Paneer (Cottage Cheese)

Once you make paneer at home, you’ll never go back to buying it from a store! It takes only two ingredients so it’s super-easy to make, and it’s totally free of preservatives and additives. I usually get milk from local farms or farmers markets and make paneer in bulk then freeze it, but you can also leave it in the fridge for up to about a week. I use it to make things like Paneer Scramble and Paneer Cigars for the kids, and even though I don’t eat dairy myself every time I make this I am simply amazed by the transformation and curdling of milk into cheese.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Allergens: Milk
Servings: 10

Ingredients

1 gallon whole milk (preferably unpasteurized)
1/2 cup white vinegar

Instructions

Line sieve with cheesecloth or muslin and place over large bowl.
In heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring milk to boil on medium heat. This part of the process can take up to 20-25 minutes, so do not rush it!
As milk starts to rise, turn heat to low setting and add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar and stir. You will see that milk will start to curdle and separate. Continue to add vinegar and stir.
Turn off heat and let mixture sit for about 5 minutes.
Strain mix into sieve lined with cheesecloth or muslin, saving whey if desired.
Run cold water over sieve and wash paneer.
Gather cheesecloth or muslin and using hands, squeeze out as much water as you can.
Twist and flatten cheesecloth or muslin to make bag. Set on plate and place heavy weight or saucepan over it to help squeeze more water out and set cheese.
Unwrap paneer and cut into biteable sizes.

Paneer (Cottage Cheese)