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A quick & easy meal that’s perfect for meal-prepping. Indian Fusion Paneer Tacos with Creamy Chipotle Sauce are delicious, juicy, and packed with flavor. The paneer is crumbled, then sauteed in an Indian onion-tomato masala, taco seasoning, and chipotle peppers. Step-by-step images are shown!
As much as I love tacos, I also love my desi flavors. I love creating Indian Fusion recipes that highlight my love for both Indian and Mexican food. These juicy paneer tacos are perfect for summer months and make an easy weeknight meal.
If you’re looking for another taco dish check out my Cajun Shrimp Tacos, Blackened Fish Tacos, Tandoori Tofu Tacos, Shredded Chicken Tandoori Tacos, or these Turkey Keema Tacos.
Table of Contents
What are Paneer Tacos?
Paneer Tacos are an Indian Fusion dish. Instead of making tacos the traditional way with either beans, chicken, shrimp, or fish, I simply added paneer.
Start by cooking the paneer with garlic, onions, tomatoes, Indian spices, taco seasoning, and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
Then prepare your easy homemade chipotle sauce using a small food processor. Literally, add all the ingredients in the food processor and whip it up. That’s it. The sauce is done!
Now assemble your tacos with a layer of paneer followed by some cheddar cheese. Bake it for a few minutes until the cheese gets nice and melty. Top with crunchy shredded lettuce, and chipotle crema. Garnish with onions and cilantro. It’s the perfect weeknight meal.
Why You’ll Love These Paneer Tacos
- Creamy & Crunchy
- Mouthwatering Delicious
- An Explosion of Flavors
- Perfect for Barbecue Weekend or Taco Tuesday
- Vegetarian Indian Fusion
- Gluten-free Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients for Spicy Paneer Mixture
- Paneer: Soak the store-bought paneer in boiling hot water for 20 minutes. Once done, crumble the paneer. I love Gopi brand, which you can easily find at your local Indian grocery store, Costco, or even Whole Foods. Other great brands are Sach Foods and Nanak.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: I love the La Costena brand for Chipotle Peppers. You can easily find them at any grocery store. I like using 2 large chipotle peppers chopped up, feel free to add less if you prefer less spice.
- Veggies: Tomatoes, Onions, Garlic – all chopped.
- Spices: Cumin Seeds, Garam Masala, Kashmiri Red Chili Powder (or paprika), Turmeric Powder, and Salt.
- Taco Seasoning: My favorite taco seasoning is Trader Joe’s – it’s spicy!
- Oil: I love using a high-heat oil such as Avocado Oil.
- Cilantro Leaves: Chop up some fresh cilantro leaves.
Ingredients for Creamy Chipotle Sauce
- Sour Cream: Sour cream adds a tang and richness to this sauce. Feel free to swap sour cream for Greek Yogurt if you wish. I recommend using full-fat or reduced-fat 2% Greek Yogurt.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: I love the La Costena brand for Chipotle Peppers. You can easily find them at any grocery store. I like adding 2 large chipotle peppers, feel free to add less if you prefer less spice.
- Cilantro Leaves: Chop up some fresh cilantro leaves.
- Garlic: You’ll need 1 clove of garlic.
- Lime Juice: You’ll need 1 tablespoon of lime juice.
- Salt & Black Pepper
- Water: Water is completely optional. I didn’t add any, but if you want a slightly runny consistency, add only 1 tablespoon of water at a time.
Ingredients to Assemble Tacos
- Cooked Paneer: Paneer that’s already been cooked.
- Chipotle Sauce: Homemade works best.
- Taco Shells: I love Whole Foods Organic Corn Taco Shells – they’re delicious.
- Shredded Romaine Lettuce: I just buy the pre-packaged shredded lettuce. I love the Earthbound Farm Organic brand.
- Cilantro Leaves & Onion: These ingredients will be used for the final garnish. Feel free to use red onions instead of white onions.
- Cheddar Cheese: Shredded medium cheddar cheese or sharp cheddar cheese both work for this recipe. You may also use shredded Mexican blend cheese, Pepper Jack cheese, or Colby Jack cheese.
How to Make Paneer Tacos with Creamy Chipotle Sauce
Step 1 – Cook Spicy Paneer Mixture
1. Heat up a Dutch castiron or large skillet on medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add oil and allow it to heat up. Then add cumin seeds. Cook for 30 seconds and the cumin seeds will sizzle.
2. Add onions and season with a little salt. Saute for 2-3 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
3. Now add the tomatoes and again season with a little salt. Cook for a minute.
4. Add the chopped chipotle peppers, taco seasoning, garam masala, turmeric powder, and Kashmiri red chili powder. Saute for 30 seconds.
TIP: Use canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. You can easily find canned chipotle peppers at Whole Foods or any regular grocery store. I love the La Costena brand for chipotle peppers.
5. Add 2 tablespoons of water to prevent the spices from burning. Cook for another 3 minutes.
6. Now cover and cook the onion-tomato mixture for 3-4 minutes until you have a paste-like consistency.
7. This is what you should have.
8. Add the crumbled paneer. Saute for a couple of minutes and break down the paneer until it’s all incorporated into the onion-tomato mixture.
TIP: If using store-bought paneer, make sure you soak it in boiling hot water for 20 minutes. This will result in super soft paneer. Then crumble it into the onion-tomato masala. DO NOT overcook the paneer!
9. Break down the paneer just like that.
10. Add fresh cilantro and turn off the stove.
11. You may need a tablespoon of water to deglaze the pan.
12. Your paneer filling is ready!
Step 2 – Make Creamy Chipotle Sauce
1. In a small food processor, combine all the ingredients – sour cream, garlic, cilantro, fresh lime juice, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, salt, and black pepper.
2. Pulse the ingredients for a few seconds until smooth and creamy. This is what you should have.
TIP: Water is optional! Add 1 tablespoon of water only if you want to dilute the sauce slightly, otherwise, you don’t need water.
Step 3 – Assemble the Paneer Tacos with Spicy Chipotle Sauce
1. Grab a taco shell. Add a couple of spoonfuls of the paneer filling.
TIP: I highly recommend using Whole Foods Organic Taco Shells for $3. They’re the best in taste, crunch, and ingredients compared to other brands that I’ve tried, including Trader Joe’s. In fact, Trader Joe’s taco shells were my least favorite.
2. Add about 3-4 tablespoons of shredded cheddar cheese.
3. Bake the taco in a toaster oven for 4-5 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted.
4. Now top shredded lettuce over melted cheese
5. Drizzle some of that creamy sauce.
6. Garnish with onions and fresh cilantro leaves. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
→ Enjoy Paneer Tacos with a side of guacamole and chips.
→ Mexican Rice (found in my 7 Layer Burrito) would be a great addition to these tacos.
Expert Tips
✓ Soak the paneer if using store-bought: Make sure you soak the paneer in hot boiling water for 20 minutes before using.
✓ Do NOT overcook the paneer: Once you add it to the pan, cook the paneer for 2-3 minutes max to avoid a rubbery texture.
✓ For creamy chipotle sauce: Do NOT add additional water. If you want slightly more runny sauce, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time.
Substitutions
- Hard Taco Shells – instead of hard taco shells, you may use soft corn tortillas.
- Paneer – instead of paneer, you can use tofu. I recommend using firm or extra-firm tofu.
- Vegan – if you are vegan, replace paneer with tofu. Additionally, for the creamy chipotle sauce and cheese, use non-dairy alternatives.
- Romaine Lettuce – You may substitute purple cabbage for lettuce.
Storage
- Paneer can be stored in an airtight glass container for up to 4 days. Paneer can be microwaved for a minute once you’re ready to use.
- Chipotle Sauce can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
- The veggies can also be stored in individual airtight glass containers.
Frequently Asked Questions
No! This recipe is vegetarian, not vegan.
Yes! This recipe is gluten-free since the taco shells are gluten-free.
Absolutely! I have a delicious Paneer Tikka Quesadilla recipe on the blog, however if you can always use this paneer filling along with cheddar cheese and add them to flour tortillas.
Canned black beans that have been drained and rinsed would be a great addition to these paneer tacos. Not only do they add protein, but you’ll also get a good amount of fiber.
More Taco Recipes
Tacos, Burritos & Enchiladas
Cajun Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce
Tacos, Burritos & Enchiladas
Keema Tacos (gluten-free, dairy-free option)
Tried this recipe? If so, please leave a comment & rate this recipe. That would mean so much to me. If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I’m happy to share and mention you. Thank you!
Paneer Tacos with Creamy Chipotle Sauce
Ingredients
for paneer mixture
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3-4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 cup tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tsp taco seasoning
- 1/4 tsp haldi
- 1/2 tsp kashmiri lal mirch, or paprika
- 2 tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
- salt to taste
- 225 grams paneer, crumbled
- 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
for chipotle sauce
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons cilantro
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1/8 tsp salt
- pinch of black pepper
- 1 tbsp water, optional
to assemble each taco (makes 8)
- 1 taco shell, you'll need 8 shells total
- 2 spoonfuls of paneer mixture
- 3 tbsp cheddar cheese, shredded, you'll need 1 1/2 cups total
- 1/3-1/2 cup romaine lettuce, shredded, you'll need 4 cups total
- 1 tbsp chipotle sauce
- few cilantro leaves
- few chopped onions
Instructions
Step 1 – Cook Spicy Paneer Mixture
- Heat up a Dutch castiron or large skillet on medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add oil and allow it to heat up. Then add cumin seeds. Cook for 30 seconds and the cumin seeds will sizzle.
- Add onions and season with a little salt. Saute for 2-3 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
- Now add the tomatoes and again season with a little salt. Cook for a minute.
- Add the chopped chipotle peppers, taco seasoning, garam masala, turmeric powder, and Kashmiri red chili powder. Saute for 30 seconds.
- TIP: Use canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. You can easily find canned chipotle peppers at Whole Foods or any regular grocery store. I love the La Costena brand for chipotle peppers.
- Add 2 tablespoons of water to prevent the spices from burning. Cook for another 3 minutes.
- Now cover and cook the onion-tomato mixture for 3-4 minutes until you have a paste-like consistency.
- This is what you should have.
- Add the crumbled paneer. Saute for a couple of minutes and break down the paneer until it’s all incorporated into the onion-tomato mixture.
- TIP: If using store-bought paneer, make sure you soak it in boiling hot water for 20 minutes. This will result in super soft paneer. Then crumble it. DO NOT overcook the paneer!
- Break down the paneer just like that.
- Add fresh cilantro and turn off the stove.
- You may need a tablespoon of water to deglaze the pan.
- Your paneer filling is ready!
Step 2 – Make Creamy Chipotle Sauce
- In a small food processor, combine all the ingredients – sour cream, garlic, cilantro, fresh lime juice, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, salt, and black pepper.
- Pulse the ingredients for a few seconds until smooth and creamy. This is what you should have.
- TIP: Water is optional! Add 1 tablespoon of water only if you want to dilute the sauce slightly, otherwise, you don’t need water.
Step 3 – Assemble the Paneer Tacos with Spicy Chipotle Sauce
- Grab a taco shell. Add a couple of spoonfuls of the paneer filling.
- Add about 3-4 tablespoons of shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake the taco in a toaster oven for 4-5 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted.
- Now top shredded lettuce over melted cheese
- Drizzle some of that creamy sauce.
- Garnish with onions and fr
Notes
- Soak the paneer if using store-bought: Make sure you soak the paneer in hot boiling water for 20 minutes before using.
- Do NOT overcook the paneer: Once you add it to the pan, cook the paneer for 2-3 minutes max to avoid a rubbery texture.
- For creamy chipotle sauce: Do NOT add additional water. If you want slightly more runny sauce, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time.
- Vegan: Rplace paneer with tofu. Additionally, for the creamy chipotle sauce and cheese, use non-dairy alternatives.
Love the recipe. Thank you for sharing!
Anupa – so glad to hear that. 🙂
If I have to make it in a regular oven (since I don’t have a toaster oven), how can I do that?