Tandoori Aloo Tikka is a delicious appetizer perfect to serve on special occasions or have as a side for dinner. Baby potatoes marinated in a delightful combination of yogurt and spices, threaded to skewers, and cooked to create this heavenly appetizer. You can cook this tandoori aloo tikka in an oven or air-fryer.

Tandoori Aloo Tikka Skewers with chutney
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Tandoori Aloo Tikka is basically Tandoori spiced roasted potatoes. It is one of the popular Indian tandoori starters you will often find at restaurants.

This is a vegetarian alternative to the popular Chicken Tikka Kebab, and the marinade is similar to Paneer Tikka, Tandoori Mushroom Kebab and Tandoori Cauliflower.

Authentic Tandoori recipes are made in a special clay oven called Tandoor. The vegetables or meat are marinated and then grilled in the Tandoor. However, I like to use the air fryer or oven when making these recipes at home.

All you need to do is marinate the baby potatoes along with bell peppers and cook. Moreover, you can also add veggies of your choice when making this tandoori aloo tikka. It is a great appetizer to include at dinner parties or potluck.

This tandoori aloo tikka is gluten-free and can be served both as an appetizer and snack. Below, I’ll be sharing the techniques to cook in the instant pot, air-fryer, and oven, along with prep and serving tips.

Another appetizer with baby potatoes you might like – Spicy Bombay Potatoes.

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Ingredients Needed for Aloo Tikka

  • Baby potatoes
  • Red bell peppers
  • Yellow bell peppers
  • Lime wedges and onions to garnish

Feel free to add other veggies you like, such as green bell peppers, pineapples, mushrooms, and even grape tomatoes.

For the Marinade:

The marinade for this Aloo Tikka includes basic ingredients such as yogurt, ginger, garlic, flavorful Indian spices, and gram flour (besan). This marinade is super flavorful, and the addition of Kashmiri red chili powder gives the potatoes a gorgeous red color. We add gram flour to this marinade to make it thicker so it sticks to the potatoes.

Steaming Baby Potatoes

The first step is steaming the baby potatoes. You can steam the potatoes in the pressure cooker or in an open steamer pot.

  • Place the potatoes in the steamer basket. Add some water inside the pressure cooker and place the steamer inside it.
  • Lock the pressure cooker lid and set the steam vent in the sealing position. Select the Pressure Cook option and cook under high pressure. (If using a stovetop pressure cooker, cook for 1 whistle)
  • Then, quick release the pressure by setting the steam vent in the venting position. Transfer the potatoes to a bowl and peel them.
  • Discard the water inside the inner steel pot and wipe it dry.

Here is the detailed recipe to steam baby potatoes in the instant pot.

steam baby potatoes in instant pot

How to make Marinade?

Aromatic spices, ginger, garlic, lime juice, gram flour, and yogurt come together to marinate this flavorful aloo tikka.  Adding Kashmiri red chili powder and lime juice gives a bright red color and tanginess. The gram flour gives an extra dose of crispiness to the tikka. Mix all the marinade ingredients well and make sure there are no lumps.

  • Add the baby potatoes & veggies to the marinade and make sure that they are evenly coated.
Steps to make aloo tikka in a bowl with lots of spices, yogurt and baby potatoes
  • Cover the bowl with cling wrap. You can leave it on the counter for 30 minutes or refrigerate it.
  • When ready, remove the marinade from the refrigerator and thread on the skewers, alternating between potatoes, onion, and bell peppers.

How to make Tandoori Aloo Tikka?

Using Instant Pot Crisplid

  • Brush oil inside of the Instant Pot Crisplid to prevent the baby potatoes from sticking inside the pan. Lightly brush the skewers with oil and place them in the fryer basket.
  • Then, place the CrispLid trivet in the inner steel pot of the Instant pot, then place the fryer basket with the skewers inside on top of the trivet.
  • Then, set the CrispLid over the inner steel pot and switch it on. Set the temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and cook the tandoori aloo tikka for 8 minutes.
  • Then flip the skewer and cook for another 7 minutes or till the baby potatoes get lightly charred.
  • Make sure not to overcrowd the fryer, as it will hamper the cooking. Work in batches if needed.
tandoori aloo tikka In instant pot

Using Air Fryer

Tandoori aloo tikka can also be cooked using an air fryer. The steps are more or less the same for both CrispLid and the Air Fryer method.

  • Grease lightly on the insides of the air fryer basket.
  • Arrange the sticks and cook at 180 degrees or 360F for 10 minutes.
  • Turn the sticks and cook for 7 more minutes.

It is so convenient to make this Tandoori Aloo using the Crisplid or the Air Fryer. No preheating is needed, and heating the whole oven for a small quantity of potatoes.

If you love roasting veggies in the air fryer, check out this collection for 25+ Air Fryer Vegetable Recipes.

Using Oven

You can also make these potatoes in the oven if you don’t have an air fryer.

  • Prepare a baking tray lined with parchment paper or foil.
  • Place a rack over the top and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Place the skewers on the rack, then bake for 15-18 minutes until potatoes are well cooked.
  • Turn on your oven’s broiler and broil the Tikka Kebabs for about 3-5 minutes to get the char marks. Keep your eye on the potatoes so that they don’t burn.

Other Ways to Cook Tandoori Aloo Tikka

  • Grill these spiced roasted potatoes on your backyard grill.
  • You can use a cast iron pan to make this aloo tikka. But you may to need to cook them without the skewers if you are using a cast iron pan.
Tandoori aloo tikka on skewers in a platter

How to Serve Aloo Tikka Kebab?

  • These potatoes are best served immediately for that perfect crispy on the outside and melt-in-the-mouth on the inside taste.
  • Garnish with lime wedges and red onion. Sprinkle some chaat masala and serve with Mint Cilantro Chutney on the side for dipping.
  • Serve as an appetizer at a party on the skewers or without skewers as Aloo tikka bites. Serve with Mint Chutney or other dipping sauces as desired.

Check out my post for 25+ Air Fryer Indian Recipes.

Tips to make the best Tandoori Aloo

  • It is important to steam the potatoes till they are just done. Otherwise, they might overcook when roasted with the marinade.
  • Use thick yogurt, also called hung curd, for the marinade.
  • Marinate for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to infuse well.
  • Do not overcrowd and keep them in a single layer when making these in the air fryer.
  • Make a batch and refrigerate them to use in 2-3 days.
Tandoori aloo tikka on skewers in a platter

If you enjoyed this scrumptious aloo tikka, then try these other air fryer Indian recipes

Download free copy of air fryer cooking time chart
5 from 8 votes

Tandoori Aloo Tikka

Baby potatoes marinated in a delightful combination of yogurt and spices, threaded to skewers and cooked to create this heavenly appetizer. You can cook this tandoori aloo tikka in an oven or air-fryer.
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 3

Ingredients 

  • 1 lb Baby Potatoes, (about 14)
  • 2 cups Water
  • 1/2 cup Red Bell Pepper , cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup Yellow Bell Pepper , cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup Onion , cut into 2 inch pieces, layers separated
  • 1/2 teaspoon Chaat Masala , to garnish
  • Lime wedges , to garnish

For marinade

Instructions 

Steaming Baby Potatoes

  • Put potatoes into a steamer basket. Add water to the inner steel pot of the pressure cooker and place the steamer basket inside it.
  • Lock pressure cooker lid in place. Set steam vent to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook (Manual) and cook for 1 minute on High pressure. Set steam vent to Venting to quick-release pressure manually.
  • Transfer potatoes to a bowl and peel the skin. Discard the water in the inner steel pot and wipe it dry.

Prepare the marinade

  • In a separate large bowl, combine all ingredients for the marinade and mix well.
  • Add the peeled potatoes, onions, red and yellow bell peppers to marinade. Mix well and keep for 30 minutes.
  • Thread the potatoes, peppers and onions on the skewers altenating between each.

Pressure Cooker CrispLid Method:

  • Brush the CrispLid fryer basket with oil. Lightly brush the skewers on all sides with oil and place in the basket. Do not overcrowd, work in batches as needed. 
  • Set CrispLid trivet in inner steel pot of pressure cooker and set fryer basket on top of trivet. Set CrispLid on top of inner steel pot and plug in. Set to 400°F and cook for 8 minutes. Turn the skewes and cook until lightly charred about 6 minutes more.
  • Sprinkle chaat masala and lime juice. Serve warm with mint cilantro chutney.

AirFryer Method:

  • Grease lightly on the insides of the air fryer basket.
  • Arrange the sticks, lightly brush or spray with oil, and cook at 180 degrees or 360F for 10 minutes.
  • Turn the sticks and cook for 7 more minutes.

Oven Method:

  • Prepare a baking tray lined with parchment paper or foil.
  • Place a rack over top and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Place the skewers on the rack, lightly brush or spray with oil, then bake for 15-18 minutes until potatoes are well cooked.
  • Turn on your oven’s broiler and broil the Aloo Tikka for about 3-5 minutes to get the char marks. Keep your eye on the potatoes so that they don’t burn.
  • Sprinkle chaat masala and lime juice. Serve warm with mint cilantro chutney. These potatoes are best served immediately for that perfect crispy on the outside and melt-in-the-mouth on the inside taste.

Notes

Skewers: I used wooden skewers which I soaked in water for 30 minutes and broke them in a smaller size so they would fit in the air fryer or in the crisplid basket. You can use bamboo skewers too. 
Marinade: Marinate for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to infuse well.

Nutrition

Calories: 229kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 6gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 838mgPotassium: 891mgFiber: 6gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1263IUVitamin C: 109mgCalcium: 83mgIron: 2mg

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Gluten-free, Vegetarian
Tried this recipe?Mention @pipingpotcurry or tag #pipingpotcurry!

About Meeta

I strongly believe that each one of us has a chef inside us, we just need to explore the ingredients and create great food. My passion is to share easy, healthy, and wholesome recipes made using Instant Pot & Air Fryer, that are well tested, so you can cook with confidence.

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13 Comments

  1. Hi Meeta,

    Do you have the link to the stainless steel instant pot airfryer basket? Can you share it please?

    Thanks,
    Tanvi

  2. Are the skewers used more for presentation than anything else. Can I do all of this without the skewers? I realize that to turn the pieces over to make the crispiness even will be a little more difficult..