Paneer Tikka
Make restaurant style Paneer Tikka at home with this easy step-by-step recipe. Cubes of paneer, onion and bell peppers are marinated with spices and yogurt and then roasted in the oven to perfection. The tikka is best enjoyed with spicy cilantro chutney or mint chutney with a generous squeeze of lemon juice on top.
Paneer tikka has to be one the most popular Indian vegetarian appetizers. From Indian restaurants to weddings and parties, it is one dish that’s always on the menu. Traditionally, paneer tikka is grilled in a tandoor, but when you make it at home, you can get the same taste by broiling in the oven too. Tandoor also gives the tikka that smoky flavor which you can also get at home by smoking the paneer marinade with charcoal (more on that below!).
I often make this recipe when hosting a Diwali party or a festive get together. Because everything enjoys it and it can also double down as a curry, you can actually also use the same tikka and add it to a curry to make paneer tikka masala. You can even use the same tikka to make paneer tikka naan pizza!
Paneer Tikka Marination
The marinade for paneer tikka is made with paneer (of course) which you can make at home or get one from grocery stores. Then, I like to add cubes of onions and bell peppers along with it. Some people also use tomatoes.
My marinade includes Greek yogurt, spices, mustard oil and fresh herbs. For the marinade, it is important to use thick yogurt. I use plain whole milk Greek yogurt since I always have it on hand, but you can use regular yogurt as well. If using regular yogurt, strain it using a cheesecloth and strainer to get rid of excess water and then use it in the recipe.
Mustard oil is a very important part of this marination, and I highly recommend not replacing it with any other oil. It gives the tikka that raw and authentic flavor, which is hard to replicate with other oils. You can use canola or avocado oil if you can’t find mustard oil at all.
Spices like chaat masala, coriander powder, chili powder, kasuri methi add depth of flavors to the marination. You can increase the quantity of the chili powder to make it spicier.
Herbs like cilantro and mint add freshness to the marinade, so be generous using them. I also like to squeeze in fresh lemon juice for that zesty kick.
Tips to prevent rubbery & dry paneer
- First, soak the paneer in warm water for 20 minutes (if the paneer is store-bought) and then use it in the recipe. There’s no need to do this step for homemade paneer.
- Do not overcook the paneer, paneer is a cheese and if you overcook it. It’s going to become hard. This applies to cooking in oven or stove-top.
- Adding oil in the marination helps with the dryness of the tikka.
