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–+ servings
dry version of paneer Manchurian served in a black pan with orange handles, garnished with scallions/spring onions.
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5 from 1 vote

Paneer Manchurian (healthier version)

This healthy version of paneer manchurian is a delicious, flavourful and fun - plus, you can make this recipe without deep-frying the paneer! This post gives you two options to cook the paneer: in a pan or air fryer, plus tips to give you restaurant-style paneer Manchurian!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian, Indo-Chinese
Servings: 6 servings (4-6 servings depending on preferred portion size)
Calories: 300kcal
Author: Sonia

Ingredients

For paneer marinade:

  • 550g Paneer (cubed)
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic ginger paste (or garlic-ginger-chilli paste)
  • 1 teaspoon Paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Black pepper
  • 2 tablespoon Cornflour/cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoon Water
  • 2-3 tablespoon Olive oil

To cook:

  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil 1 tbsp
  • 1 tablespoon Sesame oil (toasted)
  • 2 tablespoon Garlic finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoon Ginger finely chopped
  • 2-3 Green chillies chopped
  • 1 ¾ cup Spring onions chopped (whites and greens separated)
  • ½ Yellow/brown onion chopped
  • ½ teaspoon Black pepper
  • 1 Red bell pepper/capsicum chopped
  • 1 Green bell pepper/capsicum chopped
  • 1 ½ tablespoon Dark soy sauce
  • ½ tablespoon Apple cider vinegar
  • ½ tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon Coriander chopped
  • ½ teaspoon Salt (or to taste), optional
  • ½ tablespoon Lemon juice ½ tbsp
  • 1 teaspoon Maple syrup 1 tsp

Instructions

Marinate and cook paneer:

  • In a large bowl, add the cubed paneer, garlic-ginger paste, paprika, black pepper and cornflour/cornstarch and toss to combine evenly, (you can use your hands or two spoons to mix). Tip: sift the cornflour/corn starch using a sieve to remove any lumps and make it easier to evenly coat the paneer. Add water and toss again to evenly mix.
  • In a large non-stick frying pan, heat 2-3 tablespoon olive oil for a 2-3 minutes, then add the paneer and shallow fry for 5-8 minutes, until golden and crispy. Use two wooden spoons to continuously mix and toss the paneer cubes so they are evenly cooked and crispy.
  • Once golden, remove the paneer using a slotted spoon and transfer onto a plate lined with kitchen/paper towel (to remove excess oil). Alternatively you can use a slotted spoon to transfer into a colander. Set aside.

Air fryer method to marinate and prepare paneer (instead of pan) - optional:

  • Follow step 1 above to marinate the paneer.
  • Add 1-2 tablespoon olive oil in the batter and toss to coat evenly.
  • Preheat air fryer to 190°C/374°F. Transfer marinated paneer into a lined air fryer basket and cook paneer on air fryer setting for 10-12 minutes, or until crispy. Use a spatula to flip the paneer after 5 minutes to evenly air fry the paneer.
  • Transfer the cooked paneer onto a plate lined with kitchen/paper towel (to remove excess oil) and set aside.

Make the paneer manchurian:

  • Heat sesame oil and olive oil on medium-high heat, add the chopped garlic and ginger and sauté for 15 seconds, you will notice a fresh and flavourful aroma.
  • Add the spring onion whites and cook for another 15 seconds, stirring to evenly cook.
  • Add the green chillies and onions and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add black pepper and bell peppers and mix and cook for a minute.
  • Add soy sauce, apple cider vinegar and balsamic vinegar cook for another 2 minutes.
  • Add chopped coriander and stir together.
  • Add paneer and remaining spring onion greens. Add lemon juice and maple syrup and stir to combine, taste for salt and add salt if desired.

Notes

  1. Prepare ingredients in advance: as you are cooking on medium-high heat it helps to keep everything chopped and prepared in advance so the dish comes together quickly.
  2. Use one pan: you can use the same pan to shallow fry the paneer and cook the paneer manchurian (unless you are air frying paneer). Simply wipe down the pan once you have shallow-fried the paneer – this tip saves time (and saves you from washing extra dishes)!
  3. Storage: paneer manchurian can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. Transfer into an airtight container and store in fridge once cooled to room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 753mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 862IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 365mg | Folate: 26µg | Iron: 1mg | Zinc: 0.3mg