• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cooking Carnival
  • All Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
  • All Recipes
  • About
  • Terms Of Use
  • Contact
search icon
Homepage link
  • All Recipes
  • About
  • Terms Of Use
  • Contact
×

Home » Indian Vegetarian Recipes » Schezwan Paneer Puff

Schezwan Paneer Puff

Published: August 19, 2022. Modified: August 19, 2022 By Dhwani Mehta. This post may contain affiliate links. This blog generates income via ads.

109 shares
Jump to Recipe

The ultimate blend of enticing flavors and textures, this Indo-Chinese Schezwan Paneer puff is simple to make and a perfect appetizer recipe.

With a savory paneer filling wrapped in flaky and crispy pastry sheets and baked to golden perfection, these spicy paneer patties are super easy to put together and are a pure delight in every bite!

This recipe is perfect for office potlucks, game nights, gatherings, kids’ playdates, weekend pool parties, or picnics and can be prepared ahead of time. Make it a large batch when making for parties, as you will soon find them disappearing from the table!

Schezwan Paneer puff on a baking tray served with green chutney and tomato ketchup.
Jump to:
  • Why do I love this recipe?
  • Ingredients required
  • Step-by-step process
  • Make ahead instruction
  • Storage suggestions:
  • Notes, pro-tips, and quick FAQs
  • More recipes made with schezwan sauce
  • Schezwan Paneer Puff
  • Video

Puffs, also known as Puff patties, are very popular in Indian Bakeries.

Puffs are delicious Indian savory turnovers made with a puff pastry dough wrapped around delicious fillings.

The puffs come in mostly two shapes, rectangles or triangles. Of course, you can play around with many other different shapes.

The classic version of puff is made with potatoes and vegetables. But you will also find puffs made with egg, meat, and paneer et in Indian bakeries.

We love Veg puff. But we are also a fan of puffs made with paneer.

So today, I am sharing the Paneer puff recipe. This puff has a flaky outer layer and scrumptious paneer filling with Indo-Chinese flavors.

Paneer puffs are a perfect appetizer and can be easily made at home using store-bought or homemade puff pastry sheets.

This appetizer recipe is also a perfect snack at any time of the day and doesn’t need any occasion to enjoy them.

You can serve them as an accompaniment to the evening tea/ coffee or even pack them for your lunch. They taste delicious just as is or complement just perfectly with any dip of your choice.

You can make these puff pastries in the air fryer or the oven. When I need to make these puffs in bulk for a gathering, I use the oven.

However, when just preparing puffs for 3 of us, my Instant Pot air fryer works best. I don’t have to heat the oven and the house for just a few puffs.

Why do I love this recipe?

  • A perfect crowd-pleaser appetizer
  • can be made ahead of time.
  • Packed with spicy flavors.
  • These are easy to put together using store-bought puff pastry sheets and suitable for beginners
  • No kneading, fermenting, or frying is required.
  • These can be baked beforehand and reheated before serving
  • It’s a perfect tea-time snack for evening and parties.
  • It’s a great party snack and perfect finger food that can be enjoyed without plates and forks!
  • Loved by the kids
  • It’s a Versatile recipe and can be customized with any vegetables of your choice.

Ingredients required

  • Puff pastry sheets: I use store-bought puff pastry sheets to make these paneer puffs. It’s easily available in grocery stores. My preferred brand is Pepperidge farm. I came to know from my blogger friend that puff pastry sheets are available in India too.
  • Paneer: Paneer is fresh Indian cottage cheese. You can either make fresh paneer at home or can use store-bought ones.
  • Vegetables: I have used bell pepper, onion, and carrots. They give taste, and texture and also form the base of the filling. Also adds a distinct flavor. You can use other vegetables of your choice too.
  • Aromatics: Ginger and garlic. Make sure to use fresh.
  • Sauce: We will need schezwan sauce, dark soy sauce, red chili sauce, and vinegar.
  • Oil: For cooking the paneer stuffing. You may use any oil of your choice.
  • Salt: Seasons this delicious appetizer.
  • Milk: To seal the puffs. And also need to brush the tops of the pastry to get the perfect golden color.
pre-measured ingredients for making paneer puff

Step-by-step process

For the filling

  • Heat oil. Add ginger, garlic, and onion. Saute for about a minute.
  • Then add carrots and bell peppers. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes on medium heat.
  • Now add salt, soy sauce, schezwan sauce, red chili sauce, vinegar, and paneer. Mix everything well and cook for about 3 minutes on medium to high flame.
sauteed garlic, ginger, onion, bell pepper, and carrots. The added soy sauce, schezwan sauce, vinegar, salt, chili sauce with paneer.
  • Switch off the flame and let the paneer stuffing cool down.
schezwan paneer stuffing made for making puff pastry, in a wok.

Assemble Schezwan Paneer puff

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F(210 degrees C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  • Carefully take out one sheet of puff pastry, open it and divide it into 6 equal parts.
  • I like to use a pizza roll cutter to cut the pastry dough.
  • Scoop in the 2 tablespoon of filling closer to one edge of the pastry sheet. Do not over-fill.
  • Lightly brush the edges with milk.
  • Fold over the pastry to seal by gently pinching it on the edges. Repeat the same process with the rest of the filling and puff pastry squares.
cutting the puff pastry sheet, and assembling

Bake in the oven

  • Place all the prepared puffs on the prepared baking tray.
    • Note – Make sure to space the pastries at least 2-inch apart since they will expand as they bake. If the pastry sheet gets too soft, and sticky, refrigerate it for 15 minutes to firm up.
  • Now brush the top of each puff with milk.
Brushing the top of the puff with milk.
  • Bake it in a preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until the pastry has puffed up with flaky layers on the side and the top is golden brown. Every oven is different so baking time will vary slightly.
close up shot of flaky baked puffs, green chutney on the side.

In the air-fryer

  • Place 4 assembled puff pastries in the air fryer basket, brush the top with milk, and air fry at 350° F (180 degrees F) for 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Schezwan Paneer puff is ready. Serve hot or warm with more schezwan sauce, green chutney, or ketchup.

Make ahead instruction

  • You can make the stuffing 3 days ahead of time and refrigerate it.
  • You can fill puffs and place them in the fridge for up to 2 days until baking.
  • After baking, you can store puff at room temperature for 12 hours or refrigerate for 3 days.
  • To warm it, pop it in a 350 deg F oven for 10-15 minutes. I don’t recommend reheating in the microwave as the puff will be soggy.

Storage suggestions:

Consume the baked puffs within a day.

You can store baked puffs for up to 3 days. Remove from the fridge and reheat in a preheated oven or air fryer. Do not put them in a microwave.

Notes, pro-tips, and quick FAQs

  • You can double or halve this recipe as desired.
  • For this recipe, I have used 1 pack of Pepperidge Farm Puff pastry sheets. You can also use pre-cut pastry dough.
  • As every brand is different, thaw the pastry sheets from the freezer according to the package.
  • Always use a cold puff pastry sheet.
  • The pastry sheet should be pliable but cold. If it seems soft or sticky, place it in the freezer for 10 minutes before proceeding.
  • Brushing the puff with milk just before baking gives you a lovely golden top on the pastries.
  • Always fill in the pastry dough with a completely cool filling.
  • Don’t over-fill the pastry sheet with stuffing.
  • Make sure there is less moisture in the filling.
  • Cut the veggies and paneer into very small pieces.
  • If you don’t like Paneer or if it is not currently available, then it can be replaced with the same amount of Tofu, Soya chunks, cauliflowers, or boiled potatoes.
  • You can re-freeze the unused puff pastry sheets. Wrap the leftover sheets in a plastic bag and freeze them for up to 2 months. When needed, thaw them and use them as directed.
  • To take the flavors up a notch, add some cheese to your cold paneer filling.
  • Add some mozzarella cheese to your paneer filling to bring some extra flavor and cheesiness to the delicious paneer puff appetizer.
How to serve?

The best way to enjoy this paneer puff is to serve it warm with a side of green chutney made with cilantro and tomato ketchup. This tastes great with some schezwan sauce on the sides as well.

Are these puffs vegan?

No, these are not vegan.

Can we freeze these?

Yes, absolutely. You can freeze assembled and unbaked schezwan paneer puffs for up to 4 months. Just pop them in the oven and bake them as mentioned in the recipe.

What to do with leftover filling?

Leftover filling can be used in sandwiches, quesadillas, pizza, burritos, tacos, etc.

Showing inner stuffing of schezwan paneer puff

More recipes made with schezwan sauce

  • Schezwan Noodles
  • Schezwan frankie
  • Schezwan mathri

Have you tried this Recipe? Please feed us with your feedback, ★ star ratings, and comments below.

You can also FOLLOW me on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST for more fabulous recipes and updates.

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes.

Schezwan Paneer Puff served with green chutney and tomato ketchup.
Print
5 from 1 vote

Schezwan Paneer Puff

The ultimate blend of enticing flavors and textures, this Indo-Chinese Schezwan Paneer puff is simple to make and a perfect appetizer recipe.
Course Appetizer, Tea time Snacks
Cuisine Indian, Indo-chinese
Keyword Paneer puff
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 12 puff
Calories 220kcal
Author Dhwani
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  • 300 gram paneer cut into small cubes
  • ½ cup carrots cut into small cubes.
  • 1 cup bell pepper cut into small pieces
  • ¾ cup onion cut into small pieces
  • 4 tablespoon Schezwan sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 3 tablespoon red chili sauce
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 2 teaspoon garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1.5 tablespoon oil
  • 1 pack of Puff pastry sheet.
  • 1 tablespoon milk

Instructions

For the filling

  • Heat oil. Add ginger, garlic, and onion. Saute for about a minute.
  • Then add carrots and bell peppers. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes on medium heat.
  • Now add salt, soy sauce, schezwan sauce, red chili sauce, vinegar, and paneer. Mix everything well and cook for about 3 minutes on medium to high flame.
  • sauteed garlic, ginger, onion, bell pepper, and carrots. The added soy sauce, schezwan sauce, vinegar, salt, chili sauce with paneer.
  • Switch off the flame and let the paneer stuffing cool down.
  • schezwan paneer stuffing made for making puff pastry, in a wok.

Assemble Schezwan Paneer puff

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F(210 degrees C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
    Thaw puff pastry according to the package instructions.
  • Carefully take out one sheet of puff pastry, open it and divide it into 6 equal parts.
  • I like to use a pizza roll cutter to cut the pastry dough.
  • Scoop in the 2 tablespoon of filling closer to one edge of the pastry sheet. Do not over-fill.
  • Lightly brush the edges with milk.
  • Fold over the pastry to seal by gently pinching it on the edges. Repeat the same process with the rest of the filling and puff pastry squares.

Bake in the oven

  • Place all the prepared puffs on the prepared baking tray.
  • Note – Make sure to space the pastries at least 2-inch apart since they will expand as they bake. If the pastry sheet gets too soft, and sticky, refrigerate it for 15 minutes to firm up.
  • Now brush the top of each puff with milk.
  • Bake it in a preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until the pastry has puffed up with flaky layers on the side and the top is golden brown. Every oven is different so baking time will vary slightly.

In the air-fryer

  • Place 4 assembled puff pastries in the air fryer basket, brush the top with milk, and air fry at 350° F (180 degrees F) for 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Schezwan Paneer puff is ready. Serve hot or warm with more schezwan sauce, green chutney, or ketchup.

Video

Notes

  • You can double or halve this recipe as desired.
  • For this recipe, I have used 1 pack of Pepperidge Farm Puff pastry sheets. You can also use pre-cut pastry dough.
  • As every brand is different, thaw the pastry sheets from the freezer according to the package.
  • Always use a cold puff pastry sheet.
  • The pastry sheet should be pliable but cold. If it seems soft or sticky, place it in the freezer for 10 minutes before proceeding.
  • Brushing the puff with milk just before baking gives you a lovely golden top on the pastries.
  • Always fill in the pastry dough with a completely cool filling.
  • Don’t over-fill the pastry sheet with stuffing.
  • Make sure there is less moisture in the filling.
  • Cut the veggies and paneer into very small pieces.
  • If you don’t like Paneer or if it is not currently available, then it can be replaced with the same amount of Tofu, Soya chunks, cauliflowers, or boiled potatoes.
  • You can re-freeze the unused puff pastry sheets. Wrap the leftover sheets in a plastic bag and freeze them for up to 2 months. When needed, thaw them and use them as directed.
  • To take the flavors up a notch, add some cheese to your cold paneer filling.
  • Add some mozzarella cheese to your paneer filling to bring some extra flavor and cheesiness to the delicious paneer puff appetizer.

Nutrition

Serving: 1puff | Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 312mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1342IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 132mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Share your feedback with pics @cookingcarnival or tag #cookingcarnival on Instagram or Facebook!

Warm regards,

Dhwani.

More Indian Vegetarian Recipes

  • Chai Masala Powder
    Homemade Chai Masala Powder
  • Indo-Chinese Vermicelli
    Indo Chinese Vermicelli
  • Rava dhokla
    Rava Dhokla
  • Bombay Sandwich recipe
    Bombay Sandwich

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

AS SEEN IN:As Seen In

Primary Sidebar

About Me

Hi!! Welcome to CookingCarnival. My Blog is all about easy to make delicious Vegetarian recipes. Read More…

Follow us:

Salad and dressing recipes

Black bean quinoa salad

Black Bean Quinoa Salad

Cowboy caviar

Cowboy Caviar

close up shot of Wheat berry salad with mint dressing

Wheat Berry Salad Mint Dressing

Butternut squash spinach salad on a white plate

Butternut Squash Spinach Salad With Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Subscribe Here…

Loading

Drinks and Mocktails

Orange mocktail

Orange Mocktail

Kala jamun mojito

Smoky Kala Jamun Mojito

Strawberry Lemonade

Strawberry Lemonade

Blood Orange Cranberry Jalapeno Mojito

Blood Orange Cranberry Jalapeno Mojito

Footer

^ back to top

Navigate

  • All Recipes
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • About Us

Copyright © 2023 CookingCarnival. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.