paneer tikka recipe, how to make paneer tikka | dry paneer tikka

By on July 14th, 2014 98 Comments

paneer tikka, tandoori paneer tikka, paneer tikka recipe

paneer tikka recipe – popular tandoori snack which can be easily made at home. i am sharing step by step recipe to make paneer tikka.

this recipe is for paneer tikka and not paneer tikka masala. paneer tikka is dry whereas paneer tikka masala is a gravied dish.

for newbies to indian food, paneer tikka is marinated paneer/cottage chese cubes, arranged on skewers and grilled or baked in the oven. specifically the recipe is called as tandoori paneer tikka, as the paneer is cooked in the tandoor which lends a subtle smoky charcoal flavor to the paneer. paneer tikka is usually served as a starter. other variations of this popular snack are mushroom tikka, tandoori aloo and tandoori gobi or gobi tikka.

i have made the paneer tikka in the oven and not in a tandoor… hence i am not calling it tandoori paneer tikaa ;-) even though i made it at home, the recipe was similar to the ones which is served in the restaurants. in fact it was much better than the paneer tikka served in the restaurants. to make this paneer tikka in tava, please check the notes below in the recipe section.

since diwali is just after a day, i thought of sharing this paneer tikka recipe… yes, it one of those recipes that you can make on any special or festive occasion. at my mom’s place, biryani or pulao are special recipes that are made on all festive or special occasions. and at my in law’s place it is either rajma chawal or chana.

but in both our families paneer tikka is a favorite with everyone. when we go to any restaurant, most of the times we have paneer tikka as a starter dish or we have paneer tikka masala with naan, if we do not have any starters.

tandoori-paneer-tikka

the paneer tikka is served with mint chutney. it is the same chutney that is served with all tandoori items. i made the mint chutney late in the evening… will post the recipe soon.

lets begin step by step recipe of making paneer tikka in the oven.

1. take thick curd/yogurt or hung curd in a bowl and smoothen the curd.

thick curd for paneer tikka recipe

2. add ginger garlic paste or crushed ginger garlic to the curd.

added ginger garlic paste for paneer tikka

3. add all the dry spice powders and black salt to the curd. below you see the following indian spice powders in clock wise order: kashmiri red chili powder, coriander-cumin powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder and ajwain/carom seeds. in the center is black salt.

added spices for paneer tikka

4. hmmm. i have not used any red color in the recipe and i feel that the redness is less in the marinade… hence i added some more kashmiri red chili powder to the marinade. kashmiri red chili powder gives a nice red color to the food and its not hot.

added chili powder - paneer tikka

5. mix well. can you see some little more redness in the marinade?

mixing the marinade for paneer tikka

6. add lemon juice, mix and keep the marinade aside.

adding lemon juice for paneer recipe

7. dice the veggies.

paneer tikka - chopping veggies

8. chop the paneer and cube them. best to use homemade paneer.

chopping paneer

9. add the veggies and paneer to the marinade.

mixing paneer veggies in marinade

10. and slowly and gently mix them with the marinade. i tasted the marinade with my sis and both of us felt that some thing is missing in the marinade… it was close but not very close… what is it???….  and lo…  i realized that i had forgotten to add chaat masala… so obviously the next step is adding the chaat masala…. no prizes for guessing this step :-)

adding chaat masala for paneer tikka

11. ok… everything is marinated well. cover and keep the marinated paneer and veggies in the refrigerator for 2 hours or more.

paneer veggies in marinade

12. this is how they look after 2 hours.

paneer marinade after 2 hours

13. skewer the veggies and paneer in a skewer or tooth pick.

paneer tikka veggies skewered

14. arrange them on a plate or a rack. brush with some oil and keep in the oven. after 10 minutes remove from the oven, turn the skewers, brush some oil and again keep in the oven.

brushing oil on paneer tikka

15. remove after 10 or 15 minutes. serve the paneer tikka sprinkled with chaat masala along with mint chutney, onion slices and lemon wedges.

paneer tikka recipe

few points for paneer tikka recipe:

  • you can also grill or barbeque the paneer tikka. if you have a grill option in your oven, you can use it. i baked the paneer tikka for 25 mins in the oven at 180 degree celsius.
  • best to marinate the paneer cubes for 2 hours or more. you can also keep the marinated paneer overnight in the fridge. since i made the paneer tikka for dinner, i marinated the paneer and veggies for 2 hours in the refrigerator. more marination, the better the flavors gets infused in the paneer and veggies.
  • the veggies used can be of your choice. i used red, yellow and green bell pepper with onions. you can use baby corn, mushrooms, cauliflower, tomatoes, broccoli etc.
  • if you do not have oven or grill, then this should not stop you from making paneer tikka at home. on a non stick tava/flat pan heat some oil. keep the skewered paneer on the tava and fry the paneer and veggies till cooked. i have done both the methods and there is not any difference in the taste except the texture… frying makes the veggies and paneer a little crispy than baking or grilling these.
  • just to ensure that you have a smooth frying experience… add some besan/gram flour to the marinade as it avoids the paneer from sticking to the pan.
  • whilst grilling or baking the paneer tikka, they become dry. hence oil is applied to the paneer and veggies to avoid them from becoming dry.
  • don’t overcook the paneer as they then become rubbery, dry and hard. the paneer shoud be soft, well cooked and yet succulent. its better to bake the paneer tikka at lower temperatures for some more time than at higher temperatures.
  • the extra marinade can be applied or brushed on the paneer tikka before baking/grilling them. if you are making paneer tikka masala, you can use the extra marinade in the gravy.

if you are looking for more paneer recipes then do check paneer butter masala, kadai paneer, palak paneer, matar paneer, tawa paneer masala and shahi paneer.

paneer tikka recipe details below:

4.4 from 12 reviews
paneer tikka recipe
 
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paneer tikka - spiced marianted grilled cottage cheese cubes.
Author:
Recipe type: snack
Cuisine: north indian
Serves: 10 medium size skewers
Ingredients (american measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)
the main ingredients for paneer tikka:
  • 250 gms paneer/cottage cheese
  • 1 large red bell pepper
  • 1 large yellow bell pepper
  • 1 large green bell pepper/capsicum/shimla mirch
  • 1 medium size onion
for the marinade:
  • 200 gms hung curd/yogurt or thick curd/yogurt
  • 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste or crushed ginger garlic
  • 1 tsp ajwain/carom seeds
  • 1 to 2 tsp kashmiri red chili powder
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder/haldi
  • 1 tsp jeera powder/cumin seeds powder
  • 1 tsp dhania powder/coriander powder
  • ½ tsp garam masala powder
  • 1 tsp dry mango powder/amchur powder
  • 1 tsp chaat masala
  • ½ tsp black pepper powder (optional)
  • juice of half lemon
  • 1 to 2 tbsp oil or ghee or butter for brushing
  • rock salt or black salt
Instructions
the veggies and paneer:
  1. chop the paneer in square shaped cubes.
  2. the veggies also should be chopped in square shapes. keep the chopped veggies and paneer aside.
the marinade:
  1. in a large bowl, take the curd and whisk it till it becomes smooth
  2. add ginger garlic paste and all the spice powders plus ajwain, including black salt.
  3. mix the spice powders with the curd.
  4. you could also add oil at this stage if you do not want to brush the paneer tikka with oil later.
  5. add the veggies and paneer to the marinade.
  6. marinate for atleast 2 hours or more in the refrigerator.
  7. remove after 2 hours and bring the marinated paneer and veggies at room temperature.
  8. skewer the veggies and paneer alternately on skewers or tooth picks.
  9. preheat the oven for 3 minutes at 180 degree celsius.
  10. on a rack or a plate arrange the paneer skewers. brush some oil on the veggies and paneer.
  11. bake the paneer tikka for 20-25 minutes at 180 degree celsius.
  12. after 10 remove the skewers, and turn the skewers. brush some more oil.
  13. keep again in the oven and bake for a further 10-15 more.
  14. arrange the panner tikka on a plate. sprinkle some chaat masala on paneer tikka.
  15. serve the yummy panner tikka with mint chutney and onion rings with lemon wedges
Notes
to make paneer tikka on tava follow this:
1. use a non stick tava so that paneer does not stick while frying.
2. add two tbsp besan in the marination. this will prevent the paneer from sticking to the tava and will give a nice taste.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 4-5


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Comments

    • dassana says

      no… better to avoid making the paneer tikka in the microwave. the paneer will quickly become dry and rubbery without getting browned at the edges..

      either you bake it or grill it or fry individual marinated paneer pieces on a non stick tava or pan.

      Reply

  6. Mehak says

    Hallo Mam… ur alll recipes r jst amazingggg!!!!!!! i liked ur site a lotttt!!! Mam just tell can we cook this paneer tikka on Gas?? if yes plz tell how???

    Reply

    • says

      dear mehak, you can cook the paneer tikka on gas stove. heat up a tava or a flat pan. add oil. place the marinated paneer in the oil and pan fry these. just add some besan/gram flour about 1 or 2 tbsp to the marination. this helps in the paneer not sticking to the pan and makes life easy. also the paneer becomes crispy.

      Reply

  7. varshitha says

    jus came across ur site few days back…. tried ur paneer tikka and green chutney…. it was soooo yummy… i made it for my guests , they loved it,… thanks a lot… so its gonna be a dinner @ my home tonight with frnds… i am searching recipe in ur site….. love ur site…. thank u again…..

    Reply

  10. Kavita says

    How to exactly cook it using the barbeque option? I have vertical standing barbeque rods given with my Microwave. What should be the temperature and for how long should i cook it using barbeque.?

    Reply

    • says

      hi kavita, i have never cooked with barbeque in a microwave. so i am unable to help you on this. i suggest reading the manual that came with your microwave oven.

      Reply

  11. laxmi says

    Hi,

    Your recipes are really detailed and presentation is fab. You have inspired me.
    Plating on white make the colors pop out that much. Keep up the good work.

    For this recipe, I am making it for a huge party and would like to know if I can make it several hrs ahead AND keep it warm somehow without drying it out. Will await your input.

    Thanks.

    Reply

    • says

      thanks laxmi. white is a good color when shooting food. you can make the marinated paneer in advance and keep in the fridge. you can also keep the marination overnight. just cover the bowl with a lid or cling film. the upper surface of the paneer may dry out but then just stir the whole marination again well before grilling or baking and the dryness goes away.

      Reply

  12. parth patwala says

    Hi. I made it and it was better than hotel .
    Thanks a lot . I never try anything to cook before, but after seeing pictures of these recipes i think i can make anything :D.
    So thank you again dassana and i hope you will help next time if i needed.

    Reply

  13. masuma says

    Hi

    I’m wondering why there is no salt in this recipe? Is it not required because we add the black salt? Looks delicious none the less:)

    Reply

  14. Bommii says

    Fantastic recipe!!! Wonderful taste, kids and adults both loved it,This became the star at our barbecue , now aim gonna try it at home in our oven.

    Reply

  15. Bhavya says

    I really loved the way u have presented the recipe. It helps to understand better and the picturesque view looks so tempting. Thanks for this wonderful recipe :-)

    Reply

  16. says

    I’m so freaking happy that I found your blog! I’m a food blogger in Brazil and I just love indian food. There’s only one really good indian/thai restaurant next to me, so I always wonder if I could make my own indian food. I’m definetely trying the paratha bread today and, hopefully, if I find the ingredients, the masala!
    You’re right into my “favourites” list!

    :)

    Reply

  17. Megha says

    Looked so delicious that I had to try making it the same day.
    But my marinade melted away in the oven. As in all the curd thing stuck to the paneer became watery and dripped to the bottom of the oven . I marinated it for more than two hours. Where could i have gone wrong? Could you please help me with the same?

    Reply

    • says

      hi megha. did you use hung curd. the curd has to very thick and should not be watery. i have made tikka with paneer and other veggies many times and never had a problem. some drips will be there and if you have not kept the tikka skewers on a wire rack kept on top of a tray or pan, then they will fall at the bottom. but as you say, its not watery. i don’t suspect the quality of the paneer. so my assumption is the thin consistency of the marination.

      Reply

      • Megha says

        Thanks a lot for your reply. Guess I did not hang the curd for enough time. Will try again .
        Hooked to this website !!!

        Reply

        • says

          welcome megha. next time when you prepare, hung the curd in a muslin overnight or for at least 5-6 hours. you can also thick yogurt if that is available in the market.

          Reply

  18. Nikita says

    very nice tutorial.. it has very simple step by step instructions which is very helpful…Thank you fr the recipe really loved it

    Reply

  19. suganya says

    Actually ii really liked ur step by step cooking receipe. Since I am a south indian , I wish 2 north indian recipies. Actually a day bfore only I learnt hw 2 make panner. And I didn’t knw the paneer recipies. 2day I saw tis panner tikka and cooked it. Actually the pictures admired a lot 2 cook. And the taste s also very excellent. Thanks a lot. Can u tell me how 2 make mint chutney n north indian style

    Reply

    • says

      thats nice to know suganya. i have a lot of north indian mint chutney recipes on the blog. which one you you are looking for. just use the google search bar on the top right hand side or use the recipe index.

      Reply

  22. shashi says

    I have microwave with convection, grill, combi and micro option. What should i select and what temperate and time should i do at?

    Can i use a aluminium pan and put the paneer directly or put skwers on the pan without touching its surface?

    P.s I heard we can do all baking recipes in microwave in convection mode.

    Reply

  24. Janvi says

    Hi Dassana,

    I had a quick question. I made paneer tikka the same exact way. But when I bake it in the oven it starts leaving water (I don’t know why?). I even tried doing it on a cast iron grill pan (well greased) but the paneer ends up sticking on it (I even sprayed the panner tikka with oil). Could you please help me understand the reason behind both the problems?

    Reply

    • says

      hi janvi, did you use fresh or frozen paneer. water should not come out of the paneer. i make paneer tikka often and they bake very well. if you have used frozen paneer, then they have to be brought at room temperature before mixing in the marinade. the sticking part happens if the oil or pan is not very hot or does not have a good thick base. so about 2 tbsp of besan can be added to the marinade. the besan will not allow the paneer to stick if they are being fried or grilled.

      Reply

  25. Janvi says

    I used frozen paneer but it was completely defrosted. Even the grill pan was screaming hot. But I’ll give besan a try. Thanks for the help.

    Reply

    • says

      alright janvi. screaming hot :-) then its the quality of paneer. on a few occasions when i have got paneer from outside, they become so sticky and gluey after cooking and that too in a paneer curry like paneer makhani & paneer pasanda. as if they are melting and sticky too. so i have stopped buying paneer from out completely. i would some times buy organic paneer. but not now. its always better to make paneer at home. nowadays when i want to make any paneer dish i make the paneer a day or two before and refrigerate it. till today no issues with homemade paneer.

      Reply

  26. Aishwarya says

    Hi Dassana!

    I tried this for Diwali dinner and it came out wonderfully well! Your detailed instructions are awesome and were extremely helpful in the kitchen. I made these in a tawa because I don’t have an oven. Yet they came out perfectly good. Thank you so much…

    Reply

    • says

      thanks vizzi. just cut down on the spice powders like red chili powder etc as this is a slightly more spiced version of paneer tikka. you can also add 1 or 2 tbsp of cream to the marinade.

      Reply

  28. Dale says

    This was a great recipe. Very easy to follow and the results were pretty yummy. We served these as an app and will likely do them again for new years. Thanks for posting!

    Reply

  32. niyati says

    hi..!!!!
    Dashana,
    I have a question..there is my brother’s b’day and i want to make this dish and gift to him but problem is that i dont know how to use oven….i have oven but can i make this dish on the tava..????reply me soon..

    Reply

    • says

      niyati, to make paneer tikka on tava follow this:
      1. use a non stick tava so that paneer does not stick while frying.
      2. add two tbsp besan in the marination. this will prevent the paneer from sticking to the tava and will give a nice taste.

      Reply

  35. Kshitij Chavan says

    This is a awesome recipe, I made it schools food festival, and we got a 1st prize, I just wanna say Thanks Dassana

    Reply

  37. Janisha says

    Looks very amazing recipe.. And the picture taken are awesome… Will try it soon. Thanks for such a detailed post Dassana.

    Reply

  38. Anita says

    Hi ,

    I tried this recipe . For some reason it when I grilled it , it gave away a lot of water. And the paneer was slightly chewy. Its almost like it lightly curdled.

    pls help me. I am very keen to get it right :)

    Anita

    Reply

    • says

      the yogurt has to very thick or the whey has to be drained out. its always better to strain the yogurt for some hours in the fridge before making the marinade. you can use greek yogurt if you live abroad. or else take the yogurt in a muslin or thin cotton napkin. secure tightly and then hung the yogurt for a few hours till all the whey is drained. the chewiness is as the paneer has got overcooked.

      Reply

  39. Ruby says

    I’m not able to rate the recipe for some reason, but I give it 5 stars! I have made it several times now and my family loves it! I also use the marinade to make chicken tikka for my husband and he also loves it. Thanks!

    Reply

    • says

      janavi, the recipe is little different. there can be many variations of a recipe. you can use this paneer tikka and masala from the other recipe. this dry paneer tikka is slightly spicy and the other version is not spicy as i am going to add into the gravy.

      Reply

  43. dr.Priyanka says

    Thank u so mch….
    It was awesome…yummy. …..my hubby liked it so mch…he was vry happy hving dis dish at home….Thanks a lot again

    Reply

  44. Palak says

    Hey, I made paneer tikka using this recipe, and it was just PERFECT. the flavors were so well infused because of the marination and because of your perfect recipe and your step by step pictures! Thank You!!!

    P.S used fresh paneer – doesnt work well because it is so soft that it breaks while you put it in the skewer. But this also didnt matter – it was still tasty!
    Then i used paneer which was made a day earlier and refridgerated – worked perfectly! :P

    Reply

  45. Nivedita says

    Hi, I made this dish and it came out really well. I used the convection mode in my microwave. But the capsicums were undercooked n too crispy. Is there anything that can be done about that?

    Reply

    • says

      thanks nivedita. the capsicums are not thoroughly cooked in a paneer tikka. there is always a slight crunch to them. it also depends upon on how thick or thin you sliced the capsicum. if you want a more cooked capsicum, then just blanch or lightly steam before you add to the marinade.

      Reply

  47. neha sharma says

    Awesome…too gud…
    hello dassana…
    I luv cooking a lot…nd now I’m a mother of two kids…jus three yrs nd other one seven months…time nahi milta par after seeing ur recipes mann karta hai yeh bhi try karu woh bhi try karlu…
    too gud…thnx a lot dear…. Ek request hai agar infants nd thhree yrs +kids ke liye kuch healthy yummy dishes hai toh plz help me…

    Reply

  48. Suman says

    I prepared it in grill oven and I must say yar so nice. I ka to loved it and always i eagerly wait to prepare it next time. Easy, Tasty, and less time taking. The only thing u need is to b preplanned. Lovely dish. Thanks dear thanks allot.

    Reply

  50. Adam Smith says

    One correction: You say “lemon,” but I think you mean “lime.” I’ve heard Indians at work say “lemon” when they are actually talking about limes. The flavor is quite different.

    Reply

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