Market cheese feels hard and rubbery? Make it at home like this; Will remain very soft

By Samira Vishwas Last updated Jul 8, 2026

Paneer Making: Paneer is the most favorite dairy food in Indian kitchen. Be it making Shahi Paneer, Matar Paneer, Tikka or Sandwich, the taste of every dish depends on the quality of the paneer. But often the cheese bought from the market turns out to be hard, rubbery or too dry, which reduces the enjoyment of eating.

If you also want to make soft and fresh paneer at home like the restaurant, then there is no need for any special machine or expensive equipment for this. By just following a few easy steps and adopting the right technique, you can prepare such soft paneer, which will enhance the taste of every recipe manifold.

Ingredients to make soft cheese at home

2 liters full cream milk
2-3 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar
2-3 cups cold or ice water
clean muslin cloth
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Make very soft paneer in this way

Step 1: Always use full cream milk
Full cream milk is considered best for making soft and creamy paneer. Due to the high amount of fat in it, paneer becomes more soft.

Step 2: Heat the milk to the right temperature
Heat the milk on medium flame until it boils. Boiling on high flame for a long time can affect the texture of milk.

Step 3: Slowly add lemon juice
Lower the flame and add lemon juice or vinegar little by little. Stir gently with a spoon. As soon as the milk curdles, immediately turn off the gas.

Step 4: Don’t forget to wash with cold water
Strain the shredded paneer in a muslin cloth and immediately wash it thoroughly with cold water. This removes the sourness of lemon or vinegar and the texture of the cheese also remains soft.

Step 5: Don’t be overweight
Wrap the cheese in a cloth and place it under light weight for just 20-30 minutes. Using too heavy a weight can cause the cheese to become tough and rubbery.