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Punjabi · Indian

Paneer tikka

Vegetarian

पनीर टिक्का · paneer tikka

Chunks of paneer, onion and pepper marinated in spiced yogurt and grilled until charred at the edges. A popular starter from the tandoor tradition.

Paneer tikka is a Punjabi starter from India, ready in about 1 hour and made with paneer and greek yogurt. It serves 3 and is rated easy to cook.

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Close-up of grilled paneer and vegetable skewers with sauce, perfect for a gourmet meal.
Photo: Aayush Rawat / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
15 min
Cook
15 min
Rest
30 min
Total
1 h
Serves
3
Level
Easy
Calories
434

Ingredients

3 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Whisk the yogurt with toasted chickpea flour (opens in a new tab), ginger, garlic (opens in a new tab), spices, lemon juice (opens in a new tab), salt and mustard oil (opens in a new tab) into a thick marinade.

    • 5 min
    Eggs being whisked in a bowl
    How it looks · Photo: Kampus Production on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Fold in the paneer (opens in a new tab), onion (opens in a new tab) and pepper, coat well and marinate at least 30 minutes (or up to 6 hours in the fridge).

    • 3 min
    Meat coated in a spiced marinade in a bowl
    How it looks · Photo: Ip Photographer on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Thread onto skewers (opens in a new tab), alternating paneer (opens in a new tab) and vegetables. Grill under a very hot grill or in a 240 °C oven (opens in a new tab) on a rack for 12–15 minutes, turning once and basting with butter (opens in a new tab), until charred at the edges.

    Soak wooden skewers in water for 20 minutes so they don't burn.

    Food cooking over a grill
    How it looks · Photo: Malte Luk on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Squeeze over lemon (opens in a new tab) and serve hot with green chutney.

      Lemon being squeezed
      How it looks · Photo: Gu Ko on Pexels

    About this dish

    Origin
    Punjab, India · Commonly attributedAlso popular in United KingdomMore food from India
    Dish
    Snack · Dinner · Appetizers & starters · Grills & kebabs
    Cooking method
    Marinated / cured, Grilled, Broiled / grilled under heat
    Taste
    smoky, spicy (chilli heat), tangy, savoury
    Diet
    Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-protein
    All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
    Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
    Good for
    Make-ahead · Festive & celebration
    Cook more with
    Paneer · Greek yogurt · Chickpea flour · Fresh ginger · Garlic · Cayenne / chilli powder
    Techniques
    Grilling · Broiling · Charcoal grilling · Marinating · Curing

    Allergens

    • Contains: Milkfrom paneer, greek yogurt, butter
    • Contains, can be adapted: Mustardfrom mustard oil

    Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

    Nutrition

    434 kcal per serving

    Estimated

    1 serving ≈ 249 g · recipe makes 3

    Where the energy comes from

    • Protein 22%
    • Carbohydrate 13%
    • Fat 64%
    Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
    NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
    Energy434 kcal174 kcal
    Protein24.4 g9.8 g
    Carbohydrate14.7 g5.9 g
    Net carbohydrate12.4 g5 g
    Sugars7.4 g3 g
    Added sugars0 g0 g
    Fibre2.3 g0.9 g
    Fat31.4 g12.6 g
    Saturated fat14.8 g5.9 g
    Trans fat0.8 g0.3 g
    Cholesterol76 mg30 mg
    Sodium1357 mg545 mg
    Salt equivalent3.4 g1.4 g
    Vitamins & minerals per serving
    Potassium
    407 mg
    Calcium
    646 mg
    Iron
    1.2 mg
    Magnesium
    48 mg
    Vitamin A (RAE)
    245 µg
    Vitamin C
    39 mg
    Vitamin D
    2.7 µg
    Vitamin B12
    2.1 µg
    Folate (DFE)
    32 µg

    How these numbers were made

    • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
    • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
    • Optional ingredients are not included: butter, lemon.
    • Paneer: Queso fresco (FDC 172223) used as a stand-in: both are fresh, acid-set, unaged cheeses with similar fat and protein.
    • Garam masala: Curry powder (FDC 170924) used as a stand-in; both are ground blends of similar dried spices used in teaspoon amounts.
    • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
    • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

    Good to know

    Common mistakes

    • A thin marinade slides off; use thick strained yogurt.

    Serve with

    • Serve with mint-coriander chutney and sliced onions, or wrap in a paratha.

    Storage

    • Best fresh; leftovers keep 2 days refrigerated.

    Reheating

    • Reheat in a hot pan or air fryer.

    Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

    Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

    Recipe DNA

    How this dish is built

    Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

    What the dish is built around

    Main ingredient

    Used in steps 1, 2

    Masalas in this recipe

    Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.

    Reviews & corrections

    Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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