Paneer Tikka Pizza

Name: Paneer Tikka Pizza
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 32 min
Total time: 1 h 7 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 7 oz (200 g) paneer, patted dry, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes; 1 large (about 7 oz) (200 g) red bell pepper, seeded, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) squares; 1 small (about 3½ oz) (100 g) red onion, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) pieces, layers separated; 4 tbsp (60 g) thick plain Greek-style yogurt, full-fat; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; 2 cloves (8 g) garlic, finely grated; 1 tsp (5 g) fresh ginger, finely grated; 1 tsp (2 g) Kashmiri chili powder (or ½ tsp paprika plus ¼ tsp cayenne); 1 tsp (2 g) garam masala; 1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander; ½ tsp (1 g) ground cumin; ½ tsp (1 g) ground turmeric; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt; 1 tbsp (15 ml) mustard oil or neutral vegetable oil; 2 tsp (10 ml) neutral vegetable oil, for searing; 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter; 1 clove (4 g) garlic, finely grated; ½ tsp (1 g) garam masala; ½ tsp (1 g) Kashmiri chili powder or paprika; ¾ cup (185 g) tomato passata (plain strained tomatoes); ¼ tsp (1 g) granulated sugar; ¼ tsp (1½ g) kosher salt; 2 tbsp (30 ml) heavy cream; 1 tsp (1 g) kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), crushed between your fingers (optional); 1¼ lb (570 g) pizza dough, at room temperature, divided into two 285 g balls; 2 tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour, for dusting; 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil, for brushing the crust edges; 8 oz (225 g) low-moisture mozzarella, coarsely shredded; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped; 1 small (60 g) lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Charred, yogurt-spiced paneer, sweet peppers and red onion sit on a creamy tikka masala sauce under bubbling mozzarella. It's an Indian takeaway favorite turned into a crisp-crusted homemade pizza.

Prep: 35 min
Cook: 32 min
Wait: 45 min
Total: 1 hr 52 min
Makes: 2 pizzas (12-inch / 30 cm), 8 slices total

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the tikka topping
7 oz (200 g) paneer, patted dry, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes
1 large (about 7 oz) (200 g) red bell pepper, seeded, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) squares
1 small (about 3½ oz) (100 g) red onion, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) pieces, layers separated
4 tbsp (60 g) thick plain Greek-style yogurt, full-fat
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
2 cloves (8 g) garlic, finely grated
1 tsp (5 g) fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tsp (2 g) Kashmiri chili powder (or ½ tsp paprika plus ¼ tsp cayenne)
1 tsp (2 g) garam masala
1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
½ tsp (1 g) ground cumin
½ tsp (1 g) ground turmeric
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt
1 tbsp (15 ml) mustard oil or neutral vegetable oil
2 tsp (10 ml) neutral vegetable oil, for searing
For the tikka masala sauce
1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter
1 clove (4 g) garlic, finely grated
½ tsp (1 g) garam masala
½ tsp (1 g) Kashmiri chili powder or paprika
¾ cup (185 g) tomato passata (plain strained tomatoes)
¼ tsp (1 g) granulated sugar
¼ tsp (1.5 g) kosher salt
2 tbsp (30 ml) heavy cream
1 tsp (1 g) kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), crushed between your fingers (optional)
For assembly
1¼ lb (570 g) pizza dough, at room temperature, divided into two 285 g balls
2 tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour, for dusting
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil, for brushing the crust edges
8 oz (225 g) low-moisture mozzarella, coarsely shredded
¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1 small (60 g) lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

Equipment (7)

Pizza stone or steel, or an inverted heavy rimmed baking sheet (about 13×18 inches / 33×46 cm)
Large nonstick or cast-iron skillet (12-inch / 30 cm)
Small saucepan (1½-quart / 1.5 L)
Medium mixing bowl
2 sheets of parchment paper, about 14 inches (35 cm) long
Pizza peel or rimless baking sheet
Sharp knife or pizza cutter

Steps

Before you start

Take the pizza dough out of the fridge 45 minutes before shaping so it relaxes and stretches without snapping back.
Start preheating the oven first. The marinating, sauce and searing all happen while the oven and baking surface heat up.
Use full-fat paneer and thick Greek-style yogurt. Watery yogurt makes a runny marinade that steams the paneer instead of charring it.
Use low-moisture block mozzarella that you shred yourself. Fresh mozzarella releases too much water for this topping.

1
Preheat the ovenOven 500°F / 260°C
- Place a pizza stone or steel on the middle rack, or turn a heavy rimmed baking sheet upside down on it.
- Heat the oven to 500°F (260°C) and let the baking surface heat for at least 45 minutes.
- Start the marinade and sauce while it heats.
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Ready when: Oven reads 500°F (260°C) and the stone has heated for a full 45 minutes
Tip: A stone that hasn't fully heated gives a pale, floppy crust, so don't shorten this time.
2
Marinate paneer and vegetables
- In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon juice, grated garlic (2 cloves), ginger, Kashmiri chili powder, 1 tsp garam masala, coriander, cumin, turmeric, ½ tsp salt and the marinade oil into a thick paste.
- Fold in the paneer cubes, bell pepper and onion until every piece is evenly coated.
- Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes while the oven heats.
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Ready when: The paste clings thickly to every piece with no pooling liquid in the bowl
Tip: Fold gently so the paneer cubes stay whole rather than crumbling.
3
Simmer tikka sauce
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Add the grated garlic (1 clove), ½ tsp garam masala and ½ tsp chili powder and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the passata, then add the sugar and ¼ tsp salt.
- Simmer gently for 6 minutes, stirring often, until reduced to a spoonable, jammy sauce.
- Stir in the cream and the crushed kasuri methi, if using, and cook 1 minute more.
- Remove from the heat.
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Ready when: Sauce is thick enough that a spoon dragged through leaves a trail that closes slowly, and it smells toasty and spiced
Tip: A thin sauce makes the pizza soggy, so reduce it until thick.
4
Sear the tikka topping
- Heat the searing oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
- Add the marinated paneer, pepper and onion in a single layer, scraping in all the marinade.
- Cook undisturbed for 2 minutes, then turn and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the paneer has browned spots and the edges of the vegetables are charred but still slightly crisp.
- Transfer to a plate.
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Ready when: Paneer is golden-brown in spots, the yogurt coating has dried into a spiced crust, and the pepper edges are blistered
Tip: Work in two batches if the pan looks crowded. Crowding steams the paneer instead of browning it.
5
Shape the dough
- Dust a counter lightly with flour.
- Press one 285 g dough ball into a flat disk, then stretch it by hand, working from the center outward and leaving a slightly thicker rim, until it forms a 12-inch (30 cm) round.
- Set it on a sheet of parchment paper.
- If the dough springs back, cover it for 5 minutes and try again.
- Repeat with the second ball on another parchment sheet.
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Ready when: Dough is an even round about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick in the center with a puffy rim and no holes
Tip: Avoid a rolling pin, which squashes out air bubbles and makes a dense crust.
6
Assemble the first pizza
- Brush the rim of one dough round with half the olive oil (1½ tsp).
- Spread about ⅓ cup (90 g) of the tikka sauce over the center, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) border.
- Scatter with a quarter of the mozzarella (about 55 g), then arrange half of the paneer and vegetables on top, and finish with another quarter of the mozzarella (about 55 g).
- Slide the pizza on its parchment onto a peel.
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Ready when: Toppings are evenly spread with no bare patches and the border is clear
Tip: Don't overload the pizza. Heavy toppings keep the center from crisping.
7
Bake the first pizzaOven 500°F / 260°C
- Slide the pizza, still on the parchment, onto the preheated stone.
- Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 8 to 10 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden and the cheese is bubbling with brown freckles.
- Slide it out onto a cutting board and keep the oven closed.
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Ready when: Rim is deep golden brown, cheese is bubbling and spotted brown, and the underside is firm when lifted with a spatula
Tip: Check at 7 minutes. Ovens vary and the sugar in the sauce can scorch quickly.
8
Assemble and bake the secondOven 500°F / 260°C
- While the first pizza rests, wait 2 minutes so the oven recovers its heat.
- Assemble the second pizza the same way with the remaining oil, sauce, cheese, paneer and vegetables.
- Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 8 to 10 minutes using the same doneness cues.
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Ready when: Rim is deep golden brown and cheese is bubbling and spotted
Tip: Assemble just before baking. A topped pizza that sits on the peel will stick.
9
Garnish, rest and slice
- Let each pizza rest on a board for 3 minutes so the cheese sets.
- Scatter with chopped cilantro, cut each pizza into 4 or 8 slices, and serve hot with lemon wedges to squeeze over.
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Ready when: Cheese has stopped bubbling and the pizza slices cleanly
Tip: Squeeze the lemon over just before eating; its acidity balances the rich cheese and spices.

Good to know

Tips

Pat the paneer dry before marinating so the yogurt clings and the cubes brown instead of steam.
Keep the toppings relatively dry. If the seared mixture looks wet, drain it on paper towels before topping the pizza.
For more smokiness, finish the seared topping under a hot broiler for 2 minutes before topping the pizza.
Spread the sauce thinly. Too much sauce is the most common cause of a soggy center.

Make ahead

"Marinate the paneer and vegetables in the fridge for up to 24 hours, and make the tikka sauce up to 3 days ahead; store it covered in the fridge. Bring both to room temperature, then sear the paneer just before baking."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Fridge: airtight, up to 3 days. Freezer: wrap slices individually and freeze up to 2 months. Reheat slices on a baking sheet in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or in a covered skillet over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, until the crust is crisp and the cheese is hot."

Substitutions

paneer → extra-firm tofu or halloumi. Press tofu for 15 minutes first. Halloumi is salty, so reduce the marinade salt to ¼ tsp.
thick plain Greek-style yogurt, full-fat → unsweetened plain coconut or soy yogurt. Makes the topping dairy-free, though you'll need a dairy-free cheese as well.
tomato passata (plain strained tomatoes) → canned crushed tomatoes, blended smooth. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes longer to thicken.
pizza dough → two 10-inch (25 cm) store-bought pizza crusts or naan. Reduce the baking time to 6 to 8 minutes and add toppings without a stretched border.