Learn how to make delicious Paneer Fried Rice recipe with detailed step by step pictures. Quick, easy and utterly addictive fried rice recipe with Indian cottage cheese!
Paneer Fried Rice is a delicious Indo-Chinese recipe that is combines soft, golden-fried paneer with fragrant basmati rice, crunchy vegetables, and a subtle seasoning mix. It is protein rich, tasty and is a one-pot dish, making it ideal for lunch box packing, weeknight dinner or just as anytime comfort meal. With minimal prep and simple ingredients, this wholesome fried rice comes together quickly, and tastes just as good or even better than your favorite restaurant version. Whether you are a paneer lover or just looking for a simple one pot meal, this recipe is sure to be a winner!
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Key Ingredients
- Cooked Basmati Rice: Preferably cooked prior and cooled or a day-old rice to keep the fried rice non-sticky and fluffy.
- Paneer: Soft cubes of Indian cottage cheese, shallow-fried in oil until golden brown to add the much-needed protein with a crunch and texture to the fried rice.
- Mixed Veggies: A combination of finely chopped carrots, beans, spring onions for color, crunch and nutrition.
- Garlic: One of the main ingredients that is also a flavor bomb, a never-miss in any fried rice recipe.
- Soy Sauce, Vinegar, Black Pepper Powder: The quintessential Indo-chinese seasoning ingredients that bring the flavor and mild heat to the paneer fried rice recipe.
For full list of ingredients and exact measurements, check the recipe below.
Step by Step Instructions
Cook 1 cup basmati rice with 2 cups water in a closed pan ahead of time and let it cool completely. Drizzle few drops of oil all around and set it aside.
In a heavy pan heat 2 tablespoon oil. Add ½ cup paneer cubes (cut them small) and shallow fry on low heat.
Mix gently and cook on all sides until the paneer is golden brown & crisp on the outside. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan with remaining oil, add 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic cloves. Fry for a couple of minutes, making sure the garlic does not burn.
Add all the finely chopped veggies - 1 onion, 1 small carrot and 6-7 beans (altogether ½ cup) into the pan.
Sauté on medium flame until the veggies are half cooked and then add salt needed for the veggies.
Next add 2 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar along with ½ teaspoon black pepper powder. Mix well and cook for a minute.
Add the cooled basmati rice to the pan.
Stir the rice and veggies on low flame until they are is well combined.
Now add the fried paneer cubes and finely chopped spring onions on top. Remove from heat.
Serve hot immediately as is or with any Indo-Chinese side dish of your choice.
Recipe Notes
- Shallow-frying or lightly tossing the paneer in hot oil makes it hold its shape well, when tossed with the rice and is highly recommended. It also gives texture and flavor to the otherwise mild & bland paneer.
- Freshly cooked, warm, or hot rice can turn into mush when making fried rice. So cook the rice much prior to the prep and let it cool completely to make perfect fried rice recipe.
- Cooking the fried rice on high heat gives it a mild smoky flavor, however it is best to be avoided if one is using non-stick cookware.
- Adjust the seasonings including soy sauce, vinegar and black pepper powder depending on spice and flavor preferences.
Top Tips
- Cooking Basmati Rice Perfectly: Soak the rice for 15-20 minutes and then cook the rice in a closed pan with rice to water ratio 1:2. For grainier version, water can be reduced by ¼ cup. Spread it on a large plate, breaking any lumps and drizzle oil over until it is completely cool and at room temperature. This prevents stickiness and gives you non-mushy grainy fried rice texture.
- Stir-fry Veggies Briefly: Do not overcook the vegetables and sauté them on medium flame for 3-4 minutes to retain the crispness and to keep them fresh & colorful.
- Shallow-frying Paneer: Make sure the oil is hot and once the cubed paneer is added, do not disturb them for a couple of minutes and then gently turn around. Too much mixing could crumble the paneer easily.
- Finish with Spring Onions: for freshness, color pop and the classic Indo-Chinese aroma.
Substitutions & Variations
- Schezwan Paneer Fried Rice: Stir in a tablespoon of schezwan sauce before adding the rice for a spicy, tangy kick!
- Veg Loaded Version: Add green peas, sweet corn, colorful bell peppers, baby corn, and mushrooms for more texture and flavor depending on preference and availability.
- Brown Rice or Quinoa Fried Rice: Swap white basmati rice with brown rice or cooked quinoa to make healthier, high-fiber fried rice.
- Spice variations: Add finely chopped bird's eye red chilli or green chilli along with garlic for a spicier version of paneer fried rice. Alternatively, swap black pepper powder with white pepper powder for a milder version.
Storage & Serving Suggestions
Paneer Fried Rice is best served hot or warm, straight from the pan and can be enjoyed on its own as it is protein rich and is quite filling. It can also be paired with any Indo-Chinese style side dishes like Gobi Manchurian, Baby Corn Manchurian, Mushroom Manchurian, or Honey Chilli Lotus Stem recipes. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in fridge for upto 2 days. It worth noting that the paneer may firm up quite a bit but it should become soft on reheating. Warm the fried rice in a pan on medium heat with a splash of water to revive the freshness. It is better to avoid microwaving the fried rice as the paneer can turn rubbery. It is not recommended to freeze the fried rice as the paneer and veggies lose their texture on thawing.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why is my fried rice turning mushy? This usually happens with fried rice made from freshly cooked rice, especially if its still warm when making fried rice. Always use rice that's completely cooled and ensure the grains are separated before stir-frying.
- How do I keep the paneer from crumbling when cooking? Use firm, cold paneer and sauté it gently. Always add paneer towards the end of the fried rice to keep it from crumbling.
- Can I make this recipe without soy sauce? Of course! You can skip soy sauce and the rice can be seasoned with salt, black pepper and a little lemon juice (if not using vinegar) for clean, simple flavor.
- What's the best rice for making fried rice? Preferably long grain rice like Basmati works wonderfully well. Aromatic short-grained rice like Seeraga Samba/Jeera rice tastes good too, as long as its cooled, grainy and non-sticky.
- Can I use frozen veggies? Absolutely! Frozen carrots, beans, sweet corn, and peas work great. Just thaw and sauté them on high heat to avoid wateriness.
I would be delighted to know if you have tried this recipe, don't forget to provide your rating for this recipe and do share your comments below. If you have any questions, you can always e-mail me! I am also available on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter 🙂
📖 Recipe
Paneer Fried Rice
Equipment
- 1 Wok/Pan
MEASUREMENT
1 cup = 250ml, 1 tablespoon = 15ml, 1 teaspoon = 5ml
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati Rice
- ½ cup Paneer cut into small cubes
- 1 Onion finely chopped
- 1 Carrot small, finely chopped
- 6-7 French Beans finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Garlic finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- 2 teaspoon Soy Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper Powder
- 2 tablespoon Spring Onions finely chopped
- Salt as needed
- 2 cups Water to cook rice
Instructions
- Cook 1 cup Basmati Rice with 2 cups Water in a closed pan ahead of time and let it cool completely. Drizzle few drops of oil all around and set it aside.
- In a heavy pan heat 2 tablespoon Oil. Add ½ cup Paneer cubes (cut them small) and shallow fry on low heat.
- Mix gently and cook on all sides until the paneer is golden brown & crisp on the outside. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan with remaining oil, add 1 tablespoon Garlic finely chopped. Fry for a couple of minutes, without letting the garlic getting burnt.
- Add all the finely chopped veggies - 1 Onion, 1 Carrot and 6-7 French Beans (altogether ½ cup) into the pan.
- Sauté on medium flame until the veggies are half cooked and then add Salt as needed for the veggies.
- Next add 2 teaspoon Soy Sauce, 1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar along with ½ teaspoon Black Pepper Powder. Mix well and cook for a minute.
- Add the cooled basmati rice to the pan.
- Give the rice and veggies a quick stir while keeping the flame low until the rice, veggies and seasoning is well mixed.
- Now add the fried paneer cubes and 2 tablespoon Spring Onions finely chopped on top. Remove from heat.
- Serve hot immediately as is or with any Indo-Chinese side dish of your choice.
Notes
- Shallow-frying or lightly tossing the paneer in hot oil makes it hold its shape well, when tossed with the rice and is highly recommended. It also gives texture and flavor to the otherwise mild & bland paneer.
- Freshly cooked, warm, or hot rice can turn into mush when making fried rice. So cook the rice much prior to the prep and let it cool completely to make perfect fried rice recipe.
- Cooking the fried rice on high heat gives it a mild smoky flavor, however it is best to be avoided if one is using non-stick cookware.
- Adjust the seasonings including soy sauce, vinegar and black pepper powder depending on spice and flavor preferences.
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