Malai Paneer Tikka Recipe | Creamy Paneer Tikka on Tawa, Oven & Tandoor

Malai paneer tikka are for those who loves rich and creamy snacks. It is best for kids and people who don't eat spicy masala rich foods. If you have been looking for such a paneer tikka recipe you have come to the right place. Here I bring you the step by step guide on how to make malai paneer tikka recipe at home like restaurant style with very less ingredients.

What is malai paneer tikka?

Malai paneer tikka or paneer malai tikka is a creamy and mild in taste paneer tikka made by using a creamy yoghurt based marination with vegetables like capsicum, onion, bell peppers and tomato. Marinated paneer cubes are grilled or roasted with vegetables over charcoal fire till crisp golden.

Time required

The total time taken to make the malai paneer tikka is under 20 minutes which includes the preparation time of 10 minutes and cooking time of 10 minutes. If you cook in tandoor or pan then it take less than 15 minutes. Marination period is excluded here which is around 30 minutes to one hour.

What to serve with it ?

Green chutney is the best dip for this tikka as well. You can serve some lachcha onion along with green chutney with malai paneer tikka. Some fresh salads and tomato sauce can also be served as a side dish with this.

What to do with leftover malai paneer tikka?

You don't have to worry for the leftover tikka. You can refrigerated them in a air sealed container for upto 24 hours or more. Next day microwave then for 2 to 3 minutes and brush some melted butter and sprinkle chat masala before serving them. You can even use them as pizza toppings or use to make malai paneer tikka roll or wraps. Use them in rich creamy curry or gravy to make dishes like Shahi paneer or makhmali paneer. 

If you love malai paneer tikka recipe then I am sure you would love the recipe of chicken malai tikka as well.

Make ahead options

You can make the malai tikka masala marination in advance and keep refrigerated for upto three days in a air sealed container. Before cooking just cut the paneer and vegetables apply salt and pepper and marinate with this masala. Leave for 10 to 15 minutes to absorb the flavours. Similarly you can keep the marinated paneer for upto two days in a fridge. 

Malai paneer tikka

Ingredients required

• 200 gm paneer
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or hung curd
• 2 tablespoon fresh cream
• 2 tablespoon grated cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon green cardamom powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder or white pepper powder
• 1/2 teaspoon green chilli paste if you don't want to add pepper powder 
• Small pinch of chat masala
• Salt as per taste
• 1 medium size capsicum cut into cubes
• 1 medium size onion cut into cubes
• 1 medium size tomato cut into cubes
• 1 medium size bell pepper cut into cubes ( optional)
• 3 tablespoon cooking oil or olive oil
• Butter for busting
• Chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Steps to make the recipe

Step 1. Cutting paneer and shashlik

This is the first step to make any paneer tikka. You need to cut paneer and the vegetables in cube shape so that you can nicely arrange them to fit in a paneer tikka stick or shewers. 

First wash the paneer block nicely under water for one time. Then with a sharp knife cut  into small half inch width cubes.

Similarly cut the onion, capsicum, bell pepper and tomato into small cubes like the paneer cubes. These vegetables are collectively known as shashlik for paneer tikka.

Step 2. First marination

To make the paneer even more taste and flavourful add a small pinch of black pepper powder and chat masala and  mix with the paneer cubes evenly. Keep them aside to absorb the flavour. You can even add green chilli paste instead of popper powder.

Step 3. Making malai masala paste

Malai masala is mild, rich and creamy. Most of the Indian grocery spices like garam masala, red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder are not generally used to make this malai masala paste. As these spices can change the color of the malai paneer.

 To make masala,

• Take the Greek yogurt in a mixing bowl and add cashew nuts paste, grated cheese, fresh cream and green cardamom powder.
• Now add a small pinch of salt, black pepper powder and cooking oil. In place of black pepper, you can use white pepper powder also. 
• Whisk everything nicely so that the cooking oil get well incorporated with the masala. You can even add a small pinch of sugar powder to make the recipe little bit sweet in taste.

Step 4. Second Marination

Add the paneer and the vegetables in malai masala paste and mix carefully. Make sure all the paneer cubes get coated evenly from all sides. Cover and keep them refrigerated for minimum one hour or more to marinate and absorb  the flavours.

Step 5. Arranging Malai paneer tikka

• After the marination period is over bring the paneer and start to thread in wooden sticks or small shewers. If using wooden sticks then soak them in water for about thirty minutes to prevent burning while cooking.
• While threading the paneer first thread any one of the shashlik cube like capsicum or onion then paneer cube and then tomato or bell pepper. Add them in sequences as shown below.

Step 6. Cooking the Malai paneer tikka 

In restaurant malai paneer is cooked in a charcoal tandoor but you can use an Oven or a cast iron skillet or pan.

Using Oven

Preheat the Oven to 464 degree F (240 degree C) for 10 minutes and line a baking tray with aluminium foil.

Place the threaded paneer sticks on a baking tray and brush with some butter over the paneer. Now place the tray inside the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the paneer become crisp golden. Use the center rack and grill/broil mode for even charring without drying the paneer. Flip once and butter brush before last 2 minutes. Remove them and place on a plate.

 Sprinkle some chat masala and coriander leaves and serve hot with green chutney.

Makai paneer tikka without oven

If you want to make malai paneer tikka on pan then don't add the grated cheese in the marination as the melted cheese get stuck on the pan while cooking.

Heat a pan over medium heat flame gas with one tablespoon oil. When become hot lower the heat flame to low and place the paneer sticks carefully on the pan.

Cook for two minutes or until that side become charred. Rotate the sticks and cook them from all sides till become crisp golden.

 While cooking them on the pan, the paneer would release some moisture along with the marination. So don't get nervous. Cook them untill all the moisture evaporated and the paneer become dry. 

Chef's Tips: 

When cooking on a tawa, add 1–2 tsp besan or rice flour to the marinade.

This acts as a heat-activated binder and prevents the malai coating from sliding off.

Common Troubleshooting and remedies

1. Dry or Hard Paneer

• The Problem: The paneer cubes become tough, rubbery, or dry after cooking.
• The Remedy: This is often caused by overcooking. To keep paneer moist, use high-heat preheating (e.g., 240°C) to sear the outside quickly, and ensure you use fresh or high-quality paneer. If using frozen paneer, follow package instructions carefully before marinating.

2. Bland or Flavorless Tikka

• The Problem: The flavors do not penetrate the paneer, resulting in a bland taste despite the creamy coating.
• The Remedy: Marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes to 1 hour, or ideally overnight in the refrigerator for maximum absorption. Additionally, pre-season the paneer cubes with salt, pepper, or chaat masala before adding them to the main marinade, and sprinkle extra chaat masala over the finished dish before serving.

3. Marinade Sliding Off (Especially on a Pan)

• The Problem: When pan-frying (tawa method), the creamy marinade may slide off or release too much moisture.
• The Remedy: If you are not using an oven or tandoor, you must add 2 to 3 tablespoons of a binder—such as besan (gram flour), rice flour, or cornstarch—to the marinade mixture. This helps the coating adhere to the paneer during shallow frying.

4. Paneer Sticking to the Pan or Skewers

• The Problem: The paneer or cheese in the marinade sticks to the cooking surface, making it difficult to flip or clean.
• The Remedy: For the pan (tawa) method, omit grated cheese from the marinade to prevent it from sticking as it melts. For grilling, brush the skewers and the paneer with oil before cooking. In an oven, line your baking tray with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easier cleanup.

5. Breaking Paneer Cubes

• The Problem: Paneer is fragile and often breaks into pieces while being mixed with the thick marinade.
• The Remedy: Use a small silicon spatula or a spoon to mix the paneer and vegetables into the marinade very gently. Avoid aggressive stirring to maintain the structural integrity of the cubes.

6. Burning Wooden Skewers

• The Problem: Wooden or bamboo skewers catch fire or char excessively in the high heat of the oven or grill.
• The Remedy: Always soak wooden skewers in water for 10 to 30 minutes before threading the paneer and vegetables. This moisture prevents them from burning during the cooking process.

Malai Paneer Tikka 

By Mobasir Hassan

Published: Dec 16, 2025

★★★★★

4.9/5 stars (12 votes)

⏱️ Prep: 15m | 🍳 Cook: 10 | 🍽️ Yield: 2 servings

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Malai Paneer Tikka is a creamy, mildly spiced and juicy Indian appetizer made with paneer cubes, veggies and a rich malai (cream) marinade. Perfectly charred in a tandoor, oven, or pan.

Ingredients

• 200 gm paneer (cottage cheese), cubed
• 1/2 cup thick curd or hung curd
• 2 tbsp fresh cream
• 2 tbsp grated cheese
• 1/2 tsp green cardamom powder
• 1 tsp black or white pepper powder
• Pinch of chat masala
• Salt to taste
• 1 medium onion, cubed
• 1 medium capsicum, cubed
• 1 medium tomato, cubed
• 1 medium bell pepper, cubed (optional)
• 3 tbsp cooking oil or olive oil
• Butter for basting
• Chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Instructions

1. Prepare Paneer & Veggies: Cut paneer, onion, capsicum, bell pepper, and tomato into equal-sized cubes. Lightly season paneer with pepper and chat masala.
2. Make Malai Masala Paste: Mix curd, cashew paste (optional), cheese, cream, cardamom powder, pepper, salt, and oil until smooth.
3. Marinate: Coat paneer and vegetables in the masala paste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
4. Oven Method: Preheat oven at 240°C. Thread paneer and veggies onto skewers, baste with butter, and bake for 8–10 minutes until golden.
5. Pan Method: Heat oil, cook skewered paneer on low flame, rotating until golden. Cook until moisture evaporates.
6. Tandoor Method: Thread paneer and veggies on iron skewers, add a half potato at the end to secure. Cook in preheated charcoal tandoor for 6–8 minutes until charred.
7. Sprinkle chat masala, garnish with coriander, and serve hot with green chutney.

Chef's Notes

• For pan version, avoid cheese in marination to prevent sticking.
• Add a pinch of sugar for a restaurant-style mild sweetness.
• Use mustard oil instead of olive oil for a smoky flavor.

📊 Nutrition (Per Serving)

Calories	280 kcal
Protein	14g
Fat	20g
Carbs	12g

Recipe Category: Appetizer 

Cooking Method: Grilled 

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To cook them in a preheated charcoal tandoor you need long size iron shewers to thread the marinated paneer and the vegetables. Thread the paneer and vegetables alternatively one after q. And at the end thread half of a potato so that the paneer won't fall from the shewers when get cooked inside the tandoor. 

Now place the shewers inside the tandoor and cook till crisp golden. It will take around 6 to 8 minutes in a medium hot tandoor to cook the malai paneer.

                                   Video

Malai paneer tikka recipe video

Frequently asked questions

Difference between paneer tikka and malai paneer tikka