Indulge in the delightful flavors of Achari Paneer Tikka with our step-by-step guide to creating this irresistible appetizer. Crafted with paneer cubes skewered in a spicy pickled marinade, our recipe ensures a smoky, grilled finish that will leave your family and friends craving more.
Sit down and enjoy an easy and delicious restaurant-style appetizer right in the comfort of your own home!
Don’t these tikkas look delicious? This is one of my favorite recipes to make over the weekend because the weekend calls for something yummy, and not to mention, these achari tikkas are super yummy and addicting!
Best of all, these achari tikkas taste just like the ones they serve at your favorite restaurant!
So, let’s get ready to fire up the grill and discover the ultimate restaurant-style paneer tikka experience at home today!
What is Achari Paneer tikka?
Paneer tikka is a famous North-Indian appetizer! In this term, Achari paneer tikka, paneer refers to Indian cottage cheese, achar means a pickling spice blend, and tikka indicates pieces of meat or vegetables marinated in spices.
Collectively, it translates to cubes of paneer enveloped in a spicy pickled marinade, then grilled to smoky-flavored perfection. Onion, bell peppers, and other vegetables are also added while cooking paneer on skewers.
So, if you are craving for an easy way to transform your weekend menu, these paneer tikkas are the perfect recipe for you.
Reasons You’ll ♡ Achari Paneer Tikka
Are you looking to add some smoky flavor to your paneer? Look no further than this Achari paneer tikka! You will love this recipe for many reasons like —
- Super easy to make
- Flavorful, spicy, and tangy
- Incredibly delicious and grilled to perfection
- Can be Air-fried for a healthier version, and
- A perfect crowd-pleaser!
Perfectly crispy from the outside with a melt-in-mouth texture inside, this paneer tikka is a kid-friendly recipe that is entirely mess-free and, therefore, easy to carry.
You can prepare tandoori paneer tikka to serve your family or a large party crowd.
Furthermore, these tikkas are versatile, too – you can grill them with almost any vegetable you like.
Achari paneer tikka recipe Ingredient List
Detailed measurements and step-by-step instructions can be found on a recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Paneer — This is the star ingredient of the Achari Paneer Tikka recipe, so I prefer using homemade fresh and soft paneer. You can cut the paneer into thick cubes, long slices, or whichever shape entices you the most.
Ginger and garlic paste — The ginger and garlic paste renders the intense flavors that make the recipe irresistible.
Yogurt — Thick, hung curd or yogurt is preferred for the marinade as it helps it stick properly to the paneer tikkas.
Lemon Juice — Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds a tangy taste and combines all the flavors.
Mustard oil — Besides its health benefits, it adds a unique flavor.
Besan — Dry roast the besan and add it to the paneer tikka. Roasted besan will give tikkas a lovely rich nutty flavor. Dry roast the besan (chickpea flour) on medium-low heat for 10-12 minutes or until slightly brown.
Butter — for basting.
Onion + Bell peppers — Cut into cubes; bell peppers and onions are used for threading between Achari paneer tikka.
Seasonings — Salt and degi mirch. Degi mirch adds a mild heat but lends a deep red-orangish color to our tikkas.
Achari Masala — A blend of mustard seeds, degi mirch, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, onion seeds, and methi dana delivers incredible flavors and aromas to the recipe.
Achari paneer tikka Recipe Tips and Variations
Size of the paneer — Uniform-size paneer are quick to cook and speed up the process of making this recipe.
Mustard oil for intense taste — It will deliver a robust and somewhat peppery taste to the achari paneer tikka; therefore, use it for optimum flavor.
Use hung curd for marination — Thick hung curd or yogurt allows the marinade to stick properly to the potatoes and prevents them from falling off during baking. Watery curd used for marination will not let the marinade stick to the paneer and proves to be a failed attempt. Therefore, always use thick curd and avoid watery curd for marination.
Quality of paneer — When it comes to the best protein alternatives for vegetarians, paneer is a popular choice. Use the best quality paneer to make achari paneer tikka. The one that is slightly firm and doesn’t crumble easily. You can use homemade paneer or store-bought paneer for this recipe. I have used store-bought paneer as the soft homemade paneer may crumble while slicing. To use the store-bought paneer in this recipe, rinse the paneer properly under tap water and pat it dry with a kitchen towel. Now, place the paneer block into lukewarm water for about 5 minutes to let it soften. Avoid soaking it for long; otherwise, it will crumble while slicing.
Taste the marination mix — To check if the marinade has robust tandoori flavors and the desired spiciness, you should taste the marinade mixture after you mix it. If you feel it lacks flavor or spiciness, you can conveniently fix them.
Adjust the spiciness — This recipe, as written, is moderately spiced. However, you can adjust the spice level to your liking by adding more or fewer chilies and spices.
Cut thick cubes of onion and peppers — As onions and peppers cook faster and may get easily burnt, make sure to cut them into thick cubes to avoid burning or overcooking.
Veg Alternatives — You may add any veggies of your choice to the marinade, making an excellent tandoori bite. I have used the standard ones like onion and peppers, while you can consider zucchini slices, cherry tomatoes, squashes, or mushrooms, which make a great addition!
For proper infusion of flavors — Marinating helps adequate flavors into the ingredients; therefore, always marinate the potatoes for at least an hour before threading them on wooden skewers. Marinating for a longer time ensures the deepening of flavors too.
Choice of skewers — Wooden or metal skewers work great for baking the tandoori aloo tikka. However, you need to be a little vigilant when using wooden ones. Make sure to dip the wooden skewers in water for an hour before baking to avoid burning. If you are baking the potatoes in an Air-fryer, you may use small metal skewers (that fit in your air fryer) to save the hassle.
Not a fan of smoky flavor? You can skip the dunghar method (charcoal flavor) that adds a smoky flavor to the achari paneer tikka recipe if you are not a fan of the smoky flavor. The rest of the recipe instructions remain the same.
Bake it as you like — This recipe can be prepared over the stovetop, in the oven, and over the grill too. So, you may resort to any method of cooking you like.
Turning it vegan is easy — Swap the regular milk yogurt with any plant-based yogurt like coconut milk yogurt or almond milk yogurt, and paneer with tofu, and you have a vegan recipe to relish upon! Just make sure you press the tofu first to remove any moisture.
Not a fan of achari flavor? You can swap the achari masala with 1.5 teaspoons of garam masala powder and go ahead with the rest of the ingredients to make the regular paneer tikka.
Broiling — Do not leave the tikkas unattended while broiling. Broiling uses high heat from a direct flame to char the food; therefore, keep a close watch on the tikkas to prevent it from burning.
When using frozen paneer —Frozen paneer needs to be thawed over the kitchen counter to soften before it is sliced. After thawing, place it in a warm water bath for about 10 minutes. Remove it from the water and pat it dry with the kitchen towel. It is ready for slicing now.
Overcooking — Paneer is a cheese; hence it doesn’t require longer cooking times. Over-cooking will make the tikkas chewy, dry, and unappetizing, so refrain from overcooking them.
Baking without skewers — These achari panner tikkas do not necessarily need to be baked on skewers. You can also bake them without the skewers. Just arrange the marinated paneer cubes in an air-fryer or baking tray, and bake them as mentioned.
Let me know what you think!
Get ready to tantalize your taste buds with this mouthwatering Achari Paneer Tikka recipe! These achari paneer tikkas are perfect for a party or a get-together. They are so good that it will leave your guests craving more.
Trust me; your family will be praising your skills once they eat these grilled paneer tikkas.
Should you make this Achari Paneer Tikka recipe, please let me know your thoughts by sharing your comment below. And don’t forget to share it with your family and friends.
CRAVING FOR MORE, TRY other lip-smacking appetizers!
Follow the step-by-step instructions below to make the best Achari Paneer Tikka Recipe
Achari Paneer Tikka
INGREDIENTS
PANEER MARINATION
- 500 grams Paneer
- 1 teaspoon Ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon Garlic paste
- ¼ cup Yogurt (thick hung curd)
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1½ tablespoons Aachar Masala (recipe listed below)
- ½ teaspoon Deggi Mirch Powder
- ½ tablespoon Mustard oil
- 2 tablespoons Besan dry roasted
- 1 tablespoon Butter (for Basting)
- 1 small Onion, cubed peeled, rinsed and cubed
- 1 small Red Bell pepper rinsed and cubed
- – – Salt to taste
ACHAR MASALA – COMBINE AND GROUND INTO A FINE POWDER
- 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon Deggi Mirch
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon Saunf (Fennel seeds)
- ½ teaspoon Nigella seeds
- ½ teaspoon Carom seeds
- ½ teaspoon Methi dana (Fenugreek seeds)
- ⅛ teaspoon Hing/ Asafoetida
INSTRUCTIONS
- Slice paneer into 1-inch cubes. Set aside.
PREPARE ACHARI MARINADE
- Combine yogurt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth and lump-free. Add ginger-garlic paste and lemon juice to the bowl. Pour in mustard oil, salt, degi mirch, and achari masala.Whisk all the ingredients until well blended. There are no lumps in the mixture.
- Add roasted besan to the marinade mixture. Pour the marinade mixture over the paneer cubes. Rub the marinate well so that it coats all the paneer cubes evenly. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let the paneer tikka marinate for an hour. Let it rest and soak in all the flavorful spices.
ASSEMBLING THE PANEER TIKKAS
- While the paneer is marinating, slice the veggies of your choice into 1-inch cubes.Remove the paneer from the refrigerator and unwrap it. Gently toss the veggies to coat in the marinade. Set it aside.
- Place a steel bowl on top of the achari paneer tikka. Heat 2 pieces of charcoal over direct heat until red hot. With the help of tongs, carefully drop the burning charcoal in that bowl.
- Pour two teaspoons of ghee on top of the charcoal. The charcoal will start to emit smoke. Immediately cover the bowl with a glass lid and let the paneer tikka soak in all that smoky flavors for about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Skewer pieces of marinated paneer on each of the skewers, alternating it with slices of bell pepper and onion.
- Arrange all the prepared paneer tikka skewers on a baking sheet. Spray or brush the achari paneer tikka with oil or ghee.
- Bake at 450 degrees F for 5-6 minutes. Then switch the setting to broil and broil the achari paneer tikkas for 3-4 minutes or until the tikkas look slightly charred, watching it the whole time.Remove from the oven when the tikkas start to get slightly brown around the edges.
- Generously brush with butter. Sprinkle some chaat masala and serve hot with cilantro chutney and onion rings.
VIDEO
RECIPE NOTES
- Wraps
- On a pizza as a topping
- Crumble the leftovers and use in a paratha
I just have to say – it is very very good. the taste of achari masala was something you could feel in your taste buds. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for stopping by Bindu! Glad you liked it 🙂
New to your blog. After browsing, settled for this recipe… Tried it with your method and great paneer tikka. Something new and innovative. My family loved its achari taste. A quick question, can I make this in left over aam ka achar masala? I love fast cooking and was thinking of shortcuts. Thanks for sharing and ur recipes are awesome.
First of all welcome to the blog Dana! Thanks for trying the recipe. Glad you liked it. I have not tried this recipe with homemade achar masala because I think homemade achar has a very strong flavor that can overpower the whole dish. Hope that helps!!
Tried this one ..taste was really good but somehow paneer pieces were breaking down while skewing
Thanks for trying the recipe Pooja, glad you liked. If the paneer pieces were thin, they will break on skewers.
Any way to uncool the marinated paneer and veggies on the stove top so that the achari paneer & veggie filling can be used in kathi rolls? Would like to skip the skewering & using oven. Please let me know.
Sure you can cook marinated paneer on a cooktop.
Use a heavy bottomed pan, add oil and add the paneer pieces.
Cook until the marination is thoroughly cooked, turning occasionally.
Thank you!
You are welcome!
Sorry meant to say ‘cook’ not ‘uncool’ not sure how I mistyped that..your recipes are definitely cool 😎 and hot 🔥
Thanks, dear. 🙂