These air fryer paneer balls are crunchy, bite-size snacks made with paneer cheese and warm spices. They're easy to make and are scrumptious with or without a dip.
You can make these keto paneer cheese balls ahead, store in the fridge and then cook when you are ready to devour them. They are great for a low carb and gluten-free appetizer or snack. Serve them for your next Game day event!
The warm spices go well with the mild paneer cheese but you can tweak the flavors to your own taste. Another great reason to use your air fryer too!
They taste delicious and I will confess into eating more than I should have after photographing them. Once you eat one, you want another!
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What is Paneer Cheese?
Paneer cheese is a firm cheese made from milk and is also known as Indian cottage cheese. It is not as firm as halloumi cheese but is firm enough to fry and can stand a high heat. We also enjoy it in our Paneer Makhani dish or a paneer tikka. Paneer is available in supermarkets sold as blocks or cut into paneer cubes but it easy enough to make yourself too.
Carbs in Paneer
Not only is paneer cheese vegetarian (it's not made with animal rennet) it is a great low carb cheese with just 1g net carbohydrates per 1oz (28g) serving. It has a great protein content with 7g protein per serving and is a good source of calcium.
Paneer Balls Ingredients
An easy keto vegetarian recipe with just a few simple ingredients.
- Paneer cheese - we crumble this to form the cheese balls
- Coconut flour - this helps bind the balls but could be substituted with almond flour.
- Jalapeno - any other green or red chili could be used.
- The Spice - a mixture of garam masala and turmeric with fresh cilantro (or coriander in some parts of the world) give the paneer balls a great flavor.
- Ginger - fresh grated ginger could be swapped for ground ginger.
We've not added salt or pepper but feel free to add for your own taste when making the cheese balls.
How to Make Air Fryer Paneer Balls
Many paneer balls recipes make them with deep frying but they are just as crisp in the air fryer with a lot less oil too.
Mix the crumbled paneer with the other ingredients and form into balls.
Place the balls in the air fryer basket and cook until crisp and golden.
What to Serve with Keto Paneer Balls
As delicious as these tasty paneer snacks are, try them with a dip. We serve ours with a greek yogurt for a refreshing dip. A chili sauce, mint chutney, homemade mayonnaise or a salsa verde make a great accompaniment. Add some garlic keto naan bread for a filling meal.
Storage
If you have any leftovers they should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container. They can be reheated in the microwave or air fryer for a couple of minutes if you want the enjoy them warm. I liked them cold too!
The paneer could be frozen and will last up to 3 months in the freezer. Place them in a zip lock bag and remove as much air as you can. We use a straw. Defrost them in the fridge before serving.
Recipe Tips
When forming the balls, you need to squeeze the mixture together with your handsKe. Different brands of coconut flour may have a different binding effort so you may need to add a tablespoon or two more.
The cheese balls do need to be put into the fridge for at least 30 minutes to form up. Otherwise the balls may crumble and you have a plate of paneer scramble on your plate!
We found having damp hands when forming the balls helped to bind them.
Can Paneer Balls be Made in the Oven?
If you don't want to air fry these cheese balls, they can be baked. Place them on a parchment lined baking tray and bake at 200C/400F degrees for 20 minutes until firm and golden.
More Keto Vegetarian Air Fryer Recipes
If you are enjoying using an air fryer, we have many recipes for you to try:
Air Fryer Paneer Balls
Ingredients
- 10.5 ounces paneer crumbled
- 1 jalapeno seeds removed and finely chopped
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, fresh chopped
- ½ inch fresh ginger, grated
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon coconut flour more may be needed to bind
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredient and mix well.
- With damp hands, form into firm balls and place onto a parchment lined plate. If the paneer balls are not binding add more coconut flour.
- Place in the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes to firm the balls.
- Preheat the air fryer according to the manufacturers instructions.
- Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil and place the paneer balls in a single layer (you may need to cook 2 batches). Cook for 15 minutes until golden at 200C/400F degrees.
- Enjoy with a dip or by themselves
Notes
YOUR OWN NOTES
