Paneer skewers, also known as Paneer Tikka, are one of my favourite vegetarian recipes for summer or a simple appetizer, and these air fried Paneer Skewers with Green Chutney are the best! The skewers are made with chunks of paneer tossed in a yogurt-based marinade full of warm spices, and they are served alongside a mint green chutney.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Can be prepared ahead of time – The skewers and chutney can be made a day in advance, making them perfect for gatherings. Store everything in the fridge, and when you’re ready to cook, you can easily air fry, bake, or grill the skewers and serve them hot!
- Cooked in an air fryer – These skewers are cooked in the air fryer for an easy cleanup while not compromising on taste and texture.
- Easy to customize – Use any vegetables you want on the skewers. Some great options are mushrooms, a variety of bell peppers, zucchini or eggplant.
- Vegetarian Friendly appetizer or entree – These air fryer skewers are not only vegetarian friendly but are perfect for an appetizer or an entrée.
Ingredients For Paneer Skewers
- Paneer – I love the texture and thickness of paneer for skewers and any type of paneer will work.
- Peppers – Bell peppers or capsicums add a beautiful crunch and colour.
- Onions – For skewers, I love adding red onions for the sweetness, but you can substitute it for white onions.
- Spices – This recipe uses garam masala, coriander seeds, kasuri methi (fenugreek), tandoori masala, salt and Kashmiri chili for a little heat.
- Lemon juice – Use only fresh lemon juice and avoid using the bottled juice since it is too sour for this marinade.
- Garlic and ginger – Freshly grated ginger and garlic are a must for paneer skewers, as their freshness really extenuates the flavours of this dish. However, you can also use store-bought garlic and ginger paste for convenience.
- Yogurt – Any thick curd works, whether dahi (Indian yogurt) or Greek yogurt. But I would not recommend low-fat yogurt as the fats are required to thicken the marinade.
- Mustard oil – Mustard oil is my favourite for paneer tikka due to its unbeatable flavour. However, I don’t usually cook with mustard oil so my trick is to use a spoonful of mustard oil from a container of achar (south-asian pickle). So it’s basically a two-in-one, where you get mustard oil infused from the mangos and spices within the achar. You can substitute the mustard oil with extra virgin olive oil, but the flavours will not be the same.
Ingredients for Green Chutney
- Herbs – A bunch of fresh cilantro and mint. It’s a bit tedious, but remove the individual mint leaves from the stem, or the chutney will get bitter!
- Ginger and Garlic – I prefer to only use fresh garlic and ginger.
- Green Chili – You will need one green chili for spice, but you can omit it based on your spice tolerance.
- Yogurt – Any yogurt or curd works.
- Lemon Juice – Lemon or lime juice adds acidity and prevents the green chutney from oxidizing.
- Cumin Seeds – I usually buy pre-roasted cumin seeds. But if you prefer, you can use regular cumin seeds by dry roasting them in a pan for a minute. Alternatively, roasted cumin seed powder works as well.
- Salt – Adjust to taste. Table salt, kosher salt or Himalayan salt works great.
- Water – Use ice cold water to thin out the chutney.
- Sweetener – Use a bit of sugar or jaggery top balance out the flavours.
Step By Step Instructions To Prepare Paneer Skewers
Step 1 and Step 2: In a bowl, combine the yogurt, kasuri methi, garlic, ginger, mustard oil, garam masala, crushed coriander seeds tandoori masala, cayenne, and salt. Mix with a whisk.
Step 3 and Step 4: Add the cubed paneer, onions and bell peppers into the yogurt mixture and stir. Ensure that all the paneer and vegetables are evenly coated. Allow the paneer and vegetables to marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
Step 5 and Step 6: Soak your wooden skewers in water for 15 minutes before assembling. Depending on the length of your skewer, add an even amount of paneer, onions and peppers. I usually add about 2 paneers, 3 bell peppers and 3 onion pieces onto each skewer.
Step 7 and Step 8: Preheat the air fryer to 375 Fahrenheit. Place the skewers an inch apart in the air fryer basket. Either spray or brush the paneer with some oil and air fry for 5 to 6 minutes. Then flip the paneer, add more oil and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Avoid overcooking the paneer or else it will turn chewy.
How To Make The Green Chutney
Step 1: Wash the cilantro and mint leaves. Remove the mint leaves from their stems, and trim any long stems from the cilantro to avoid bitterness in the chutney.
Step 2: In a blender or food processor, combine mint, cilantro, garlic, ginger, onion, green chili, yogurt, sugar, salt, lemon juice, and cumin seeds. Blend for a few seconds, then add water and blend again until smooth. Adjust the water and salt to taste. Refrigerate the chutney until ready to serve.
What To Serve Your Paneers Skewers With
Air Fryer Paneer Skewers FAQ
How to fix a runny marinade?
If your marinade is too runny, add 2-3 tablespoons of besan (gram flour) to thicken it. Additionally, if the container of yogurt contains water, strain it in a sieve for 15 minutes to remove excess moisture.
Can I substitute the ingredients for vegan alternatives?
Yes! Replace the paneer with tofu and use your favorite vegan yogurt. You can also skip the protein and add different vegetables like zucchini or eggplant to the skewers.
What if I don’t have an Air Fryer?
To use an oven: Preheat the oven to 450 Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment. Cook the paneer for 10 to 12 minutes. Optional- broil the paneer skewers on high for 1 to 2 minutes to get a charred appearance.
On the stove: Cook the paneer in a frying pan and flip the skewer once it’s golden brown. You can turn it into a tawa paneer by placing the marinated paneer and vegetables directly into the pan without placing it on a skewer.
On the barbecue: Preheat the barbecue and place a foil paper onto the grill. Spray the foil with oil and place the paneer skewers onto the foil. Brush a generous amount of oil onto the paneer skewers. Cook until lightly charred.
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Paneer Skewers With Green Chutney
Equipment
- bamboo skewers
- air fryer
Ingredients
Paneer Skewer Ingredients
- 340 grams paneer, cut into 2 inch cubes
- half red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch cubes
- half green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1 medium red onion cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1/2 cup full-fat yogurt
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tablespoon mustard oil
- 1 tablespoon Kasuri methi
- 1 teaspoon tandoori masala
- 1 teaspoon crushed coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon grated garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
Green Chutney Ingredients
- 1 cup mint
- 1 cup cilantro
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 inch ginger, peeled
- 1/4 piece red onion
- 1 green chili
- 2 tablespoons full fat yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar or jaggery
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
Preparing the paneer skewers
- In a large bowl, add yogurt, salt, lemon juice, garam masala, cayenne, mustard oil, kasuri methi, tandoori masala, crushed coriander seeds, ginger and garlic. Stir well until fully combined.1/2 cup full-fat yogurt, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder, 1 tablespoon mustard oil, 1 tablespoon Kasuri methi, 1 teaspoon tandoori masala, 1 teaspoon crushed coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, 1 teaspoon grated garlic
- Add the cubed paneer, onions and bell peppers into the marinade. Stir until all the paneer and vegetables are evenly coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Soak the skewers in water while the paneer marinates.340 grams paneer,, half red bell pepper,, half green bell pepper,, 1 medium red onion
- Assemble the skewers by placing equal amounts of paneer, peppers and onions. Preheat the air fryer to 375℉
- Place the paneer skewers an inch apart into the air fryer basket. Spray or brush the skewers with oil and air fry for 5 minutes. Then flip the paneer, brush with more oil and air fry for an additional 5 minutes. Serve the paneer immediately with naan, cilantro chutney and pickled onions.
Preparing the chutney
- Wash the cilantro and mint leaves. Remove the mint leaves from their stems, and trim any long stems from the cilantro to avoid bitterness in the chutney.
- In a blender or food processor, combine mint, cilantro, garlic, ginger, onion, green chili, yogurt, sugar, salt, lemon juice, and cumin seeds. Blend for a few seconds, then add water and blend again until smooth. Adjust the water and salt to taste. Refrigerate the chutney until ready to serve.1 cup mint, 1 cup cilantro, 4 garlic cloves, 1 inch ginger,, 1/4 piece red onion, 1 green chili, 2 tablespoons full fat yogurt, 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar or jaggery, 1/2 teaspoon salt,, 1 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Notes
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 450 Faranehit and line a baking sheet with parchment. Cook the paneer for 10 to 12 minutes. Optional- broil the paneer skewers on high for 1 to 2 minutes to get a charred appearance.
- On the stove: Cook the paneer in a frying pan and flip the skewer once it’s golden brown. You can turn it into a tawa paneer by placing the marinated paneer and vegetables directly into the pan without placing it on a skewer.
- Barbecue: Preheat the barbecue and place a foil paper onto the grill. Spray the foil with oil and place the paneer skewers onto the foil. Brush a generous amount of oil onto the paneer skewers. Cook until lightly charred.