Step Up Your Veggie Burger Game with This Paneer Burger

Unlike the name of the McDonald’s burger, ours won’t be very spicy. We’re just going to add a little heat to our paneer patty with some Deggi mirch, or red chili powder. The main focus of this burger is the thick and crispy paneer patty! We’ll be coating our paneer with egg, all-purpose flour, and Panko breadcrumbs. Then, we’ll be frying our patty so it’s crispy on the outside but super soft and tender on the inside! This is an ultimate vegetarian burger! We’ll also have a little bit of heat by making a quick Spicy Aioli. This will nicely complement our crispy paneer patty.

Why Make This Paneer Tikki Burger?

I say this with every single paneer recipe I share, but it’s so true - paneer is the ultimate vegetarian protein source! If you’re new and don’t know what paneer is, paneer translates to “Indian cottage cheese.” No, please don’t go to your grocery store and get cottage cheese though! There’s a reason why it’s called Indian cottage cheese. It’s not cottage cheese at all, actually, but for some reason we always refer to paneer like this. There’s no proper direct translation in English.

As much as I love eating meat, I have to admit that I probably wouldn’t miss it at all if I had paneer all the time! Such a delicious alternative! And let me tell you, with this burger, you’ll savor every bite of that mighty patty!

Why choose paneer instead of tofu you may ask? It’s got a similar appearance to tofu and is used for a meat alternative as with tofu. The thing is that I find paneer so much tastier than tofu. You may argue that tofu has less fat and more protein. Sure, but if you’ve ever nibbled on some plain paneer, you’ll notice that there is a subtle taste that paneer has, and it’s just so soft, tender, and satisfying. Because paneer has its own flavor, I find that you don’t have to season the breading mixture that much. We’ll only use salt, pepper, and a bit of red chili powder. If you really taste carefully, you’ll find the most subtle hint of paneer tikka flavor in our patty, and that’s where the little touch of heat is found. Otherwise, we enjoy that soft and springy paneer in an amazing crispy crust!

Of course if you want to make this vegan you can use tofu and instead make spicy mayo with a vegan mayonnaise. That’s fine, but you may need to season your breading mixture a little more. Furthermore, I can’t guarantee that the final texture will be the same, as this paneer patty will become very soft and juicy.

Not sure where to find paneer? In India, we can purchase fresh paneer from local street markets, but I know in other parts of the world this is definitely not the case! Some grocery stores have it, but if you can’t find it then you can look at a local South Asian grocery store. If you don’t have a South Asian grocer near you, then you can definitely make Fresh Homemade Paneer! It can be a little time consuming, but if you plan it out properly, you’ll have super soft paneer that’s ready for an epic vegetarian burger! While I usually buy my paneer from the store for the sake of convenience, I do have to admit that homemade paneer is definitely worth it because it is extremely soft!! I’ve never used it in a burger but I can imagine how delicious it would be!

Something I love about this burger recipe is that it’s quite quick to make! We don’t really need to marinate our paneer, just heat up your oil as you coat the patty with the breading mixture. It will fry pretty fast too! You’ll have an awesome vegetarian burger ready right before your eyes, and trust me, you’ll want to make this again and again! I’m sure this will become your new favorite, and you’ll never think of veggie burgers as boring again! I have to thank McDonald’s India for making veggie burgers so much fun!

So get out your ingredients, enjoy this ultimate veggie burger with some fries (I recommend Restaurant Style French Fries since we’re already frying!), and let’s get on to the recipe!

Tools Needed

• Measuring cups
• Mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Wok
• Tongs
• Cutting board
• Paring knife
• Paper towels

Ingredients for the Tastiest Paneer Patty Burger

It’ll make you really happy to know that this will be a fairly short ingredient list to make these awesome veggie burgers! For all measurements with the full ingredient list, make sure to scroll to the bottom of this post for the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD, so you can save this recipe for later! Let’s go over what we’ll need:

For the Paneer Patty

• Paneer
• All-purpose flour
• Panko breadcrumbs
• Egg
• Deggi mirch/Paprika
• Kasoori Methi
• Salt & pepper
• Oil, for frying (I used peanut oil)

For the Toppings

• Spicy Aioli
• Lettuce
• Onion

How to Make Crispy Paneer Burger

Preparing the paneer patty and fries

1. Measure out flour, egg(s) and panko in separate plates/containers.
2. Season the eggs with salt, pepper, deggi mirch and kasoori methi. Whisk well to combine.
3. Dredge the paneer squares in flour and coat all over. Then dip the paneer in the eggs and coat all of the egg.
4. Let any excess egg drip and then place in the panko breadcrumbs. Coat each side and then gently apply pressure to ensure the breadcrumbs are embedded in the paneer.
5. If you're making deep fried fries, cut and soak the fries in cold water for 15-20 minutes. Then pat the potatoes dry and measure the oil in a pot/wok, at least 2-3 inches in depth.
6. Preheat the oil to 325°F (163°C) and cook the potatoes until soft, set aside. Then bump up the oil temperature to 350°F (175°C) and add the breaded paneer in the oil carefully.
7. Cook until each side is golden brown. Set it aside and then add your potatoes and cook for 5-8 minutes or until golden brown and crispy

Assembling the burger

1. Toast/grill the burger buns and then apply a generous amount of spicy aioli on each side of the buns.
2. Spread chopped red onion to the top bun and lettuce leaves on the bottom bun.
3. Place the paneer patty over the lettuce and close the top bun.
4. Season your fries with salt as soon as they are ready and serve hot!

Tips for an Amazing Crispy Burger

• Really take your time to make sure to get the breading right. That crust is the bread and butter for this dish!
• If the egg mixture is getting dry, you can top it off with more eggs/egg whites and more seasoning as required.
• The paneer doesn’t need to be cooked, all you need to look for is a golden brown crisp on the patty
• Cook the fries after the paneer to make sure your fries stay crispy and hot. Or use multiple friers!

Easy Ways to Change Up the Spices

The seasoning here is deliberately light because paneer already tastes of something, so all that goes into the whisked eggs is salt, pepper, 2 tbsp of deggi mirch and the optional teaspoon of kasoori methi. If you want the patty to hit harder, the place to add spices is the panko rather than the egg: stir a teaspoon of garam masala or chaat masala straight into the 2 cups of breadcrumbs so it toasts as the crust fries. Neither is in my base recipe, but both sit naturally in the same McDonald's India register this burger is borrowing from.

For real heat, finely chop a green chilli into the spicy aioli before you spread it on the buns. That keeps the patty itself mild for anyone who wants it that way and puts the heat in a layer you can control. A few thin rounds of green chilli laid over the lettuce work the same way.

Toppings and What to Serve Alongside

The recipe keeps the build simple, with spicy aioli on both cut sides, chopped red onion on the top bun and lettuce on the bottom, so there is room to add without crowding the patty:

• A quick slaw of shredded carrots and cabbage tossed with a spoonful of the aioli adds crunch and stands up to the fried crust better than lettuce alone.
• Tomato slices and a little extra red onion are the obvious additions, and both cut the richness of the fried paneer.
• Fries are the natural side since the oil is already hot, which is exactly why the recipe fries the potatoes in the same pot. Season them with salt the second they come out.

Frying to Order and Getting Ahead

This is a burger you fry to order. The crust softens within a few minutes of coming out of the oil, so a patty that has been sitting will never be as good as one that goes straight from the pot to the bun. What you can do ahead is the breading: dredge the paneer squares in flour, egg and panko, lay them on a tray in a single layer and keep them in the fridge until you are ready. A rest actually helps the coating set, so the crumbs stay put in the oil instead of drifting off.