This post has been sponsored by Karoun Dairies. All opinions expressed are my own.
When it's just too hot to turn the oven on, we've got you covered with this Fried Paneer Salad. Cubes of fried Paneer cheese are topped over a cool bed of romaine with assorted berries and sliced vegetables, warm croutons, shavings of Parmesan, and a light vinaigrette pulling it all together.
Salads have this reputation of being healthy and boring which isn't to say that some critics aren't necessarily wrong, but not all salads are created equal.
Sometimes salads can be the best part of a meal. I love a warm grain salad with toasted nuts and sauteed greens in the winter. It serves as a perfect and hearty side dish complimenting a heavy meal. Then in the summer, I find myself craving salads in any form be it fruit salads or bountiful kale bowls.
However, once in a while, a classic leafy green will do the trick.
Today we're revisiting a simple romaine toss but dressing it up just a bit so it feels a little more exciting especially on a night when it's too hot to cook and all you're serving for dinner is a leafy green platter. Well, this particular toss will leave you feeling completely satisfied and refreshed.
We begin by frying cubed Paneer. Now for those who are unfamiliar, Paneer is a mild, milky dense cheese. The consistency reminded me of tofu almost with the subtlety of mozzarella in terms of flavor. It's a really fabulous option for meatless meals.
For today's recipe I'm using Indian Style Paneer from Karoun Dairies which has a silky texture and is perfect for sweet or savory dishes. I breaded the cubes then gave them a quick pan fry, from there I simply assembled my salad with what I had on hand.
Tomatoes, radishes, sweet peas, corn- whatever is in harvest works. I tossed some blueberries in there to balance out all the flavors and bring a fresh sweetness to the meal as well.
Finally, a simple lemon and roasted garlic vinaigrette brought it all to life. So now you see, salads can be anything but boring.
Fried Paneer Salad
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
For the Fried Paneer:
- 1 package 8 oz. Karoun Dairies Indian Style Paneer, cubed
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup AP flour
- 1 cup bread crumbs
For the Salad:
- 1 large heart of romaine
- 2 roma tomatoes (better boy, beef steak, heirloom, or grape tomatoes are also fine), sliced
- 1/2 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup sliced radishes
- Shavings of Parmesan
- 1/2 cup large croutons
- 1/2 cup wild blueberries (strawberries are also fine), optional
For the Lemon & Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette:
- 4-5 cloves roasted garlic, crushed
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar with mother
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Set up your dredging station for the Paneer, then dip the cheese first in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs.
- In a small saucepan heat some vegetable oil, just enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Once the oil is hot enough, fry the cheese. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan.
- Transfer the cheese to a paper towel lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Set aside.
- In another small pan, caramelize the onion with just a teaspoon of sugar. Once golden, remove and set aside.
- In a serving platter or bowl, arrange the salad leaves and desired veggies. Top with the fried paneer, caramelized onions, shavings of cheese, and croutons.
- In a small jar, mix all the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Shake well before serving over salad. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American
Beth says
I love all the delicious flavors and textures in this salad! I can't wait to try it.
Luna S says
I love having salads for dinner, it is a refreshing break from having to actually cook. This looks so good! I would 100% eat this.
Rosey says
Now that's my kind of salad. People say I go to heavy on the cheese sometimes, but I say you can never go too heavy on the cheese. 🙂
Rhian Westbury says
When a salad looks like more paneer than salad it's a win in my book. I bet the textures of this are amazing when eating x
Melanie E says
This sounds great. I only know 1 other paneer recipe so it would be nice to add this to my recipes list
DAVID J MYERS says
Catherine, That is a great looking salad! I don't know if paneer cheese is available here in East Tennessee but I'm going to look around and see if I can find some. Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
veenaazmanov says
The Paneer looks so crispy. This Salad looks delicious and healthy too.
Raksha Kamat says
I followed the exact same recipe and made this fried paneer salad for dinner. Just like you even I crave for salads in summers for having a light dinner.
Tracy says
Oh I love this fried paneer! We make our own and are always looking for new ways to use it, and this salad is it! Thank you!
Sean says
I normally don't like anything fried on a salad because they can get too greasy but this was exceptional. I will be making this again.
Tristin says
I love paneer and your pictures of this salad are making me drool! Getting the ingredients to make it tomorrow, soooo excited!!
Amanda says
This salad was so good! I loved the crisp texture frying gave the paneer, and that dressing was super simple but full of fresh flavor.
Chenée says
This salad was phenomenal! Everyone raved about it and I'm definitely making it again soon.
Hayley Dhanecha says
Temperatures are soaring here and family just wants salads for dinners, this fried paneer salad was to the rescue. So yum!
Natalie says
This salad is crispy, tasty and easy to prepare. Just what a busy mom needs, thanks!
Dennis says
I've never made fried paneer but will definitely be giving it a try, your recipe looks ah-mazing!