grillable cheese, thanks to its bacon-like saltiness and meaty texture. Whether BBQ’d, pan fried or deep fried… the possibilities are endless and the outcome is always delicious. But, it is not as good as paneer.
Paneer is an Indian cottage-cheese, which has a high melting point. It’s as versatile and adaptable as halloumi. Paneer doesn’t have the same salty kick as halloumi, but this lends itself perfectly to rubs, marinades and famously curries and stews.
“Our paneer butter masala with coriander rice recipe was our most popular ever, and it reached its highest popularity among customers.” So we’re expecting to see it’s popularity continue to increase into 2022.

This is due to two things: social media, where tasty grills and curries are a huge success and millions sharing #paneerrecipe#paneertikk#paneerlove; and the increase in vegetarianism as people search for vegan alternatives.


Many south Asian restaurants offer the cheese cubed and then marinated in the same manner as chicken in a curry. But chefs are increasingly showing more creativity and using it in innovative ways. TikTok users make the dish.
Chet Sharma chef Chef Patron at FEMAIL was told by a Mayfair-based contemporary Indian restaurant that serves chaat and barbecues. He used to make paneer himself until there was so much demand it needed to be outsourced.
For an authentic taste – he uses buffalo milk to make the cheese.
Buffalos are found on New Forest’s wild terrain and mostly graze on grasses. However, as the seasons change they switch from oxeye daisies and dandelion to wild fennel and meadowsweet to eat more of the spring greens.
There are many nuances to the milk, which can be reflected in different flavours. The dairy uses a low-temperature pasteurization process that preserves this complex flavor.
He said that North Indians have enjoyed paneer at least once a week since the beginning, and about 75 percent of customers order paneer dishes in restaurants.
“We had to send our milk back to the dairy because it was the only way to make the quantity we needed.
“We sell more than 10kg per week. This is 40 litres of dairy milk.
My mother and father-in-law made it at their home. They love it because it is the easiest to make.
“The use paneer is very different in homes – it’s not a super grillable, compressed piece of cheese. It’s coarser and has a texture more similar to scrambled eggs.
“There are certain dishes that it is sliced and deep-fried. It’s also a soft set cheese.
We serve it on a charcoal-grille, in which it is sliced and ground – then brined. Lastly, it is dressed with charcoal butter in the simplest form.
“It’s not spicy or hot. It just has the umami deliciousness.
It could also be used as feta in Mediterranean cuisine, or even as a side dish.
A milder flavour can be treated with more aggression and may take spice.
Vivek Sing, Executive Chef and CEO, The Cinnamon Collection, said: “Paneer is becoming increasingly popular in Western countries, but it’s been the most preferred vegetarian protein in Indian for a long time.
‘In my family and heritage, paneer has been popular for a very long time – it’s not just an ingredient, it’s a religion for meat eaters and vegetarians alike.
‘It is a special ingredient that people often enjoy on a special occasion – paneer is that treat for vegetarians, and I think that’s why it’s becoming more and more popular in the UK.
The richness and unctuousness this ingredient gives to paneer dishes is what makes them so delicious. It works best when it’s cooked with a rich and unctuous sauce – whether that’s a richness from spices, nuts or from cream and butter. More is better.
Vineet Bhatia was the first Indian chef to win a Michelin star. Vineet also teaches Indian cookery on BBC Maestro. Vineet uses high fat milk for his paneer.
“This allows me to modify it as I like. We use it in mains starters and desserts.
‘The most important thing to make sure of when making it at home is to make sure you have a high fat milk like cow’s or buffalo.
‘It doesn’t work with nut milks or goat milks as much as the fat content is too low! Paneer that is commercially made would be acceptable, as well. Particularly for the firm texture.
Paneer is a delicious dish that takes in flavour well. You should coat the paneer in a strong marinade. Treat it like a vessel for flavor. A great marinade is a must before grilling, or in an onion-tomato-spiced heavy sauce.
“Paneer Bhurji is my favourite – scrambled or smashed paneer. There are two options for paneer: firm or crumbly. Then I make it into desi-scrambled eggs using onion tomatoes, cumin, Kashmiri chilis, and cook it until it is delicious. For a slightly less traditional recipe, I love paneer with pesto and chopped broccoli.
“Thinking out of the box”: I used paneer in India to create a cheesecake with mango, fresh mango, and with value jamun and rasmalai flavours.
Avinash Shishadhira, head chef at Pali Hill in central London, said he’s seen an increase in paneer sales as people search for healthier meat alternatives.
‘With paneer’s meaty texture, it is a popular choice. There are many people who have visited India, where paneer is a popular ingredient. The internet has provided easy access to videos and recipes for those looking to live a vegetarian lifestyle.
It is similar in texture to halloumi. However, it has a more flexible use. Paneer can be cooked with a sauce and cut into huge cubes. It can also be marinated, grilled, or baked in a tandoor. You could even simply grate it and add squashes and other gourds for koftas. I think it’s ability to be versatile is key to is fast growing popularity.
‘At the restaurant, we sell so much of it, we sadly don’t have the capacity to make it ourselves, but we work with a really specialist producer who uses 100 per cent cow’s milk. However, at home I make paneer and it is delicious! It’s quite simple to make.
‘The secret is to soak the paneer in boiling water for 5-10 minutes to soften it – this will help with a silky texture to the cheese. The sauce should be creamy regardless of whether you use tomato, peas, cream or a mix leafy green (saag), so that it evenly coats paneer.