🇮🇳 Indian
Paneer Tikka Wraps
⏱ 35 min (plus 30 min marinate)
🍞 ~15g (with low-carb tortilla)
🍽 4 servings
⭐ 5/5
⚠️ Estimates only — not medical advice. Carb counts vary by brand and portion. Always verify with your endo or CDCES.
🌍 Cultural note
Paneer tikka is the vegetarian cousin of chicken tikka — cubes of Indian cheese marinated in spiced yogurt and grilled until charred. Street vendors in Delhi wrap them in parathas as "paneer kathi rolls" — basically Indian burritos. We're using low-carb tortillas to keep the wrap T1D-smart, but the flavor is 100% authentic.
Why this recipe is T1D-friendly
- Low-carb tortillas (like Mission Carb Balance — 7g net per wrap) cut the biggest carb culprit in half
- Paneer is high protein, near-zero carb — fills kids up fast
- Mint chutney is essentially free carbs
- Portable lunch! Wraps travel well to school in an insulated bag
Ingredients
For the paneer marinade
- 12 oz paneer, cut into ¾-inch cubes (6g — 1.5g/serving)
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (4g — 1g/serving)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (0g)
- 1 tbsp grated ginger (1g)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (1g)
- 1.5 tsp garam masala (1g)
- 1 tsp ground cumin (0g)
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder (0g)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (0g)
- ½ tsp turmeric (0g)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
For mint chutney
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves (0g)
- ½ cup fresh cilantro (0g)
- 1 small green chili (optional) (0g)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (0g)
- 2 tbsp Greek yogurt (1g)
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp water to blend
To assemble
- 4 low-carb tortillas (8-inch) — about 7g net carbs each (~7g/serving)
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (4g total — 1g/serving)
- 1 small cucumber, cut into sticks (3g total — under 1g/serving)
- Extra cilantro
- Lemon wedges
Directions
- In a bowl, whisk yogurt, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, garam masala, cumin, Kashmiri chili, paprika, turmeric, salt, and oil. Gently fold in paneer cubes. Marinate at room temp 30 minutes (or in the fridge up to 4 hours).
- Make the chutney: blend mint, cilantro, green chili, lemon juice, yogurt, salt, and water in a food processor or mini blender until mostly smooth with little green flecks. Taste — should be bright and tangy.
- Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add paneer cubes in a single layer (you may need 2 batches). Sear 2-3 minutes per side, turning to get all four sides charred — about 8 minutes total. Don't overcook or the paneer turns rubbery.
- Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet, 20 seconds per side, until soft and pliable.
- Assemble: spread 1-2 tbsp mint chutney down the center of each tortilla. Layer paneer cubes, red onion slices, and cucumber sticks. Sprinkle with cilantro. Squeeze of lemon.
- Roll up burrito-style — fold in the sides, then roll from the bottom. Slice in half on the diagonal.
Dash's kid tips 🐆
- Dash says: let kids build their own wrap at the table — it's the easiest way to get veggies in (they always add more cucumber than you would)
- Pack as a lunch: wrap tight in foil or parchment, slice the next morning. The chutney holds up well in an insulated lunchbox
- If your kid won't touch raw onion, sauté the slices in a little oil for 3 minutes first — sweet caramelized onions are an easier sell