How paneer is set to become the new halloumi with sales soaring 60% in a year

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It’s the humble vegetarian favourite that’s been enjoyed by Indian families for centuries – but Paneer could soon be set to takeover halloumi as the trendy cheese loved by millennial foodies with sales soaring of the grillable creamy delight.

The Indian cottage cheese – often used in vegetarian curries – has become a social media sensation with videos on TikTok about the cheese getting more than 266 million views. 

And sales are soaring too. At Sainsbury’s paneer sales have grown more than 60 per cent in two years. Meanwhile, Waitrose say searches for paneer curry are up more than 81 per cent in a year. 

A Tesco source told FEMAIL in 2020 and 2021 the supermarket sold significantly more Paneer than the previous years, while it’s now the third best selling Indian side at Sainsbury’s only behind pilau rice and Bombay potatoes. 

Sainsbury’s has even launched a new Taste the Difference paneer jalfrezi & saffron pilau rice ready meal due to the surging popularity of the ingredient.

M&S have seen sales of our paneer jump 22 per cent in the last year – with no signs of sales slowing down.

The surge is down to both to social media where delicious grills and curries have soaring success with millions of people sharing dishes with  #paneerrecipe #paneer #paneertikk  #paneerlove – and to the rise in vegetarianism with people searching for meat free alternatives.

Most south Asian restaurants serve the cheese cubed and marinated, the same way chicken would be used in a curry, but increasingly chefs are showing off the versatility of the ingredient and cooking it up in new news.

Kricket, an upmarket Indian restaurant in west London, serves the cheese crumbled on a butternut squash while meal kit company Guosto recently launched a paneer naanwich – a Christmas sandwich with an Indian inspired twist.  

Jordan Moore, Senior Recipe Developer from recipe box Gousto told FEMAIL: ‘Halloumi has been the king of grillable cheeses for a while now, due to its meaty texture and bacon-like saltiness. Whether BBQ’d, pan fried or deep fried… the possibilities are endless and the outcome is always delicious. However, we think its rival, paneer, gives it a run for its money.

‘Paneer is an Indian cottage cheese, known for its high melting point, making it just as versatile to cook as halloumi. Paneer doesn’t have the same salty kick as halloumi, but this lends itself perfectly to rubs, marinades and famously curries and stews. 

‘Our highest ever popularity with customers for paneer happened in the second half of this year with our much loved recipe, Paneer Butter Masala with Coriander Rice. So we’re expecting to see it’s popularity continue to increase into 2022.   

Chet Sharma chef Chef Patron at contemporary Indian restaurant in Mayfair which serves serving chaat and grills told FEMAIL he was making paneer in house, until the demand got so much it had to be outsourced.

For an authentic taste – he uses buffalo milk to make the cheese.

The buffalos are grazed on wild terrain in the New Forest and mainly eat grasses but as the seasons go on they move from early spring greens like dandelion and ox eye daisies to things like wild fennel, meadowsweet and lavender. 

Every time they’re milked, there are different nuances of flavour, and then in the dairy, they use a low temperature pasteurisation which helps retain this complexity. 

‘North Indians have been eating paneer a couple times a week forever, but in the restaurant about 75 per cent of tables order at least one paneer dish,’ he says. 

‘We had to outsource ours back to the dairy, it’s the the reality of making the amount we need.

‘We sell more than 10kg a week, that’s 40 litres of milk.

‘It’s a great way of using milk a little past its best, my mum and mother-in-law make it at home because, it’s the easiest cheese to make.

‘The use of paneer in homes very different – not compressed super grillable piece of cheese, it’s more coarse, and more like scrambled egg in texture.

‘There are some dishes where it was cubed and deep fried, it’s a softer set cheese.

‘We serve in a grill, where it’s sliced and grinded – and brine it will fall apart – on a really high heat on charcoal grill – dressed with charcoal ghee in simplest most form

‘It’s not chilli or spicy hot, it’s just got that umami deliciousness.

‘It can also be used like Mediterranean people might use feta, if it’s good paneer – you can treat simply and toss it in a salad or even a dessert.

‘A milder flavour is treated more aggressively and can take spice – can be used in a million different ways.

Vivek Singh, CEO and Executive Chef , The Cinnamon Collection added: ‘Paneer is certainly becoming more and more popular in the Western world but in Indian, it has long been the protein of choice for vegetarians.

‘In my family and heritage, paneer has been popular for a very long time – it’s not just an ingredient, it’s a religion for meat eaters and vegetarians alike.

‘It is a special ingredient that people often enjoy on a special occasion – paneer is that treat for vegetarians, and I think that’s why it’s becoming more and more popular in the UK.

‘The thing that makes most paneer dishes delicious is the richness and unctuousness that this ingredient brings. It works best when it’s cooked with a rich and unctuous sauce – whether that’s a richness from spices, nuts or from cream and butter. The more decadent the better!

Vineet Bhatia, the first Indian chef to be awarded a Michelin star, who also teaches Indian cooking on his course on BBC Maestro uses high fat milk to make his paneer.

‘This gives me the flexibility to make it into the different textures as we use it in starters mains, savoury and sweet.

‘The most important thing to make sure of when making it at home is to make sure you have a high fat milk like cow’s or buffalo.

‘It doesn’t work with nut milks or goat milks as much as the fat content is too low! I would say commercially available paneer is fine too. Especially for the more firm texture.

‘The secret to a good paneer dish is the fact that is takes on flavour really well. Make sure to coat your paneer with a punchy marinade and treat it as a vehicle for flavour. So a great marinade before grilling or in an onion and tomato, spiced heavy sauce. 

‘My favourite is paneer bhurji – or scrambled paneer. You can get paneer in a crumbly texture too as well as firm, and then I cook it like a desi-scrambled eggs with onion tomatoes, cumin, Kashmiri chillis – is simple and delicious. I also love it with broccoli and grated paneer and pesto, for a less traditional take.

‘Thinking outside the box, I have used paneer to make an Indian version of cheesecake, in summer with fresh mango and with ras malai and value jamun flavours too.  

Avinash Shishadhira, head chef at Pali Hill in central London, said he’s seen an increase in paneer sales as people  search for healthier meat alternatives.

‘With paneer’s meaty texture, it is a popular choice.  People have travelled to India where the is such a common ingredient and the access to recipes and videos on social media platforms has educated people who are going for a meat free diet.

‘Paneer is similar to halloumi but less squeaky in texture and it is very versatile in how you can use it. It can be cooked in a sauce cut into big cubes, marinated and grilled or cooked in a tandoor or simply grated and mixed with squashes and gourds and made into koftas! I think it’s ability to be versatile is key to is fast growing popularity. 

‘At the restaurant, we sell so much of it, we sadly don’t have the capacity to make it ourselves, but we work with a really specialist producer who uses 100 per cent cow’s milk. At home though, I do make paneer at home and I must say fresher the paneer the better it tastes! It’s quite simple to make. 

‘The secret is to soak the paneer in boiling water for 5-10 minutes to soften it – this will help with a silky texture to the cheese.  The sauce needs to be creamy whether you decide to use a tomato, peas and cream or a mixed leafy green (saag) base so it coats the paneer evenly as the paneer itself has a very mild flavour.’