This Indian-style Paneer Salad with a spicy Greek yogurt dressing is a protein-packed, delicious vegetarian salad that comes together in just 20 minutes.
Recipe Snapshot
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 5 minutes
- Total time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 3
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
For Paneer
- 1 cup paneer, cut into 1/2 inch cubes ((about 200 grams))
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
- salt, pepper (to taste)
For Dressing
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (hung curd)
- 6-8 soaked cashews ((or soaked almonds))
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano ((or Italian herbs))
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- salt (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional, but recommended)
Veggies
- 1 cup romaine lettuce
- 1/2 cup onion (diced)
- 1/2 cup cucumber (diced)
- 1/2 cup tomato (deseeded and diced)
- 1/2 cup colored bell peppers (diced)
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves
Method
- In a blender, add Greek yogurt (hung curd), soaked cashews, garlic clove minced, red chili powder, oregano (or Italian herbs), red chili flakes, cumin powder, salt to taste, lemon juice, and maple syrup. Blend to a smooth puree.
- In a pan, add oil. Once it's hot, add paneer cubes, red chili flakes, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Sauté about 3-4 minutes or until they are golden and crispy. Keep them aside. You can also air fry the paneer.
- In a large mixing bowl, add romaine lettuce, diced onions, diced cucumber, diced tomatoes, diced colored bell peppers, and pan-fried paneer.
- Next, add the spicy Greek yogurt dressing and coriander leaves.
- Toss well to combine. Adjust the seasoning at this stage if needed. You can enjoy the salad right away or refrigerate it for at least 1 hour before serving.
Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note
Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.