Tandoori Paneer Sliders – Air Fryer or Stove
30-minute recipe for buttery-soft tandoori paneer sliders with juicy, smoky paneer and veggies nestled between soft dinner rolls, with sriracha mayo, pickled onions, and melty cheese.
Servings: 12 Sliders
Calories: 267kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Ingredients for Marinade
- 16 oz paneer cut in ½-inch cubes
- 1 small red bell pepper chopped into ½-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
- ¾-1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon dried ginger powder or 2 teaspoon ginger paste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder or 2 teaspoons garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoons Kashmiri Red chili powder or paprika for mild flavor
- 1 teaspoon chaat masala
- 2 teaspoons lime juice (about ½ a lime)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
Sriracha Mayo
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- ½ teaspoon lime juice
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon honey
Pickled Onions
- 1 medium red onion, sliced or white onion
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri Red chili powder
- ½ lime, juiced
For Assembling Sliders
- 12 Hawaiian Sweet Rolls (1 pack)
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 1 teaspoon nigella seeds or black sesame seeds
Instructions
- Pickle Onions: Thinly slice onions, then toss them with salt, red chili powder, chaat masala, and lime juice.
- Marinate: In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt, spices, and lime juice. Add the paneer, red pepper, cilantro, and half of the pickled onions, then toss to coat.
- Air Fry: Add the marinated paneer and veggies to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry at 360°F for 7- 8 minutes. Alternatively, cook in a skillet on medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes.
- Prepare Sriracha Mayo: While the paneer is cooking, combine mayo, sriracha, salt, honey, and lime juice in a bowl.
- Assemble Sliders: Slice the slider buns in half (keep the rolls attached). Spread sriracha mayo on the cut sides. Add a layer of shredded cheese, spoon on the cooked paneer mixture, top with the remaining pickled onions and a little more cheese, then place the top buns back on.
- Air-fry to melt cheese: Lightly brush the top with melted butter. Sprinkle nigella seeds (or black sesame) over the top. Wrap the sliders with foil and air-fry at 375°F for 7–8 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the sliders are warmed through. Serve warm!
Video
Notes
- Slider buns: Traditional Hawaiian sweet rolls are ideal for this recipe, but feel free to use the 'buttery rolls' instead. If using Indian Pav, scrape off some of the bread from the cut side since those are very dense.
- Don't separate the rolls: Keeping the Hawaiian rolls intact and cutting through lengthwise makes assembly and toasting a breeze.
- Paneer: Use full-fat for the creamiest texture. Use low-fat paneer to shave off a few calories.
- Don’t overcrowd the fryer pan, or the paneer will steam rather than sear. Cook in two batches if needed.
- Use Greek Yogurt:Thick yogurt is key to achieving the best paneer tikka texture. If plain yogurt is all you have, stir in 1 teaspoon besan (chickpea flour) or 1 teaspoon cornstarch to thicken it.
Nutrition
Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 450mg | Potassium: 52mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 388IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 213mg | Iron: 0.3mg