11 Simple and Delicious Paneer Recipes for Kids

Most vegetarians look up to paneer as their favourite dish. Whenever they go out for dinner or lunch, the first thing they look for on the menu is some paneer dish. And why shouldn’t they? It tastes delicious. It also contains essential nutrients and is rich in calcium and protein. Paneer, also known as cottage cheese is widely used in Indian dishes. As a mom, you keep looking out for new recipes for your kids, don’t you? So, here are 10 easy paneer recipes for kids that are easy to prepare and delicious to taste.

Easy & Quick Paneer Recipes for Children

If you are looking for some amazing paneer snack recipes for kids that can easily go in their tiffin boxes, then your hunt is over. Here are some easy recipes that you can start making within no time.

1. Tandoori Paneer

Ingredients

• Paneer cubes
• Marinade
• Greek yoghurt
• Mustard oil
• Lemon
• Grated ginger
• Garam masala
• Crushed garlic cloves
• Dried fenugreek leaves
• Finely chopped green chilli
• Red chilli powder
• Salt
• Crushed cumin seeds

How to Make

1. Add chilli, garlic and ginger in a mixer and grind well.
2. Place the paneer cubes in a dish and add the ginger garlic paste over it along with lemon juice and some mustard oil.
3. Mix all the other ingredients in a bowl along with yoghurt to make a paste. Add this to the paneer and marinate for an hour.
4. Place the cubes on an oven tray and bake them for about 15 minutes.
5. Later, skewer them using bamboo sticks, flanked with onion and pepper, and barbecue them like kebabs.
6. Serve them with a delicious meal and watch your kids salivate over them.

2. Paneer Pasta

Ingredients

• Cooked pasta
• Finely chopped paneer
• Finely chopped onion
• Finely chopped tomato
• Ginger garlic paste
• Tomato sauce
• Red chilli powder
• Garam masala powder
• Coriander leaves
• Oil
• Salt

How to Make

1. Heat some oil in a pan and add onions and ginger garlic paste to it. Sauté it till golden brown. Then add finely chopped tomatoes with tomato sauce and cook it for a few minutes.
2. Add a few cubes of paneer and mix them together. Add some water and cooked pasta in it.
3. Keep stirring until it is mixed evenly and cook it on the medium flame for a few minutes.
4. Add some coriander and garam masala to it and mix it properly. Later, garnish with grated paneer.
5. Pair this delicious dish with some soup and watch your kids drool over it.

3. Paneer Roll

Ingredients

• Crumbled paneer
• Mozzarella cheese
• Breadcrumbs
• Finely chopped onion
• All-purpose flour
• Salt and chilli powder

How to Make

1. Mix some all-purpose flour and water in a bowl to make a soft dough.
2. In another bowl, add paneer, salt, cheese, onion and chilli powder and combine them.
3. Roll a small ball of the dough with a rolling pin and place a spoonful of the paneer mixture on this rolled dough. Wrap the mixture with the dough and then coat it with the breadcrumbs.
4. Place the roll in oil and deep fry it until golden brown.
5. Serve it with some ketchup.
6. Give this to your child in his tiffin box or you can give it as an evening snack.

4. Paneer and Corn Kebab

Ingredients

• Crumbled paneer
• Corn kernels
• Grated carrots
• Salt
• Oil
• Finely chopped fresh coriander
• Raisins
• Cashews
• Breadcrumbs
• Turmeric
• Green chillies
• Amchur
• Red chilli powder
• Fenugreek powder

How to Make

1. Put the corn kernels in a mixer and grind them until they turn into a powdered mixture.
2. Take a bowl and add all the ingredients together, save for salt and cashews.
3. Separate the mixture into equal sections and make kebabs out of it. Put half a cashew in each kebab.
4. Place these kebabs in a refrigerator for half an hour. Following that, bake them for about 15 minutes until both sides have golden brown shade.
5. Paired with the right chutney, these kebabs can be the perfect option for a breakfast or an evening paneer snack for kids, as well as the entire family.

5. Kale Paneer

Ingredients

• Cleaned and chopped fresh kale
• Chopped garlic cloves
• Paneer cubes
• Kosher salt
• Whole milk
• Garam masala
• Cayenne
• Vegetable oil

How to Make

1. Add some oil to a non-stick pan and toss the paneer cubes in it until they turn golden brown. When done, keep them aside in a plate.
2. Add some garlic to the pan and cook for a minute. Follow it up with kale and some salt and cook for a few minutes. Later, reduce the heat and let them cook for about 10 minutes, for the kale to get soft.
3. Add milk, garam masala, and cayenne and stir well.
4. Finish it up by adding paneer cubes to the kale and cook for a few more minutes.
5. One of the most delicious dishes of all time, this is guaranteed to leave your kids wanting for more.

6. Paneer Bhurji

Ingredients

• Crumbled paneer
• Small pieces of tomato
• Small pieces of onion
• Salt
• Chilli powder
• Turmeric powder
• Jeera
• Oil
• Chopped coriander

How to Make

1. Take a pan and add oil to it. Add jeera and wait for it to crack. Once it does, add chopped onions and tomatoes to it.
2. Later add salt, turmeric and chilli powder and fry it until it cooks.
3. Add paneer to this mixture and sauté it for a few minutes. Garnish it with coriander for a great taste and look.
4. Quick, easy and delicious, this recipe is every vegetarian’s delight.

7. Tawa Paneer

Ingredients

• Ginger garlic paste
• Paneer
• Chaat masala
• Salt
• Chilli powder
• Coriander powder
• Capsicum
• Oil

How to Make

1. In a bowl, add the paneer cubes along with all the ingredients, except capsicum. Add some water to it to make a paste. Place the paneer cubes in the mixture and let it marinate for about 4 hours.
2. Chop the capsicum into fine pieces and sauté it with some salt.
3. Take a pan and add some oil to it. Place the marinated paneer and allow it to sizzle. Follow it up by adding capsicum pieces into it.
4. Let it cook for a few minutes then raise the flame to slightly burn the paneer pieces on either side.
5. This mixture can now be used as an accompaniment or even as a filling.
6. Stuff this inside a paratha or pair this with some great steaming rotis for your kids to have a blast.

8. Paneer Croquettes

Ingredients

• Grated paneer
• Boiled potatoes
• Chopped onion
• Small green chillies
• Chopped cilantro
• Salt
• Lemon juice
• Black pepper
• Eggs
• Corn flour
• Crushed corn flakes
• Vegetable oil
• Chopped walnuts
• Chopped golden raisins

How to Make

1. In a bowl, combine some boiled potatoes and grated paneer.
2. Add some salt, onion, lemon juice and green chillies to it along with some chopped cilantro.
3. Roll this mixture into small balls and stuff them with cashew and chopped raisins.
4. Take the cornflour mixture in a plate and roll these balls in them.
5. Take slightly beaten eggs and roll the balls in them.
6. Let the balls deep fry in oil until they turn golden brown.
7. Showcase this fancy preparation of paneer to your kids and watch them squeal with delight.

9. Paneer Puff

Ingredients

• Puff pastry
• Crumbled paneer
• Vegetable oil
• Green peas
• Cumin seeds
• Chopped green chilli
• Mustard seeds
• Turmeric powder
• Chopped ginger
• Coriander powder
• Garam masala powder
• Chaat masala
• Black salt
• Lemon juice
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt

How to Make

1. Take a pan and add some oil to it. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds, with ginger and green chilli and sauté for a minute.
2. Add crumbled paneer and green peas to the mixture and cook it for another minute.
3. Add salt and spices together and let it cook for a few minutes.
4. Add a dash of lemon and chopped cilantro and turn off the heat.
5. Take a puff pastry and open it up, dividing it into two squares.
6. Put a good quantity of the mixture inside the square and fold them together to create a triangular shape.
7. Close the edges by using a fork and bake them for about 15 minutes at 200 degrees.
8. It can be served with tea or coffee.

10. Paneer Cheese Rolls

Ingredients

• Crumbled paneer
• Mozzarella cheese
• Finely chopped onion
• Salt
• Chilli powder
• Maida flour
• Breadcrumbs

How to Make

1. Take a bowl and add maida and water to it. Mix it together to have a thick consistency.
2. In another bowl, mix cheese, onion, salt, chilli powder and crumbled paneer with your fingers. Roll the mixture into small balls and flatten them into a roll.
3. Put the rolls in the maida mixture and then roll them through the breadcrumbs.
4. Take a deep pan and add oil to it. Place the rolls in it and fry them until they are golden brown.
5. Pair these with ketchup or pudina chutney for great taste.

11. Paneer Paratha

Ingredients

For Paneer Filling:

• Paneer, grated
• Onion, finely chopped
• Green chilies, finely chopped
• Coriander leaves, finely chopped
• Garam masala
• Salt to taste

For Paratha Dough:

• Whole wheat flour
• Water
• Salt
• Oil or ghee for cooking

How to Make

1. Prepare the paratha dough by mixing whole wheat flour, salt, and water to form a soft dough. Let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
2. In a bowl, mix together grated paneer, finely chopped onion, green chillies, coriander leaves, garam masala, and salt to taste to make the filling.
3. Divide the dough into equal-sized balls and roll out each ball into a small circle.
4. Place a spoonful of paneer filling in the center of each rolled-out dough circle.
5. Bring the edges of the dough together and seal the filling inside to form a stuffed ball.
6. Gently flatten the stuffed ball and roll it out into a paratha.
7. Heat a tawa or griddle and cook the rolled-out paratha on both sides, applying oil or ghee until golden brown spots appear.
8. Once cooked, remove from heat and cut each paratha into halves or quarters.
9. Serve these delicious paneer parathas with mint chutney or tomato ketchup for a tasty and nutritious snack that kids will love.

FAQs

1. How can I make these recipes less spicy for kids?

To make these recipes less spicy for kids, you can reduce or omit the amount of green chilies, red chili powder, and other spicy ingredients. Adjust the spice levels according to your child’s preference.

2. Can I prepare these recipes in advance and store them for later use?

Yes, you can prepare these recipes in advance and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days. Reheat them before serving to retain their freshness and flavors.

3. Are these recipes suitable for children with lactose intolerance?

Paneer is a dairy product, so these recipes may not be suitable for children with lactose intolerance. However, you can try using lactose-free paneer or tofu as a substitute to make them suitable for lactose-intolerant children. Always check the ingredients for any potential allergens or intolerances.

These were some delicious paneer dishes for kids. Surprising your kids with a restaurant-style fancy dish will definitely get their attention and they will fall in love with your cooking. This is not only hygienic as compared to the food your kids relish outside but also healthy enough to give your kids great nutrients.

References/Resources:

1. Feeding Your Baby and Toddler (Birth to Age Two); C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital; https://www.mottchildren.org/posts/your-child/feeding-your-baby-toddler

2. Paneer; Food Data Central; U.S. Department of Agriculture; https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/392808/nutrients

3. Starting Solid Foods; American Academy of Pediatrics; https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/Starting-Solid-Foods.aspx

4. 7 Reasons Why Cottage Cheese Is Good for You; Cleveland Clinic; https://health.clevelandclinic.org/cottage-cheese-benefits

5. Stokes. T, Hector. A, Morton. R, McGlory. C, Phillips. S; Recent Perspectives Regarding the Role of Dietary Protein for the Promotion of Muscle Hypertrophy with Resistance Exercise Training (Nutrients); National Library of Medicine; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5852756/; February 2018

6. Kumar. S, Rai. D, Niranjan. K, Bhat. Z; Paneer—An Indian soft cheese variant: a review (Journal of Food Science and Technology); National Library of Medicine; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4008736/; May 2014

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