Palak paneer is a very easy recipe made with spinach and Indian cottage cheese. It has a mild flavor and is very kid friendly. So easy to make that you can make it in 15 to 20 minutes.
You should be able to find all ingredients for this recipe at your local international market or East Asian store. We have use store-bought paneer in this palak paneer recipe but you can also make your own paneer very easily. If buying paneer, look for malai paneer and not regular paneer for a delicious melt-in-your-mouth paneer.
Some people like to use onion puree instead of chopped onions but we prefer to use chopped onions. Onion puree tends to make the gravy bitter. Heavy cream is optional but it does add a rich taste to the dish. Some recipes call for blanching the spinach before make the puree. We have tried that version and honestly, there was no difference in taste in the two versions. However, blanching added to the total time and effort for the recipe. We simply wash the spinach and make a puree.
You can make this dish vegan by substituting paneer with tofu and skipping cream. Or you could also use coconut cream or coconut milk.
If you like this recipe, we are sure you will also enjoy our Shahi Paneer recipe.
Palak paneer
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb paneer (or Indian cottage cheese) cut in bite cubes or rectangles
- 3-4 tsp ghee or clarified butter
- ¼ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 bunch spinach washed and pureed
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ inch ginger minced
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp cumin-coriander powder
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 cup water more as needed
- salt as needed
Instructions
- Melt ghee on medium heat.
- Add cumin seeds, bay leaf and cinnamon stick and sauté.
- Add chopped onion, ginger and garlic and sauté until golden brown.
- Add spinach puree and cook well.
- Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin-coriander powder and garam masala.
- Add water as needed and bring to a boil.
- Add salt and sugar.
- Add paneer pieces, cover and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Finally stir in heavy cream (optional), simmer and serve with rice, naan or roti.
DISCLAIMER:
Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only. Actual numbers may be different from those provided below. If you have health issues, please work with a registered dietician or nutritionist. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition
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Yum! I have never heard of Palak Paneer, but I LOVE cottage cheese and spinach! It looks like something I would love with some homemade naan!