This palak paneer recipe takes the simple-is-best approach: Frozen spinach leaves blended with hot water, paneer pan-fried in ghee, and very few add-ins to get in the way. If you’re looking to make a home-cooked version of the North Indian restaurant-style classic for the first time, this is a great place to start.
The technique that makes this version so special is crisping the paneer cubes before adding them to the puréed spinach, giving them a caramelized golden-brown crust, with a soft interior texture that holds up well in the cooked spinach. To get the crispiest paneer, look for the more common store-bought paneer brands, like Gopi or Nanak (most well-stocked grocery stores or South Asian markets will carry at least one). Higher-end and homemade paneers tend to crumble when you sauté them, so they aren’t recommended here.
Wondering how this dish differs from saag paneer? Saag can refer to any leafy green—think mustard greens, fresh spinach, turnip greens, or a mixture. Palak translates to “spinach” in Hindi, so you know exactly what you’re getting. Simply: All palak paneer is saag paneer, but not all saag paneer is palak paneer. Here I rely on frozen spinach for ease. Don’t be tempted to swap in fresh mature or baby spinach, which must be blanched and chopped before starting the recipe. Serve with a pot of basmati rice or with roti, chapati, or naan.
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What you’ll need
Measuring Cups and Spoons Set
$13 $12 At Amazon
Blender
$40 At Amazon
Dutch Oven
$133 $80 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
35 minutes
Yield
2 servings
Ingredients
2
½
3
12
3
1
½
4
½
½
2
¾
Preparation
Step 1
Blend two 10-oz. packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed, ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and 1½ cups boiling water in a blender on high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Set spinach purée aside.
Step 2
Heat 3 Tbsp. ghee or unsalted butter in a medium Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Working in batches if needed, cook 12 oz. paneer, cut into 1" cubes, turning halfway through, until golden brown and crisp on 2 sides, about 10 minutes total. (The oil may spatter, so use a splatter guard or partially cover with a lid if needed.) Transfer paneer to paper towels.
Step 3
Cook 3 dried red chiles, stems removed, and 1 tsp. cumin seeds in same pot over medium, stirring often, until seeds are popping, about 3 minutes. Add ½ medium onion, finely chopped; cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, and cook, stirring often, until just starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add ½ tsp. ground turmeric and ½ tsp. Kashmiri or other mild red chile powder; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add reserved spinach purée and 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until butter is melted and mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in ¾ cup heavy cream and paneer. Taste steamed and season with more salt if needed. Transfer palak paneer to a shallow dish and serve with roti or steamed rice if desired.