Paneer Board

Inspired by all the butter boards; here is a protein packed Paneer Board for your parties.

Zero butter, no cook, healthy-ish ingredients and a whole lot of fun to make this in 15 minutes with your favorite toppings!

Butter boards are all over social media! An easy appetizer made by spreading butter on a board and topping it with a mix of delicious crunchy ingredients, sauces, honey etc. This original concept by Joshua McFadden has taken all the social media by storm this year.

This served with toasted baguette slices or chips makes a great impromptu appetizer for sure.

While these boards look and sound super, I wanted to give it a healthy-ish twist. So I whipped this up and served it at two parties over the weekend and everyone did enjoy it a lot. So here it is for everyone to try.

Jump to:

• What is Paneer Board
• Why this recipe works
• Ingredients and Substitutions
• How to make this recipe
• Tips and Notes
• Recipe FAQs
• Pairings
• More Appetizer Recipes
• Paneer Board

What is Paneer Board

As the name suggests, this board is primarily made with paneer. Given that paneer cannot be spread out like butter, I whip it with some Greek yogurt to make it spreadable.

Once this whipped mix is ready, the board is super simple to put together.

All we need to do is layer the mix on a parchment paper or plate and enjoy 'decorating' the board with your favorite toppings.

For my board I have used a mix of veggies, chili oil, dried cranberries and chaat masala as toppings. This when served with naan makes a great Indian inspired appetizer.

The same board can be made with other toppings of your choice. Fruits, nuts, seeds and condiments like cilantro chutney, dates tamarind chutney and garlic chutney works well with the paneer yogurt mix.

Why this recipe works

• As it has zero butter and is full of high protein elements, it is on the health-ish side of appetizers. Plus, it is so simple to make.
• This comes together in under 15 minutes. Once the whipped paneer mix is ready, it is only about adding the toppings and sauces.
• This Paneer Board comes handy for an impromptu get together or for a planned party. It tastes great immediately or after standing for some time.
• It is easy to customize with your choice of toppings, sauces, crunchy elements etc. Add your choice of veggies, sev, boondi on top.
• This board is easy to make ahead of time. Simply add ingredients that will lose crunch right before serving.
• Make a large batch of this board for a party or make a small size one for the family.
• This board is great for any weekend get together, Diwali party or for parties throughout the Holiday season.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Paneer: The first ingredient in this recipe is paneer. I prefer to use store bought paneer as it is firmer and yields a great consistency of the mix. However, homemade paneer is an option too. Just ensure it does not have a lot of moisture. It has to be cool or at room temperature when you start preparing the recipe. Hard paneer will not yield a creamy mix. Using flavored paneer is an option too.
• Greek Yogurt: The ingredient to make the dip creamy is Greek Yogurt. It adds creaminess and moisture to the paneer and still does not make it flowy. Regular yogurt or heavy cream can be used. However, the proportion to paneer will definitely vary to get the right consistency.
• Vegetables: While the board can be topped with anything you like, I have used finely diced veggies as one of the toppings. I like to use pink onions, tomatoes and cilantro on top of the board. These are great for texture, color add a lot of crunch to the board. However, add more veggies if you like.
• Chili Oil: A generous splash of chili oil adds so much flavor to the paneer board. It has the crispy bits along with the spicy oil. Together they make the board yummy.
• Other toppings: The other toppings on the board include pomegranate, green chili, dried cranberries and chaat masala. We also use some salt and pepper to season the mix.
• Moreover, adding marinated artichokes, pickled jalapeños, fresh grapes, rosemary etc is an option too.

See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.

How to make this recipe

1- In a food processor add the following:

• 4 oz. paneer
• ¼ cup yogurt
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper powder

2- Whip them all till you get a creamy mixture and set aside.

3- On a board place a parchment paper. Using a spoon add the mixture in small parts on the board.

4- Then sprinkle these on the whipped paneer and yogurt mixture:

• ¼ cup onions
• ¼ cup tomatoes and
• 1 sliced chili
• 2 teaspoon chili oil

5- Then add the other toppings:

• ¼ cup pomegranate
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• 1 teaspoon chaat masala

6- Finally top with some mint and cilantro leaves and serve with toasted baguette slices and naan. Or serve with chips of any kind.

Tips and Notes

• Use store bought paneer for this recipe. It tends to have lower moisture and makes the board well.
• I like to add Greek yogurt with paneer to make it creamy. We can also use regular yogurt. Plus, heavy cream or sour cream instead of yogurt is an option too.
• Use a parchment paper or a serving plate to serve the board. However, the same board can be made in a platter too.
• The same ingredients make a delicious dip for chips, etc. Simply mix all the ingredients in a bowl and serve.
• The board an be served right after making. Or refrigerate it for a couple of hours before serving. It stays well for about 10-12 hours.
• The board is super versatile and can be topped with several other things like sev, boondi, puri etc.

Recipe FAQs

Pairings

This board pairs wonderfully with so many recipes. Here are some of my favorites to serve it with.

More Appetizer Recipes

Love this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below & if you REALLY like it, consider a review in the comments whilst you are there, thanks!