Paneer Tikka Masala Recipe

When looking for a warm, comforting meal, Indian food offers a wide array of dishes that fit the bill. Known for its spices, Indian food is packed with flavor, and made with hearty ingredients that will leave you feeling satisfied. This paneer tikka masala recipe brought to us by recipe developer Miriam Hahn is one of those special recipes that you will want to make time and time again. 

"My favorite thing about this recipe is how flavorful the creamy tomato gravy is [when] paired with the marinated vegetables and roasted paneer that is toasted on the outside, and soft in the middle." Hahn shares. "It also tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to meld, making this a great meal prep recipe." Hahn says. Once sealed up in a glass container, it will last all week in the fridge, which is a win for busy families everywhere. 

There are quite a few ingredients needed for this recipe, but don't let that scare you — most of them are various spices. In terms of produce, you will need some fresh ginger, garlic, red and white onions, green pepper, lime, tomatoes, cilantro, and a lemon. Also, grab some paneer cheese, Greek yogurt, water, oil, and heavy cream. For spices, you'll need salt, sugar, coriander, chili powder, garam masala, smoked paprika, cumin seeds, curry powder, and turmeric. 

Chop the onion into quarters, and separate the petals. Chop the green pepper into large chunks, and the paneer into cubes. These are going to go on a skewer, so bigger chunks will work best. Grate the ginger, and crush 2 garlic cloves. Add ½ the ginger to a bowl, along with the crushed garlic, ½ teaspoon of salt, coriander, ¼ teaspoon chili powder, garam masala, smoked paprika, Greek yogurt, and lime juice. Add the cut veggies and paneer to the bowl, stir, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

While the ingredients are marinating, roughly chop the remaining garlic, white onion, and tomatoes. Grab a large frying pan, add the oil, and heat over medium-high. Drop in the cumin seeds, and let them sizzle for a couple of minutes, then add in the cut garlic, remaining grated ginger, and onion. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, until they start to soften up, then add the tomatoes, the remaining salt, remaining chili powder, curry powder, turmeric, and sugar. Cook for 10 minutes, then cool, and blend in a blender, or with an immersion blender. Set aside the tomato gravy for later. 

Preheat the oven to 400 F. "I like to line the baking tray with parchment paper for easy clean up. The marinade can be quite messy," Hahn shares. Remove the marinated paneer and vegetables from the refrigerator, and skewer them onto 4 metal or bamboo skewers, alternating the paneer, onion, and green pepper. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes, or until browned. That being said, you can also do this step on the grill, or on a grill pan on your stovetop.

While the paneer and vegetable skewers are cooking, pour the blended tomato gravy into a large frying pan or soup pot, and heat over medium. Add the water and heavy cream, and simmer for 12 minutes. Hahn tells us that you may not need the water if you prefer the gravy on the thicker side, so feel free to leave that out, if desired. After cooking for 12 minutes, stir in the chopped cilantro, and lemon juice. Once cooked, remove the paneer and vegetables from the skewers, and add them to the pan with the sauce. Simmer for another 5 minutes, then serve. For the finishing touches, you can optionally top with fresh cilantro or parsley, and serve with rice, and naan or pita bread for dipping.