Paneer or Indian cottage cheese is a powerhouse of protein. No hearty vegetarian meal is complete without these inch cubes of paneer at an Indian restaurant. No wonder it is a huge product for every supermarket including Costco and Indian grocery stores. It is a great option if you want to cut meat slowly. Simple ingredients transform completely with warm spices into a delicious appetizer. These chunks of paneer are easy to cook and quite versatile. You can make snacks, curries and even desserts out of it. Indian food can never be complete without this gem. Air fried paneer makes it a versatile snack for bento boxes.This easy recipe is a low-carb meal as it does not use any gram flour as used in the traditional paneer tikka recipe.
It helps me out when I do not have time to make my keto paneer tikka. I love making this for my toddler when he is back from play center. It cooks fast. He loves his tandoori paneer tikka recipe and tofu nuggets so this helps me as a snack in his bento box too. Also, helps him with protein intake. This was inspired by my other recipe air fried tofu and it pairs well with a simple dal tadka recipe.
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Ingredients
- paneer (soak hard paneer cubes in warm water for 15 minutes , drain the excess water . If you are using homemade paneer then this soaking step is not required )
- curry powder (can be replaced with a combination of turmeric powder and garam masala)
- red chili powder / paprika (can be replaced with black pepper)
- salt
- oil
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make air fryer paneer? (Recipe video)
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl add paprika, salt and curry powder(or seasoning of choice)
- Add oil to make a spice mix.
- Add paneer pieces to the spice mix bowl
- Toss paneer pieces and coat it evenly. Keep this aside for 30 minutes or more.
- Preheat your air fryer at 180 deg C | 355 deg F for 5 minutes.
- Line up the paneer pieces in a single later in the air fryer basket .
- Air fry the paneer pieces for 7-8 minutes for 180C|355F.
- Serve hot with mint chutney, tomato ketchup or barbeque sauce.
- Hint: Ensure you always preheat your air fryer and remove bits of earlier left overs.
Related recipes
air fryer paneer recipe
Equipment
- whisk
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 400 grams cottage cheese / paneer soaked in warm water if the paneer pieces are hard
For Marination:
- ½ tablespoon curry power ½ tablespoon curry powder can be replaced with ½ teaspoon turmeric and 1 tsd garam masala
- ½ tablespoon red chili powder or as per taste
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon olive oil + extra oil for brushing (replace with any cooking oil)
Instructions
Steps to marinate paneer pieces
- In a mixing bowl add paprika, salt and curry powder(or seasoning of choice) along with oil to make a spice mix.
- Toss cottage cheese pieces and coat it evenly. Keep this aside for 30 minutes or more.
- Preheat your air fryer at 180 deg C | 355 deg F for 5 minutes.
- Line up the paneer pieces in a single later in the air fryer.
- Air fry the paneer pieces for 7-8 minutes for 180C|355F.
- Serve hot with green chutney, tomato ketchup or barbeque sauce.
Video
Notes
You can make the paneer at home using the recipe given in a link or you can just buy it fresh from dairy or supermarket. Refer to our details post on making paneer at home here
Nutrition
Substitutions & Variations
- You can use firm tofu to make tofu nuggets or satay tofu if you are vegan.
- You can also use halloumi to make this recipe.
- You can use a grill to cook the paneer pieces on the cooktop.
- Add chili pepper flakes or harrisa paste / hot chili powder if you like it spicy.
- You can make the air fryer paneer tikka by marinating the pieces in a yogurt and chickpea flour with some bell peppers and onion slices .
- You can use a milder spice as per your taste.
- Sticky tofu is also another variation you will love making.
- Sticky paneer recipe and satay paneer can also be made by swapping it with paneer.
Storage
- Store them in refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- You can also freeze this recipe. Air fry it for 2-3 minutes before you serve.
- You can use the leftover pieces and add it to a curry to make paneer tikka masala.
Top tip
You can prep this recipe and store it in refrigerator or freeze it over time in an airtight container.
FAQ
Yes, you can pan fry it or air fry it if you want to avoid deep frying.
Yes, you can eat cubes of paneer raw as milk is boiled and then souring agent like vinegar or lemon is added to it. Best to check if it is made from pasteurized milk when making air fried paneer .
Conclusion: Air fryer paneer is a shortcut paneer tikka for weekdays when you do not have time to marinate the tikka. Just as delish as the original recipe!
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