How to Make Paneer Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup pasta (boiled & cooled)
• 150 g paneer (small cubes)
• 1 small onion (finely chopped)
• 1 small capsicum (chopped)
• 1 small tomato (deseeded & chopped)
• 2 tbsp boiled sweet corn or cucumber (optional)
• 1–2 tbsp oil

Masala & Seasoning

• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp roasted cumin powder
• ½ tsp chaat masala
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp oregano or kasuri methi (optional)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp green chutney (optional, but very Indian 😄)

Method

1. Cook pasta
   • Boil pasta in salted water until just soft.
   • Drain, rinse with cold water, and keep aside.
2. Lightly sauté paneer
   • Heat oil in a pan.
   • Add paneer cubes, sprinkle a little salt & turmeric.
   • Toss gently till lightly golden. Let cool.
3. Mix veggies
   • In a big bowl, add onion, capsicum, tomato, corn/cucumber.
4. Add pasta & paneer
   • Add cooled pasta and paneer to the bowl.
5. Season
   • Add chilli powder, cumin powder, chaat masala, black pepper, oregano/kasuri methi.
   • Add lemon juice and green chutney.
   • Drizzle oil and mix gently.
6. Taste & rest
   • Adjust salt or lemon.
   • Rest for 10–15 minutes before serving for best flavor.

Optional Add-ons

• Add sev or roasted peanuts on top for crunch
• Add curd (1–2 tbsp) for a dahi-chaat style salad
• Sprinkle fresh coriander before serving