paneer

noun

pa·​neer pə-ˈnir 

plural paneers

1

: a soft white unripened buffalo or cow's milk cheese of India that is strained until firm and often cut into cubes before cooking

Paneer is fresh cheese, made from cow's milk and set using the acid in lemon juice or vinegar. Traditionally, it's not seasoned or flavored but is made to be used within other dishes.

—Meera Sodha

… delicious flatbreads stuffed with potato or cauliflower, radishes or paneer.

—Jeffrey Steingarten

2

: a dish made with paneer

… one of the best spinach paneers in recent memory: creamy, sublime Indian cheese complemented by a rich, spinach gravy.

—Renee Enna

see also saag paneer

Examples of paneer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Bollywood Tacos fuses Mexican and Indian flavors to create items like chicken shawarma and chili paneer tacos. — Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 29 Aug. 2026

Curry paneer was kept below proper temperatures in a steam unit. — Vince Basada august 7, Sacbee.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Fusion bites include chicken tandoori pizza, paneer, tikka masala pizza, chicken tikka burrito and paneer naan burrito. — Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 14 July 2026

Michelin Bib-awarded Chef Vamshi Adi is in charge of the culinary program, offering a contemporary twist on classic dishes like butter chicken, biryanis and paneer. — Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 12 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Hindi & Urdu panīr "cheese," borrowed from Persian

First Known Use

1954, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing paneer

• saag paneer

Rhymes for paneer

• adhere
• ameer
• amir
• appear
• arrear
• astir
• austere
• career
• cashier
• cohere
• compere
• emir