neutral tasting oiloil
Paneer Tikkatablespoon mustard oil

One of our favorite Restaurant Style Tandoori Paneer tikka that you can make with step by step photos and video.

Grilled Paneer Tikka is a popular and delicious tandoori snack that can be easily made at home. Here, paneer (cottage cheese cubes) are marinated in spiced and aromatic hung yogurt (greek yogurt), herbs and spiced mixture.

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two grilled paneer tikka skewers kept on a black slate board with a bowl of cilantro dip on top right, one lemon wedge below the bowl and a few onion rounds near the lemon wedgetwo grilled paneer tikka skewers kept on a black slate board with a bowl of cilantro dip on top right, one lemon wedge below the bowl and a few onion rounds near the lemon wedge

This recipe is for paneer tikka and not paneer tikka masala. Paneer tikka is dry whereas paneer tikka masala is a gravy based dish.

For newbies to Indian food, Paneer tikka is marinated paneer (cottage cheese cubes), arranged on skewers and grilled in the oven. Specifically the dish is called as Tandoori Paneer Tikka, as the paneer cubes are grilled in a tandoor (cylindrical clay ovens) which lends a subtle smoky charcoal flavor to the paneer. It is usually served as a starter.

Now a tandoor is a commercial equipment used in restaurants and hotels. Usually Indian kitchens are not equipped with a tandoor. So here this recipe comes in handy as it can be easily made in an oven.

In spite of grilling in the oven, the recipe tastes similar to the one which is served in the restaurants except for the smoky aroma. In fact it is much better than the paneer tikka served in the restaurants. For making paneer tikka on a stove-top and in a pan or tawa (skillet), kindly check this recipe Tawa Paneer tikka (on Stovetop)

It is served with mint chutney. It is the same chutney that is served with all tandoori items.

two grilled paneer tikka skewers kept on a black slate board with a bowl of cilantro dip on top right, two lemon wedges below the bowl and some slices onion rounds near the lemon wedges

two grilled paneer tikka skewers kept on a black slate board with a bowl of cilantro dip on top right, two lemon wedges below the bowl and some slices onion rounds near the lemon wedges

Tips for making tandoori paneer tikka

  1. Barbecue: You can also barbecue the paneer tikka. In the oven grill for 15 to 20 minutes at 230 or 240 degree celsius with only the top heating element on.
  2. Marination Time: It is 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 get infused in the paneer and veggies.
  3. Vegetables: The veggies used can be of your choice. In the step by step photos, I have used onions and green bell pepper (capsicum). In the video I have used red, yellow and green bell pepper with onions. You can use baby corn, mushrooms, cauliflower, tomatoes, broccoli etc. For cauliflower blanch them before marinating.
  4. Adding Oil: While grilling the paneer cubes and veggies can become dry. Hence oil is added to the marination mixture. The paneer cubes and veggies are also brushed with some oil to avoid them from becoming dry.
  5. Overcooking: Don’t overcook the paneer as they then become rubbery, dry and hard. The paneer should be soft, well cooked and yet succulent.
  6. Marinade: The extra marinade can be applied or brushed on the paneer tikka before grilling them. If you are making paneer tikka masala, you can use the extra marinade in the gravy.
  7. Vegan Options: Use tofu, seitan or tempeh in place of paneer. Use a vegan yogurt like almond or cashew yogurt in place of dairy yogurt.

More Paneer Tikka Variations

Paneer Tikka Recipe Video

How to make grilled paneer tikka in oven

Preparation

1. Peel, rinse and dice 1 medium-sized onion in square shaped 1 to 1.5 inches pieces. Rinse and slice 1 small to medium sized capsicum (green bell pepper) in 1 to 1.5 inches pieces. You will need ½ cup each of onions and capsicum. Keep aside. You can also use tomatoes if you want.

chopped onions and capsicum

chopped onions and capsicum

2. Crush 1.5 inches ginger and 6 to 7 small to medium sized garlic to a fine paste in a mortar-pestle. You will need 1 tablespoon of crushed ginger-garlic or 1 tablespoon of ready ginger-garlic paste.

crushing ginger & garlic in mortar-pestle

crushing ginger & garlic in mortar-pestle

3. Slice 200 to 250 grams block or paneer into cubes or squares and keep aside. Best is to use homemade paneer.

paneer chopped in cubes

paneer chopped in cubes

Making Hung Curd Marination

4. Take 200 grams hung curd (greek yogurt) in a bowl. With a whisk beat the curd lightly till smooth.

hung curd (greek yogurt) in a bowl

hung curd (greek yogurt) in a bowl

5. Now add 1 tablespoons ginger garlic paste or 1 tablespoon crushed ginger garlic to the curd. Also add all the dry spice powders. Below you see the following Indian spice powders in clockwise order:

  • 2 teaspoons kashmiri red chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur)
  • 1 teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds)
  • 1 teaspoon chaat masala
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper powder (optional)

Kashmiri red chili powder gives a nice red color to the food and is not spicy and hot. Instead of kashmiri red chilli powder, you can add 2 teaspoons of sweet paprika or ½ to 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.

spice powders and ginger-garlic paste added to hung curd

spice powders and ginger-garlic paste added to hung curd

6. Add ½ teaspoon black salt and regular salt as per taste. If you do not have black salt, then skip it.

black salt and regular salt added

black salt and regular salt added

7. Add ½ tablespoon (1.5 teaspoons) lemon juice.

lemon juice being added

lemon juice being added

8. Next add 1 tablespoon mustard oil. If you do not have mustard oil, then use a neutral tasting oil.

mustard oil being added

mustard oil being added

9. Mix very well. Check the taste and add more seasonings if required.

neutral tasting oil

oil

Marinating Paneer and Veggies

10. Add the onions, capsicum and paneer to the marinade.

added paneer, chopped onions and capsicum to marination

added paneer, chopped onions and capsicum to marination

11. Slowly and gently mix them with the marinade. Cover and keep the marinated paneer and veggies in the refrigerator for 2 hours or more.

paneer, onions and capsicum marinated well

paneer, onions and capsicum marinated well

12. This is how the marinated paneer and veggies look after 2 hours.

marinated paneer after being kept for 2 hours in the refrigerator

marinated paneer after being kept for 2 hours in the refrigerator

Threading Paneer and Veggies

13. Begin to thread the veggies and paneer alternately on bamboo skewers. Before you begin to thread preheat oven at 230 or 240 degrees Celsius or 464 degree Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes. Use only the top heating element while preheating as well as grilling. Soak or rinse the bamboo skewers before threading.

marinated paneer, onions and capsicum being threaded in bamboo skewers

marinated paneer, onions and capsicum being threaded in bamboo skewers

14. Place them on a tray lined with aluminium foil or parchment paper.

skewers with threaded paneer, onions and capsicum kept on parchment paper on a baking tray

skewers with threaded paneer, onions and capsicum kept on parchment paper on a baking tray

15. Brush with some oil all over.

brushing oil on the paneer cubes, onions and capsicum

brushing oil on the paneer cubes, onions and capsicum

Making Grilled Paneer Tikka

16. Grill in the preheated oven for 7 to 10 minutes first at 230 to 240 degrees Celsius or 464 degrees Fahrenheit.

grilling paneer tikka skewers in the oven

grilling paneer tikka skewers in the oven

17. Then remove the tray from the oven and turn the paneer tikka skewers.

removing the skewers midway and turning them

removing the skewers midway and turning them

18. Again keep back in the oven and continue to grill till the edges of paneer and veggies are golden or slightly charred for about 3 to 5 minutes. Do not grill for a long time as then paneer becomes hard. Since temperatures vary from oven to oven do keep a check. You can reduce or increase the time as required. Total grilling time will be 15 to 20 minutes.

paneer tikka grilled to perfection

paneer tikka grilled to perfection

19. Remove once done. Serve the tandoori paneer tikka sprinkled with some chaat masala and lemon juice. Also serve mint chutney, onion slices and lemon wedges as sides.

wo grilled paneer tikka skewers kept on a black slate board with a bowl of cilantro dip on top right, one lemon wedge below the bowl and a few onion rounds near the lemon wedge

wo grilled paneer tikka skewers kept on a black slate board with a bowl of cilantro dip on top right, one lemon wedge below the bowl and a few onion rounds near the lemon wedge

Few more Paneer snacks recipes for you!

Note: This recipe post is from the archives and has been republished and updated on 16 May 2020. 


Many of my recipes have detailed step by step photos and useful tips to help you make it easily and perfectly.

Tandoori Paneer Tikka in Oven (Restaurant Style)

Spiced marinated grilled cottage cheese cubes.

paneer tikkapaneer tikka

Diet:gluten-free,keto,vegetarian


Servings (change the number to scale):3

(1 CUP = 250 ML)

main ingredients

  • 200 to 250 grams paneer or Indian cottage cheese
  • ½ cup diced onions or 1 medium sized onion
  • ½ diced capsicum or 1 small to medium bell pepper – green, yellow or red

for paneer tikka marination

  • 200 grams hung curd or greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste or 1 tablespoon crushed ginger-garlic
  • 2 teaspoons kashmiri red chili powder or 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder (ground cumin)
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
  • 1 teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds)
  • 1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder)
  • 1 teaspoon chaat masala
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper powder – optional (ground black pepper)
  • 1.5 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon mustard oil or any neutral tasting oil
  • ½ teaspoon black salt – optional
  • salt as required
  • some mustard oil for brushing

Making Marination

  • In a large bowl, take the hung curd (greek yogurt) and whisk it lightly till it becomes smooth

  • Add ginger-garlic paste, all the spice powders, carom seeds, black salt, regular salt, lemon juice and mustard oil.

  • Mix very well. Check the taste and add more seasonings if required.

  • Add the veggies and paneer to the marinade. Slowly and gently mix them with the marinade.

  • Cover the bowl and marinate for at least 2 hours or more in the refrigerator.

  • After 2 hours thread the paneer and veggies alternately on bamboo skewers. Soak or rinse the bamboo skewers before threading. 

Grilling Tandoori Paneer Tikka

  • Preheat the oven for 15 to 20 minutes at 230 or 240 degree celsius or 464 degrees Fahrenheit. Use only the top heating element. 

  • Line a baking tray with aluminium foil or parchment paper. Arrange the paneer skewers on the tray. Brush some oil on the veggies and paneer cubes all over.

  • Grill the paneer tikka first for 7 to 10 minutes at 230 or 240 degree celsius or or 464 degrees Fahrenheit. Then remove and turn the skewers.

  • Place back in the oven and continue to grill for 3 to 5 minutes more till the edges of the paneer are golden or slightly charred. Do not grill for a long time as then paneer cubes becomes hard. 

  • Since temperatures vary from oven to oven do keep a check. You can reduce or increase the time as required. Total grilling time will be 15 to 20 minutes.

  • Remove from the oven and then place the paneer cubes on a serving plate. Sprinkle some chaat masala and lemon juice.

  • Serve tandoori paneer tikka with mint chutney and onion rings with lemon wedges

  1. Barbecue: You can even use the barbecue grill for making the paneer tikka.
  2. Grilling in the oven: In the oven grill for 15 to 20 minutes at 230 or 240 degree celsius with only the top heating element on.
  3. Marination Time: I always suggest to to marinate the paneer cubes for 2 hours or more. You can also keep the marinated paneer overnight in the fridge. More marination, the better the flavors get infused in the paneer and veggies.
  4. Vegetables: Add a mix of veggies like bell pepper, onions, tomatoes, baby corn, mushrooms, cauliflower, tomatoes, broccoli etc. For cauliflower blanch them before marinating. 
  5. Adding Oil: While grilling the paneer cubes and veggies can become dry. Hence oil is added to the marination mixture. The paneer cubes and veggies are also brushed with some oil to avoid them from becoming dry.
  6. Overcooking: Don’t overcook the paneer as they then become rubbery, dry and hard. The paneer should be soft, well cooked and yet succulent.
  7. Marinade: The extra marinade can be applied or brushed on the paneer tikka before grilling them. If you are making paneer tikka masala, you can use the extra marinade in the gravy.
  8. Vegan Options: Use tofu, seitan or tempeh in place of paneer. Use a vegan yogurt like almond or cashew yogurt in place of dairy yogurt.

Nutrition Facts

Tandoori Paneer Tikka in Oven (Restaurant Style)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 316 Calories from Fat 198

% Daily Value*

Fat 22g34%

Saturated Fat 11g69%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 47mg16%

Sodium 470mg20%

Potassium 193mg6%

Carbohydrates 11g4%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 17g34%

Vitamin A 271IU5%

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%

Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg5%

Vitamin B6 1mg50%

Vitamin B12 1µg17%

Vitamin C 19mg23%

Vitamin E 1mg7%

Vitamin K 3µg3%

Calcium 406mg41%

Vitamin B9 (Folate) 12µg3%

Iron 13mg72%

Magnesium 14mg4%

Phosphorus 102mg10%

Zinc 1mg7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.


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