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Paneer tikka masala recipe | How to make paneer tikka masala (restaurant style)

By swasthi , on December 12, 2019, 175 Comments, Jump to Recipe

Paneer tikka masala is a delicious, creamy & flavorful Indian dish made by grilling paneer & then simmering it in a masala gravy. Paneer refers to Indian cottage cheese, tikka is a small chunk of grilled food and masala here refers to a spiced gravy. So paneer tikka masala literally translates to grilled chunks of Indian cheese in a spicy gravy.

paneer tikka masala

Paneer tikka masala is a vegetarian version of the world famous chicken tikka masala. This vegetarian dish is always found on the Indian restaurant menus. It is usually served with Butter naan, tandoori roti, paratha, basmati rice or jeera rice .

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Paneer tikka masala served in restaurants is amazingly flavorful & uniquely delicious since paneer is grilled in Tandoor, a clay oven which imparts the best smoky flavors.

Making paneer tikka masala is a 2 step process.

Firstly, to infuse the flavors paneer is marinated with yogurt, spices & herbs. It is then grilled in a tandoor along with onions and bell peppers.

Secondly, a delicious and spicy onion tomato gravy is prepared. Then the grilled paneer is added to it and then garnished with cream.

Since we don’t have such tandoori oven at home we will have to grill the paneer either in oven or on a griddle or air fry them.

In this post I have shown all the 3 methods of grilling on the griddle on stovetop, in oven & air fryer. You can also grill it over direct charcoal grill and use.

More paneer recipes
Paneer butter masala
Paneer Makhani
Matar paneer
Palak paneer

Kadai paneer
Malai kofta
Chilli paneer

Preparation for paneer tikka masala

Marinade

1. To a mixing bowl, add the following ingredients:

  • ½ cup greek yogurt (hung curd, refer notes)
  • 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon kasuri methi
  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
marination ingredients for paneer tikka masala

2. Use thick yogurt or hung curd here. If you only have homemade yogurt, then add 1 cup homemade yogurt to a thin muslin or cheese cloth. Squeeze off the excess whey and hang it for few hours. Mix everything well. The consistency of the marinade has to be thick as seen in the picture below. (I forgot to add ginger garlic at step 1 so added it here.)

adding ginger garlic to marinade

3. Add cubed paneer to the prepared marinade. Optional – Dice half small onion to 4 pieces & separate the layers. Dice half small bell pepper as well. Make sure the size of onion and bell pepper are almost the same as paneer. Crunchy onions and bell peppers impart a great texture and aroma to the final dish.

adding paneer to make marinade

4. Mix everything well. Rest aside in the fridge until the tikka masala gravy is ready.

marinade for paneer tikka masala

Making gravy

5. Add 1 tbsp oil to a pan. Next add 1 cup chopped onions and saute them until transparent or light golden. Then add 1½ cup chopped tomatoes and 14 cashews. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt and roast all of these until mushy and soft. You can also cover and cook.

frying onions tomatoes in pan
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6. Then add all the spice powders mentioned below

  • 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
  • ¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • ¾ to 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
adding spice powders to make paneer tikka masala

7. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes until it turns aromatic. Turn off the stove, when you begin to get a nice smell of the masala.

roasted ingredients for paneer tikka masala gravy

8. Cool this completely and add to a blender jar. Pour ¾ cup water. To cut down the cooling time, you can also pour ice cold water to the jar and then add the mixture. But ensure it is not hot.

Pouring water to blend the gravy for paneer tikka masala
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9. Blend it to a puree. If you prefer a smooth curry, pass it through a sieve/ filter.

pureed onion tomatoes for paneer tikka  masala

How to make paneer tikka masala

10. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan. Optional – You can add any whole spices if you have – 2 cardamom, 1 small cinnamon piece or even 2 cloves.

11. When the spices begin to sizzle, add 1½ teaspoon ginger garlic paste. Saute on a low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until it turns aromatic & the raw smell goes off.

frying ginger garlic to make paneer tikka masala

12. Pour the onion tomato puree to the pan. Be careful it will begin to splash out of the pan, you can partially cover and cook. To adjust the color you can add more red chilli powder at this stage. I did not use more.

adding tomato onion puree

13. Pour ½ to ¾ cup water to bring to a desired consistency. Mix everything well and cook on a low flame until the sauce simmers well and thickens.

cooking covered

14. When the gravy is done, it turns thick & you will see some specks of oil separating on top of the gravy. Add kasuri methi (optional). Continue to cook for another minute. Taste test and add more salt if needed. Set this aside.

thick gravy for paneer tikka masala
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Grilling paneer

16. You can grill the paneer while your gravy is simmering. Option 1 – For the paneer tikka on stovetop : Heat 1 tsp oil in a wide pan on a medium high flame, place the paneer cubes coated with the marinade in the pan.

grilling paneer on tawa

17. Flip them to the other side and cook on a high flame till all the marinade dries up and the paneer turn golden. This takes only 2 to 3 mins. Set aside. Do not over fry them, as the paneer turns hard.

Optional if using veggies – In the same pan, Coat the veggies with the marinade and place them on the griddle. Cook till the marinade dries up. The veggies should look partially charred. Do not overdo else they lose the crunch.

grilling veggies for paneer tikka masala

18. Option 2 – If you have an air fryer you can also grill these in the air fryer at 390 F or 200 C for 5 mins. Brush them with the leftover marinade and then air fry for another 2 mins. The timings vary if lesser skewers are placed. Reduce the total time to 5 mins for 3 to 4 skewers. Also space them apart slightly so they don’t stick.

air fryer tikka for masala
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19. Option 3 – To grill tikka in oven, put them on to skewers alternately paneer, onion and capsicum. Bake in a preheated oven at 430 F or 220 C for 8 to 10 minutes. you may need to adjust the timing as needed. It depends on the size of cubes and oven too.

grilling paneer in oven

20. You may need to flip the skewer and then grill again if your oven does not have a fan.

grlled paneer

Adding tikka to masala

21. Add the grilled tikkas to the gravy. Gently mix. Make sure the gravy is thickened before adding paneer.

grilled ingredients in paneer tikka masala gravy

22. Pour 3 tablespoons cream and stir.

pouring cream

Garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves and slit green chilies. Serve paneer tikka masala hot with butter naan, roti, plain paratha or jeera rice.

paneer tikka masala recipe

Dungar for paneer tikka masala

To give a smoky flavor to the dish try using this dhungar method using charcoal. Please note that it could be dangerous doing on a gas stove. I suggest doing it out of the kitchen, using another source like a large candle.

  • Place a steel bowl in your curry so it is not immersed in the curry.
  • Burn a small piece of natural wood charcoal over direct fire holding it with a tong until red hot. Make sure it burns well so that it can release the smoke.
  • Take it away from the candle – place it inside the bowl. Add 1/2 tsp ghee or oil.
  • Immediately it begins to emit smoke.
  • Make sure charcoal is not touching the food. Cover the pan with a lid immediately. Leave it for 5 to 6 minutes. This infuses a smoky flavor to your dish.
paneer tikka masala gravy

Tips to make paneer tikka masala

  1. Use the best quality paneer to get softer chunks. I make my own following this homemade paneer recipe.
  2. Do not use sour yogurt as it can make the curry sour.
  3. If you do not eat onions, then you can skip them in the recipe.

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Paneer tikka masala recipe

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paneer tikka masala recipe

Paneer tikka masala recipe

Delicious paneer tikka masala prepared in restaurant style. This North Indian paneer tikka masala is rich, flavorful and great to serve on occasions with some paratha, naan or basmati rice. 
Pin Recipe Print Recipe

For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Servings4
AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )

for tikka

  • 250 grams paneer cubed
  • ½ cup greek yogurt (thick curd or hung curd) (refer notes)
  • 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste or crushed ginger garlic
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon red chili powder or paprika (less spicy kind)
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala or tandoori masala
  • ⅛ teaspoon turmeric (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt to taste
  • ½ small bell pepper (optional) (capsicum)(cubed)
  • ½ small onion (optional) cubed & layers separated

For masala gravy

  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 cup onions cubed (2 medium)
  • 1½ cup tomatoes ripe chopped (3 large)
  • 1½ teaspoon ginger garlic paste or crushed ginger garlic
  • 14 cashew nuts or almonds
  • ¾ to 1 teaspoon red chili powder (or paprika) less spicy kind
  • ¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (optional) (dried fenugreek leaves)
  • 3 tablespoons cream
  • 2 tablespoons coriander leaves (cilantro chopped finely)
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Instructions

Preparation

  • Firstly add ½ cup yogurt, ¼ to ½ teaspoon red chili powder, 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste, ½ teaspoon garam masala, ⅛ teaspoon turmeric & ¼ teaspoon salt to a mixing bowl. 
  • Mix well and taste test it. Add more salt if needed. Add paneer cubes & mix well to coat the marinade.
  • Optional – If using onions & bell peppers, then add ½ cubed onion layers & ½ cubed bell pepper and marinate well. Set this aside until the gravy is done.

How to make paneer tikka masala

  • Heat 1 tablespoon oil and add 1 cup chopped onions. Saute them well until transparent or golden.
  • Add 1½ cup tomatoes, 14 cashews, 1 teaspoon sugar and ½ teaspoon salt. Saute all of these well until the tomatoes turn mushy and soft.
  • Then add ¾ to 1 teaspoon red chilli powder & ¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala, Saute all of these for 2 mins, until the masala smells good & aromatic.
  • Cool this completely and add to a blender. Pour ½ to ¾ cup water and blend to a smooth puree.
  • Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add 1½ teaspoon ginger garlic paste & saute for 1 to 2 mins, until the raw smell goes off.
  • Lower the flame and add the onion tomato puree. (Careful as it may splash)
  • If needed you can optionally add more chilli powder to achieve a brighter color.
  • Pour ½ to ¾ cup water to bring this to a consistency.
  • Cover and cook until the gravy turns thick and you see traces of oil on top.
  • Crush the kasuri methi in your palms and sprinkle it. (optional)
  • Taste the gravy & add more salt if needed. Rest this aside.

Making paneer tikka in oven or tawa

  • Option 1 – To make on griddle. Heat a tsp oil in a wide pan on a high flame, coat each paneer piece with the marinade & place on the griddle. Cook on a high flame till the marinade dries up and paneer turns golden. Similarly place the bell peppers and marinated onions and fry until the marinade dries up.
  • Option 2 – Grill in oven. Preheat the oven to 430 F or 220 C. Thread paneer, onion, bell pepper to a skewers. Then grill for 8 to 10 minutes on both sides until golden and crisp.
  • Option 3 – Air fryer. If your air fryer needs preheating, you may preheat it for 5 mins first. Thread paneer, onion, bell pepper to a skewers. Air fry the skewers placed in a tray at 390 F or 200 C for 5 mins. Brush them with the marinade and then air fry for another 2 mins. The marinade has to partially dry up. Also adjust the air fryer time as needed.
  • Transfer grilled paneer tikka along with veggies & onions to the tikka masala gravy.
  • Pour the cream. Gently mix. Garnish with cream and coriander leaves.
  •  Serve paneer tikka masala with roti, butter naan or veg pulao.
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Notes

Notes on paneer tikka masala recipe
This recipe needs thick curd or greek yogurt. If you do not have thick curd then follow the below step and make it.
  1. To make the hung curd, add around 1½ cups plain homemade yogurt or curd to a thin muslin cloth or a clean handkerchief and tie it up. Hang it in the refrigerator for about 2 to 4 hours. Use only ½ cup of the hung yogurt.
You can also skip onions and bell peppers for the tikka. But grilled onions and pepper lend a nice flavor.

Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts
Paneer tikka masala recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 371 Calories from Fat 270
% Daily Value*
Fat 30g46%
Saturated Fat 13g81%
Cholesterol 57mg19%
Sodium 200mg9%
Potassium 262mg7%
Carbohydrates 10g3%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 13g26%
Vitamin A 770IU15%
Vitamin C 12mg15%
Calcium 360mg36%
Iron 1.3mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes!

© Swasthi’s Recipes

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Paneer tikka masala recipe | How to make paneer tikka masala (restaurant style)
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About swasthi

I’m Swasthi shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthis recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills.
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Reader Interactions

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Comments

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  2. Kirti Patel says

    December 16, 2020

    5 stars
    I & my family love it

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      December 17, 2020

      Glad to know Kirti,
      Thank You!

      Reply
  3. simran says

    December 12, 2020

    5 stars
    family loved it

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      December 13, 2020

      Glad to know!

      Reply
  4. Ramya says

    November 24, 2020

    5 stars
    Got the exact taste of restaurant paneer tikka, Swasthi. Gravy was really lip smacking. Thanks for the recipe

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      December 13, 2020

      Welcome Ramya
      Glad to know

      Reply
  5. Ana Singh says

    November 19, 2020

    5 stars
    This is an excellent recipe for paneer tikka masala!!! So delicious & flavourful. It has a beautiful sweet and tangy taste with the hint of garam masala. Even though the recipe uses a lot of chili powder in it it’s not spicy at all so if you like spicy you might want to add more. I had cashew puree in the fridge which I used up. I placed the skewers on direct flame for 2 mins before putting them in the sauce. Fantastic!! I had this last week & plan to make this soon for a family dinner. Totally delicious and authentic. Served it over basmati rice with salad. Thank you.

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      November 19, 2020

      Welcome Ana
      Glad to know! Thanks for leaving a comment.

      Reply
  6. F says

    August 29, 2020

    5 stars
    Funny thing – I tasted the gravy and said, “This is too sweet!” I tasted the paneer in the yogurt marinade and said, “This is too tart!” But when I had them together in my bowl with cilantro – it was just right!

    I think my cashews are different from yours because every time I use your recipe that calls for them, I puree them and just end up with chunks of cashews floating around, even after soaking. From now on I will make a paste first.

    Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      August 30, 2020

      Hi F,
      Glad it turned out good.
      I think it’s just the blender and not the cashews. Try using a good blender. If you cook Indian food often it is worth to invest in a small powerful blender. You can also pass the puree through a strainer but the cashews will be wasted. Hope this helps.

      Reply
      • F says

        August 30, 2020

        I started thinking that also. Thank you!

        Reply
  7. Sushmitha G Kini says

    August 19, 2020

    5 stars
    Very good recipies swasthi 😁

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      August 20, 2020

      Thank you Sushmitha

      Reply
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  9. Parvathy T says

    August 15, 2020

    5 stars
    Hi Swasthi..
    I tried this recipe and it turned out perfect… thanks alot. Your recipes are an excellent start for amateurs like me. Great going Swasthi..

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      August 15, 2020

      Hi Parvathy
      You are welcome! Glad to know!
      Thanks for leaving a comment
      🙂

      Reply
  10. Elizabeth says

    August 11, 2020

    Hi Swasthi,
    First, I just want to thank you for putting so much of your time and expertise into your site. This is my go-to place for all of my Indian cooking, and my family looks forward to every Indian meal I attempt to make. They rave about them, and my standard reply is, “I just follow the best recipes!”

    Second, I made this paneer tikka masala recipe and invited one of our friends over, and he LOVED it. Well, we all LOVED it 🙂 And it seems like the leftovers taste even better the next day.

    THANK YOU and I hope you can continue this website forever. And ever.

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      August 12, 2020

      Hi Elizabeth
      You are welcome! So happy to know!
      Thank you so much for leaving a comment.
      🙂

      Reply
  11. Valerie says

    June 17, 2020

    Tried it. It was a hit. Very well explained. Thank you.

    Reply
  12. Sandhya says

    May 16, 2020

    4 stars
    When we add ginger garlic paste directly to oil or butter it start splashing. Please advise

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      May 16, 2020

      Hi Sandhya,
      Don’t wait till the oil turns very hot. When it is slightly hot, add the ginger garlic. Also do not add the cold ginger garlic from fridge.

      Reply
  13. Leena says

    May 3, 2020

    5 stars
    Very tasty… Thanks for sharing this recipe

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      May 5, 2020

      Glad to know! Thank you

      Reply
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  15. Aaron says

    May 3, 2020

    4 stars
    Hi, I tried this recipe, I was really happy with how it turned out 🙂

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      May 5, 2020

      Thank you

      Reply
  16. Dharminder Sharma says

    April 29, 2020

    5 stars
    Best recipe, I am not a regular cook just tried first time in my life and it was amazing. My kids and wife were amazed with the taste and looks of dish. Thanks for the great recipe

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      May 2, 2020

      Hi,
      You are welcome! Glad to know your family loved it. Thank you

      Reply
  17. Gus says

    April 19, 2020

    5 stars
    Hi Swasthi
    Cooked your paneer tikka masala last night, it was absolutely amazing, such a delicious flavour. Thank you so much for sharing

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      April 20, 2020

      Hi Gus
      You are welcome! Glad to know it turned out amazing. Thank you!

      Reply
  18. Uma says

    April 15, 2020

    5 stars
    During this lockdown period, your recipes are a bliss. I have tried many of them and thank you for giving us those delicious ones. Paneer tikka masala recipe was awesome. Thanks once again. Stay safe and healthy.

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      April 16, 2020

      Hello Uma,
      You are welcome! So glad to know! Thank you so much
      Stay safe!
      🙂

      Reply
  19. sophie says

    April 2, 2020

    I want to avoid dairy. Do you think this would work with chickpeas instead of paneer, and coconut milk instead of yogurt? Or I could skip the yogurt part?

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      April 2, 2020

      Hi Sophie
      I have a recipe for chickpea curry. You can check it here – Chana masala. You don’t need dairy or even coconut milk.

      Reply
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  21. Shiva says

    March 29, 2020

    5 stars
    Your recipes are awesome, I have followed 3 to 4 dishes and it came really well.

    Keep going, thank you

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      April 1, 2020

      Hi Shiva
      You are welcome. Glad to know! Thank you!

      Reply
    • RV says

      August 5, 2020

      Hello,
      If I want to make this dish for 10 adults. How many servings should I be following?

      Reply
      • swasthi says

        August 6, 2020

        Hi,
        If you also have other sides, then just 2X, double the recipe. If this is the only one side, then triple it, 3x. Hope this helps

        Reply
  22. Arundhati says

    March 14, 2020

    5 stars
    It was really delicious

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      March 14, 2020

      Thank you!

      Reply
  23. Archana pahwa says

    December 21, 2019

    5 stars
    Nice I also cook same way but adding marinated pander gives it a great taste

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      December 21, 2019

      Thank you!

      Reply
  24. Keri says

    December 12, 2019

    Can I use curry powder here? If so how much? Can I just make this without the bell peppers. Thank you

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      December 12, 2019

      Hi Keri,
      You are welcome. I have never tried with curry powder but it should work. The quantity to use depends on how spicy your powder is. You can check on the package for instructions. If it is a milder one then use about 1 tbsp else reduce it. Once the gravy is done you can always add more powder if needed. You can also skip the bell peppers. But they add a aroma to the dish. Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  25. Tara says

    October 23, 2019

    5 stars
    Love this paneer tikka masala. Turned out awesome.Thank you.

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      October 24, 2019

      Hi Tara,
      You are welcome. Glad you liked it!

      Reply
      • Nikitha Shetty says

        December 23, 2019

        One of my all time favourite paneer dishes .

        Reply
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