Paneer Tikka
Mar 14, 2019, Updated Sep 10, 2019
Paneer Tikka is popular Indian appetizer made with cubes of paneer & veggies marinated with yogurt and spices. Traditionally it's grilled in a tandoor but you can make the same version in the oven with this easy recipe!
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Make restaurant style Paneer Tikka at home with this easy recipe!
Cubes of paneer, onion and bell peppers are marinated with spices and yogurt and then roasted in the oven to perfection.
Traditionally paneer tikka is grilled in a tandoor but you get the same amazing taste by broiling in the oven too!
Paneer Tikka was one appetizer which we always ordered when we ate out in India.
It is also one of those things which is universally loved. So my brothers who love their non-vegetarian food otherwise wouldn’t mind two servings on this paneer tikka.
What is Paneer Tikka
So what actually is paneer tikka?
It’s a famous Indian appetizer where pieces of paneer (Indian cottages cheese) and marinated with yogurt and spices and then grilled until charred.
Onion, bell peppers and tomatoes are also added to the marination along with paneer.
Once cooked, it’s served with cilantro mint chutney, onion slices and lemon wedges.
How to Make Paneer Tikka
The process is pretty simple, you marinate the paneer with spices and yogurt, let it sit for a bit so that the flavors mix well together and then arrange the paneer cubes along with onion and peppers in a skewer and grill.
However, the taste of paneer tikka lies in its marination of course.
So to make a good paneer tikka you first need to make a very good marinade.
My marinade includes lots of spices and Greek yogurt. Now if you can’t find Greek yogurt that’s okay. You may use regular yogurt too, just make sure to strain it for 3-4 hours before using.
You really need thick yogurt to marinate the panner cubes.
This paneer tikka marinade has
✓ Greek yogurt
✓ Spices like chaat masala, coriander powder, red chili powder
✓ Mustard oil, for that unique flavor
✓ Cilantro & mint, for freshness and taste
✓ Lemon juice for tanginess
Traditionally paneer tikka is grilled in tandoor for that authentic taste and flavor.
But the good news is that you can make a fantastic version at home by roasting it in the oven!
The broiling in the oven gives it that charred look. You guys have to try this!
Making Paneer Tikka In the Oven
For this recipe, I have cooked the tikka in the oven. Now when you cook the paneer in the oven, it might get rubbery and chewy.
So how do you avoid that?
First thing, spray the tikka with oil before putting it in the oven.
Second, since paneer is cheese it doesn’t need to be cooked for a long time. If you plan to eat the paneer tikka immediately they you can cook it for more time.
But say you are making it for a party, you would need the pieces to remain soft even after they have cooled down, so make sure to not over-cook in the oven.
Here’s what I suggest!
Bake at 450 F degrees for 10 minutes and then turn on the broil. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes until paneer pieces look charred.
If you want paneer even more softer- bake at 450 F degrees for 5 minutes and broil for 3 to 4 minutes.
Making Paneer Tikka on Stove-Top
Can you make this on stove-top if you neither have a grill not an oven.
Yes, you can make the tikka on stove top.
A grill pan will work best but if you don’t have that a simple pan or tawa will also work. Line all the paneer pieces with onion and peppers in a skewer and then place on the pan.
Remember to spray the pan with a oil spray first.
Cook from both sides until it’s golden brown in color. It would still taste good!
Always remember to serve the tikka with a sprinkle of chaat masala and side of cilantro chutney. There’s no other way to eat it!
Method
1- Whisk the yogurt in a large bowl until smooth. I have used greek yogurt here, you can use regular yogurt just make sure to strain it for several hours until you have thick yogurt left and then use in the recipe.
2- Add all the ingredients for marinade to the yogurt- ginger garlic paste, mustard oil, coriander powder, chaat masala, kashmiri red chili powder, garam masala, red chili powder, kasuri methi and salt.
3- Whisk to combine everything together.
4- Add in juice of 1 lemon along with chopped cilantro and mint. Mix well.
5- Stir in the paneer cubes, onion and bell peppers.
6- Mix until all the paneer pieces and veggies are well coated with the marinade. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for minimum for 1 hour or up to 4 hours. Overnight also works!
7- After 1-2 hours, take the marinated paneer and veggies out of the refrigerator. Take a skewer and arrange paneer, onion and peppers on a skewer, alternating with each other.
Make all skewers similarly. Meanwhile pre-heat oven to 450 F degrees. Make sure you pre-heat the oven for good 15-20 minutes.
8- Arrange all the prepared skewers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spray the tikka with a oil spray. This is important so that the veggies don’t dry out.
Bake at 450 F degrees for 10 minutes and then turn on the broil. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes until paneer pieces look little charred.
Remove from oven, squeeze lemon juice, sprinkle chaat masala and serve with cilantro chutney.
If you want the paneer to be even softer, bake at 450 F degrees for 5 minutes and then broil for 3 to 4 minutes. Don’t overcook the paneer else it will gets really tough and chewy, you want it soft.
If you’ve tried this Paneer Tikka Recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe! You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram to see what’s latest in my kitchen!
This post has been updated from the recipe archives, first published in 2015.
Paneer Tikka
Ingredients
- 150 grams greek yogurt or thick yogurt (1/2 cup + 1-2 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tablespoons mustard oil 30 ml, or use oil of choice
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon chaat masala
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder
- 3/4 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder or adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 lemon juice of
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons chopped mint
- 300 grams paneer cut into big cubes, around 2 heaping cups of cubes paneer
- 1 large onion cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 large bell pepper cut into 1 inch cubes, I used mix of red and green peppers
cilantro mint chutney, to serve
onion slices, to serve
lemon wedges, to serve
Instructions
- Whisk the yogurt in a large bowl until smooth. I have used greek yogurt here, you can use regular yogurt just make sure to strain it for several hours until you have thick yogurt left and then use in the recipe.
- Add all the ingredients for marinade to the yogurt- ginger garlic paste, mustard oil, coriander powder, chaat masala, kashmiri red chili powder, garam masala, red chili powder, kasuri methi and salt.
- Whisk to combine everything together. Add in juice of 1 lemon along with chopped cilantro and mint. Mix well.
- Stir in the paneer cubes, onion and bell peppers.
- Mix until all the paneer pieces and veggies are well coated with the marinade. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for minimum for 1 hour or up to 4 hours. Overnight also works!
- After 1-2 hours, take the marinated paneer and veggies out of the refrigerator. Take a skewer and arrange paneer, onion and peppers on a skewer, alternating with each other.Make all skewers similarly. Meanwhile pre-heat oven to 450 F degrees. Make sure you pre-heat the oven for good 15-20 minutes.
- Arrange all the prepared skewers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spray the tikka with a oil spray. This is important so that the veggies don't dry out.
- Bake at 450 F degrees for 10 minutes and then turn on the broil. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes until paneer pieces look little charred.
- Remove from oven, squeeze lemon juice, sprinkle chaat masala and serve with cilantro mint chutney.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried it for supper tonight – a huge hit with the family, followed exactly and worked brilliantly …served as a main with curried pineapple rice and a mint yog sauce …. Amazing 🤩
thanks for trying!
Thanks for this paneer tikka recipe, i love all of yours recipe.
Can I grill the kabobs?
yes definitely you can grill the tikka
Can you give recommendations on how you would cook this in an air fryer? Thanks so much!
I would try AT 350 f FOR 10 minutes, flipping at the halfway mark
Hi! Planning to make this recipe for 15 people – curious how many skewers I need to make . I know it says 5 servings – but how much does this recipe make? Thanks so much! This looks SO good by the way, can’t wait to try it!
Hi Sonali, you will probably need to triple the recipe. 1 skewer for everyone should be good.
I found the mustard oil really overpowering in the marinade. Would definitely use sunflower next time.
sure replace if mustard oil is not your thing, thanks for trying
The recipe is amazing. I cooked it in the gas oven but somehow the paneer did not turn out crispy bot soft and was breaking. The taste was very good. Could you suggest why my paneer did not turn out crispy?
but we want the paneer to stay soft from inside, isn’t it? What am I missing here? You mean the outside didn’t get brown enough? If that’s the case then just char it directly on heat.
Try the air fryer. Turns out great. I love the marinade.
Looking forward to your advice for party planning- How do I keep this warm without hardening for several hours? The party is half day open house. I am trying to figure if dry version is better or if I should make gravy? For the proportions listed, 5 servings implies 5 skewers?
keeping warm is difficult, especially when there’s no oven or air fryer around. I would recommend using a good paneer brand like Sach paneer. Their paneer stays soft always. Then soak paneer in warm water for 15-20 mins before using and spray the skewers with little oil. It should stay soft. Yes it makes 5 skewers, can make more depending on the size of skewer you use.
Thanks Manali. It will be at the house. So yes I have access to oven and an airfryer.
awesome then just re-heat at 250 F for few minutes
Hi Manali,
Thank you, the recipe looks great. If you have tried the barbecue can you share some tips on how best to make sure the paneer is soft and the masala doesn’t drip away?
Thanks,
Sat
make sure to use thick yogurt, definitely chill the paneer for 2-3 hours. masala should stick. For soft paneer, first add paneer to warm water for 20 minutes. Then pat dry, cut into cubes and use in the recipe. Add oil in the marinade and spray the skewers with oil before grilling. These steps will result in soft paneer.
This was incredibly delicious i just made it for my friends and they loved it.
Excellent recipe…
Tried it out a couple of times…Awesome…
Thanks Manali!!
Welcome Canna, I am glad to hear that!
Hoping to try this for a family barbecue. Would this work on a barbecue? Should I wrap with aluminium foil? Thanks!
it will work but yes use aluminum foil
Manali,
This is such a party pleaser. Does it make a difference if I use non-fat greek yogurt versus full fat greek yogurt?
as long as the yogurt is thick, it should be okay!
Used this recipe several times and it’s my wife’s favorite paneer dish. It’s just simply delicious.
Thank you
Hi Manali
Thanks for the detailed recipe and useful tips. I hv tried it many times. Always comes out perfect.
Thanks for the lovely feedback Monika!