Ainsley Harriott Spiced Paneer Skewers with Mango Salad and Roti

Name: Ainsley Harriott Spiced Paneer Skewers with Mango Salad and Roti
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 2 tsp olive oil; 2 tbsp tandoori or tikka paste; 4 cm piece of fresh ginger, finely grated; 0.5 tsp turmeric; 120 g Greek yoghurt; 500 g paneer, cut into 3cm cubes (or firm tofu, pressed for 20 minutes); baby plum tomatoes; salt (good pinch); 1 lime, juiced; 1 tbsp olive oil; 0.5 tsp granulated sugar; 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated; 0.25 small white cabbage, finely shredded; 1 large mango, peeled, destoned and sliced; 0.5 red onion, finely sliced; large handful of fresh mint leaves; large handful of fresh coriander leaves; flaky salt (to season); roti, warmed; plain yoghurt (optional); mango chutney (optional)

Ainsley Harriott Spiced Paneer Skewers Ingredients

For the Paneer and Marinade:

2 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp tandoori or tikka paste
4cm piece of fresh ginger, finely grated
½ tsp turmeric
120g Greek yoghurt
1 x 500g block of paneer, cut into 3cm cubes
Baby plum tomatoes
Good pinch of salt

For the Mango Salad:

Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
¼ small white cabbage, finely shredded
1 large mango, peeled, destoned and sliced
½ red onion, finely sliced
Large handful of fresh mint leaves
A large handful of fresh coriander leaves
Flaky salt, to season

To Serve:

Roti, warmed
Plain yoghurt and mango chutney (optional)

How To Make Ainsley Harriott Spiced Paneer Skewers with Mango Salad and Roti

Step 1 — Marinate the Paneer

In a large bowl, mix the olive oil, tandoori paste, grated ginger, turmeric, and a good pinch of salt. Add the Greek yoghurt and stir until completely combined

Step 2 — Build and Grill the Skewers

Heat the grill to high. Thread the marinated paneer and baby plum tomatoes alternately onto 4–6 metal skewers, leaving a small gap between each piece so the heat can move around them properly. Place on a foil-lined baking tray. Grill for 8–10 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the paneer is hot throughout and developing golden, slightly charred edges, and the tomatoes are blistered and just beginning to burst. Alternatively, drizzle with a little oil and bake in a hot oven for 12–15 minutes, turning once — finish under a hot grill for a final minute or two if you want more colour.

3 — Make the Mango Salad

While the skewers are grilling, make the salad. In a large bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, and sugar until the sugar has fully dissolved. Whisk in the grated ginger. Add the shredded cabbage, mango, red onion, mint, and coriander and toss everything together until well coated in the dressing. Season with a little flaky salt and taste — it should be bright, sharp, and fresh. Make this at the last moment; the salad is best eaten immediately while the dressing is vivid and the vegetables still have their crunch.

Step 4 — Serve

Bring the skewers, mango salad, and warm roti to the table together. Set out a bowl of plain yoghurt and mango chutney alongside if you like. This is a meal best assembled at the table — wrap the paneer and salad into the roti, add a spoonful of yoghurt or chutney, and eat immediately.

Ainsley Harriott Spiced Paneer Skewers with Mango Salad and Roti

Emily Carter

Ainsley Harriott Spiced Paneer Skewers with Mango Salad and Roti are the kind of meat-free meal that needs no defending. Paneer — firm, non-melting Indian cheese — takes on tandoori spice like it was made for it, holds its shape perfectly on the grill, and comes off the skewer golden and blistered in under 15 minutes. A sharp mango and cabbage salad dressed with lime cuts through the richness, warm roti wraps everything together, and the whole meal is on the table in 30 minutes. Swap the paneer for firm tofu to make it fully vegan — same marinade, same method, same result.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Marinating Time 30

Total Time 50

Course Meat-Free

Cuisine British, Indian

Servings 4 servings

Calories 420 kcal

Equipment

4-6 Metal Skewers
Baking Tray
Large Mixing Bowl (x2)
Whisk
Aluminium Foil

Ingredients

For the Paneer and Marinade

2 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp tandoori or tikka paste
4 cm piece of fresh ginger, finely grated
0.5 tsp turmeric
120 g Greek yoghurt
500 g paneer, cut into 3cm cubes or firm tofu, pressed for 20 minutes
baby plum tomatoes
salt good pinch

For the Mango Salad

1 lime, juiced
1 tbsp olive oil
0.5 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
0.25 small white cabbage, finely shredded
1 large mango, peeled, destoned and sliced
0.5 red onion, finely sliced
large handful of fresh mint leaves
large handful of fresh coriander leaves
flaky salt to season

To Serve

roti, warmed
plain yoghurt optional
mango chutney optional

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix together the olive oil, tandoori paste, grated ginger, turmeric, and a good yogurtf syogurtd tyogurtk yogurt and stir until completely combined. Add the paneer cubes and toss to coat every side thoroughly. Leave it to marinate for 30 minutes if you have the time—even 10 minutes makes a difference.
Heat the grill to high. Thread the marinated paneer and baby plum tomatoes alternately onto 4–6 metal skewers, leaving a small gap between each piece. Place on a foil-lined baking tray.
Grill for 8–10 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the paneer is golden and blistered at the edges and the tomatoes are charred and just beginning to burst. Alternatively, bake in a hot oven for 12–15 minutes, turning once, then finish under a hot grill for extra color.
While the skewers are grilling, make the salad. Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the grated ginger. Add the cabbage, mango, red onion, mint, and coriander and toss until everything is well coated. Season with flaky salt and serve immediately.
Serve the skewers alongside the mango salad and warm roti. Add plain yogurt and mango chutney to the table if using.

Notes

Marinate ahead: The paneer can be marinated and kept covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours before grilling — this is the smartest approach when cooking for guests.

Metal skewers: These conduct heat and help the paneer cook evenly from the inside out. If using wooden skewers, soak in cold water for 30 minutes first.

Don’t overcrowd: Leave a small gap between each piece on the skewer so the heat circulates properly and the paneer colours rather than steams.

Make the salad last: The mango salad is best made fresh and eaten immediately — if it sits too long the cabbage softens and the dressing loses its sharpness.

Tofu swap: Press firm tofu for at least 20 minutes before marinating to remove excess moisture, then use exactly the same method as the paneer.

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Recipe Tips

Why Paneer Is the Right Choice Here: Paneer doesn’t melt under heat — it holds its shape completely on the skewer, develops a golden crust on the outside, and stays dense and firm inside. That texture is what makes this dish genuinely satisfying in a way that most other cheeses simply cannot replicate on a grill.
Marinate If You Can: Thirty minutes is the recommended minimum, and it makes a real difference. The yoghurt in the marinade softens the surface of the paneer slightly and drives the spices deeper in. If you’re preparing this for guests, marinate the paneer in the fridge for up to 24 hours in advance — it means almost nothing to do when it’s time to cook.
Metal Skewers Over Wooden: Metal skewers conduct heat from the inside out and help the paneer cook all the way evenly through. If you only have wooden skewers, soak them in cold water for at least 30 minutes before grilling to prevent them from scorching under the heat.
Don’t Overcrowd the Skewer: Leave a small gap between each piece of paneer and each tomato. Overcrowding traps steam and stops the outside from colouring — you want those blistered, slightly charred edges, not steamed cubes that have lost all their texture.
Make the Salad Last: The mango salad is at its best when made fresh and served immediately. If it sits too long, the cabbage softens in the dressing, and the herbs start to wilt. Make it while the skewers are under the grill and serve straight away.
The Tofu Swap: Firm tofu works as a direct substitute for paneer — same marinade, same method, same timing. Press the tofu for at least 20 minutes before marinating to remove excess moisture; it won’t absorb the paste properly or colour well under the grill.

What To Serve With Ainsley Harriott Spiced Paneer Skewers

Warm Roti: The essential pairing — wrap the paneer and mango salad inside and eat it like a soft taco. It’s the most satisfying way to eat this meal, and the roti catches every drop of the dressing
Plain Basmati Rice: If you’re serving this as a more substantial dinner, a bowl of fluffy basmati alongside gives the meal more weight and makes it stretch further for a crowd
Cucumber Raita: Cool, creamy, and exactly the right contrast to the heat of the tandoori spice — mix grated cucumber into Greek yoghurt with a pinch of ground cumin and a little salt
Mango Chutney: Brings a sweet, sticky contrast against the charred paneer that works better than it has any right to
Extra Lime and Fresh Coriander: A wedge of lime and a handful of coriander on the side costs nothing and makes everything on the plate taste sharper and more alive

How To Store Ainsley Harriott Spiced Paneer Skewers

Store: Leftover cooked paneer keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Store the mango salad separately — once dressed it doesn’t keep and is best eaten fresh on the day it’s made.
Reheat: Reheat the paneer in a hot, dry frying pan for 2–3 minutes per side until warmed through and the surface crisps back up. Avoid the microwave — it makes paneer rubbery and unpleasant to eat.
Marinate Ahead: The paneer can be marinated and kept covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours before grilling. This is actually the smartest approach if you’re cooking for guests — all the prep is done in advance, and you simply grill when you’re ready.
Freeze: Cooked paneer doesn’t freeze well — the texture becomes grainy and unpleasant on thawing. This is a make-and-eat dish.

Make It Your Own — Creative Twists

Ainsley has always said cooking should feel like freedom, not a rulebook. These Ainsley Harriott Spiced Paneer Skewers are a brilliant base — here’s how to take them somewhere completely your own:

The Charred Lemon and Herb Version 🌿

Replace the tandoori paste entirely with a marinade of lemon zest, olive oil, dried oregano, a pinch of chilli flakes, and a generous amount of black pepper. Grill the skewers the same way, then squeeze a charred lemon half over the top the moment they come off the heat. Serve with a simple green salad and warm flatbreads instead of roti. The dish loses its Indian character completely and becomes something Mediterranean and clean, which is a different meal entirely, and an equally good one.

The Smoky Chipotle Build 🌶️

Swap the tandoori paste for two tablespoons of chipotle paste mixed into the yoghurt marinade. The smokiness of chipotle against charred paneer is a combination that sounds unusual and works immediately — deeper, darker, and with a heat that lingers rather than hits upfront. Serve with sliced avocado, pickled red onion, and corn tortillas instead of roti for a dish that uses the same bones of this recipe but lands somewhere completely unexpected.

Add Peppers and Courgette 🫑

Thread chunks of red pepper and courgette onto the skewers alongside the paneer and tomatoes. Both vegetables char beautifully under the grill and add more colour and texture to the plate. Cut them to roughly the same size as the paneer — around 3cm — so everything cooks in the same time without the vegetables burning while the cheese is still cold in the centre.

Pineapple Salad Instead of Mango 🍍

Replace the mango in the salad with fresh pineapple, diced small. Pineapple is sharper and more acidic than mango and brings a more aggressive brightness to the dressing that cuts through the tandoori spice in a slightly different way. Add a small amount of finely chopped red chilli to the dressing alongside the ginger if you want heat running through both the skewers and the salad at the same time.

Next-Day Wrap 🫓

Cold paneer from the fridge, sliced thickly, layered into a warm flatbread with leftover mango salad, a spoon of mango chutney, and a drizzle of yoghurt — this is a genuinely excellent lunch the day after. It sounds like using up leftovers. It tastes like something you’d order from a good street food stall and be pleased about.

💬 The grill does the work and the salad does the rest — your only job is to decide how bold you want to go with the spice. Start with tandoori, then next time make it yours.

Ainsley Harriott Spiced Paneer Skewers Nutrition Facts

Per serving, based on 4 servings

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	420 kcal
Protein	26g
Carbohydrates	28g
Fat	24g
Saturated Fat	12g
Fibre	4g
Sugar	14g
Salt	0.9g

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is paneer, and why does it work so well on skewers?

Paneer is a fresh Indian cheese made by curdling milk with an acid such as lemon juice or vinegar. Unlike most cheeses, it doesn’t melt under heat — it holds its shape completely on the skewer and develops a golden, lightly charred exterior while staying firm and dense inside. That combination of crisp outside and solid interior is exactly what makes it so satisfying on a grill, and why it works where softer cheeses would simply collapse.

Can I use tofu instead of paneer?

Yes — firm tofu is a direct substitute, and the method stays the same. Press the tofu for at least 20 minutes before marinating to remove excess moisture. Without pressing, tofu won’t absorb the marinade properly and will steam rather than char under the grill, which defeats the whole point of grilling it.

Do I need metal skewers?

Metal skewers are better because they conduct heat and help the paneer cook evenly from the inside as well as the outside. If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in cold water for at least 30 minutes before grilling — this slows down how quickly they catch fire under the heat and stops them burning before the paneer is cooked through.

How long should I marinate the paneer?

30 minutes is the recommended minimum and makes a genuine difference to the depth of flavour in the finished skewers. If you’re organised, marinate in the fridge for up to 24 hours — this is the smartest approach when cooking for guests, as everything is done in advance and you simply grill when needed.

Can I cook these on a barbecue instead of a grill?

Absolutely — and the barbecue arguably gives a better result. The direct flame produces a proper char on the paneer and tomatoes that a domestic grill can only partially replicate. Cook over medium-high heat for around 8–10 minutes, turning regularly, until the paneer is hot all the way through and well coloured on all sides.

Is this recipe suitable for vegans?

Not as written — both paneer and Greek yoghurt are dairy products. However, with firm tofu replacing the paneer and a plant-based yoghurt in the marinade, the recipe becomes fully vegan with no other changes required. The mango salad and roti are already vegan.

Tried this recipe? Drop a comment below and leave a rating — it helps other home cooks find it, and it keeps us going. ⭐

Ainsley Harriott Spiced Paneer Skewers with Mango Salad and Roti Recipe

Table of contents

Table of Contents

Ainsley Harriott Spiced Paneer Skewers Ingredients