These restaurant-style Paneer Tikka Skewers are a delicious appetizer made with pillowy paneer cubes and crunchy vegetables marinated with a spicy yogurt marinade, then grilled or pan-fried!
If you’re looking for a flavorful restaurant-style appetizer, you have to try these paneer tikka skewers!
These Paneer Tikka Skewers are a delicious idea for an appetizer or a simple dinner.
The Paneer tikka skewers are made with skewers of pillowy paneer paired with crunchy vegetables all marinated in a spicy yogurt marinade for a flavorful dish that will rival any restaurant appetizer!
If you’re looking for more Pakistani and Indian appetizer ideas, check out our favorites:
- Potato chops: Indian Style Meat and Potato Croquettes
- Shami Kabab: Easy Ground beef and Split Chickpea Kabab
- Dahi Vada: Lentil Fritters in Yogurt
Pakistani/Indian Appetizer Grazing Platter for Eid
The recipe for this Paneer Tikka Skewers is part of a series we are putting together for a Pakistani appetizer grazing platter that is perfect for any festival, like Eid, Diwali, or the holidays!
Over the next few days, we’ll be releasing a new recipe every day to put together this year’s Eid Appetizer Grazing Platter. And on the last day, we’ll reveal the whole Eid Appetizer Grazing Platter, as well as lots of tips to create and assemble your own!
If you want to make sure you don’t miss a day, make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Or join our email list!
Paneer Tikka Ingredients
- Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese) – a fresh Indian cottage cheese, made by boiling milk with an acid until it is curled. You can make the paneer at home, or use storebought, found at many grocery stores, or South Asian supermarkets.
- Red and Green bell Peppers, and Onion – these vegetables are added to the skewers and complement the paneer tikka.
- Chickpea Flour – the chickpea flour is toasted and used in the marinade to help the spiced yogurt mixture stick to the paneer and vegetables.
- Greek Yoghurt or Hung curd – we recommend using a thick yogurt, to help it stick the marinade to the paneer and vegetables better.
- Tandoori masala – classic spice blend often found at Asian stores and can be used in other recipes like Tandoori Chicken and Butter Chicken.
- Ginger garlic paste – This is a popular addition to lots of Pakistani and Indian dishes. It is made with equal parts of crushed ginger and crushed garlic. If you opt to make your own, you can make a big batch ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for about two weeks.
- Ground spices – Ajwain/Carom powder, Cumin powder, Coriander powder, black salt – these ground spices are added to the mardinade for more flavor.
- Kashmiri chilli powder – this is a very mild chili, but adds a vibrant red color to the marinade
- Kasuri methi – dried fenugreek leaves add an earthy flavor to this dish, and are easily found in South Asian grocery stores.
- Chaat Masala – Chaat masala is a special spice blend used in Chaat (appetizer) dishes like Dahi Papdi Chaat or Corn Bhel.
- Wooden/Bamboo or Metal Skewers – both are good options to assemble this appetizer.
How to make Paneer Tikka?
Prepare the Vegetables
Cut the vegetables and paneer into 1-inch cubes. They need to be big enough to thread into the skewers.
Make the marinade and marinate
- In a pan on low heat cook the chickpea flour for few minutes, until fragrant. Let it cool to room temperature.
- To a bowl, add all the dry spices, and set aside.
- In a separate, large big bowl, add hung curd or greek yogurt, ginger-garlic paste and the spice mixture.
- Add half of the roasted chickpea flour, until the mixture is thickened. This is the batter for the paneer and vegetables, so the thicker the batter, the better it will stick. If the mixture is too thin, add a little more chickpea flour
- Heat the 2 tablespoon of oil and add to the mixture and mix well. Add in 1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice. This process helps with making the marinade a more vibrant color, like at restaurants.
- Add the cubed Paneer, and vegetables to coat in the batter. The paneer is delicate so be gentle during the process.
- Let the paneer and vegetables marinate for at least 30 minutes (up to 1 hour).
Skewer the paneer and vegetables
- Take a skewer, and add green pepper, red pepper, onion and paneer.
- Repeat until each skewer is filled.
Grill or Pan-Fry
- Pre-heat a pan or a grill on medium heat. Brush the pan with oil.
- Once ready, place the skewers onto the grill or pan.
- Cook each side for 2-3 minutes, until it starts to brown
Serve Paneer Tikka Skewers
These Paneer Tikka Skewers are best served fresh.
Typically at restaurants, these paneer tikka skewers are served as an appetizer with onions on the side, along with a simple chutney, like this mint-coriander green chutney or mint raita – a simple yogurt sauce.
Tips to make Paneer Tikka Skewers
- Use greek yogurt or hung curd for the marinade. The thicker the yogurt the better the marinade will stick to the paneer and vegetables.
- Marinating the paneer and vegetables adds so much flavor to the dish. Make sure to set aside time to marinate it.
- We served this paneer tikka dish as an appetizer, but you can also make this paneer tikka as a stir-fry dish. Skip the skewers and pan-fry the marinated paneer and vegetables.
- If grilling the paneer tikka skewers and using wooden or bamboo skewers, make sure to soak the skewers before assembling. This will prevent the bamboo/wood from burning.
- Try not to overcook the paneer, as it may become dry.
If you give this Paneer Tikka Skewers a try, we’d love to see it! Tag us on Instagram @thespicemess
Paneer Tikka Skewers
Ingredients
- 400 grams Paneer cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
- 1 Green Bell Pepper cut into 1-inch square
- 1 Red Bell Pepper cut into 1-inch square
- 1 Onion medium, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoon Neutral Oil vegetable, or canola
- 8-10 Skewers wooden or metal
- Oil for grilling
Paneer Tikka Marinade
- 2 tablespoons Chickpea Flour
- 1 cup Greek Yoghurt or Hung curd
- 1 tablespoon Ginger garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon Tandoori masala
- ¼ teaspoon Ajwain/Carom powder
- ¼ teaspoon Black salt
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt as per taste
- 2 tablespoons Coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Kasuri methi, dried fenugreek leaves
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Chaat masala
- 1 Lemon or lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri chilli powder
Instructions
Paneer tikka marinade
- In a pan on low heat cook the chickpea flour for few minutes, until fragrant. Let it cool to room temperature.
- In a separate bowl, add all the dry spices, and set aside.
- In a separate, large big bowl, add hung curd or greek yogurt, ginger-garlic paste and the spice mixture.
- Add half of the roasted chickpea flour, until the mixture is thickened. This is the batter for the paneer and vegetables, so the thicker the batter, the better it will stick. If the mixture is too thin, add a little more chickpea flour
- Heat the 2 tablespoon of oil and add to the mixture and mix well. Add in 1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice
Marinate the Paneer and Vegetables
- Add the cubed Paneer, and vegetables to coat in the batter. The paneer is delicate so be gentle during the process.
- Let the paneer and vegetables marinate for at least 30 minutes (up to 1 hour).
Grill or Pan-Fry Paneer Tikka
- Take a skewer, and add green pepper, red pepper, onion and paneer. Repeat until each skewer is filled.
- You can also cook the paneer and vegetables directly on a pan without skewers.
- Pre-heat a pan or a grill on medium heat. Brush the pan with oil.
- Once ready, place the skewers onto the grill or pan.
- Cook each side for 2-3 minutes, until it starts to brown.
- Remove from heat, and serve immediately with your favorite raita, chutney and onions.