Published: Mar 31, 2021 · Modified: Jun 30, 2023 by Nisha · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

Hariyali Paneer Tikka (gluten-free, vegetarian)

5 from 4 votes

Hariyali Paneer Tikka is Indian cheese and veggies marinated in a flavorful green marinade and then grilled to perfection.

You had me at hariyali. Don’t you just love anything this green? Is it the color or the flavor? I think both!

These Hariyali Paneer Tikka Kebabs are delicious and made with literally no oil (except the spray kind to grill). They are bursting with flavor and grill perfectly on the stove using a cast-iron skillet or even on a barbecue grill.

What is Hariyali Paneer Tikka?

The word hariyali translates to green, thus this paneer dish is made with a green marinade. The marinade consists of cilantro, mint, green chilies, and lots more flavor spices. I personally love anything hariyali. You can add this marinade to tofu or chicken. It's absolutely delicious.

Can I make this recipe vegan?

Not exactly. Paneer is a cheese. The closest vegan substitute to paneer is tofu. If you use tofu, go for extra firm tofu. Just a reminder, the taste will not be the same.

Tips on making Hariyali Paneer Tikka:

blend all the ingredients under paneer marinade
add the spice mix ingredients to the marinate
add the marinade to the paneer and veggies
cover with plastic wrap and marinate paneer and veggies for at least ½ hour in the refrigerator
add the paneer and veggies to a skewer, but make sure to add the veggies closer to the end so it's easier to grill
for grilling: use a castiron grill skillet (cheaper option) or use a barbeque grill (bbq grill will work better since it's a flat surface. Make sure you get smaller skewers to ensure the perfect grill. I used long ones and they were slightly more difficult to grill - I had to press the paneer and veggies down slightly.

Hariyali Paneer Tikka is:

Flavorful
Delicious
Grilled
Not Oily
Healthy-ish
Vegetarian
Gluten-free

How to make Hariyali Paneer Tikka recipe step by step?

Soak Paneer / Make Marinade

1. Soak paneer in hot water for 20 minutes. This will help soften it.
2. In the meantime, prepare the Paneer Marinade: in a NutriBullet, add fresh cilantro leaves, fresh mint leaves, Fage 5% yogurt, salt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, green chilies, and turmeric powder.
3. Blend.
4. In a large bowl, add the cubed onion, red & green bell pepper into 1-inch cubes.
5. Prepare the spice mix : combine all the ingredients under "Marinade Spice Mix" below.

6. Once the paneer is done soaking, slice paner in half.
7. Then form thinly sliced cubes.
8. Transfer the paneer to the large bowl with the onions and peppers. Pour all of the green marinade.
9. Add the spice mix you prepared earlier.
10. Add besan (chickpea flour). Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Grill

1. Add the paneer and veggies to a skewer in the following order: paneer - red bell pepper - onion - paneer - green bell pepper - onion - paneer - red bell pepper - onion - paneer. Make sure you arrange the paneer and veggie towards the end of the skewer so it's easier to grill evenly.
2. Heat up a grilled castiron skillet on medium heat. Once hot, spray avocado oil spray. Place skewers on the grill and spray avocado oil all over. Grill for 5 minutes on each side.
3. This is what you should have. Keep rotating the skewer every 3-5 minutes.
4. Press the paneer and veggies using a wooden spatula to ensure everything cooks evenly. The end result should be grilled on the outside and soft on the inside.