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You are here: Home / Recipes / Air Fryer / Paneer Popcorn | Paneer Nuggets

Paneer Popcorn | Paneer Nuggets

Posted by Divya on December 15, 2022 Filed Under: Air Fryer, Snacks & Appetizers Tagged With: Kids Friendly

Paneer Popcorn or nuggets served with chilli lime mayo.

Crunchy crispy from outside, and soft melt in the mouth inside, these paneer nuggets make for a perfect appetiser or snack. You can either deep fry or prepare them in air fryer.

Paneer Popcorn or nuggets served with chilli lime mayo.

Paneer nuggets, are also popularly known as paneer popcorn. Paneer or Indian cottage cheese, is made by curdling milk using an acidic medium like vinegar or lemon juice. It used in variety of recipes like curries, gravies, sandwiches or snacks.

The paneer popcorn recipe shared here is:

  • Vegetarian (can be made vegan)
  • Easy to make
  • Can be deep fried or air fried
  • Perfect as snack, starter or appetiser

You need below ingredients to make this easy yummy appetizer at home:

Paneer:  You can use store bought or homemade paneer to make these nuggets. Make sure the paneer you are using is soft & fresh. You can also use firm tofu instead of paneer for vegan nuggets.

Breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs make the exterior of the nuggets crispy & golden brown. Use panko breadcrumbs for best results.

Cornflakes: This secret ingredient make these vegetarian nuggets extra crispy & crunchy (just like KFC). They are crushed coarsely using a rolling pin and then used for coating.

Slurry: A thick mixture of cornstach, all purpose flour (maida) and water is called slurry. It helps the breadcrumbs and crushed cornflakes stick to the surface of paneer.

Seasoning: The nuggets are seasoned using salt, crushed black pepper, mixed dried herbs, onion powder, garlic powder, ginger paste and red chilli powder / paprika.

Oil: Use any cooking oil of your choice like sunflower, olive or avocado for making paneer popcorn.

Paneer Popcorn or Cottage Cheese Nuggets.

Can I use frozen paneer to make nuggets?

Yes you can use frozen paneer but thaw them before making nuggets. To thaw frozen paneer, you can leave it on kitchen counter for 2-3 hrs or dip in warm water.

How to make paneer popcorn?

To make paneer popcorn, begin by cutting paneer into medium sized cubes. Marinate these cubes in some salt, black pepper and lemon juice. This way paneer will not taste bland from inside.

Prepare the cornflour & APF (maida) slurry and add all seasoning to it. Dip each of the paneer cube in this slurry & then coat in a mixture of bread crumbs and crushed cornflakes. You can deep fry these paneer popcorn or air fry them for a healthier version.

How to make gluten free vegan nuggets?

To make these paneer nuggets vegan & gluten free, switch paneer with firm tofu. Instead of bread crumbs, use crushed oats for outer coating. Prepare the slurry for dipping using cornstarch only.

Hope you will like this tasty crunchy paneer popcorn recipe.

Paneer Nuggets or Paneer Popcorn served on black plate with chilli mayo.

More paneer recipes:

  • Shahi Paneer
  • Paneer Bhurji (Scrambled Paneer)
  • Herbed Paneer
  • Paneer Tikka Sandwich

Ingredients:

  • Paneer (Cottage Cheese)- 200 grams
  • Salt- 1/4 tsp
  • Crushed Black Pepper- 1/4 tsp
  • Lemon Juice-1 tsp
  • Breadcrumbs- 1/4 cup
  • Corn flakes- 1/2 cup
  • Oil- For cooking
For slurry:
  • Cornflour- 4 tbsp
  • All purpose flour (Maida)- 2 tbsp
  • Water-1/4 cup (as required)
  • Salt- 1/3 tsp (to taste)
  • Garlic Powder- 1/4 tsp
  • Onion Powder-1/4 tsp
  • Ginger paste- 1 tsp
  • Mixed Dried Herbs- 1/4 tsp
  • Crushed Black Pepper- 1/4 tsp
  • Red Chilli Powder*- 1/4 tsp
For dip:
  • Mayo- 2+1/2 tbsp
  • Sriracha / Red Chilli sauce-1/2 tsp
  • Ketchup- 1 tsp
  • Lemon juice-1 tsp

Notes:

1. * Red chilli powder adds spiciness & colour. You can also use kashmiri red chilli powder (which is milder) or paprika.

2. If you don’t have garlic powder, used some finely minced fresh garlic or use ginger-garlic paste.

Directions:

Step 1:

Press the paneer block gently between kitchen tissues or cloth to get rid of extra moisture.

Pressing paneer between tissues.

Step 2:

Cut the paneer into medium sized cubes. Transfer these cubes in bowl & sprinkle salt, crushed black pepper and lemon juice over them. Give a gentle toss and keep aside.

Marinating paneer.

Step 3:

Transfer cornflakes in a resealable bag. Seal the bag & gently crush cornflakes with the help of a rolling pin. Don’t crush too much as we want a coarse texture. Transfer these crushed cornflakes along with bread crumbs to a plate.

Crushing Cornflakes.

Step 4:

Prepare the slurry by mixing cornflour, apf (maida), water & rest of the spices.

Preparing cornflour slurry.

Step 5:

Dip the paneer cubes in slurry first, pick them out with a fork (to drip excess slurry) and then transfer them in bread crumbs and cornflakes mixture. Toss gently so that all sides are coated well.

Coating paneer cubes in breadcrumbs & cornflakes.

Transfer them on a plate. Once all the pieces are done, keep the plate in fridge for 5-10 minutes.

Chilling the nuggets to set.

(Note: If you feel any piece is not coated well, dip it again into the slurry & coat once again.)

Step 6: (Deep fry)

To deep fry, heat oil in a deep pan or kadhai. Once the oil is hot, deep fry these paneer nuggets on medium heat till crispy. Transfer them on a kitchen tissue to drain excess oil if any.

Air Fryer Paneer popcorn:

To air fry paneer popcorn, preheat the air fryer at 180° C. While the air fryer is preheating, dab or spray some oil on paneer popcorn.

Transfer them in preheated air fryer basket. Air fry the paneer nuggets at 180°C (356°F) for 10-12 minutes till they are golden brown and crispy from outside. No need to shake the basket, just randomly flip the pieces after half time & spray some more oil.

Paneer Popcorn air fryer.

Serve these crunchy paneer popcorn with ketchup, chilli mayo or any dip of your choice. (To make chilli lime mayo dip, take all the ingredients mentioned under dip heading in a small bowl and mix well.)

paneer popcorn air fryer.

Paneer Nuggets Variation:

  • Tandoori Paneer Nuggets: You can can give your own twist by using Indian spices. Use paneer tikka spices like roasted cumin powder, kasuri methi, turmeric, coriander powder, garam masala etc in cornflour slurry (keeping rest of the steps same).  Serve these masala paneer nuggts with spicy green chutney.
  • Herbed Paneer Nuggets: Use masala or herbed paneer to make these nuggets. (Check out the easy recipe for masala paneer).

More vegetarian vegan snacks recipes:

  • Red Lentil Fritters (Masoor Dal Vada)
  • Quinoa Vegetable Cutlets / Patties
  • Sweet Corn Fritters (no eggs)
  • Zucchini Fritters (no eggs)
  • Falafel

Pin for later:
How to make paneer popcorn (nuggets).

If you try this easy paneer popcorn recipe & share pics on social media, then don’t forget to tag on Facebook, Instagram or use #kuchpakrahahai.

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About me

Hi, I am Divya Jain. A software engineer, ardent traveller & homemaker, I have donned many hats during my career of 10 years. My fondness for food, love for writing and passion for photography is ...

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