Paneer tikka is a popular Indian starter or appetizer where the paneer cubes and veggies are marinated in yogurt and aromatic spices and then grilled to perfection. This is the best recipe to make restaurant-style paneer tikka at home in less than 30 minutes.
Traditionally tikka is made in a tandoor at restaurants, but you can easily make it even better and healthier at home on a stovetop, tawa, grill, air fryer, oven, or OTG. Just follow the recipe and useful tips given below.
What is paneer tikka?
Paneer tikka, also known as tandoori tikka or grilled paneer, is a popular item in Indian cuisine where the cubes of paneer or Indian cottage cheese are marinated in yogurt (or dahi) and aromatic spices. The marinated paneer cubes and veggies are then arranged on skewers and grilled until they are cooked. The marinade prepared using aromatic spices is what makes the dish flavorful.
For all those new to Indian cooking, tandoor means North Indian cylindrical clay oven, paneer means Indian cottage cheese, and tikka means grilled chunks of meat or paneer or veggies. So paneer tikka is called grilled paneer or grilled Indian cottage cheese in plain English.
Paneer tikka is a vegetarian alternative to nonvegetarian dishes like chicken tikka, fish tikka, or satay. This is served with mint chutney, lemon wedges, and some pickled cabbage and onion, or simply onion slices.
Why you'll love this recipe?
- You can make restaurant-style tikka easily at home - directly on your gas stove. An oven, tandoor, or any special equipment is not required to prepare this dish. If you do not have a gas stove, you can also prepare this on a nonstick pan, grill, or tawa.
- This is one of the best appetizers you can serve at your next dinner party, as you can make individually portioned servings. They can be made ahead of time. Just reheat for a minute on the gas stove before serving.
- My version of panner tikka uses butter only to baste at the end. No oil is used in the recipe. Since paneer is packed with protein, this tikka becomes an excellent option for your weight loss diet.
- A traditional charred look is obtained by cooking this tikka on the gas stove for about 3 to 4 minutes.
Ingredients
Paneer: The main ingredient of this dish is paneer. Make sure you use a good quality store-bought paneer or make paneer freshly at home. When you use fresh paneer, the tikka will be juicy when cooked and simply melt in your mouth. They will also store well, in case you have any leftovers.
Veggies: I have used onions and bell pepper (or capsicum). You can include veggies like mushrooms, baby corn, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, etc.
Marinade: Yogurt (or thick dahi) is used as a base for tikka marination. To this, aromatic spices like garam masala, coriander and cumin powders, chat masala, kasuri methi, chile powder, and ginger-garlic paste are added, which balances the flavor making it highly addictive.
Gram flour (Besan): Be sure to add chickpea flour (or besan) to the marinade. It helps paneer get coated in aromatic spices very well. I always like to roast chickpea flour for 3 to 4 minutes or until fragrant and then add it to the marinade.
Garnish: Do not forget to drizzle lemon juice and sprinkle some chaat masala at the end.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- You can use tofu instead of paneer if you want to make this recipe vegan.
- I used melted butter at the end for flavor. If you are on a diet or weight-loss journey, you can skip it altogether. You can also use ghee or oil instead of melted butter.
- Kashmiri red chile powder is added for its bright red color and spiciness. The recipe here is on the spicier side. You can reduce the amount of red chilie powder to suit your taste.
- I sometimes add lemon juice while preparing the marinade.
- Traditionally, 1 to 2 teaspoon of mustard oil (sarson ka tel) is heated until it is smoky and added to the marinade. You can add it if desired.
- For colors, you can substitute green bell pepper with red, yellow, or orange bell peppers. You can also add mushrooms, zucchini, etc. if desired.
- I have used store-bought ginger garlic paste for ease. You can crush fresh ginger and garlic in a mortar and pestle and add it to the recipe.
- When this is served in the spicy onion-tomato sauce, it becomes paneer tikka masala.
- These can be placed at the center of a flatbread like a chapati or paratha, drizzled with mint chutney to make paneer kathi roll or paneer wrap.
How to make tandoori paneer tikka?
The marination is the same for all methods, no matter how you cook. I prefer this stovetop gas method as it is super easy and fast and gives the final charred look and tastes similar to what you get at a restaurant. Another benefit of this method is that you can use zero or no oil and still get the soft and melt-in-mouth paneer at the end. Check out the full video of preparing paneer tikka.
Marination
Step 1: In a bowl, add thick yogurt, which is the base for your tikka marinade.
Step 2: Next, add ginger-garlic paste, cumin powder, coriander powder, chat masala, garam masala, kasuri methi, red chile powder, roasted gram flour, and salt, and mix well.
Step 3: Gently toss the onion, capsicum, and paneer cubes in the marinade until each piece is well coated in the marinade.
Step 4: Let this marinate for at least 15 minutes.
Arrange the tikka on skewers.
Step 5: Adding potato cubes is optional. But if you are making it directly on gas for the first time, it helps prevent paneer and veggies from falling off the skewers.
Step 6: Next, add onion, capsicum, and paneer. Repeat the addition of onion, capsicum, and paneer 2 or 3 more times.
Tandoori tikka on gas
Step 7: Turn on the gas on a medium-high flame. Cook each skewer, loaded with paneer and veggies, by placing it 2 inches from the flame for 3 to 4 minutes.
Step 8: Cook until some charred spots develop. Keep rotating the skewer for even cooking.
Step 9: Brush the paneer tikkas with some melted butter.
Step 10: Add a drizzle of lemon juice, and sprinkle some chaat masala. Serve hot, and enjoy.
Other cooking methods
If you want to prepare paneer tikka in a tawa or oven, or air fryer, follow the instructions below.
Tawa or Grill pan
If you do not have an oven, you can use this method. The grill pan is optional. I prefer a grill pan as it gives excellent charred marks on paneer and veggies. If you do not have a grill pan, use a regular nonstick pan (dosa tawa or roti tawa) to make this tawa paneer tikka.
Grease your pan with oil. Place the skewers and then cook on medium-high flame for 2 minutes. Rotate the skewers and similarly cook until they become golden brown on all sides.
Oven
Once you have added paneer and veggies to the skewers, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and drizzle oil. This is very important to prevent it from drying out or sticking.
Bake at 450 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the skewers halfway through for even cooking. After baking them for 8 to 10 minutes, broil for another 2 minutes to get those charred marks.
If you are looking for softer paneer, then cook the skewers for 6 to 8 minutes.
Air fryer
Place the skewers in your air fryer in a single layer, 3 or 4 skewers at a time, depending on their size. Air fry at 390 degrees F or 200 degrees C for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, flip them, brush them with oil or butter, and air fry for another 1 to 2 minutes.
Tips
- Remember not to overcook the paneer. Overcooking the paneer will make it hard, rubbery, and dry.
- You can also make this during the summertime on your barbecue grill.
- The minimum time for marination is 15 minutes. You can marinate longer, say for 2 hours, or even overnight in the fridge. The more you marinate, the better, as it gives time for the flavors from the marinade to get infused.
- Soak the bamboo skewers in water for 15 to 30 minutes before adding the marinated paneer and veggies.
- You can skip the skewers and directly place marinated paneer and vegetables in a single layer on a greased tawa or baking pan.
Recipe FAQs
Definitely yes. You can make paneer tikka in a baking pan (in the oven or OTG oven) or tawa (stovetop method) without the skewers. Instead of adding it to the skewers, you have to spread the marinated paneer and veggies in a single layer, drizzle some oil and start cooking. Halfway through the cooking time, flip all of them and continue to cook.
Paneer does not require long marination. About 15 to 30 minutes of marination is more than sufficient. But if you are making it for a large crowd or the next day's lunch or dinner, you can even marinate and refrigerate it for a day. However, if you are in a rush, you can skip the marination step.
The best way to serve this is by drizzling some lemon juice and sprinkling chat masala. Finally, dip it with mint-coriander chutney and serve with some sliced onions, pickled onions, or tandoori salad.
Once you have arranged the paneer and veggies on skewers, drizzle some oil, and microwave them uncovered on high power for 2 to 3 minutes. Rotate and then microwave on high again for another 1 or 2 minutes.
Paneer is never junk food. It is a healthy protein-rich food for vegetarians, and when tikka is prepared like this without using oil, it becomes the best option for your weight loss diet - a food that is both tasty and diet-friendly.
Storage Instructions
- Marinated paneer (before cooking) can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days and in the freezer for 2-3 months. But, once the paneer is cooked and stored, it tends to become dry and rubbery. So I highly recommend enjoying paneer freshly cooked.
- You can reheat the paneer in the microwave (or oven) or on the stovetop. Drizzle some oil or water before reheating to avoid them from drying out further.
More Paneer Recipes
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Recipe card
Easy Paneer Tikka (Restaurant Style)
Equipment
- Bowl
- Bamboo skewers
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
For Paneer Tikka Marination
- 1 cup Thick yogurt or Dahi
- 1 tablespoon Ginger garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon Roasted cumin powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon Coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Chat masala
- 1 teaspoon Garam masala or Tandoori masala
- 1 teaspoon Kasuri methi or dried fenugreek leaves
- 2 tablespoon Kashmiri red chile powder (This gives good color. Adjust as needed)
- 2 tablespoon Gram flour or Chickpea flour or Besan (sattu)
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Other ingredients
- 1 Onion, cut into cubes
- 1 Capsicum, cut into cubes
- 200 grams Paneer, cut into cubes
- 1 tablespoon Melted butter (optional)
- Juice of half lemon
- Chat masala
- Cilantro or coriander leaves (optional)
Instructions
Paneer Tikka Marination
- In a bowl, add thick yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, cumin powder, coriander powder, chat masala, garam masala, kasuri methi, red chile powder, gram flour, and salt, and mix nicely to form a smooth paste. Taste at this point and adjust the salt and spiciness. You can drizzle a teaspoon of lemon juice also if needed.1 cup Thick yogurt or Dahi, 1 tablespoon Ginger garlic paste, 1 teaspoon Roasted cumin powder, 1 ½ teaspoon Coriander powder, 1 teaspoon Chat masala, 1 teaspoon Garam masala, 1 teaspoon Kasuri methi or dried fenugreek leaves, 2 tablespoon Kashmiri red chile powder, 2 tablespoon Gram flour or Chickpea flour or Besan (sattu), ½ teaspoon Salt
- Gently toss the onion, capsicum, and paneer cubes in the marinade until each piece is well covered, and let this marinate for at least 15 minutes.1 Onion, cut into cubes, 1 Capsicum, cut into cubes, 200 grams Paneer, cut into cubes
Arrange the paneer tikka on bamboo skewers or sticks
- Soak the bamboo skewers for 15 to 30 minutes in water. Use raw potato cubes, as shown below, for support at both ends. Adding potato cubes is optional. But if you are making it directly on gas for the first time, it helps prevent paneer and veggies from falling off the skewers while cooking.
- First, add one potato cube to the bamboo skewer, followed by onion, capsicum, and paneer. Repeat the addition of onion, capsicum, and paneer 2 or 3 more times. Finally, add one more potato cube to hold everything in place.
- You can also skip the skewers and directly place marinated paneer and vegetables in a single layer on a greased tawa or baking pan.
Making paneer tikka directly on gas (stovetop)
- Turn on the gas on a medium-high flame. Cook each skewer loaded with paneer and veggies by placing it 2 inches from the flame for 3 to 4 minutes or until some charred spots develop. Keep rotating during the process for even cooking. Check out the video of preparing tandoori paneer tikka.
- Finally, brush the paneer tikkas with some melted butter, add a drizzle of lemon juice, and sprinkle some chaat masala. Serve hot and enjoy.1 tablespoon Melted butter (optional), Juice of half lemon, Chat masala, Cilantro or coriander leaves (optional)
Video
Notes
- I used melted butter at the end for flavor. If you are on a diet or weight-loss journey, you can skip it altogether. As far as substitutes go, you can use ghee or oil in place of melted butter.
- Kashmiri red chile powder gives both color and spiciness. The recipe here is on the spicier side. You can reduce the amount of red chilie powder to suit your taste.
- I sometimes add lemon juice while marinating too. Feel free to add some lemon juice while preparing the marinade.
- Traditionally, 1 to 2 teaspoon of mustard oil (sarson ka tel) is heated until it is smoky and added to the marinade. You can add it if desired.
- You can substitute green capsicum with red, yellow or orange bell peppers for colors. You can also add mushrooms and zucchini to make the dish more healthy.
- Be sure to add besan or chickpea flour to the marinade. It helps paneer get coated in aromatic spices very well. I always like to roast chickpea flour for 3 to 4 minutes or until fragrant and then add it to the marinade.
- Instead of ginger garlic paste, you can crush fresh ginger and garlic in a mortar and pestle and add it to the recipe.
- Remember not to overcook the paneer. Overcooking the paneer will make it hard, rubbery, and dry.
- Please read the post above to make paneer tikka on tawa, grill, microwave, oven, otg, and air fryer.
Christine
Ooh I love Paneer Tikka but have never tried making it myself! This makes it sound less intimidating!
Judith
These are perfect for serving to guests. I love the spice combination and that they are so quick to make.
Radha
We love paneer tikka. I love the beautiful char on it. Thanks for a great step by step instructions and different options. I guess I need not order anymore from the restaurants as I have your recipe.
Nancy
These paneer skewers were so rich and flavorful. Everyone loved it and didn’t take long to cook.
Any
Paneer is our all-time favourite! I can't wait to try it!!