It’s hard to believe these creamy melt-in-your-mouth “cheese” cubes are dairy free.
This cashew cheese paleo paneer is a tasty option for those of you who love Indian food but can’t tolerate dairy.
I’m so excited about finally sharing this recipe for paleo paneer on my blog! It’s a recipe I came up with around 4 years ago when I first wrote my paleo Indian ebook. If you’re following a paleo diet, you’ll want to check out my ebook! I also have a lot of paleo Indian recipes on my blog.
While this recipe IS dairy-free, it is not vegan. You may be able to adapt the recipe to make it vegan, but I haven’t tried. You can read more about that later in the post!
How To Use Paleo Paneer:
You cannot use this paleo cashew paneer the way you’d use regular dairy paneer – they are different after all. Regular paneer is much more firm – cashew paneer is not. That’s why you’ll want to add paleo paneer to a dish at the very end – right before serving. You don’t want to put it in a super hot curry otherwise it’ll get too melty.
Keep the paleo paneer in the fridge until you’re ready to serve – then eat them once they come to room temperature.
You can add paleo paneer to recipes like saag or matar paneer. Or you can sprinkle a bit of chaat masala on top of it and serve it with chutney – yum!
This recipe for paleo paneer is not vegetarian – it calls for gelatin:
This recipe is made with gelatin (make sure you are using gelatin and NOT collagen) and unfortunately, gelatin melts in hot liquid – so when you add these to a recipe, you’ll want to add them at the very end right before serving.
I use grassfed gelatin and while you might be able to use a vegetarian gelatin substitute, I’ve never tried it that way so I can’t say for sure. If you try this with agar agar or using another method, let us know! I’ve been thinking about leaving out the gelatin and baking the “cheese” to see how that goes but again have yet to try… will update the post when I do!
I know when I was following a strict paleo diet I was pretty devastated about missing out on my favorite foods. That’s why I recreated so many Indian dishes to be paleo-friendly – including this paneer (and paleo jalebi, gulab jamun, etc lol). I hope you love this paleo paneer – and I hope that it makes your paleo journey a little easier.
Paleo Paneer (dairy-free, gluten-free)
Paleo Paneer (dairy-free, gluten-free)
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw cashews soaked in water for 8-12 hours
- ÂĽ cup water
- 1 tablespoon gelatin
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ÂĽ teaspoon cream of tartar
Instructions
- After the cashews have soaked for at least 8 hours, drain them and place them in a food processor or high speed blender. Blend until mostly smooth, scraping down the sides a few times if needed.
- Add water and gelatin to a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until the gelatin has completely dissolved, then add this mixture to the blender along with the lemon juice, salt and cream of tartar. Blend until well combined and smooth.
- Pour the cashew mixture into an 8x4 parchment-lined loaf pan and refrigerate overnight or until the paneer has firmed.
- Cut the paneer into cubes or desired shape and store in the fridge until ready to serve.Â
Valerie says
Generally, one tablespoon of agar agar flakes or one teaspoon of agar agar powder can replace one packet of gelatin. Mix with cold liquid: Unlike gelatin, agar agar requires a brief simmer to activate its gelling properties. However, you should always mix agar agar with cold liquid first.
Andrea says
Have you tried using agar agar? It creates a firmer texture and might help with the delicacy in heat. It would also make it vegan.
My Heart Beets says
Andrea, I haven’t but want to try! Thanks for letting me know – I hope to experiment with agar agar soon!
Lita Collazzo says
I can not eat cashews. Would walnuts or almonds substitute okay? very anxious to try this recipe.
My Heart Beets says
I haven’t tried this with another nut but my best guess at a good substitute would be to use blanched peeled almonds – let me know how it goes!
Sabrina says
Ashley I love love love your blog and the recipes you share with us. I have NEVER been disappointed. I made your Keema Biranyi last night and it was soooo dreamy. The spices are just perfect!! Honestly you have made life so much sweeter now that I can have curry / Indian during the week in my instant pot!!! I think curry would def be my last meal. I just cant get enough 🙂 Quick question…If I wanted to make saag paneer, when would I add the paneer to your instant pot saag recipe?
My Heart Beets says
Sabrina, I’m so happy to hear that!! So glad you’re enjoying my recipes 🙂 If you are using this dairy-free paneer then add it right before serving. If you’re using regular paneer you can sautĂ© it then add it to the saag. Hope that helps!
Helene says
So delicious… thank you for sharing your recipe.
My Heart Beets says
Helene, so happy you liked it!! Thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Maneesha says
Woww!! Such a great idea!! Is there anything for a cream of tartar substitute? I love your paleo recipes!
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Maneesha!! I haven’t tried it without cream of tartar – there’s a chance it may be fine without it! I use it as a stabilizer. LMK if you try this!