Paneer Pizza – Naan Pizza (Air Fryer | Oven)
This 30-minute Paneer Pizza is a tasty Indian fusion pizza with a naan base and paneer tikka topping, made easily in the air fryer or oven.
Servings: 4
Calories: 720kcal
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
Assemble Paneer Pizza
- 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.
- 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:
Bake it in the Oven
- 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 Fry Paneer Pizza
- 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!
Video
Notes
- Marinate Paneer: Prepare and marinate the paneer while gathering the remaining ingredients, giving it time to soak up the flavors. You can also refrigerate it for 30 minutes if you have the time.
- Experiment with the sauce: Suit your preference here. Use a store-bought pizza sauce, or cilantro chutney, or use a combination of spicy ketchup with cilantro chutney (my fav!).
- Use your favorite flatbread for the pizza base. I love plain naan, but feel free to use garlic naan, whole wheat naan, pita bread, lavash bread, flatbread, or cooked pizza base.
- Adjust the sauce & ingredients if using a different pizza base. Keep in mind the topping measurements are suitable for four 8-inch naan/pita breads or two 10-11-inch cooked pizza bases.
- 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.
- Oven vs air fryer. If you are cooking for 1-2 people, I recommend the air fryer. For a family of 4 or a larger crowd, you can cook more in the oven. If you'd like a crisper cheese finish, broil in the oven for 2-3 minutes after baking.
Nutrition
Calories: 720kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 163g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 1330mg | Potassium: 134mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 486IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 520mg | Iron: 0.4mg