Amritsari Paneer Bhurji Recipe – Dhaba-Style Scrambled Paneer

Paneer Bhurji served with buttered pav, North Indian vegetarian breakfast recipe.

Amritsari Paneer Bhurji Recipe – Dhaba-Style Scrambled Paneer

Masaledar Paneer Bhurji is the ultimate North Indian vegetarian comfort dish! Crumbled paneer is cooked in a fragrant onion-tomato masala with aromatic spices. Ready in under 45 minutes, this creamy Amritsari Paneer Bhurji is ideal for busy weeknights or relaxed breakfasts. It’s simple, pantry-friendly, gluten-free and protein-rich — the perfect go-to for a wholesome, flavor-packed meal. Serve it with pav, toast, roti, paratha, or rice.

Course Breakfast, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine Amritsari, Indian, North Indian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings people

Calories 298.32kcal

Author Priya Lakshminarayan

Equipment

Ingredients

To Make The Yogurt Mixture

1 cup yogurt
2 tablespoon besan
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon red chilly powder
1 teaspoon amchur powder
1 tablespoon sambar powder
1 tablespoon chole masala
1 tablespoon pav bhaji masala

To Make Dhaba-Style Paneer Bhurji

12 oz Paneer
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 tablespoon garlic paste or fresh garlic
2-3 green chillies
1 cup chopped onion
2 tomatoes
salt
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ cup water

For Garnish

1 tablespoon butter
½ cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon Kasuri Methi
1 teaspoon chaat masala
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

To Make The Yogurt Mixture

In a bowl, add yogurt.
Add salt and besan (gram flour). Chef's Tip - I like to sieve the besan so there are no lumps — you can skip sieving if you’re short on time.
Then sprinkle in red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and amchur (dry mango) powder.
Now add your flavour-boosters: sambhar powder, chole masala, and pav bhaji masala.
Whisk everything well until the mixture is smooth, with no lumps and all the spices evenly dispersed.
Keep this aside while you move on to the main dish.

To Make Dhaba-Style Paneer Bhurji

Crumble the soft paneer and set it aside.
In a pan, add butter + oil. Once the pan is hot, temper cumin seeds until fragrant.
Add ginger paste, garlic paste, and minced green chillies. Sauté on medium flame for about a minute until you smell the base aromatics.
Add chopped onions and the cilantro stalks (fine chop the stalks—they carry flavour!). Cook until the onions turn translucent.
Stir in chopped tomatoes, salt, and a pinch of sugar. Mix, cover the pan and cook for about 8-10 minutes on medium flame, until the tomatoes are fully softened and have lost their raw edge.
Now pour in the yogurt-besan-spice mixture. Reduce the flame to low. Add a splash of water (just enough to loosen the mixture) and mix gently. Cover and cook for another 4-6 minutes—be careful of splatters as the yogurt begins to thicken.
Add the crumbled paneer. Gently fold it in, ensuring the paneer absorbs the flavours without being mashed to oblivion. Cook on medium flame for another 4-6 minutes. (Tip: don’t overcook or your paneer will turn rubbery.)
Finish with a final flourish: a knob of butter, fresh chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lemon juice, some kasuri methi (crushed between your palms), and a little chaat masala. Mix gently and take it off the flame. Serve with pav.

Notes

When making Paneer Bhurji, use fresh, ripe tomatoes instead of puree— they give the dish a bright, natural flavor and slightly tangy sweetness that makes it truly authentic. For an extra indulgent touch, you can mix in a little khoya to enhance the texture, but there’s no need for cream — the yogurt provide all the creaminess you need. Always crumble or grate the paneer before adding it to the masala so it evenly absorbs the spices and gives you that perfect, melt-in-the-mouth texture that’s characteristic of a classic North Indian Bhurji.

Nutrition