Paneer Bhurji Recipe | Quick & Easy Indian Scrambled Cottage Cheese

There’s something quietly sacred about slow Sunday mornings. The kind that begin without an alarm, where the sunlight filters in softly and the world moves at half its usual speed. These are the mornings made for warm mugs, familiar playlists, and the comforting sizzle of something delicious on the stove.

This week, it’s paneer bhurji.

Paneer bhurji isn’t a fussy dish. It doesn’t require delicate folding or precise plating. It’s honest, quick, and endlessly satisfying — the kind of breakfast you can throw together with one eye still half asleep, yet it delivers the kind of flavor that feels like a full-body wake-up call. Think soft crumbles of paneer, golden and spiced, stirred into a pan with cumin, green chilies, and the kind of color that only turmeric can bring.

It’s bold, but it’s comforting.Simple, but it never feels boring. Paneer bhurji is one of those meals that makes you feel taken care of.

And while it’s perfect with toast or pav, truthfully, it doesn’t need much. Just a little time, a warm kitchen, and someone to share it with — or not. Some mornings are best spent in silence, with just the sound of the spoon scraping the pan and the occasional sip of chai between bites.

This series is all about those moments — the quiet joy of cooking something unfussy and good. And paneer bhurji? It fits right in. Here is my paneer bhurji recipe for those unhurried days.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup or 250 grams paneer, crumbled

• 1 onion, diced

• ½ green bell pepper, diced

• 2 tomato, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped (optional)

• ½ inch ginger, grated 

• 1 tbsp besan (chickpea flour)

• ½ tsp coriander powder

• ½ tsp garam masala

• 1 tsp pav bhaji masala

• 1 tsp cumin powder

• ½ tsp turmeric

• ½ tsp cumin

• 1 cup water

• ¼ cup milk

• 1 tbsp oil

• 1 tbsp kasuri methi, crushed

• 1 tsp chilli powder

• 3 tbsp cilantro, chopped

• Salt to taste

PANEER BHURJI RECIPE:

• In a heavy bottom pot, heat 1 tablespoon oil, once hot, add in the cumin and sauté for a few seconds (to flavor the oil)

  
  

• Add in the chopped onions, the ginger, garlic and sauté until translucent and the raw smell of onions and garlic is no longer there.

  
  

• Add in the bell peppers and sauté for a minute.Then add in the tomatoes and cook well until the oil starts to separate.

  
  

• Add in the masala powders the chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder, pav bhaji masala and garam masala and cook until fragrant on a very low flame. Be carful here about not burning the spices (they burn very easily). You can also mix the spices in a little water and add it to ensure the spices don’t burn

  
  

• Add 1.5 tablespoons of besan, mix well to ensure there are no lumps and stir continuously to make sure it doesn't stick or burn.

  
  

• Add in the water (a little at a time), and mix to make a gravy. You want to make sure the besan dissolves well into the water before moving to the next step. 

  
  

• Mix in the crumbled paneer and cook for a minute. Add in the 1/4 cup of milk and cook for another minute.

  
  

• Finish with crushed kasuri methi and stir through. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and serve hot with rice, rotis, or crusty sourdough.