Broccoli Paneer Paratha is a North Indian flat bread, made by stuffing wheat dough with a filling of broccoli and paneer, mixed with herbs and spices.
It has a delicious crunchy texture due to a shallow fried outer crust, which between the two layers engulfs a spicy, fresh, moist stuffing of paneer and broccoli.
What is Paratha?
Parathas are layered rotis (Indian bread) with an inside coating of oil or ghee, which are then shallow fried resulting in a crispy flaky bread. They are bit thicker than rotis due to folding of multiple layers.
Parathas can be plain i.e. made with just layered dough, or contain some kind of mixture of vegetables lentils etc. The mixture can either be pureed and mixed in the dough itself before layering, or stuffed inside the layers themselves.
Stuffing for Broccoli Paneer Paratha
The following are the main ingredients used in the filling of broccoli paneer paratha :
- Broccoli – Grated broccoli is the main ingredient of the filling. It gives a distinct taste, texture and a vibrant green color to the filling, while enhancing the nutritional value of the paratha. Optionally, the broccoli can be boiled before grating for a softer texture.
- Paneer – Grated paneer (Indian cottage cheese) is added along with broccoli and adds a soft melt in the mouth texture as well as increases the protein content of the recipe .
- Potatoes – Boiled potatoes provide a base to the dish increase and make it more hearty. These are optional though, and you can skip them if you want.
- Onions – Optionally, finely chopped onions can also be added to add a bite to the dish and enhance the flavor.
- Indian herbs and spices – Fresh coriander leaves and green chillies, along with other Indian spices like fennel seeds, coriander powder, cumin powder, dry mango powder etc. give a distinct spicy, tangy taste to the paratha.
Nutritional Value
Stuffed parathas are are quite popular in the Indian subcontinent, and in many places are eaten daily for breakfast. However, many popular parathas like aloo paratha can get quite heavy.
Broccoli paneer paratha is a healthier version and provides the benefits of a green vegetable and paneer. Paneer is a great source of calcium & proteins, along with many other health benefits.
Broccoli is also very healthy vegetable and is high in many nutrients, including fibre, iron, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium and contains more protein than other vegetables. Broccoli is traditionally not a part of mainstream Indian dishes, so this paratha is a great way to include it your diet.
Even though comparatively more nutritious, this paratha should still be consumed in moderation. If you want to make a healthier version, skip adding the potatoes and use very little oil for brushing while cooking the paratha.
Serving Suggestions
Broccoli paneer paratha can be eaten with butter, yogurt, chutney or any Indian pickle like mango pickle. My favorite accompaniment to these parathas is green coriander chutney, which apart from taste helps in easy digestion as well.
As broccoli paneer paratha is stuffed, soft and a bit moist inside, it can be eaten on its own, if you’re on the go. It also goes really well with with a cup of hot tea or coffee.
Advance Prep & Storage
The paratha tastes best when it is served hot, fresh & crispy. But it can sustain up to 8 hours in a hot climate and can last for a day or two when kept in a refrigerator.
To prepare in advance, you can make the filling and the dough in advance, and store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for upto a day. Then you can just roll & cook the parathas at the time of serving.
To make broccoli paneer paratha at home, follow the detailed step by step recipe with photos posted below.
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Broccoli Paneer Paratha Recipe
Recipe Info
Nutrition
Ingredients For Broccoli Paneer Paratha Recipe
- 2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour (Gehun ka Atta)
- 1 Large Potato
- 150 gm Paneer
- 1.5 Cups Broccoli Florets
- 1 Small Onion
- 1 Green Chili, optional
- 1 Teaspoon Saunf (Fennel Seeds)
- 1 Teaspoon Roasted Cumin Powder (Bhuna Jeera Powder)
- 1 Teaspoon Coriander Powder (Dhaniya Powder)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Black Peppercorn (Sabut Kali Mirch)
- 1 Teaspoon Amchur (Dry Mango Powder)
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Mint Powder (Pudina)
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 2 Tablespoon Oil or Ghee
Step By Step Instructions for Broccoli Paneer Paratha Recipe
- Take a medium sized boiled and mashed potato in a mixing bowl.1 Large Potato
- Add grated or crumbled paneer to the bowl along with the potatoes.150 gm Paneer
- Then add grated broccoli along with finely chopped onion and green chillies (skip for a less spicy version). Optionally you can blanch the broccoli for a few minutes before grating it, but I haven't done it here as I like it a bit crunchy.1.5 Cups Broccoli Florets, 1 Small Onion, 1 Green Chili, optional
- Add fennel seeds (saunf), roasted cumin powder (bhuna jeera powder), coriander powder (dhania powder), black pepper, dry mango powder (amchur), dried mint powder (pudina powder) and salt.1 Teaspoon Saunf (Fennel Seeds), 1 Teaspoon Roasted Cumin Powder (Bhuna Jeera Powder), 1 Teaspoon Coriander Powder (Dhaniya Powder), 1/2 Teaspoon Black Peppercorn (Sabut Kali Mirch), 1 Teaspoon Amchur (Dry Mango Powder), 1 Teaspoon Dried Mint Powder (Pudina), 1 Teaspoon Salt
- Mix and mash all the ingredients together with the spices to make the filling.
- Mix flour with around 3/4 cup water and knead to make a soft dough similar to rotis. Divide it into equal parts and shape them into balls.2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour (Gehun ka Atta)
- Dust with a little whole wheat flour and flatten the dough with a rolling pin into a small disc roughly 5 inches in diameter.
- Scoop some filling and make a small ball with it. Place it in the center of the dough.
- Bring the sides together in the center and close them towards the top. Press together and gently shape into a round ball.
- Dust generously with flour and gently roll it in the shape of a disk roughly 1/8 inch in thickness. It shouldn't be too thin otherwise the filling will start coming out.
- Place the paratha on a hot tawa or griddle and cook on medium heat till brown spots appear on the lower side for around 30 seconds.
- Gently flip the paratha over to cook the other side similarly as well.
- Brush with a few drops of ghee or oil on both sides. Gently press to cook evenly till the broccoli paratha is nicely browned and crisp from both sides.
- Broccoli Paneer paratha is ready. Serve hot with green chutney, curd, pickle or butter.
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