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    Home » Indian Recipes » Dry Sabzi Recipes

    Paneer Bhurji ~ with an optional tasty twist

    Published on September 24, 2021 · Updated on September 24, 2021 - This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See disclosure policy.

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    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Paneer Bhurji ~ scrambled indian cottage cheese flavored with indian spices is a popular Indian breakfast as well as lunch / dinner dish.

    And this paneer bhurji recipe is quick and easy to make, using everyday ingredients and spices usually available in the Indian pantry.

    That being said.. in this particular recipe for paneer bhurji, I’ve chosen to add an unexpected and unconventional spice for bhurji. But that spice is optional and also readily available, and when added it truly elevates the flavor of this dish. So I highly recommend you try it!

    top shot of a bowl full of paneer bhurji, with a roti on the side, along with a spoon & some sliced onions

    There is no denying that paneer is an extremely popular ingredient in Indian cuisine. Especially for vegetarians, it’s a good source of protein that is delicious and extremely versatile too.

    I love paneer in its many forms ~ from paneer tikkas & paneer pakodas to curries like palak paneer, paneer butter masala, kadai paneer to rice dishes like paneer pulao & paneer biryani. And then there are the indo chinese variants ~ paneer manchurian, paneer chilli dry & paneer fried rice – the options are varied and seemingly endless!

    But when I started cooking paneer – I started with paneer bhurji, because it was quick and simple to begin with, and still very delicious. And till date, it’s one of my go-to paneer recipes to make.

    Though off late, I’ve made some additions / alterations to my recipe that has made it so much better. Which is also partly why I am excited to share it on the blog.

    Here’s the step by step paneer bhurji recipe I use..

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients You Need
    • How to Make Paneer Bhurji
    • Notes
    • Serving Suggestion
    • Other quick + easy recipes to try..
    • 📖 RECIPE

    Ingredients You Need

    top shot of all the ingredients required to make paneer bhurji
    ingredients – paneer, oil, cumin seeds, ginger garlic paste, chopped chillies, onions & tomatoes, spices (red chilli powder, garam masala powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, pav bhaji masala), salt & chopped coriander leaves

    Ingredient notes

    Paneer – I usually use a block of store-bought paneer (for convenience), and grate it to get grated / crumbled paneer. But if you have homemade paneer available, use it, as fresh homemade paneer is always best for making bhurji.

    Spices – The base spices I’ve always used for making paneer bhurji have been – garam masala, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and turmeric / haldi powder.

    More recently I’ve started adding pav bhaji masala to the mix (yes, you read that right), and it made the bhurji so much more delicious and flavorful, that now it’s a standard spice I use in paneer bhurji (and egg bhurji too!). I highly recommend you try it too (check out the additional notes at the end of the recipe to see the alternatives / variations I’ve tried).

    How to Make Paneer Bhurji

    Prep for bhurji


    Take a 400 gram block of paneer, and grate it to get grated / crumbled paneer. This should yield about 4 cups of grated / crumbled paneer. Set aside.

    I usually make 400 grams at a time, to have enough for 3 of us at home, and some leftovers for another time.

    side by side shots of grating a block of paneer and a bowl full of grated paneer

    For making paneer bhurji

    • In a pan, add 3 tablespoon oil, and lightly heat it up for a couple of minutes.
    • To this, add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, and roast it for a minute or so, till it starts crackling.
    • Then add in 1 cup chopped onions, and 1 teaspoon salt, and saute till the onions start turning light golden brown. This will take about 7-8 minutes.
    • In the meanwhile, since you will have a few minutes before the onions are done – in a small bowl mix together – 2 teaspoon pav bhaji masala, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder & ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.

      This will be extremely useful in a bit, when you need to add the masalas all together. And it’s best to do the pre-mixing now, as the onions will take a few minutes to turn a little brown.
    • When the onions are done, add in the 2 chopped chillies, and 2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste, and saute for 1-2 minutes, just until the raw smell of the ginger garlic paste goes away.
    • And now add in the spice powders mixed together earlier. Pre-mixing and adding spice powders all together, helps to ensure they don’t get burned, which might happen if the spices are added one at a time.
    step by step photos of roasting onions, chillies, ginger garlic paste & spices to make the base for paneer bhurji
    • Lightly roast the spices for about 30-60 seconds. And here you can reduce the flame for a bit, and also add in a splash of water if required, to avoid the spices from getting burnt.
    • Then add in ¾ cup chopped tomatoes, and saute for 2-3 minutes, till the tomatoes cook down a bit.
    • After which, add in the grated paneer, mix it in, and cook for 2-3 minutes, till the paneer starts melting down a bit.
    • Garnish with ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves.
    • Serve hot.
    step by step photos of roasting tomatoes and then adding paneer to make paneer bhurji

    Notes

    Using pav bhaji masala – How to incorporate it and how much to add is based on your personal preference. But here are the alternatives & variations I’ve tried. 

    1. Using all base masalas – a teaspoon each of red chilli powder, garam masala powder, coriander powder,  ½ teaspoon of cumin powder & ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, and adding 1-2 teaspoon of pav bhaji masala to it.

      As you see in the recipe, I’ve gone with 2 teaspoon pav bhaji masala because we like this spicier version. And the spice balances out when you have bhurji with pav or chapati. But you can also go with only 1 teaspoon of pav bhaji masala if you don’t want as much spice. 
    2. I’ve also tried replacing garam masala with 1-2 teaspoon of pav bhaji masala. Here too, I prefer replacing 1 teaspoon garam masala with 2 teaspoon pav bhaji masala. But you can also replace 1 teaspoon garam masala with 1 teaspoon pav bhaji masala, based on your preference.

    Serving Suggestion

    Serve paneer bhurji hot with rotis / chapatis or pav!

    top shot of a bowl full of paneer bhurji, with a roti on the side, along with a spoon & some sliced onions

    Other quick + easy recipes to try..

    ⭐️ Batata Upkari (quick & easy potato stir fry)
    ⭐️ Easy Sambar Recipe
    (base version for beginners)
    ⭐️ Instant Pot Palak Paneer
    (my go-to method)
    ⭐️ Mango Lassi
    (with tips to adapt the drink to suit you)

    As always, I hope you found this recipe useful. If you did, please let me know your rating ⭐️ and feedback 📲 in the comments below, or simply rate the recipe right on the recipe card. I’d really appreciate it. ❤️ 

    📖 RECIPE

    top shot of a bowl full of paneer bhurji, with a roti on the side, along with a spoon & some sliced onions

    Paneer Bhurji Recipe

    step by step recipe for making paneer bhurji ~ with a tasty twist
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Indian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 428kcal
    Author: Shantala Shenoy Nayak

    Equipment

    • 12″ hexclad stir fry wok

    Ingredients

    • 400 grams paneer block (~ about 4 cups of grated / crumbled paneer)
    • 3 tablespoon oil
    • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
    • 1 cup chopped onions
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 2 green chillies chopped
    • 2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
    • 2 teaspoon pav bhaji masala optional but recommended *see notes for variations / alternatives
    • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
    • 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
    • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
    • ½ teaspoon cumin powder
    • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
    • ¾ cup chopped tomatoes
    • ¼-½ cup chopped coriander leaves
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Prep for Bhurji

    • Grate the 400 gram block of paneer to get grated / crumbled paneer. Set aside.

    Making Paneer Bhurji

    • In a pan, add 3 tablespoon oil, and lightly heat it up for a couple of minutes.
    • To this, add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, and roast it for a minute or so, till it starts crackling.
    • Then add in 1 cup chopped onions, and 1 teaspoon salt, and saute till the onions start turning light golden brown. This will take about 7-8 minutes.
    • After which add in the 2 chopped chillies, and 2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste, and saute for 1-2 minutes, just until the raw smell of the ginger garlic paste goes away.
    • In the meanwhile, in a small bowl mix together – 2 teaspoon pav bhaji masala, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder & ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.
    • And when the ginger garlic paste has been lightly roasted, add these spice powders in. It's best to add these spice powders all together, like mentioned above, so as to avoid them getting burnt, if the spices are added one at a time.
    • Lightly roast the spices for about 30-60 seconds. And here you can reduce the flame for a bit, and also add in a splash of water if required, to avoid the spices from getting burnt.
    • Then add in ¾ cup chopped tomatoes, and saute for 2-3 minutes, till the tomatoes cook down a bit.
    • After which, add in the grated paneer, mix it in, and cook for 2-3 minutes, till the paneer starts melting down a bit.
    • Garnish with ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves.
    • Serve hot with rotis / chapatis or pav.

    Notes

    Using pav bhaji masala – Pav bhaji masala is technically an optional ingredient in paneer bhurji, but it really adds to the flavor, so I always use it. 
    How to incorporate it and how much to add is based on your personal preference. But here are the alternatives & variations I’ve tried. 
    Using all base masalas – a teaspoon each of red chilli powder, garam masala powder, coriander powder,  ½ teaspoon of cumin powder & ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, and adding 1-2 teaspoon of pav bhaji masala. As you see in the recipe, I’ve gone with 2 teaspoon pav bhaji masala because we like this spicier version. And the spice balances out when you have bhurji with pav or chapati. But you can also go with only 1 teaspoon of pav bhaji masala if you don’t want as much spice. 
    I’ve also tried replacing garam masala with 1-2 teaspoon of pav bhaji masala. Here too, I prefer replacing 1 teaspoon garam masala with 2 teaspoon pav bhaji masala. But you can also replace 1 teaspoon garam masala with 1 teaspoon pav bhaji masala, based on your preference.
    Please note: The nutrition values are best estimates provided as a courtesy. The exact values can vary depending on the exact ingredients or brands used. If you rely on them for your specific diet and/or health issues, please consult a registered dietician or nutritionist.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 759mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 274IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 513mg | Iron: 1mg

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    Hi there, I am Shantala, an Indian foodie in an American kitchen. Welcome to The Love of Spice - my food blog, virtual home & passion project, all rolled into one. On here I share Easy-to-Follow Family Recipes, along with tips on Indian Meal Planning & Lunch Box Ideas for Kids & Adults. I hope you enjoy the site, and find it useful. :) read more

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