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Air Fryer Paneer Tikka
If paneer tikka is the first thing your family orders at a restaurant, this air fryer version means you can have it whenever you want. It’s quick, it’s easy, and the paneer comes out beautifully charred every time.
This air fryer paneer tikka recipe gives you that smoky, charred flavour that you usually only get from a tandoor, and it only takes about 25 minutes. The marinade is a classic yogurt-spice base with mustard oil and roasted besan, which gives the paneer a beautiful colour and coating that crisps up perfectly in the air fryer.
We make this when we have people over, and it always gets finished before anything else on the table. It also works really well as a weeknight dinner with some naan and sliced onions on the side. If our air fryer chicken tikka is already a favourite at home, this paneer version uses a similar method and is just as easy to put together.
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Ingredients for Air Fryer Paneer Tikka
Paneer: Cut into 1-inch cubes. Fresh or homemade paneer works best as it holds its shape and chars better in the air fryer.
Vegetables: Onion, capsicum, and tomato, all cut into 1-inch cubes for skewering with the paneer.
Marinade: Hung curd, mustard oil, ginger-garlic paste, Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, chaat masala, garam masala, kasuri methi, and salt.
Roasted Besan: Added to the marinade after dry roasting for 2-3 minutes. It gives the paneer a nutty flavour and helps the marinade coat and crisp up in the air fryer.
Finishing: Fresh coriander, a squeeze of lime juice, and a brush of melted butter right before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Paneer is high in protein and calcium, and the marinade uses hung curd and minimal oil. Air frying uses significantly less oil than traditional tandoor cooking, where the paneer is often brushed generously with butter. So this version is lighter while still tasting just as good.
At least 15-20 minutes so the flavours have time to soak in. If you have more time, an hour in the fridge gives even better results. Unlike chicken, paneer won’t break down or change texture from marinating longer, so you can even leave it overnight.
Yes. Place the skewers on a wire rack set over a baking tray and bake at 220°C for about 15-18 minutes, flipping halfway. Brush with butter towards the end and switch to grill mode for the last 2-3 minutes to get some char. The air fryer gives a more even char with less effort, but the oven works well too.
Either the paneer was air-fried for too long, or the marinade didn’t have enough fat in it. The mustard oil and hung curd in the marinade keep the paneer moist during cooking. Make sure you’re not exceeding the cooking time, and brush with butter when you flip for extra moisture.
Richa’s Top Tips
- Roast the besan before adding it to the marinade. Raw besan will leave a floury taste on the paneer. Two to three minutes on low heat until it smells nutty and turns slightly golden is all it needs. This step makes a noticeable difference to the final flavour.
- Use mustard oil in the marinade. It adds a sharpness and pungency that regular oil can’t replicate. If you don’t have mustard oil, any neutral oil will work, but the tikka won’t taste as authentic.
- Cut everything into uniform 1-inch pieces. This ensures the paneer and vegetables cook evenly in the air fryer. Larger pieces won’t char properly in the time given, and smaller ones will dry out.
- Flip the skewers halfway and brush with butter. The flip ensures even charring on all sides, and the butter adds richness and helps the surface brown into those gorgeous charred spots that make paneer tikka look and taste as if it came from a tandoor.
- Finish at 200°C for the last 3-4 minutes. The higher temperature at the end is what gives the paneer those slightly charred, smoky edges. Skipping this step means you’ll get cooked paneer but not tikka-style paneer.
Storage Tips
- In the fridge: Store the paneer tikka in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The flavours hold up well overnight, though the charred edges won’t be as crispy.
- Freezing: You can freeze the marinated, uncooked paneer and vegetables for up to two weeks. When ready, thaw overnight in the fridge, skewer, and air fry fresh. Cooked tikka doesn’t freeze as well since the paneer can turn rubbery.
- Reheating tip: Pop the tikka back in the air fryer at 180°C for 3-4 minutes to warm through and bring back some of the char. Avoid the microwave as it makes the paneer chewy and the vegetables soggy.
Serving Ideas
This paneer tikka works as a starter, a snack, or as part of a bigger meal. Here are a few ways we enjoy it:
- With Mint Chutney and sliced onions: The most classic way to serve paneer tikka. The cool, herby chutney with the smoky, charred paneer is a combination that never gets old.
- With No Yeast Naan or Lachha Paratha: Wrap a piece of tikka in warm naan with some chutney and onions for a quick tikka roll.
- With Green Coriander Chutney: If you prefer something brighter and tangier than mint chutney, this one works just as well with the smoky paneer.
- As part of a spread: Serve this alongside our hara bhara kebab and veg seekh kebab for a proper vegetarian starter platter when you have people over.
Customisation Ideas
- Make it achari: Add a tablespoon of pickle masala to the marinade for a tangy, spicy version. If you’ve tried our achari chicken tikka, this is the vegetarian take on that same flavour.
- Try it with tofu: Firm tofu cubes marinated and air-fried the same way work really well. Press the tofu beforehand to remove excess water so the marinade sticks better.
- Add pineapple to the skewers: Chunks of pineapple between the paneer and vegetables caramelise beautifully in the air fryer and add a sweet, tangy contrast to the smoky tikka.
- Make a tikka wrap: Slice the charred paneer, stuff it into a warm roti or naan with some mint chutney, sliced onions, and a squeeze of lemon. One of the best ways to eat leftover tikka.
- Swap the capsicum for mushrooms: Whole button mushrooms or thick slices of portobello hold up really well on the skewers and soak up the marinade beautifully.
Did You Know?
Roasting besan before adding it to a marinade is a technique borrowed from Lucknowi kebab kitchens. Kebab makers in Lucknow discovered that raw besan leaves a floury, chalky taste on the surface of kebabs, but roasting it first transforms it into a nutty, flavourful binder that also helps the marinade crisp up during cooking. This same trick works in paneer tikka. The roasted besan creates a thin coating that chars and crisps in the air fryer, which is why this paneer tikka in air fryer gets those beautiful smoky edges that most home versions miss.
If you’ve been wanting to make paneer tikka at home but thought you needed a tandoor to get it right, this recipe is proof that you don’t. The air fryer handles it beautifully, and the whole thing is done in under 25 minutes. When you make it, come show me on Instagram @my_foodstory.
Watch Air Fryer Paneer Tikka Recipe Video
Air Fryer Paneer Tikka
Equipment
Ingredients
For paneer tikka
- 400 grams Paneer cut into 1 inch cubes (Cottage Cheese)
- 1 Onion cut into 1 inch cubes (medium sized)
- 1 Capsicum deseeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 Tomato deseeded and cut into cubes (optional)
- Chopped Coriander or Cilantro Lime juice for topping
For the marinade
- 3 tablespoon Besan chickpea flour
- 3 tablespoons Mustard Oil
- 1/2 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1/2 cup Hung Curd or Greek Yogurt
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder or Paprika
- 1 tablespoon Coriander Powder
- 1 teaspoon Chaat Masala Powder available at Asian/Indian stores
- 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi crushed
- 3/4 th teaspoon salt adjust to taste if needed
Instructions
- Roast the besan on a low flame for 2-3 minutes till it starts smelling nutty and turns a very light golden brown.
- Mix all the ingredients under marinade into a bowl and add paneer to it. Toss the paneer in the marinade till the cubes are coated well.
- Preheat the air fryer at 180℃ for 3 minutes.
- Skewer paneer cubes alternating with onions, capsicum and tomato (if using). This should make about 3-4 skewers.
- Place the skewers in the air fryer basket or tray and cook for 10 minutes. Flip half way through and brush with melted butter at the 5 minute mark. After 10 minutes, increase the temperature to 200℃ for 3 to 4 minutes till the paneer has a slight char on the surface. Serve hot with some naan, sliced onions, cream, and coriander. Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
This article was researched and written by Harita Odedra.
The post Air Fryer Paneer Tikka appeared first on My Food Story.
