MyTastr

Best paneer, according to chefs

Three picks, each tied to a named taster and a public source — from Rachel Gurjar, Food Network Kitchen, Urmila Ramakrishnan and Suvir Saran. Recommendations come from bonappetit.com, foodnetwork.com and seriouseats.com.

International Pantry · The ranking

  1. 1
    Top pick

    Sach Paneer

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    Mumbai-born, CIA-trained Gurjar had never found store-bought paneer that matched what she grew up with: “Nothing came close—until I tried Sach paneer.” Made from organic Northern California milk, vinegar and sea salt, it’s creamy and soft, best for gentle curries like saag and butter paneer. Food Network Kitchen uses it for malai kofta. Ships nationally and is spreading into supermarkets.
    Where to buy · sachfoods.com ↗Instacart ↗Source: bonappetit.com ↗
  2. 2

    Nanak Paneer

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    Saran, the chef behind New York’s Devi, told Serious Eats that Nanak “is the best you can find in the U.S.,” and it is carried at almost every Indian grocery. Ramakrishnan names it, with Gopi, as the paneer to buy for crisp, seared cubes in Bon Appétit’s palak paneer, and Food Network Kitchen reaches for Nanak’s Malai Paneer (at Whole Foods).
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: seriouseats.com ↗
  3. 3

    Gopi Paneer

    Chosen by
    “To get the crispiest paneer, look for the more common store-bought paneer brands, like Gopi or Nanak,” Ramakrishnan writes; higher-end and homemade paneers “tend to crumble when you sauté them.” Firm whole-milk blocks for frying, tikka and palak paneer; sold at Indian grocers and in 2.5-pound bricks at Costco.
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: bonappetit.com ↗

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Questions, answered

What is the best paneer, according to chefs?
MyTastr’s top pick is Sach Paneer, chosen by Rachel Gurjar (Bon Appétit); Food Network Kitchen. Mumbai-born, CIA-trained Gurjar had never found store-bought paneer that matched what she grew up with: “Nothing came close—until I tried Sach paneer.” Made from organic Northern California milk, vinegar and sea salt, it’s creamy and soft, best for gentle curries like saag and butter paneer. Food Network Kitchen uses it for malai kofta. Ships nationally and is spreading into supermarkets. Source: bonappetit.com ↗
What are the other top picks for paneer?
No. 2 is Nanak Paneer, chosen by Suvir Saran (chef, author of Indian Home Cooking); Urmila Ramakrishnan (Bon Appétit); Food Network Kitchen. No. 3 is Gopi Paneer, chosen by Urmila Ramakrishnan (Bon Appétit). Each card above links to the original source.
How does MyTastr choose these picks?
Every pick is tied to a named chef, cookbook author or food expert and links to the public interview, panel or article it came from. We survey dozens, often hundreds, of top chefs, food writers and critics, and order reflects how often and how strongly a brand is recommended. Only organic recommendations count — paid endorsements don’t — and brands can’t buy a spot. Read how we pick.

The tasters behind this ranking

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