Paneer Pizza is made with a homemade pizza base and a delicious paneer tikka topping. You can also swap out the pizza base with Naan bread to make Naan Pizza. Better than any pizza from restaurant chains!
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What’s not to love about pizza made with a homemade pizza base and a delicious paneer tikka topping? This paneer tikka pizza has now become our Friday night family favorite meal. Why is paneer tikka not on the global map yet? Move over pineapple pizza, give me paneer pizza any day!
This pizza is inspired by the Pizza Hut and Dominos (Indian pizza chains) paneer pizza versions. I live in Switzerland, and here there is no dearth of good quality pizzas made by local Italian and Turkish restaurants. However, I miss these Indian pizza chains which have so much variety in toppings – from Paneer Tikka to Chicken Tikka Masala and so much more!
I like to make my own pizza base and I always proof the dough in my Instant Pot. This is how I like to speed up the dough proving process to make Pav for Pav Bhaji, or to make my Naan bread.
This Indian-inspired veggie pizza is super customizable and you can add any combination of toppings that you like. I will be sharing my tried and tested paneer tikka topping – with suggestions for how you can modify this recipe.
Why this recipe works
- Super delish paneer tikka topping
- Made with a homemade pizza base
- Better than paneer pizza that you get at Indian pizza chains!
- Super customizable
Ingredients
To make this paneer tikka pizza, you will need:
To make the paneer tikka pizza topping
Paneer block – cut into small cubes
Onions - thinly sliced
Tomato paste – Tomato paste is used to make the paneer tikka sauce, alternatively, you can also use ready-made pasta sauce.
Spices - Turmeric, Kashmiri Red Chilli powder, Garam Masala, Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
Ingredients for the Pizza base
(Optionally you can use store-bought pizza base or use ready-made Naan to make Naan Pizza)
Flour – Use bread flour, which is ideal for making bread and pizza, instead of all-purpose flour.
Yeast – Use either instant yeast or active dry yeast. If using active dry yeast, make sure you activate the yeast in ½ a cup of warm milk and sugar.
Salt to season the dough
Olive oil or butter
Step by Step Instructions
To make the paneer pizza base, I like to make my own pizza base.
If you are using active dry yeast, activate the yeast in ½ a cup of warm milk and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let the yeast sit still for 5-8 minutes until it looks bubbly and activated. If you are using instant yeast, skip this step.
Measure out 17 ounces of bread flour (or all-purpose flour) in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a regular mixing bowl). Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt to season, and the yeast.
In the stand mixer, add 1 cup of warm water a little at a time and mix the dough for 7-10 minutes, until the dough is together. The dough should form a ball and clean the sides of the bowl. If kneading with hand, knead on a floured kitchen counter until the dough forms a ball.
Next, we need to proof the dough.
I use my Instant Pot to proof the dough. The 'Yogurt' setting of the Instant Pot creates the perfect proofing environment for the dough to proof well and double in size.
Brush the inside of the Instant Pot with olive oil. Place the dough ball inside. Set the Instant Pot to 'Yogurt ' setting for 1 hour. Cover with a glass lid. After 1 hour, the dough will have doubled in size.
Remember, you don't HAVE to use an Instant Pot!, you can use simply your oven to proof the dough. Simply keep the dough ball in a large bowl lightly covered with a kitchen cloth, and place the bowl in the oven, with its light on.
You can also keep the bowl covered this way in any warm place in your kitchen for 1 hour until the dough has doubled in size.
While the dough is proving, we will make the paneer tikka topping.
In a saucepan on the stove, heat vegetable oil. Add Onions and saute 6-7 minutes until they are soft. Add the turmeric (haldi), Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, crushed kasuri methi.
Mix well.
Add the paneer cubes and tomato paste into this onion mixture. Add a little water and season with salt. Cook for 5-6 minutes. Keep aside.
Preheat the oven at 450 F (250 C). I am using my cast iron pan to bake the pizza. You can also use a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
Roll out the pizza dough into a thin layer as you can see below. Top the pizza with the paneer tikka topping.
Add the shredded mozzarella cheese all over the top and bake the pizza for 25-30 minutes until the pizza is cooked through and the cheese has melted.
Recipe Variations + Expert Tips
Paneer Naan Pizza - You can also make this pizza with a readymade Naan bread base. For a quick and easy weeknight meal, top off store-bought Naan (or make your own Naan bread at home) with the paneer tikka topping and mozzarella cheese and bake in the oven. Your Naan Bread pizza is now ready!
Use Store-bought Pizza Base - You don't have to make the pizza base from scratch! You can simply use a ready-made pizza base and make this recipe in a pinch.
Make paneer makhani pizza - You can also use leftover paneer makhani (paneer butter masala) for the topping, instead of using paneer tikka.
Make whole-wheat pizza - This pizza can be made with whole wheat flour instead of bread flour. Simply replace the flour with whole wheat flour and follow the instructions.
More Paneer Recipes for you
Paneer Pizza
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
For the Pizza base
To make the paneer topping
- 400 grams paneer cut into cubes
- 1 Onion sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon Ginger garlic finely minced or paste
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
- 2 tablespoon Tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon kasuri methi
- 1 teaspoon turmeric haldi
- ¾ cup mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
To make the pizza base
- If you are using active dry yeast, activate the yeast in ½ a cup of warm milk and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let the yeast sit still for 5-8 minutes until it looks bubbly and activated. If you are using instant yeast, skip this step.
- Measure out 17 ounces of bread flour (or all-purpose flour) in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a regular mixing bowl). Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt to season, and the yeast.
- In the stand mixer, add 1 cup of warm water a little at a time and mix the dough for 7-10 minutes, until the dough is together. The dough should form a ball and clean the sides of the bowl. If kneading with hand, knead on a floured kitchen counter until the dough forms a ball.
- Proofing the sough in the Instant Pot - Brush the inside of the Instant Pot with olive oil. Place the dough ball inside. Set the Instant Pot to 'Yogurt ' setting for 1 hour. Cover with a glass lid. After 1 hour, the dough will have doubled in size.
- Proofing the dough in the oven - Simply keep the dough ball in a large bowl lightly covered with a kitchen cloth, and place the bowl in the oven, with its light on. You can also keep the bowl covered this way in any warm place in your kitchen for 1 hour until the dough has doubled in size.
- While the dough is proving, we will make the paneer tikka topping.
To make the paneer topping
- In a saucepan on the stove, heat vegetable oil. Add Onions and saute 6-7 minutes until they are soft. Add the turmeric (haldi), Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, crushed kasuri methi. Mix well.
- Add the paneer cubes and tomato paste into this onion mixture. Add a little water and season with salt. Cook for 5-6 minutes. Keep aside.
- Preheat the oven at 450 F (250 C). I am using my cast iron pan to bake the pizza. You can also use a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
- Roll out the pizza dough into a thin layer. Top the pizza with the paneer tikka topping.
- Add the shredded mozzarella cheese all over the top and bake the pizza for 25-30 minutes until the pizza is cooked through and the cheese has melted.