These low-carb, vegetarian-friendly paneer fritters with cucumber and mint raita are super tasty and a great source of protein, fibre, and nutrients. With a few hidden veggies inside, this is a fabulous dish for Meatless Mondays, lunchboxes, easy-to-grab snacks or brunch. If you looking for delicious and healthy paneer recipes, make sure to give these fritters a go. 


 

I first made these paneer fritters during the low-carb challenge. We had a few vegetarian participants who were asking for new recipes they could make. I was going through vegetarian protein sources in my head and paneer came to mind. I’ve only had paneer a curry-type dish, but its texture is perfect for things like fritters and patties.

Make sure to check out these Low-Carb Vegetarian Recipes. 

What Is Paneer?

Paneer is essentially an Indian cottage cheese made from cow or buffalo milk. You might have tried or heard of Palak Paneer, a popular Indian spinach curry with cubed paneer cheese, which some people mistake for tofu.

It is a non-aged, non-melting cheese that is very similar to ricotta or cottage cheese but is quite firm in texture so it can be cut into cubes or sliced. It has a mild, milky flavour like cottage or ricotta. 

Paneer cheese is high in protein, moderate in fat and low in carbohydrates; it is a great source of calcium and vitamins A and D. The better quality milk that paneer is made from, the more superior is its nutritional profile.

You can buy paneer at large grocery stores as well as speciality Indian or Asian grocers. You can also easily make it at home, check out this recipe (all you need are milk and lemon juice). 

 

About Paneer Fritters

With the addition of green peas (another good protein source), cheese and eggs, this recipe is suitable for lacto-ovo vegetarians or anyone wanting a meat-free dish that is still relatively low in carbohydrates.

These paneer fritters feature a little curry spice and are pan-fried to crispy golden brown and served with a simple, tangy cucumber and mint raita. 

I hope you enjoy this paneer recipe. Let me know in the comments if you make it and leave a rating as it helps others to discover my recipes. Frequently asked questions and step-by-step photos of how to make this dish are below the recipe card.

 

What You Need For This Paneer Recipe

Protein: grated paneer cheese, frozen peas (defrosted), grated Cheddar or another firm cheese.

Plus: grated carrots (you could use zucchini), red onion, garlic, salt, pepper and mild curry spice. 

What Can I Use Instead Of Paneer?

If you can’t get your hands on paneer, you can use a mix of grated firm tofu and ricotta or grated Mozzarella.

How To Make Paneer Fritters

Step 1. Grate paneer, cheese and carrots and set aside. Defrost frozen peas in a bowl of boiling hot water. Finely dice onions and garlic. 

Step 2. In a large bowl, combine grated paneer cheese with the remaining fritter ingredients. Use a spatula or a spoon to mix everything thoroughly. 

Step 3. Heat a thin layer of olive oil or ghee in a frying pan. The larger the frying pan, the more fritters you can cook in each batch.

Once sizzling hot, add about two tablespoons of the mixture per fritter (in a pancake shape). Once the pan is filled, reduce the heat to medium-high, add a little more oil if it gets absorbed and the pan feels dry and smoky. Cook for about 4-5 minutes on the first side and 2-3 minutes second side or until browned and easy to flip with a spatula

 

Step 4. While the fritters are cooking, make the raita. Combine yoghurt, grated or diced cucumber and chopped mint in a small bowl.

You can serve paneer fritters hot or cold with cucumber raita on the side. Aioli, mayo, and sweet chilli sauce are also lovely condiments with the fritters.

What To Serve With Paneer Fritters


More Fritter Recipes

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Description

Healthy and delicious Paneer Fritters With Cucumber Mint Raita are the perfect low-carb, vegetarian recipe using paneer cheese. These fritters also feature peas, carrots, eggs, cheese and Indian-inspired spices.



  • Grate paneer, cheese and carrots and set aside. Defrost frozen peas in a bowl of boiling hot water. Finely dice onions and garlic.
  • In a large bowl, combine grated paneer cheese with the remaining fritter ingredients. Use a spatula or a spoon to mix everything thoroughly.
  • Heat a thin layer of olive oil or ghee in a frying pan. The larger the frying pan, the more fritters you can cook in each batch.
  • Once sizzling hot, add about two tablespoons of the mixture per fritter (in a pancake shape). Once the pan is filled, reduce the heat to medium-high, add a little more oil if it gets absorbed and the pan feels dry and smoky.
  • Cook for about 4-5 minutes on the first side and 2-3 minutes second side or until browned and easy to flip with a spatula
  • While the fritters are cooking, make the raita. Combine yoghurt, grated or diced cucumber and chopped mint in a small bowl.
  • You can serve paneer fritters hot or cold with cucumber raita on the side. Aioli, mayo, and sweet chilli sauce are also lovely condiments with the fritters.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 3 fritters with two tablespoons of raita
  • Calories: 335
  • Sugar: 4.9 g
  • Sodium: 779.1 mg
  • Fat: 25 g
  • Saturated Fat: 5.5 g
  • Carbohydrates: 11.9 g
  • Fiber: 3.2 g
  • Protein: 17.1 g
  • Cholesterol: 138.2 mg

Keywords: Paneer, Fritters, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, Low-Carb

 

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Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip

My Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip was a Denny family favorite long before anyone heard of Ranch Dressing! And this family favorite Ranch Dip is a delicious low-carb and keto dip recipe and in my family this makes an appearance at every holiday gathering!

PIN Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip to try it later!

My Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip is one of my favorite memories from childhood! As early as I can remember, my Grandma Denny made a fantastic dip that she served with carrots and celery as an appetizer at every family gathering. In those days we called Grandma’s homemade ranch dip just *Vegetable Dip* as if there was only one kind of dip that could possibly be served with veggies.

This was long before the introduction of Ranch Dressing to the American culinary scene, and obviously my Grandma Denny was ahead of her time, because  now people all over the country are eating Ranch Dip with veggies. And in my own extended family, there would never be a holiday gathering without this delicious homemade Ranch Dip on the table.

Of course there’s nothing wrong with making Ranch-Style Vegetable Dip using a package mix if that time-saver works for you. But my grandma’s Homemade Ranch Dip is a bit fresher tasting as well as being low in carbs, and if you usually use the mix but don’t have a package on hand I bet you’ll love my Grandma’s recipe.

Grandma Denny always used full-fat mayo and sour cream, but for anyone wanting lower fat you can obviously make this with reduced-fat products if you prefer. Or if you don’t like mayo, you might prefer the variation below for Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip, made with Greek yogurt and blended cottage cheese for a higher protein, lower-fat dip.

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

Can you make this dip with onion powder?

I love the flavor the grated onion gives to my Grandma Denny’s homemade ranch dip. But if you prefer or want to save time, just use 1 tsp. onion powder.

Can you make this homemade ranch dip with Greek Yogurt?

I sometimes make a variation of this that I call Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip that’s lower in fat and higher in protein. For that variation follow this recipe but replace the sour cream with one cup of cottage that’s blended in the food processor until it’s nearly smooth and replace the mayo with one cup fat-free Greek Yogurt. (This is the version I would make when I was strictly following the original South Beach Diet.)

Want a version of ranch dip with more texture?

You can make a variation of this homemade ranch dip recipe with a little chopped red onion, finely diced cucumber, and finely diced red pepper if you’d like a chunkier dip. I would use about 2 T of each.

How to Make Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

  1. My Grandma always used Bon Appetit Seasoning Salt as the secret seasoning in her vegetable dip, but it’s no longer being made (sob!) If you still have Bon Appetit, use it, but now I use Beau Monde Seasoning (affiliate link). If you’re in Europe you can also use Trocomare Seasoning. (affiliate link)
  2. Grate a small amount of raw onion into a bowl.  (I use the large side of a box grater; don’t use a microplane grater which just turns the onion to liquid.)
  3. Add mayo and sour cream to bowl.
  4. Then add Beau Monde Seasoning and dried dill weed (affiliate link).
  5. Mix all ingredients together well with a whisk. You can use a food processor as well, but the whisk is quicker.
  6. Let the dip chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour or two for best flavor.
  7. Serve with raw vegetables like celery, sugar snap peas, bell pepper strips, jicama, radishes, broccoli, or cauliflower.
  8. This is also good with carrots or as a dip for baked sweet potato fries for those who don’t mind more carbs.
  9. I tested this out on my friend Robin and she gave it two thumbs up!

More Tasty Vegetable Dips You Might Like:

Weekend Food Prep:

This recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sour cream (see notes)
  • 1 cup mayo (see notes)
  • 1 tsp. grated onion
  • 2 tsp. dried dill weed
  • 2 tsp. Beau Monde Seasoning (see notes)

Instructions

  1. Grate onion into a bowl, using the large side of a box grater or flat grater (not a microplane grater.)
  2. Add all other ingredients to the bowl and stir together with a whisk (or you can use a food processor, but it’s not necessary.)
  3. Chill an hour or so before serving.

 

Notes

I only use Daisy full-fat sour cream and full-fat mayo for this recipe but if you prefer to make a lower-fat version of the recipe you can definitely use reduced fat sour cream and mayo.

My Grandma always used Bon Appetit Seasoning for this. When that was discontinued I started making it with Beau Monde Seasoning (affiliate link), which is almost identical in flavor.

This will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks. Nutritional information doesn’t include vegetables and is calculated on 1/4 cup serving size.

Recipe from my Grandma Denny, who was a wonderful cook!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 245Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 6gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 564mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Did you make this recipe?

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip is great for low-carb diets.Eat with low-carb vegetables like celery, sugar snap peas, jicama, bell pepper strips, radishes, broccoli, or cauliflower for low-carb diets. If you’re making this for the original South Beach Diet the Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip variation above is better for South Beach. 

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Appetizers to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
Kalyn was making this dip recipe long before the existence of the internet, and it was first posted on this site in 2005 (probably without a single photo in those days.) The recipe was last updated with more information in 2023.

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