Hariyali Paneer Tikka (Stovetop & Oven)

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Hariyali Paneer Tikka is a delicious starter snack that is made by marinating paneer cubes in a green paste or green chutney that are grilled or pan-fried. It is also one of those Paneer Recipes, which is a family favorite too as it serves for a great starter for our house parties and get-togethers. This delicious recipe can be made both in the oven as well as the stovetop. In this post, I have shared both these ways of making this lovely dish with Indian cottage cheese a.k.a paneer.

hariyali paneer tikka served on a white platter with onion slices and lemon wedges and text layovers.

About Hariyali Paneer Tikka

Paneer Tikka, be it the classic one, this Hariyali Paneer Tikka or any other variation, is one of the easiest starter or snack recipes that can be made. Although the marination bit does take up some time, but otherwise, the preparation method is quite simple.

The word ‘hariyali’ means ‘greenery’ in Hindi language. Since, this recipe has a marinade made of fresh green herbs that lend a green color to the Indian cottage cheese (paneer) tikka, the name is Hariyali Paneer Tikka.

Most of the North Indian restaurants usually feature a couple of tikka varieties on their menus. Where the regular paneer tikka recipe is popular, even this Hariyali Paneer Tikka is widely popular with many folks. It is not just sumptuous but also beautiful to look at.

hariyali paneer tikka served on a white platter with onion slices and lemon wedges and text layovers.

Though you might find the list of ingredients of this recipe lengthy, they are not difficult to get. Most of them are always available in an Indian home kitchen. So, you just have to get everything together and begin prepping up for the recipe.

You simply have to marinate the paneer cubes in the green marinade and then either grill or pan fry. There are many variations of making this popular dish and this recipe is one such variation.

Some other tasty tikka variations that you must try are this Malai Paneer Tikka, Achari Paneer Tikka and Amritsari Paneer.

About My Recipe

The recipe that I have shared here is a simple and easy recipe, but one, which results in a scrumptious tikka. The paneer cubes that are made in the pan have a crispy texture as they are pan fried.

For the main element, that is the hariyali or green chutney paste, you will require fresh coriander leaves, fresh mint leaves, ginger, garlic, green chili and curd (yogurt).

You just have to blend all of this together to a smooth paste, without adding any water. Also, make sure not to add the whey of the curd as it can add to the thinning of the marinade.

Rest of the ingredients that go in the marinade are a bunch of your regular spices – carom seeds, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, dried mango powder and chaat masala powder. Also, some rice flour, lemon juice and salts.

Serve it as a starter with any North Indian meal or relish the flavors of the tikka by wrapping them in tortillas or rotis to make an on-the-go, delish tikka wrap.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Hariyali Paneer Tikka

Make Hariyali Paste (Green Paste)

1. In a blender jar, take ½ cup rinsed coriander leaves.

adding coriander leaves in a blender jar.

2. Then, add ¼ cup rinsed mint leaves.

adding mint leaves in blender jar.

3. Add 1 teaspoon chopped ginger and 1 teaspoon chopped garlic.

chopped ginger and chopped garlic added in blender jar.

4. Add 1 teaspoon chopped green chili.

adding chopped green chili in blender jar.

5. Then, add 3 tablespoons of thick fresh curd (yogurt). Do not add the whey of the curd. Just add the curd or else the marination becomes thin.

You can also use Greek Yogurt or hung curd. The marination has to be thick. If not, then it won’t coat the paneer cubes and you will just get a bland taste of grilled paneer.

adding thick curd in blender jar.

6. Blend to a fine and smooth paste, without adding any water.

ingredients blended to a smooth green paste without adding water.

Prepare Marinade

7. Take the prepared green paste in a bowl. Then, add the following ingredients:

  • ¼ teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
  • ¼ teaspoon coriander powder
  • ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
  • ¼ teaspoon dried mango powder (amchur powder)
  • ¼ teaspoon chaat masala powder
carom seeds and spice powders added to prepared green paste taken in a bowl.

8. Next, add 1 tablespoon rice flour. You can also use 1 tablespoon gram flour (besan) or chickpea flour or cornflour, instead.

rice flour added to the bowl.

9. Next, add ¼ teaspoon black salt and ¼ teaspoon regular salt or as required.

black salt and regular salt added to bowl.

10. Add 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice.

adding lemon juice to the bowl.

11. Mix everything very well. Check the taste and add more salt, if required.

ingredients mixed well in the green paste.

Marinating paneer

12. Add 200 grams paneer cubes to the prepared marinade. You can even add 1 small onion, 1 small tomato and 1 small capsicum (all cubed), if you want. I have not added them.

paneer cubes added to prepared marinade.

13. Gently mix the paneer cubes with the marinade.

paneer cubes mixed well in the marinade.

14. Cover with lid and keep aside to marinate for minimum 30 minutes at room temperature or a couple of hours in the refrigerator.

Below is the picture after marinating for 30 minutes at room temperature.

marinated paneer cubes after 30 minutes.

Grill In Oven

15. Now, coat the paneer cubes well with the marinade and thread on a bamboo or metal skewer.

Rinse or soak bamboo skewers (for 10 minutes) in water, so that they do not get burnt while grilling.

Place the skewers on a metal rack (kept on top of baking tray to collect the drippings) or straightaway on a tray.

It is better to line the baking tray with parchment or foil for easy clean up.

marinated paneer cubes threaded onto bamboo skewers and placed on a baking tray lined with aluminium foil.

16. Keep the tray in an oven which is already preheated at 250° C/480° F for 10 minutes.

Keep in the center rack and grill at 250° C/480° F, with only the top heating element on.

hariyali paneer tikka grilled in the oven.

17. Carefully remove the tray from oven, roughly after 8 to 10 minutes.

hariyali paneer tikka after 8 to 10 minutes.

18. Brush some oil on the tikka. You can skip oil, if you prefer.

brushing paneer tikka with some oil.

19. Turn over and brush oil on the other side too.

hariyali paneer tikka brushed with oil on both sides.

20. Keep the tray back in the oven and continue to grill for 8 to 10 minutes or till you see a few charred spots at the edges of the paneer cubes.

Overall, you need to grill for a total of 16 to 20 minutes.

grilled hariyali paneer tikka.

22. Serve grilled tikka with mint-curd chutney or coriander chutney. Sprinkle some chaat masala on the tikka before serving. Also, accompany with some onion slices and lemon wedges.

hariyali paneer tikka served on a white platter with onion slices and lemon wedges.

Pan Frying

23. Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons oil on a flat skillet or tawa. Coat the paneer cubes well with the marinade and place them on the tawa.

Pan fry paneer cubes on medium heat.

pan frying marinated paneer cubes in hot oil on tawa.

24. When one side is crisp and golden, turn each paneer cube and fry the second side.

frying paneer cubes till golden and crisp on both sides.

25. Fry the second side also till crisp and golden. Flip a couple of times, for even frying. Add more oil, if required. This way fry the paneer in batches of 2 to 3.

Make sure not to over do the frying of paneer cubes as this can make them chewy or dense.

frying paneer cubes till golden and crisp on both sides.

26. Remove the paneer cubes on a plate. You can place them on kitchen paper towels to remove extra oil.

fried hariyali paneer tikka on a plate.

27. Once the heat is enough to handle, then you can thread them on toothpicks if you like. Or you can simply serve the tikka directly with small fork or toothpicks.

pan fried hariyali paneer tikka skewered onto toothpicks.

28. Serve crispy Hariyali Paneer Tikka with mint chutney or coriander chutney. Sprinkle some chaat masala on the tikka before serving. Also, accompany with some onion slices and lemon wedges.

hariyali paneer tikka served on a white plate with onion slices and text layovers.

Expert Tips

  1. Ensure that you are not adding the whey of the curd while making the green paste. It can make the marinade thin. Also, you can use hung curd or Greek Yogurt in place of fresh curd for the paste.
  2. The marinade has to be thick. If not so, then it will not coat the paneer cubes properly and you will end up with bland tasting grilled paneer cubes.
  3. Be sure to use fresh paneer. Homemade paneer is always better.
  4. You can make this recipe with tofu, instead of paneer.
  5. In place of rice flour, you can also use chickpea flour or gram flour (besan) or cornstarch (cornflour).
  6. Vegetables like onion, tomato and capsicum (bell pepper) can be added in the marinade, along with paneer cubes.
  7. You can add the spice powders more or less, according to your taste preferences.
  8. Oil can also be skipped, if you prefer.
  9. If using bamboo skewers, then rinse or soak them in water for about 10 minutes before using them. This will ensure that they don’t get burnt while the paneer is getting cooked or grilled in the oven.

More Paneer Recipes To Try!

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paneer hariyali tikka recipe

Hariyali Paneer Tikka (Oven & Stovetop)

Hariyali Paneer Tikka is a delicious starter snack that is made by marinating paneer cubes in a green paste or green chutney that are later grilled. This delicious recipe can be made both in the oven as well as the stovetop. I have shared both these ways of making this scrumptious dish.
4.84 from 6 votes
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Cuisine North Indian, Punjabi
Course Snacks, Starters
Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 3
Units

Ingredients

For hariyali paste (green paste)

  • ½ cup coriander leaves
  • ¼ cup mint leaves
  • 1 teaspoon ginger – chopped or 1 inch peeled ginger
  • 1 teaspoon garlic – chopped or 4 medium peeled garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon green chili – chopped or 1 green chili, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons Curd (yogurt) – thick

Other ingredients

  • 200 grams Paneer (Indian cottage cheese)
  • ¼ teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
  • teaspoon turmeric powder or 1 to 2 pinches turmeric powder
  • ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Coriander Powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala
  • ¼ teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder)
  • ¼ teaspoon chaat masala powder
  • 1 tablespoon Rice Flour or besan (gram flour) or chickpea flour or corn flour
  • ¼ teaspoon black salt
  • ¼ teaspoon regular salt or add as required
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

For basting (oven method)

  • 2 to 3 teaspoons oil – optional

For pan frying (stovetop method)

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons oil

Serving suggestions

  • 1 onion – medium-sized, thinly sliced
  • 1 lime or lemon, quartered
  • chaat masala to sprinkle, as required

Instructions
 

Making green paste

  • In a small blender jar take the rinsed coriander leaves and rinsed mint leaves.
  • Add chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies.
  • Then add fresh curd or yogurt.
  • Grind to a fine and smooth paste without adding any water.

Making marination

  • Take the finely ground green paste in a bowl.
  • Add the following ingredients one by one – carom seeds, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, dry mango powder and chaat masala powder.
  • Next add rice flour followed by ¼ teaspoon black salt and ¼ teaspoon regular salt or add as required.
  • Add the lemon juice and Mix everything very well.
  • Add paneer cubes.
  • Gently mix the paneer cubes with the green marinade.
  • Cover with a lid and marinate for minimum 30 minutes at room temperature or a couple of hours in the fridge.

Grilling in oven

  • Now thread the paneer cubes in a bamboo or metal skewer.
    Rinse or soak bamboo skewers (for 10 minutes) in water, so that they do not get burnt.
  • Place the skewers on a metal rack (kept on top of a baking tray to collect the drippings) or straightaway on a baking tray that is lined with a foil or parchment paper.
  • Keep the tray in an oven which is already preheated at 250° C/480° F for 10 minutes.
    Keep in center rack and grill at 250° C/480° F with only the top heating element on.
  • Halfway through grilling, remove the pan from oven, roughly after 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Brush some oil on the paneer cubes. You can skip oil if you prefer.
  • Turn over the skewers and brush oil on the other side of the paneer cubes too.
  • Keep the tray back in the oven and continue to grill for 8 to 10 minutes or till you see a few charred spots at the edges of the paneer cubes.
    Overall you need to grill the tikka for a total of 16 to 20 minutes.
  • Serve grilled tikka with mint-curd chutney or coriander chutney.
  • Sprinkle some chaat masala on the tikka before serving. Also accompany some onion slices and lemon wedges.

Pan frying Paneer Hariyali Tikka (Stovetop Method)

  • Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons oil on a tawa or flat skillet.
  • Coat the paneer cubes well with the marinade and place them on the skillet or tawa. Pan fry paneer cubes on medium heat.
  • When one side is crisp and golden, turn each paneer cubes and fry the second side.
  • Fry the second side also till crisp and golden. Flip a couple of times for even frying.
    Do add more oil if needed. This way fry the paneer cubes in batches of two or three.
  • Remove the pan-fried paneer cubes in a plate. You can place them on kitchen paper towels to remove extra oil.
  • Once the heat is enough to handle, then you can thread them on toothpicks. Or you can just serve them directly with small fork or toothpicks.
  • Serve crispy pan-fried Paneer Hariyali Tikka made with mint chutney or coriander chutney.
    Sprinkle a few pinches of chaat masala on the tikka before serving. Opt to accompany some onion slices and lemon wedges if you like.

Notes

  • Veggies like onion, tomato and capsicum (bell pepper) can be added in the marination together with the paneer cubes.
  • Oil can be skipped if you prefer. 
  • You can add the ground spice powders more or less as per your preferences. 
  • Tofu can be substituted instead of paneer.
  • Note that the approximate nutrition info is for the grilled tikka made in the oven. 

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Hariyali Paneer Tikka (Oven & Stovetop)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 273 Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Fat 20g31%
Saturated Fat 10g63%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 45mg15%
Sodium 429mg19%
Potassium 179mg5%
Carbohydrates 13g4%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 12g24%
Vitamin A 401IU8%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 0.05mg3%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.1mg6%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 0.3mg2%
Vitamin B6 0.1mg5%
Vitamin B12 0.1µg2%
Vitamin C 25mg30%
Vitamin E 1mg7%
Vitamin K 9µg9%
Calcium 370mg37%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 19µg5%
Iron 1mg6%
Magnesium 14mg4%
Phosphorus 47mg5%
Zinc 0.3mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This Hariyali Paneer Tikka from the archives first published on March 2014 has been updated and republished on March 2023.

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Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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8 Comments

  1. Most awaited recipe n atlast found on ur website only.. very happy.. thanks a lot Dassana:))))**

    1. welcome pooni and do try. this recipes gives very good chatpata taste.

    1. fry the paneer cubes in 2 to 3 tablespoons oil on a tawa till crisp and golden. i will share the tawa version in a few days.