Try this easy paneer salad, then check out our saag paneer, matar paneer, paneer tikka masala and more paneer recipes.
Recipe author Nik Sharma says: “There is a joy that I find hard to express when I eat ripe Indian mangoes – the aroma reminds me of summer holidays in Goa.”
Ingredients
MARINADE
- plain unsweetened kefir, buttermilk or yogurt 240ml
- ground cumin ½ tsp
- ground turmeric ½ tsp
- chilli powder ½ tsp
- black peppercorns ground to make ½ tsp
- paneer 400g
BEETS
- beetroots 4 medium (455g), ideally a mixture of red and yellow
- extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp, plus extra for the pan
MANGO-LIME DRESSING
- ripe mango 140g, diced
- grapeseed oil or olive oil 60ml
- kefir or buttermilk 120ml
- lime juice 1½ tbsp
- Dijon mustard 1 tbsp
- black peppercorns ground to make ¼ tsp
- chilli powder ¼ tsp
TO SERVE
- rocket 200g
- extra-virgin olive oil 1 tbsp
- black peppercorns ground to make 1 tsp
- amchoor powder (dried mango powder) 2 tsp
Method
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Step 1
Whisk together the kefir, cumin, turmeric, chilli powder, black pepper and 2 tsp of salt in a small bowl. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Pour the marinade into a large bowl or resealable bag.
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Step 2
Cut the paneer into roughly 2.5cm x 5cm pieces and add them to the marinade, then toss to coat evenly or seal the bag and gently shake. Leave to marinate for 1 hour at room temperature, or overnight in the fridge.
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Step 3
Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. While the paneer marinates, prepare the beets. Peel, trim the ends and cut into quarters. Put the beets in a baking dish or roasting tray, drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt. Roast for 30-45 minutes or until they are tender on the inside and a knife slides through the centre with ease. Remove from the oven and allow them to rest for 10 minutes.
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Step 4
While the beets roast, prepare the dressing. Put the mango, oil, kefir, lime juice, mustard, pepper and chilli powder into a blender, and pulse on a slow speed until combined and smooth. Season with salt to taste.
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Step 5
Cook the paneer just before you’re ready to assemble the salad. Heat a cast-iron griddle pan or a medium non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat and brush the surface with a little olive oil. With a pair of kitchen tongs, carefully lift the paneer out of the marinade and cook in batches in the hot pan for 2-3 minutes per side or until it turns golden brown and slightly seared.
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Step 6
To serve, toss the rocket in a large mixing bowl with the olive oil. Add the pepper and season with salt, followed by the warm, grilled paneer. Drizzle with a few tbsp of the salad dressing. Sprinkle with the amchoor just before serving and serve the remaining salad dressing on the side.
This paneer and beet salad with mango-lime dressing recipe is adapted from LA-based food writer Nik Sharma's book The Flavor Equation (£26, Chronicle Books).
*This recipe is gluten free according to industry standards
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Nutritional Information
- Kcals 633
- Fat 47.1g
- Saturates 18.4g
- Carbs 18.9g
- Sugars 18g
- Fibre 4.5g
- Protein 31.2g
- Salt 3.3g