A very rich and creamy spinach curry loaded with soft and utterly delicious paneer pieces. This is one of the delicious spinach curry ever.
Palak Paneer
Palak Paneer is Indian style spinach and cottage cheese curry served in most of the restaurants , hotels or Dhabas (roadside restaurant) and loved by all age groups. This is another dish from North Indian cuisine mainly from Punjab.
This is an absolutely incredible dish to serve in for parties and get together. Each family has there own way of making it and in this recipe, I am showing you, how I make it at home?
Palak paneer is very easy to make and takes less than an hour to cook. You can pair this creamy dish with plain boiled rice, naan bread, paratha or poori.
Ingredients needed to make Palak Paneer
- Spinach leaves: Fresh spinach leaves or you can use canned spinach puree.
- Paneer: Indian cottage cheese/paneer is used in the recipe. Paneer can be replaced with tofu to make it vegan.
- Tomatoes: Tomatoes brings delicious taste in the curry and also helps in absorption of Iron.
- Garlic and Ginger: To add some texture and flavors in the dish.
- Spices: Few minimal spices like turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masala, and coriander powder is used.
- Ghee: Palak paneer tastes best when cooked in ghee, however it can replaced with any oil of your choice to make it vegan.
Time needed: 50 minutes
How to make Palak Paneer?
- Cook spinach and make tomato base gravy
Cook spinach and make a puree of it. Blanch tomatoes and keep aside. Heat oil and saute ginger, garlic and, green chili. Make a paste of tomatoes with fried ginger and garlic.
Note: You may remove the skin of tomatoes by boiling them in water, before grinding.
- Stir fry Paneer and make Spinach Gravy
Now stir fry paneer in ghee for few minutes. This step is optional but I would recommend frying paneer, as it tastes just amazing.
Once the paneer is done, start cooking the tomato base gravy along with spices. Add spinach puree and cook covered on low heat for at least 20 minutes to combine the flavors. Finally, add the stir-fried paneer and cook for a minute. Viola the palak paneer is ready to serve!
Serving Suggestions and Variations
Serve the palak paneer with chapati, paratha, naan bread, poori or rice. You can also pair it with some cucumber raita to make it a wholesome meal.
For variations, you can add aloo/potatoes in the palak gravy and make Aloo Palak instead.
Other Paneer Recipes
- Paneer Lababdar
- Butter Paneer Naan Pizza | Naanizza
- Arugula Palak Paneer Saag
- Paneer Tikka
- Makhani Paneer
Looking for more such lunch recipes to get some ideas for your meals? Do not miss my Aloo Baingan and Soya Chaap Masala and the best one’s Dal Palak.
*If you ever try this recipe don’t forget to share your photos with me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or tag me on Instagram @cookingwithsapana using the hashtag #cookingwithsapana and stay connected* I would love to see your creations from my space!!
Palak Paneer
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Blender/Hand Blender
Ingredients
- 500 g spinach leaves
- 150 gm cottage cheese /paneer cubes
- 4 tomatoes
- 7-8 garlic cloves chopped
- 4-5 green chillies or as per your taste
- 2 ″ ginger piece
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- A pinch of asafetida
- 4 to 5 tablespoon clarified butter
- Water as required
Spices
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash and cook spinach leaves with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 cup of water until 1 whistle or else just cook it in a pan for 5-7 minutes till tender. Cool and blend to make a purée.
- Boil water and add tomatoes in it. Let it rest in hot water for 5 minutes , remove from water , cool and peel the skin .Set aside.
- Heat clarified butter in a wok and shallow fry the cottage cheese, keep it aside.
- Into the same ghee add garlic , green chilli and ginger in it. Sauté for a minute and then drain out. Let the clarified butter remain in the wok.
- Add tomatoes and fried garlic-ginger in a blender and make a fine paste of it.
- Add cumin seeds and asafetida in the clarified butter, fry for a minute. Add the tomato paste prepard in the step given above, in to the clarified butter in a wok. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Add all spices and salt , stir and cook for 5 minutes till clarified butter comes out from from edges. Add spinach purée and cook for 20-30 minutes on low heat with covered lid.
- At last add fried paneer , stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and serve hot with chapati ,Paratha or Naan.
Notes
- Adjust the spices as per your taste.
- You can also add chopped onions in the palak paneer to make it more flavorful.
- To make this curry vegan, use tofu instead of paneer and make it in oil.
Nutrition
This post was originally posted in 2014, since I have updated the pictures and content for better engagement.
Always let me know how these recipes turned out in the comments below and give a ★ rating. I will be so excited to hear how you enjoyed your Palak Paneer and please do share your tips and tricks with me.
Don’t forget that you can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest.
Best Regards,
Sapana Behl
looks wonderful happy new year to you and family
Delicious palak paneer Sapana, Happy new year to you and your family.
palak paneer looks very delicious. Happy new year Sapna
On-going event: Healthy vegetarian side dishes
Very creamy and tempting green curry 🙂
Palak paneer has always been my favourite. Seeing this post is watering my mouth as the pictures are just awesome and inviting.
I am literally drooling very your photos Sapana. That is such a delicious looking palak paneer. My kids will LOVE this.
Even though I enjoyed this Palak Paneer, I was really surprised no one bothered to warn others of the heat level.
This is well made and tasty, however, I would not serve this to anyone without telling them it’s pretty hot, this would be a bad introduction/experience for someone not familiar with Indian food or children and elderly persons.
Who can say no this quintessential palak paneer dish. The most favourite and loved by everyone is so easy to make too. With your detailed description and beautifully captured pics it’s breeze to make.
Palak paneer is all-time favourite dish. It really goes with any kind of flat breads. Your pictures are making me drool over it.
Who can say no to a delicious and creamy palak paneer? I love it and often make it as its not only very nutritious and healthy but a good way to enjoy both paneer and spinach.
Now I have a delicious and yum authentic palak paneer to ape next time I make it. Looks so very delicious.
This is an absolute classic recipe that is a family favorite. I can make this any day and the kids would be so happy to eat it. It is healthy and delicious at the same time. Lovely pictures!
Palak paneer looks creamy and delicious! Perfect as a side dish along with jeer rice or naan… there is an endless option to eat this delicious curry.
Palak Panner is a identity of Indian curries, most ordered vegetarian dish in the world. So delicious and tempting recipe Sapana!
Such a classic recipe sapana! Love how you have served it, makes it more tempting!! Absolutely tempting combination with roti/naan!!! I could eat it as such !
Palak paneer is all time favourite classic dish and who can say not to such a delicious & creamy curry!! Added bonus is it’s healthy too!!
Palak paneer is one of the dish I make it when I have little time. But I never used tomatoes in it. This sounds interesting. Will try this version.