🧀 Homemade Paneer (Stovetop)

Ingredients

8 cups (½ gallon) whole milk

3–4 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar

½–1 tsp salt (optional)

Instructions

Heat the milk

Pour milk into a large pot.

Heat over medium, stirring occasionally, until it just comes to a boil.

When it foams and starts to rise, turn the heat to low.

Add 2 tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar while stirring gently.

You should see the milk begin to curdle (yellow-green whey separating from white curds).

If it doesn’t fully separate, add 1–2 tbsp more acid and keep stirring.

Let it sit

Turn off the heat.

Cover the pot and let it rest for 5–10 minutes to finish curdling.

Strain

Line a colander with a clean kitchen towel, cheesecloth, or even 2–3 layers of paper towel.

Pour the contents in to separate curds from whey.

Rinse the curds briefly under cool water (removes lemon/vinegar flavor).

Season

Sprinkle with the salt and gently mix.

Shape

Gather the cloth into a ball and squeeze out as much water as possible.

Flatten it into a disk or block.

Place on a plate and set a heavy object on top (pot filled with water, heavy bowl, etc.).

Press for 30 minutes for soft paneer or 1 hour for firm paneer.

Chill & use

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up further.

Slice, cube, or crumble.

Tips

Loose/crumbly paneer? Add a splash more milk to the pot and gently reheat before straining again.

Rubbery paneer? It was pressed too long or the heat was too high during curdling.

Want it extra creamy? Add ¼ cup heavy cream to the milk at the start.

Want flavored paneer? Add chopped cilantro, cracked pepper, garlic, or chili flakes after rinsing the curds.

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