If you’re a fan of cheesy goodness and soft, flavorful flatbreads, then Cheese Paratha is the perfect treat for you! This flaky, cheesy flatbread is a perfect breakfast or lunch box meal for kids. Serve it with a dollop of butter alongside some raita and pickle.
I have been on a roll with sharing paratha recipes – Aloo Paratha, Broccoli Paratha, Mooli Paratha, Methi Paratha, and more.
However, the favorite paratha for my kids is this cheese paratha. All kids love cheese, and cheddar is my girl’s favorite. But you can also use mozzarella cheese or a combination to make this paratha. So here is the paratha that I make frequently for their lunchbox.
I have kept it simple and have not added any aromatics or spices. However, you can add them similar to the add-ins in my paneer paratha recipe.
The gooey melthy cheese, once the paratha is cooked, is just amazing. Even though I started with making these parathas for my kids, I enjoy them just as much. I love to add chopped green chili or jalapenos to my Chili Cheese Paratha for the extra spice kick.
Table of Contents
Watch How to Make Cheese Paratha
What is cheese paratha made of?
Cheese paratha is a flatbread made with whole wheat flour and stuffed with grated cheese filling.
Whole wheat flour is used to make the paratha dough, then rolled and stuffed with cheese filling. The dough is then folded like a dumpling and rolled again. In a heated tawa or frying pan, cook the rolled paratha while applying ghee or oil until golden brown spots appear on both sides.
Due to the delicious cheese stuffing, you get the goey stretchy center, which is a favorite for kids and adults, just like yummy grilled cheese or cheese pizza.
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- Whole Wheat Flour: I prefer Sujata Chakki Atta or Aashirvaad Select Sharbati Atta or Aashirvaad Whole Wheat Atta.
- Salt: A little bit of salt to make it taste better.
- Oil: Just a little is used for kneading the dough and adding moisture.
- Water: Binds the dough together, creating a soft and workable texture.
For the Stuffing:
You can make the stuffing with just grated cheese or add the other aromatics based on your preference.
- Grated Cheese: The star ingredient that adds creamy to the paratha. I prefer Cheddar or Mozzarella cheese.
- Red Onion: Adds a crunch to complement the cheese.
- Herbs: I like to add lots of fresh cilantro and a little bit of green chili to give the paratha a spicy kick. If you can’t handle the heat, skip adding green chili.
- Salt: Add according to taste.
- Red Chilli Powder: Adds a warm and zesty note to the stuffing.
How to Make Cheese Paratha
Make the Dough
The dough for parathas is pretty similar in consistency to roti dough.
Take 2 cups of whole wheat flour or Atta in a wide bowl. Make a well in the center. Add ½ teaspoon salt (optional), one tablespoon oil or ghee, and roughly ⅓ to ½ cup water.
When mixing and kneading the dough, add more water in small amounts. Do not pour the water all at once; otherwise, you will get a slushy mess.
Bring the ingredients together and knead for 8-10 minutes to form a smooth, soft dough. If necessary, add more water. Cover and set aside the dough for around 30 minutes to rest.
Prepare the Cheese Stuffing
I used just grated cheddar cheese to make the stuffing for this paratha, as that’s how my kids enjoy these parathas.
If you like, mix in some chopped onions, diced green chili, chopped cilantro, and spices to the grated cheese. (see a similar paneer paratha stuffing pic below)
Rolling the Paratha
Take a medium-sized dough ball. Roll it and then flatten it lightly with the help of your palms. Roll out a roti of about 5 inches in diameter, dusting it with flour.
Optionally spread some ghee on the rolled dough. I like to do this, especially when making parathas for kids.
Next, place some grated cheese in the center, leaving about 1 inch of space from the sides. You can add the filling with the rolled roti in your hand, or leaving the rolled roti on the base can be easier.
Take the edge, make small pleats, and gather the pleats to join in the center. When the pleating is complete, the stuffing will not be visible and look like a dumpling.
Here is a pro tip: Sometimes you have parathas that have thicker dough at the center. You can remove any extra dough at the top of the dumpling to avoid that. This makes sure that the filling spreads evenly throughout the paratha.
Cooking the Paratha
Heat the tawa (skillet or griddle). Place the rolled paratha on the hot tawa. Make sure not to cook parathas on a low flame as they will be hard. Adjust the flame according to the thickness of the tawa. The finished parathas should be crispy and soft at the same time.
Use a spatula to flip the paratha once the base is partially cooked. You’ll notice air pockets on this side, and the paratha puffs up.
Spread or brush the ghee or vegetable oil on the partially cooked side.
Flip it over again, and you’ll see brownish/ golden spots on the surface. To be more specific, the ghee/ oil-slathered side will now be on the bottom.
Spread ghee/ oil on the second side and press the edges of the paratha till it is evenly brown and well cooked.
Repeat these steps till all the parathas are cooked.
Once both sides have golden brown spots, transfer the paratha to a plate lined with a paper towel.
Expert tips to make perfect cheese paratha:
- Ensure the dough is rested before rolling to make it easier to work with.
- Avoid overfilling the parathas and roll them evenly. Roll the parathas slowly to avoid tearing and prevent the filling from coming out.
- When cooking the parathas, ensure the tawa is hot and then cook them on medium-high flame.
- Do not add oil until the paratha is halfway cooked. This trick will improve the cooking process!
- Replace ghee with your favorite vegetable oil in the recipe for a vegan version.
Variations:
- Vary the cheese: I used cheddar cheese here, but you can use other varieties of cheese, too. Mozzarella cheese will give the perfect cheese pull. Or you can use a Mexican cheese blend.
- Onion Cheese Paratha: Add finely chopped onion to the grated cheese to make onion cheese paratha.
- Chili Cheese Paratha: Add finely diced green chili or jalapenos to make Chili Cheese Paratha.
- Aloo Cheese Paratha: If you have boiled potatoes, you can mash them and add them along with the grated cheese to make aloo cheese paratha.
Serving Suggestions
Stuffed parathas are perfect for any meal – you can have them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
Enjoy cheese paratha with butter and Indian chai for breakfast.
Cheese paratha can also be served with mint cilantro chutney or plain yogurt seasoned with salt and cumin.
When served with a curry like aloo sabzi, dal makhani, chana dal, or even chana masala, these parathas taste yummy.
How to Store and Reheat?
Paneer parathas taste best when freshly made, but If you have any leftovers, they store well for 1-2 days.
Heat a non-stick/ cast iron tawa/ skillet on medium heat. Cook the leftover parathas on each side for 1-2 minutes or until heated.
More Indian Flatbread Recipes
Cheese Paratha
Ingredients
For the Dough
For the Stuffing
- 1 1/2 cup Grated Cheese , cheddar or mozzarella, or a mix of both
- 1/2 cup Red Onion, finely diced, optional
- 1-2 Green Chili Pepper, finely diced, optional
- 2 tablespoon Cilantro leaves, finely chopped, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt, add only if needed
- 1/2 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder, optional, adjust as desired
To pan fry
- 4 tablespoon Ghee or Oil
Instructions
Make the Dough
- In a large bowl, combine atta (whole wheat flour), 1 teaspoon oil and salt.
- Add enough water (in small increments) and knead to make a soft and smooth dough. Make the dough smooth by kneading it with your fist. Add some water to your hand and knead 2-3 times. When you press your finger against the dough, it should leave an impression. This is the right consistency of the dough.
- Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let the dough rest for at least 15 mins and up to 30 mins while you prepare the filling.
Make the Cheese Stuffing
- Combine all stuffing ingredients in a bowl, or use just grated cheese as a stuffing. Mix gently.
Rolling the Paratha
- Make equal portions of the dough (about 55-60 grams). Roll with your palms into a smooth ball and flatten it. Dust the dough ball with dry flour. Roll it out into a 5 inch disc with a rolling pin.
- Next, optionally spread some ghee on the rolled dough. Then scoop some stuffing in the centre of the disc, leaving about 1 inch of space from the sides.
- Gather the edges and form pleats, then form a smooth ball out of the stuffed dough. When the pleating is complete, the stuffing will not be visible and it'll look like a dumpling.
- Next, flatten this dumpling in the center, sprinkle some flour and roll it evenly.
- While rolling the dough, use light and even pressure to prevent the paratha from breaking. Roll from one side to the other, dusting with dry flour as needed. The paratha is typically 7-8 inches in diameter.
Making the Paratha
- Heat the tawa (skillet or griddle). Place the rolled paratha on the hot tawa. Cook until you start seeing small air pockets and the color of the dough starts to change.
- With a flat spatula, flip the paratha and top with ghee just enough to make the surface of the paratha greasy (about ½ teaspoon). Spread the ghee or vegetable oil evenly over the paratha with the back of the spoon. Now we want to cook until there are some brown spots on the paratha.
- Flip the paratha and top with ghee/oil on the other side. Spread it evenly over the surface. Cook until there are brown spots while pressing gently with the spatula.
- Spread ghee/ oil on the second side and press the edges of the paratha till it is evenly brown and well cooked.
- When both sides have golden brown spots, transfer the paratha to a plate lined with a paper towel.
- Repeat these steps till all the parathas are cooked. You can keep parathas in an insulated container or in a roti basket wrapped in a towel. This will ensure they stay warm by the time you are ready to eat. Serve hot with white butter, pickle, raita or a cup of hot chai.
Video
Notes
- Avoid overfilling the parathas and roll them evenly. Roll the parathas slowly to avoid tearing and prevent the filling from coming out.
- When cooking the parathas, ensure the tawa is hot and then cook them on medium-high flame.
- Do not add oil until the paratha is halfway cooked. This trick will improve the cooking process!
- Replace ghee with your favorite vegetable oil in the recipe for a vegan version.
- Vegan Variation: Simply replace the ghee with your favorite vegetable oil in the recipe.
- Best flour for paratha: I prefer Sujata Chakki Atta or Aashirvaad Select Sharbati Atta or Aashirvaad Whole Wheat Atta.
very tasty and delicious 😋
Hi Maria – Thank you 🙂
Why can’t I ever open/play your videos? I love your recipes but I’d also like to see some of them being made.
Hi Julia – Not sure what the problem is. I am able to play the videos. You can also find most of the videos shared on my youtube channel – https://www.youtube.com/c/pipingpotcurry