Name: Toasted Tomato-Paneer Sandwiches
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes
Yield: Makes 6
Ingredients: 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil; 2 (6-oz.) packages paneer; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped; ½ jalapeño, seeds removed, finely chopped; 1 (1") piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped; 1 tsp. cumin seeds; ½ tsp. mustard seeds; 2 tsp. ground coriander; ½ tsp. cayenne pepper; ½ tsp. ground turmeric; 1 (15-oz.) can crushed tomatoes; 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt; 12 bread slices; 1 small red onion, thinly sliced; 1½ cups coarsely grated sharp cheddar or low-moisture mozzarella; ½ cup chopped cilantro; 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter; Ketchup (for serving)

A Tomato and Paneer Sandwich on a plate with ketchup.

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

Paneer is perfect for this toasted sandwich recipe—the cheese is creamy but doesn’t melt completely, adding a satisfying texture to an easy tomato sauce that’s spiced with jalapeño, ginger, coriander, and cumin and mustard seeds. Searing the paneer leaves some bits a little crunchier than others while adding a smoky flavor to the sauce; Sach is my favorite brand. You can serve the sauce simply with flatbread or over rice or use it as the filling in enchiladas or tacos (topped with sautéed mushrooms, onion, cilantro, and some lime juice) in place of the meat. But when piled into these crispy toasted sandwiches, layered with sliced onion and gooey cheddar or mozzarella, it’s truly next-level.

This recipe uses the same sauce as the Paneer-Stuffed Peppers, so feel free to double it to make both recipes.

Recipe notes

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