Paneer and hemp heart Parathas are my way of quietly adding nutrition to recipes that my family is already familiar with. These soft, stuffed Parathas combine shredded paneer, a generous amount of hemp hearts, finely chopped onions and spices.
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Hemp hearts give a subtle nutritional upgrade without altering taste or texture. If you are looking for a vegetarian high-protein paratha that comes together easily, this one ticks all the boxes.
Serve these parathas hot with yogurt, achaar or chutney. They also freeze beautifully—making them perfect for meal prep, lunch boxes, busy mornings or travel.
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Hemp hearts add a quiet nutritional upgrade without altering taste or texture. If you are looking for a high-protein, vegetarian paratha that is easy to put together, this one ticks all the boxes.
Serve these parathas hot with yoghurt, achar or a simple chutney. They also freeze well -making them perfect for meal prep, busy mornings or travel.
Ingredients
For the dough
- Whole wheat flour
- Salt
- Warm water
For the Paneer hemp heart filling
- Soft paneer
- Hemp hearts
- Very finely chopped onions
- Garlic powder
- Cumin and red chili powder
- Salt to taste
- Crushed kasuri methi
To cook the Parathas
- 1 to 2 tsp melted ghee for each paratha
Hemp hearts in Parathas
- are a fuss free way to get everyone to eat hemp hearts.
- These super food seeds do not need much introduction.
- Rich in protein and good fats, they can be added not just to Paratha fillings but also to Kurma or gravy spice paste.
- Since they do not have an overpowering taste, they blend easily into any dish without a funny superfood taste that lingers.
Variations
- Use grated firm tofu instead of paneer for a vegan version. Of course, you have to skip the ghee.
- Grated carrots, finely chopped cabbage, finely chopped Methi or finely chopped spinach are all great additions to the filling. You do not need much, though. Add 2 to 3 tbsp of one of these in addition to all the ingredients.
- Kid friendly version – add shredded cheese instead of the onions.
Dough – Filling – Consistency
- The consistency of both dough and filling are key to getting perfect Parathas.
- When you knead the dough, make sure you have a smooth and supple dough which is not sticky.
- Use warm water for kneading. This helps keep the Parathas soft for a long time.
- Chopping the onions really finely helps in easy rolling and prevents tears while rolling.
- Similarly, I recommend grating the paneer for an even texture. Before grating the paneer, dry them out on a kitchen towel for 10 minutes. This steps helps dry them out.
- After adding onions, do not let the filling sit for too long. Onions release water as they sit.This will make rolling the Parathas a challenge.
Leftovers, reheating and storage
- Wrap leftover Parathas in precut parchment paper snugly and place it in a fridge safe container. Refrigerate this for up to 2 days.
- To reheat, heat a Tawa. Brush lightly with oil. Place the parathas and heat briefly for 30 to 40 seconds before serving.
- You can read more about freezing Parathas in my Sattu Paratha post.
What Paneer to use?
- You can use both fresh or frozen paneer here.
- If you are using frozen paneer, thaw it by dunking it in piping hot boiling water for 5 to 6 minutes.
- Drain the paneer into a colander and let it air dry for a few minutes. To get rid of any remnant moisture, place the paneer over a kitchen towel and pat them dry.
- If you live in Germany, Rewe sells Paneer that is ideal for parathas and sandwiches. Look for it in the bio dairy products aisle.
- My favorite brand of Paneer in Singapore is Kohinoor.
How to serve?
Any stuffed Paratha is best enjoyed with yogurt and Achar. To make it a nutrient dense meal, serve with
- A salad like beet and feta salad
- Some creamy masoor dal
Method
Knead the dough
To the bowl of your stand mixer, add wheat flour, salt and warm water. Knead to a smooth and supple dough.
This takes 2 to 3 mins on minimum speed.
When done, cover and set aside for 20 minutes.
Make the filling
Grate or crumble the paneer well. Chunks of paneer will not help in rolling the parathas easily.
Add chopped onions, hemp hearts and the remaining ingredients needed for the filling to the paneer.
Mix everything using a fork and set aside.
Shaping and rolling the Parathas
Place the dough on a floured surface.
Shape into a log by rolling it.
Divide the dough log into 10 pieces. Use a bench scraper to do this, if you own one.
Each piece of dough should weigh 80 grams.
For every 80 grams of dough, you need 20 grams of filling.
Now, shape each piece of the dough into a smooth round ball. Repeat for remaining dough and keep them covered.
Take a ball of dough, brush it with ghee, press to flatten it gently and place 20 grams filling into the dough.
Pinch the edges and seal.
Dust lightly with flour, flatten it gently into a disc and roll into a 10 inch sized circle.
Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Cooking the Parathas
Heat a cast iron Tawa.
Brush gently with oil and when the Tawa has heated through, place the rolled Parathas and cook on medium heat.
When you see golden spots appearing on the surface, brush the Paratha with ghee, flip and cook the other side for 30 to 40 seconds.
Remove and place on a cooling rack.
Repeat with the remaining Parathas.
Serve hot with yogurt and Achar.
Paneer Paratha with hemp hearts
Ingredients
For the dough
- 500 grams whole wheat flour
- 1.5 cups warm water you may need ½ cup more depending on the quality of the flour
- 1 tsp salt
For the filling
- 250 grams soft paneer
- 1 cup onions finely chopped
- 2 tbsp hemp hearts
- 1 tbsp crushed kasuri methi
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1.25 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
For cooking the Parathas
- 10 tsp ghee melted
Instructions
- Method
Knead the dough
- To the bowl of your stand mixer, add wheat flour, salt and warm water. Knead to a smooth and supple dough.
- This takes 2 to 3 mins on minimum speed.
- When done, cover and set aside for 20 minutes.
Make the filling
- Grate or crumble the paneer well. Chunks of paneer will not help in rolling the parathas easily.
- Add chopped onions, hemp hearts and the remaining ingredients needed for the filling to the paneer.
- Mix everything using a fork and set aside,
- Shaping and rolling the Parathas
- Place the dough on a floured surface.
- Shape into a log by rolling it.
- Divide the dough log into 10 pieces. Use a bench scraper to do this, if you own one.
- Each piece of dough should weigh 80 grams.
- For every 80 grams of dough, you need 20 grams of filling.
- Now, shape each piece of the dough into a smooth round ball. Repeat for remaining dough and keep them covered.
- Take a ball of dough, brush it with ghee, press to flatten it gently and place 20 grams filling into the dough.
- Pinch the edges and seal.
- Dust lightly with flour, flatten it gently into a disc and roll into a 10 inch sized circle.
- Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Cooking the Parathas
- Heat a cast iron Tawa.
- Brush gently with oil and when the Tawa has heated through, place the rolled Parathas and cook on medium heat.
- When you see golden spots appearing on the surface, brush the Paratha with ghee,flip and cook the other side for 30 to 40 seconds.
- Remove and place on a cooling rack.
- Repeat with the remaining Parathas.
- Serve hot with yogurt and Achar.
Notes
For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes
Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.
Disclaimer
Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.
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