These crispy air fryer paneer fingers are fun, flavorful and mouth-watering! Made with just a handful of fresh ingredients, this air fryer paneer recipe can be enjoyed as an appetizer or as a meal.
Enjoy this delicious paneer appetizer with our fresh mint chutney recipe, easy Indian mint sauce or coriander green chutney as well as in a wrap for a wholesome meal, like our easy paneer wrap recipe!
These paneer fingers are bursting with delicious flavors and will truly make your mouth water! This recipe may remind you of veggie fingers... and is a fun twist on the classic!
This fun finger food features paneer sticks, marinated with a delicious sauce, coated in a crispy breadcrumb coating - air fried to perfection.
I have enjoyed these paneer fingers on numerous occasions – and this dish always serves me well as it is so versatile!
Paneer is a great source of protein and other nutrients (including calcium) and brings a wholesome element to any dish! Whether you want a pick-me up snack, a paneer sandwich or paneer wrap, these paneer fingers are excellent!
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Why This Recipe Works
- Simple, quick and easy: this air fryer paneer recipe is quick and easy - and can be can be whipped up within 25-30 minutes.
- Healthier option: this recipe uses an air fryer as a healthy alternative (no need to deep fry this paneer with excess oil). Plus a cost-effective method compared with baking.
- Versatile and fun: this recipe is a versatile option, the stick shapes make this recipe a fun finger food, perfect for parties, appetizers and special occasions as well as with weeknight dinners!
Notes on Recipe Ingredients
- Paneer: also known as Indian cottage cheese. This is the star of the show. I recommend using fresh paneer blocks which you can slice into long strips/stick shapes.
- Green chillies: for spice (optional, but recommended). You can use fresh red chillies if preferred – however red chilli tends to be spicier than green chilli so adjust accordingly and as preferred.
- Fresh coriander/cilantro: fresh coriander or cilantro is used for its refreshing taste and to enhance the spices in this recipe.
- Garlic and ginger: use fresh garlic cloves and ginger for maximum flavour
- Spices and seasoning: including turmeric powder, red chilli powder (or paprika), coriander powder, garam masala, salt and black pepper. Optional - you can also add a pinch of ground fenugreek (methi) in this recipe.
- Olive oil: I recommend using extra virgin olive oil – as a healthier alternative to vegetable or sunflower oil, however you may use regular olive oil for this recipe. This is added to the marinade and also used to spray onto the paneer fingers to help them cook evenly and become crispy and slightly golden.
- Lemon juice: for a refreshing taste, you can add fresh lemon juice or use bottled lemon juice if preferred.
Equipment
I recommend the Ninja Foodi wide air fryer. This air fryer has variable fan speed and comes with a wide crisper basket so you can cook the paneer fingers in one batch.
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You can use any air fryer with the “air fry” function - just make sure the paneer fingers have space to cook and crisp up. If you have a smaller air fryer you may need to cook the paneer fingers in batches.
How to Make Crispy Paneer Fingers in the Air Fryer
- Prepare paneer and make the marinade. Use a knife to cut the paneer into strips and then use a fork to scratch the paneer and place into a bowl. Add all the marinade ingredients into a small blender and blend until a smooth paste is formed, for about 2-3 minutes (intermittently stopping to mix the paste).
- Marinate the paneer by coating the paneer strips with the marinade paste. Allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes for more flavour (optional).
- Coat the marinated paneer in breadcrumbs. Tip: place breadcrumbs in a plate and dip each paneer strip into the breadcrumbs, turning the paneer so each side is coated with breadcrumbs (image 4).
- Air-fry the paneer fingers. Preheat air fryer to 200°C/392°F. Transfer the breaded paneer fingers onto the air fryer tray and spray each paneer finger evenly with olive oil (image 5). Air fry for 10 minutes at 200°C/392°F, flipping the paneer fingers halfway to cook evenly, or until golden and crispy (image 6).
Expert Tips
- Allow paneer to marinate for at least 15 minutes: for maximum flavour, I recommend the extra 15 minutes to allow paneer to marinate. This extra time helps the paneer absorb more of the marinade flavour. You can skip this for a quicker version.
- Scratch the paneer: use a fork to scratch the paneer before coating in the marinade. This helps the marinade stick to the paneer more.
- Coat paneer generously with breadcrumbs: this helps the paneer become crispier. It helps to press the breadcrumbs gently into the paneer to help them stick more easily. Optional – you can double coat the paneer fingers with breadcrumbs for extra crunch – by spraying a little oil on the breaded paneer and topping with more breadcrumbs.
- Flip halfway: flip the paneer fingers halfway through cooking to allow the paneer to cook evenly
- Avoid stacking and serve hot: for best results serve the paneer immediately whilst hot. Using a spatula transfer paneer from the air fryer onto a plate lined with kitchen towel and avoid stacking – this helps the paneer stay crispy and prevents them from becoming soggy.
How to Serve Paneer Fingers
- These paneer fingers can be served as an appetizer or snack with a selection of chutneys including our mint chutney recipe, tamarind chutney or Indian mint sauce (green yogurt chutney). You can also serve with our fresh coconut chutney or south Indian style peanut chutney.
- Alternatively, you can add these into a sandwich or make paneer wraps with salad leaves, guacamole (smashed avocado dip), chutneys and easy blender salsa or pico de gallo!
- Serve alongside other appetizers including aloo tikki chaat and our quick microwave dhokla recipe!
Recipe FAQs
Yes you can make these in the oven, baking until crispy and golden - or alternatively, shallow fry the paneer fingers in a pan with a little oil.
Fridge: You can store these paneer fingers in the fridge for up to 1 day. To store, transfer into an airtight container once cooled and place in fridge.
Reheat from the fridge: for best results, warm in the microwave for 30-40 seconds then use the reheat setting on your air fryer to reheat paneer fingers and keep them crispy. (Tip: you typically need 3-5 minutes at 190°C/374°F to reheat the paneer fingers – you may need longer depending on quantity. Make sure the paneer fingers are hot before serving).
Suggested Asian Recipes
Crispy Paneer Fingers (Air Fryer Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 250g block Paneer (1 x 250-270g block) cut into strips
Marinade:
- 8 Garlic cloves (you can use 5 cloves for a milder flavour)
- 5 g Ginger (you can use 3g for a milder flavour)
- 7 Fresh coriander/cilantro strands and leaves
- 1 teaspoon fresh coriander powder (this is ground coriander seeds) or 2 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1-2 Green chillies or 1 fresh red chilli
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala
- Pinch Ground fenugreek/methi (optional)
- ½ teaspoon Red chilli powder
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric
- Pinch Black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon Olive oil plus more to spray to cook paneer
Coating:
- ¾ cup Breadcrumbs or more if desired
Instructions
- Prepare the paneer into strips, use a fork to scratch the paneer and place into a bowl.
- Add all the marinade ingredients into a small blender and blend until a smooth paste is formed, for about 2-3 minutes (intermittently stopping to mix the paste).
- Marinate the paneer by coating the paneer strips with the marinade paste. Allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes for more flavour (optional).
- Coat the marinated paneer in breadcrumbs. Tip: place breadcrumbs in a plate and dip each paneer strip into the breadcrumbs, turning the paneer so each side is coated with breadcrumbs.
- Preheat air fryer to 200°C/392°F. Transfer the breaded paneer fingers onto the air fryer tray and spray each paneer finger evenly with olive oil. Air fry for 10 minutes at 200°C/392°F, flipping the paneer fingers halfway to cook evenly, or until golden and crispy.
Notes
- Allow paneer to marinate for at least 15 minutes: for maximum flavour, I recommend the extra 15 minutes to allow paneer to marinate – this extra time helps the paneer absorb more of the marinade flavour. You can skip this for a quicker version.
- Scratch the paneer using a fork: use a fork to scratch the paneer before coating in the marinade. This helps the marinade stick to the paneer more.
- Coat paneer generously with breadcrumbs: this helps the paneer become crispier. It helps to press the breadcrumbs gently into the paneer to help them stick more easily. Optional – you can double coat the paneer fingers with breadcrumbs for extra crunch – by spraying a little oil on the breaded paneer and topping with more breadcrumbs.
- Avoid stacking and serve hot: for best results serve the paneer immediately whilst hot. Using a spatula transfer paneer from the air fryer onto a plate lined with kitchen towel and avoid stacking – this helps the paneer stay crispy and prevents them from becoming soggy.
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