Paneer Tikka Masala

Have you ever heard someone say, “Chicken Tikka Masala” and felt like you were transported to the kitchen of an authentic Indian restaurant?

It’s completely normal. In the West, Chicken Tikka Masala is undoubtedly synonymous with Indian cuisine.

Today, I present the vegetarian version, Paneer Tikka Masala, which is also very popular and can be found on the menu of most Indian restaurants.

This Paneer Tikka Masala recipe features a creamy sauce with tender pieces of Paneer that melt in your mouth.

I’m sure it will become one of your family’s favorite Indian recipes.

Serve it with Naan bread or any other Indian bread, and your guests will leave their plates so clean that it will be hard to believe that just 5 minutes ago there was a delicious Paneer Tikka Masala with its delightful sauce. 😊

What is Paneer Tikka Masala?

To explain what we mean by Paneer Tikka Masala, let me break it down for you:

• Paneer is Indian fresh cheese, similar to cottage cheese in its base form. It’s a firm cheese that doesn’t melt and has a consistency similar to tofu. It’s an essential source of protein for vegetarians. In India, it’s very popular, and numerous vegetarian dishes are made with Paneer.
• Tikka, in Hindi, literally means a piece or chunk. It refers to the various marinated chunks of ingredients that are threaded onto skewers and then grilled. In this case, cubes of Paneer are marinated and then skewered and grilled before adding the sauce.
• Masala refers to any spice blend. In this case, it refers to the creamy sauce prepared with onions, tomatoes, and spices.

So, Paneer Tikka Masala could be literally translated as “grilled Indian fresh cheese marinated in a creamy and spiced sauce.”

My suggestions for preparing a delicious Paneer Tikka Masala:

Preparing Paneer Tikka Masala is quite easy, but it’s not a quick recipe. Keep in mind that you need to make the Paneer and set aside some time for marinating.

To speed up the process, you can prepare the Paneer and the sauce in advance and store them in the fridge. This way, when you want to make the dish, you’ll only need to marinate the Paneer, fry the pieces in a pan, and add them to the sauce, and it will be ready to enjoy.

Paneer is obtained by curdling milk with lemon juice or vinegar. Making Paneer at home is very easy. You can find my Paneer recipe here. You can also find it in Indian grocery stores, but it’s so simple to make your own Paneer, and the texture will be much better than store-bought.

In the authentic recipe, the marinated Paneer pieces are cooked on skewers inside a Tandoor oven, which gives the dish its distinctive smoky flavor that is hard to replicate at home… unless you’re lucky enough to have a Tandoor oven.

Oven or skillet?

At home, you can cook the marinated Paneer in two ways: in the oven on skewers or directly frying them in a skillet.

Personally, I prefer the second option. Using a skillet makes it easier to control the cooking process. If you overcook it, the Paneer can become rubbery in texture.

What’s the best yogurt for marinating?

I recommend using Greek yogurt to marinate the Paneer. If you use plain yogurt, strain it in a cloth or fine sieve for 1 hour.

The sautéing process is key:

For the Paneer Tikka Masala sauce, it’s important to use good, ripe tomatoes. Homemade-style tomato puree is the best option. If you prefer to use canned crushed tomatoes, make sure to sauté them well with the spices. A good sautéing process is the key to this sauce.

Other ingredients:

Chickpea flour (Besan)

This is what we’ll use to coat the Paneer pieces for marination. Besan helps the yogurt and spices adhere well to the Paneer and prevents the cheese pieces from sticking to the pan when frying. It should be lightly toasted before use to remove its raw taste.

Kasuri Methi

These are dried fenugreek leaves. They are commonly used in Indian restaurants to prepare curry dishes. If you don’t have them on hand, don’t worry. You can simply omit them or purchase them online here.

Kashmiri Red Chili

Indian restaurants use red food coloring to achieve the bright red color in Tikka Masala. You can use Kashmiri Chili to give a nice color without making it too spicy.

Garam Masala

Homemade Garam Masala adds warmth and authentic flavors to this recipe. You can find my homemade Garam Masala recipe here.

Vegan Option

This dish is 100% vegetarian and gluten-free. You can easily turn it into a vegan dish by using tofu and soy yogurt. You can replace the cream with cashew paste or coconut milk to achieve a creamy sauce.

Here’s your recipe for Paneer Tikka Masala

Here’s the step-by-step preparation for your Paneer Tikka Masala

Marinating the Paneer:

-Cut the Paneer into 2 cm (approx.) thick cubes and set them aside.

-Heat a skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, turn off the heat.

-Without removing the skillet from the stove, add chickpea flour (Besan) and Kashmiri red chili to the skillet. Mix well and then remove the skillet from the heat to let it cool completely.

-In a large bowl, add this mixture, then add Greek yogurt, garlic and ginger paste, Garam Masala, black pepper, ground cumin, Kasuri Methi, and salt.

-Mix well with a whisk and add the Paneer cubes. Carefully mix to avoid breaking the pieces. Let it marinate for half an hour in the refrigerator.

Frying the Marinated Paneer:

-Heat a skillet with a little oil over medium-high heat.

-When the oil is hot, add the marinated Paneer cubes.

-Fry them until they get color on all sides. This process should be quick; otherwise, the Paneer can become rubbery. Just seal the pieces and then remove them to a plate.

Preparing the Sauce:

-Add a bit more oil to the same skillet. When the oil is hot, add bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and green cardamom.

-When bubbles form around the whole spices, add the thinly sliced onions and a pinch of salt.

-Sauté the onions over medium-high heat until they turn golden brown.

-Add ginger-garlic paste. Cook for a few minutes until the raw smell disappears.

-Then add turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili, ground cumin, and ground coriander. Add a bit of water to prevent the spices from burning and continue to sauté until the oil separates from the mixture.

-Pour in the crushed tomatoes or tomato puree and cook until the tomatoes are well blended with the spices.

-Add salt to taste.

-Pour in the heavy cream and simmer the sauce for a few minutes until it thickens.

-Add the fried Paneer to the Tikka Masala sauce and let it simmer for a few more minutes.

-Sprinkle with Garam Masala and crushed Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves) for garnish.

-Your Paneer Tikka Masala is now ready to be served! Enjoy it with Naan bread or Chapati.

Notes

• You can prepare the Paneer and the sauce in advance and store them in the fridge. This way, when you want to prepare the dish, you’ll only need to marinate the Paneer, sear the pieces in a pan, and add them to the sauce.
• For marinating the Paneer, it’s recommended to use Greek yogurt. If you use plain yogurt, let it drain in a cloth or fine sieve for 1 hour.
• For the Paneer Tikka Masala sauce, using good, ripe tomatoes is important. Homemade-style tomato puree is the best choice. If you prefer to use canned crushed tomatoes, make sure to sauté them well with the spices. A good sautéing process is key to this sauce.
• In Indian restaurants, red food coloring is used to achieve the bright red color in Tikka Masala. You can use Kashmiri Chili to give it a nice color without making it too spicy.
• After adding the Paneer to the sauce, do not cook them further. Simply turn off the heat but keep the container on the stove to allow the Paneer pieces to cook with the residual heat.

If you try out this Paneer recipe, don’t forget to leave me a comment or rate this recipe. I love reading your feedback and opinions to improve my recipes. And, don’t forget to tag me on my social media! Seeing the photos of the recipes you’ve all made is what I enjoy the most!

Related Basics

• Garlic and Ginger Paste
• Garam Masala
• Paneer

Imprimir receta : Paneer Tikka Masala

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Cuisine India

Servings 2

Calories 165 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the Marinade:

• 300g of Paneer (Indian fresh cheese)
• 2 tablespoons of chickpea flour (Besan)
• 1 teaspoon of Kashmiri red chili or red chili powder
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of garlic and ginger paste
• 4 tablespoons of Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon of Garam Masala
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon of black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of dried fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi)
• Salt to taste

For the Tikka Masala Sauce:

• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon of garlic and ginger paste
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cinnamon stick
• 3-4 green cardamom pods
• ½ teaspoon of turmeric
• ½ teaspoon of Kashmiri red chili or red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of ground coriander
• 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 200g of crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
• 100ml of heavy cream
• Salt to taste

For Garnish:

• ½ teaspoon of Garam Masala
• ½ teaspoon of Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

Instructions

 

Marinating the Paneer:

• Cut the Paneer into 2 cm (approx.) thick cubes and set them aside.
• Heat a skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, turn off the heat.
• Without removing the skillet from the stove, add chickpea flour (Besan) and Kashmiri chili to the skillet. Mix well and then remove the skillet from the heat to let it cool completely.
• In a large bowl, add this mixture, then add Greek yogurt, garlic and ginger paste, Garam Masala, black pepper, ground cumin, Kasuri Methi, and salt.
• Mix well with a whisk and add the Paneer cubes. Carefully mix to avoid breaking the pieces. Let it marinate for half an hour in the refrigerator.

Frying the Marinated Paneer:

• Heat a skillet with a little oil over medium-high heat.
• When the oil is hot, add the marinated Paneer cubes.
• Fry them until they get color on all sides. This process should be quick; otherwise, the Paneer can become rubbery. Just seal the pieces and then remove them to a plate.

Preparing the Sauce:

• Add a bit more oil to the same skillet. When the oil is hot, add bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and green cardamom.
• When bubbles form around the whole spices, add the thinly sliced onions and a pinch of salt.
• Sauté the onions over medium-high heat until they turn golden brown.
• Add ginger-garlic paste. Cook for a few minutes until the raw smell disappears.
• Then add turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili, ground cumin, and ground coriander. Add a bit of water to prevent the spices from burning and continue to sauté until the oil separates from the mixture.
• Pour in the crushed tomatoes or tomato puree and cook until the tomatoes are well blended with the spices.
• Add salt to taste.
• Pour in the heavy cream and simmer the sauce for a few minutes until it thickens.
• Add the fried Paneer to the Tikka Masala sauce and let it simmer for a few more minutes.
• Sprinkle with Garam Masala and crushed Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves) for garnish.
• Your Paneer Tikka Masala is now ready to be served! Enjoy it with Naan bread or Chapati.

Notes

 

• You can prepare the Paneer and the sauce in advance and store them in the fridge. This way, when you want to prepare the dish, you’ll only need to marinate the Paneer, sear the pieces in a pan, and add them to the sauce.
• For marinating the Paneer, it’s recommended to use Greek yogurt. If you use plain yogurt, let it drain in a cloth or fine sieve for 1 hour.
• For the Paneer Tikka Masala sauce, using good, ripe tomatoes is important. Homemade-style tomato puree is the best choice. If you prefer to use canned crushed tomatoes, make sure to sauté them well with the spices. A good sautéing process is key to this sauce.
• In Indian restaurants, red food coloring is used to achieve the bright red color in Tikka Masala. You can use Kashmiri Chili to give it a nice color without making it too spicy.
• After adding the Paneer to the sauce, do not cook them further. Simply turn off the heat but keep the container on the stove to allow the Paneer pieces to cook with the residual heat.