A low calorie, guilt-free snack that is so delicious – Crispy Paneer Balls! Easy step by step picture recipe to make one of the easiest snacks using Paneer/Cottage Cheese.
There are some days when you feel like having something crunchy, crispy to go with your coffee/tea. I get this craving during weekends especially but along with it, comes the guilt of having high calorie snacks. I made these low calorie paneer balls quite by chance, during one such weekend.
At least once a week, I make something using paneer/cottage cheese, given what a rich source of protein paneer is for vegetarians. Couple of weeks back, when I had some left over Paneer, I made these crispy paneer balls. I usually use boiled potatoes to make Koftas at home, be it for curries or for kababs. In this recipe, in an impulse I used grated raw potatoes along with grated paneer. The spices are very basic – red chilli powder, turmeric powder and garam masala powder.
As with any of my low calorie snack recipe, I used my Appam/Appe Pan to make these low calorie paneer balls. This Appam Pan has to be one of the best inventions in the cooking world – I love how crispy and golden my koftas/balls turn out with so little oil. This recipe gets made in a short time and with ingredients readily available in the pantry and trust me, even those how love deep fried goodies will convert after trying these low calorie paneer balls!
How to make Low Calorie Paneer Balls –

Prep Time | 20minutes |
Cook Time | 15minutes |
Servings | balls |
- 3/4cupGrated Paneer
- 1/2cupGrated Raw Potatoes
- 1Small Onion
- 1-2tbspBread Crumbs
- 1-2tbspChopped Coriander Leaves
- 1/4tspGinger Garlic Paste
- 1/4tspRed Chilli Powder
- 1/4tspGaram Masala Powder
- 1/8tspTurmeric Powder
- 1tspOil + extra for making balls
- Salt as needed
Ingredients
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- In a pan heat a tsp of oil. Add finely chopped onions and fry until translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell goes off.
- Add grated potato and fry on low flame until it is half cooked.
- Add red chilli powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder and salt. Cook for 2-3 mins until the spice powders are cooked.
- Now add grated paneer along with finely chopped coriander leaves and mix well. Remove this mixture from heat.
- Once it is cooled down, add bread crumbs and mix them well. The mixture should be dry enough to form balls.
- Make 12 equal sized balls out of the mixture.
- Heat the appam pan and add few drops of oil in each mould. Carefully place the balls and cook them on low flame on each side for about a minute.
- When the balls are crispy and golden all over, remove them out.
- Serve them hot with tomato ketchup!
Detailed step by step picture recipe of making Low Calorie Paneer Balls –
1. In a pan heat a tsp of oil. Add finely chopped onions and fry until translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell goes off.
2. Add grated potato and fry on low flame until it is half cooked.
3. Add red chilli powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder and salt. Cook for 2-3 mins until the spice powders are cooked.
4. Now add grated paneer along with finely chopped coriander leaves and mix well. Remove this mixture from heat.
5. Once it is cooled down, add bread crumbs and mix them well. The mixture should be dry enough to form balls.
6. Make 12 equal sized balls out of the mixture.
7. Heat the appam pan and add few drops of oil in each mould. Carefully place the balls and cook them on low flame on each side for about a minute.
8. When the balls are crispy and golden all over, remove them out.
9. Serve them hot with tomato ketchup!
Note –
- Add finely chopped nuts as desired.
- While making the balls, insert a piece of cheese to make cheesy paneer balls.
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Taking this to Fiesta Friday #183. Co-hosts this week are Sarah @ Sarah’s Little Kitchen and Shinta @ Caramel Tinted Life 🙂
Yumm this looks so good! Thanks for bringing them to the party 😀 Happy Fiesta!
It came out excellent. Very quick, easy and healthy recipe. thanks a lot
Thanks so much 🙂
Hey, recipe looks really good and am eager to try it out. Would this also work the same, if i just use a normal pan to cook, since i dont have the appam pan? Also, can i make the mix & refrigerate on the evening before the day i plan to serve?
You can make it as patties on normal pan, not as balls. It should work pretty well when refrigerated too.
Hi. Wanted to try this recipe and had a few questions. Would this turn out the same if cooked in a normal pan instead of an appam pan as I dont have one? Also can the batter be made a day before and refrigerated?
Answered the same on your other comment. Hope that helps!