This colorful Paneer Naan Pizza is a fusion of flavorful pizza toppings with Indian flatbread that's generously topped with yogurt-marinated paneer and fresh veggies.
Enjoy this Indian pizza baked until crisp in the oven or air fryer for a delicious weeknight meal in under 30 minutes.
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Is there anything better than pizza? Yup, Indian Pizza!!
For me, it's the best of both worlds- big bold Indian flavors meet crusty and delicious pizza!
It's no secret how much my family loves paneer (including my meat-loving hubby 🙂 Dishes like Paneer Tikka Masala, Palak Paneer, Paneer Butter Masala, and Paneer Biryani are on rotation in my home. Now, we've added this Paneer Pizza to our repertoire.
Loaded with tandoori-style paneer and crisp veggies, this recipe requires minimal prep and comes together in 20 minutes using store-bought naan.
I assemble one naan per serving, then these individual pizzas are baked in the oven or air fryer to achieve crisp, charred goodness. It's a quick and easy vegetarian pizza dinner ready in no time!
Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
The quantity and topping measurements are good for four 8-inch naan/pita breads or two 10-11 inch cooked pizza bases. You may need to adjust the sauce and toppings to suit your needs.
Paneer: Paneer is a fresh, non-melting Indian cheese that's made from curdled milk and a fruit or vegetable acid, such as lemon juice.
You can make your own using this easy recipe for homemade paneer, or buy brands like Verka, Gopi, Haldiram, or Sach. Look for it in the cheese section of larger grocery stores, such as Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, or Costco
Yogurt: I prefer 2% Greek yogurt for this recipe, but whole milk will do as well.
Aromatics, lime juice & oil: Use fresh ginger, garlic, lemon or lime juice, avocado oil (or olive oil).
Spices: Commonly used Indian spices are what we need, including, salt, turmeric, Kashmiri red chili powder, ground coriander, garam masala, and chaat masala.
Pizza Sauce: There are four different sauce options to choose from - store-ready pizza sauce, a mix of ketchup and sriracha, cilantro chutney, or a combination of ketchup and cilantro chutney (my preference!).
Toppings: I love using sliced onions, peppers, shredded mozzarella cheese, and fresh cilantro. Feel free to switch up the toppings based on your liking. (Topping options mentioned below)
Flatbread: Use your favorite store-bought naan- garlic naan, whole wheat naan, or plain. Alternatively, use pita bread, lavash bread, flatbread or cooked pizza base work too.
Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Paneer Naan Pizza
This easy pizza requires a quick marinade and prep. Then, all you have to do is build and bake in the Oven or Air Fryer until crispy and golden!
Marinate Paneer
Marinate paneer: In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients listed for the marinade and toss in the paneer cubes. Keep aside while you prepare onions and peppers for topping (Pic 1).
Season Veggies: Toss the sliced onions and peppers with a pinch of salt, pepper, and Kashmiri red chili powder. (Pic 2).
Marination Tip: If you have the time, marinate paneer in the refrigerator from 30 minutes- overnight.
Assemble the Pizza
Pick your choice of sauce (see choices in recipe card) and spread about one tablespoon or more on the naan.
Using a pastry brush or the back of a wide spoon, spread it evenly to coat the pizza, leaving about ½-inch from the edges. Adjust the sauce quantity to your liking (Pic 3).
Add shredded cheese to your preference. I add about a ¼-⅓ cup per pizza depending on the pizza base size. Spread the cheese evenly (Pic 4).
Add paneer & veggies: Top each pizza base with marinated paneer, followed by sliced onions and peppers. Top with chopped cilantro (Pics 5 & 6).
Brush the edges with avocado (or olive) oil and bake using the oven or air fryer as follows:
Oven-Baked Naan Bread Pizza
Place the naan pizzas on a parchment or aluminum-lined baking sheet. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, until the edges look crisp and the cheese has melted.
Rest for 3-5 minutes, slice, and enjoy!
Air Fryer Pizza
Place one pizza at a time in the fryer basket and bake at 325°F for 7-8 minutes until the edges look crisp and the cheese melts. (no preheating needed)
Check at 7 minutes and, if needed, put it back in for another 1-2 minutes. Rest for 3-5 minutes, slice, and enjoy!
Topping Variations for Naan Pizza
My family and I love onions and peppers on our paneer tikka pizza. But part of the fun is topping the pizzas with your favorite veggies or those that are in season. You could also try:
- Sliced zucchini or summer squash
- Sweet corn kernels or baby corn
- Pitted or sliced olives
- Sliced jalapenos
How to Store
Wrap any leftover pizza in aluminum foil or an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
When ready to use, reheat in the air fryer at 350F for 2 minutes.
Recipe Tips
- Prep and marinate the paneer while you gather the rest of the ingredients. If you have the time (and for optimal flavor), feel free to marinate the paneer overnight, which will allow the paneer to soak up even more flavor.
- Change up the sauce from time to time. A store-bought pizza or marinara sauce is classic, but I love to use a mix of ketchup and sriracha, cilantro chutney or a combo of ketchup and cilantro chutney for a colorful variation.
- Use your favorite flatbread for the pizza base. I love plain naan, but feel free to also try garlic naan, whole wheat naan, pita bread, lavash bread, flatbread, or cooked pizza base.
- Adjust sauce & ingredients: If using another base for pizza. keep in mind the topping measurements are good for four 8-inch naan/pita breads or two 10-11 inch cooked pizza base. You may need to adjust the sauce and toppings to suit your needs.
- Pick your favorite toppings or use veggies in season. Onions and peppers are the most common, but you can use any ingredient you would put on a pizza. Some of my other favorites include sliced zucchini or summer squash, sweet corn kernels or baby corn, olives or jalapenos.
- Mozzarella and paneer are the best cheesy combo! But feel free to use any kind of shredded cheese you have on hand, such as cheddar or cheese blend. Add more or less depending on your preference.
- There is no difference in taste or texture in the oven vs air fryer. If you are cooking for 1-2 people, I recommend the air fryer. For a family of 4 or larger crowd, you can cook more in the oven. If you'd like a crisper cheese finish, broil in oven for 2-3 minutes after baking.
- For a tandoori chicken naan pizza variation, use cooked chicken strips (poached or rotisserie) in place of the paneer. Marinate in the yogurt and spices just as you would the paneer.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use any kind of flatbread for this recipe including, pita, lavash, tortilla, or a cooked pizza base.
You can use extra-firm Tofu that's cut into 1-inch cubes instead of paneer.
Naan and pizza dough are very similar in texture. The only difference being that naan dough also includes yogurt, which makes it softer and tangier.
More Easy Pizza Recipes
These recipes are part of the Easy Weeknight Meals Series:
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📖 Recipe
Tandoori Paneer Naan Pizza
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
Marinade for Paneer
- 2 tablespoon plain Greek or thick yogurt (I use 2%)
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger ¼-inch, grated fine
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 clove
- 1 teaspoon lime or lemon juice
- ½-¾ teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or paprika for mild
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon chaat masala
- 2 teaspoon avocado oil or olive oil
- 10 oz paneer cut in ½-inch cubes
Base Sauce Choices for Pizza - Pick ONE (divided between 4 pizzas)
- 4-6 tablespoons of store-ready pizza or marinara sauce
- 4 tablespoons ketchup + 2 teaspoon sriracha
- 4-6 tablespoons of cilantro chutney
- combination of ketchup + cilantro chutney (best of both words)
Other Toppings
- ¼ cup onions, sliced (about ¼ medium onion)
- ¼ cup green bell pepper or any kind (about ¼ medium pepper)
- ¾-1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese adjust to taste
- 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Pizza Base
- 4 pre-cooked naan (see notes for substitute)
Instructions
Marinate and Prep
- In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients listed for marinade and toss in the paneer cubes. Keep aside while you prepare onions and peppers for topping.
- Toss the sliced onions and peppers with a pinch of salt, pepper and Kashmiri red chili powder. This step is optional, but enhances the flavors.
Build your Pizza
- Pick your choice of sauce and spread about one tablespoon or more on the naan. Using a pastry brush or the back of a wide spoon, spread it evenly to coat the pizza, leaving about ½-inch from the edges. Adjust the sauce quantity to your liking.
- Add shredded cheese to your preference. I add about ¼-⅓ cup per pizza depending on pizza base size. Spread the cheese evenly.
- Roughly section the paneer into 4 portions. Top each pizza base with marinated paneer, followed by sliced onions and peppers. Top with chopped cilantro.
- Brush the edges with avocado (or olive) oil and bake using the oven or air fryer as follows:
Oven Baked Paneer Pizza
- Place the naan pizzas on a parchment or aluminum lined baking sheet. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, until the edges look crisp and cheese has melted. Rest for 3-5 minutes, slice and enjoy!
Air Fryer Method
- Place one pizza at a time in the fryer basket and bake at 325°F for about 7-8 minutes, until the edges look crisp and cheese has melted. Check at 7 minutes and, if needed, put it back in for another 1-2 minutes. Rest for 3-5 minutes, slice and enjoy!
Notes
- Prep and marinate the paneer while you gather the rest of the ingredients. If you have the time (and for optimal flavor), feel free to marinate the paneer overnight, which will allow the paneer to soak up even more flavor.
- Change up the sauce from time-to-time. A store-bought pizza or marinara sauce is classic, but I love to use a mix of ketchup and sriracha, cilantro chutney or a combo of ketchup and cilantro chutney for a colorful variation.
- Use your favorite flatbread for the pizza base. I love to plain naan, but feel free to also try garlic naan, whole wheat naan, pita bread, lavash bread, flatbread or cooked pizza base. Keep in mind the topping measurements are good for 4 - 8inch naan/pita breads or 2 - 10-11 inch cooked pizza base. You may need to adjust the sauce and toppings to suit your needs.
- Pick your favorite toppings or use veggies in season. Onions and peppers are the most common, but you can use any ingredient you would put on a pizza. Some of my other favorites include sliced zucchini or summer squash, sweet corn kernels or baby corn, olives or jalapenos.
- Mozzarella and paneer are the best cheesy combo! But feel free to use any kind of shredded cheese you have on hand, such as cheddar or cheese blend. Add more or less depending on your preference.
- There is no difference in taste or texture in the oven vs air fryer. If you are cooking for 1-2 people, I recommend the air fryer. For a family or larger crowd, you can cook more in the oven. If you'd like a crisper cheese finish, broil in oven for 2-3 minutes after baking.
- For a tandoori chicken naan pizza variation, use cooked chicken strips in place of the paneer. Marinate in the yogurt and spices just as you would the paneer.
Daxa says
This was so easy to make and absolutely delicious! Will definitely make it again and again. Thank you for sharing Aneesha😋
Aneesha says
You're welcome Daxa! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for taking the time to rate the recipe!
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Aneesha says
I'm glad you liked it, thank you!
Queen says
Creative and delicious! Thank you!
Aneesha says
Thank you so much!
Aruna says
The vegetarian naan pizza came so good - everyone who tasted liked (I improvised it a bit more) but ur recipe is the inspiration for it - Thanks a lot
Aneesha says
That's awesome, thank you! I'm so glad you were able to customize and enjoy it!