Learn to make palak paneer recipe – Palak Paneer is one of the most popular Indian dish made with succulent paneer cubes (Indian cottage cheese) in a smoothly pureed spinach sauce.
This deliciously creamy and vibrantly green dish is made with paneer in a mildly spiced fresh spinach sauce. You can replace paneer with tofu for the vegan recipe.
Packed with healthy nutrients like calcium, iron and vitamin C, this is a meal that is good for everyone even on diet. Just skip adding cream for garnish and go for the blanched version.
I am sharing two ways to prepare spinach for this dish– a sautéed version and blanched method. Personally, I prefer the taste of sauteed version much more than boiled spinach.
STEP BY STEP PALAK PANEER RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS WITH PHOTOS:
METHOD 1: STIR FRY SPINACH
- Heat oil in a pan and fry green chilis for 2 minutes on low flame.
2. Add chopped spinach leaves to the same pan and fry for 2-3 minutes.
3. Set aside, let it cool, add salt, green chili and then grind.
METHOD 2: BLANCHED SPINACH
- Heat oil in a pan and fry green chilis for 2 minutes on low flame.
- Boil 4 cups water and add spinach to it. Cook for 2 minutes and then drain into a bowl with ice cold water (this helps retain color of spinach).
3. Add salt and green chili along with spinach and grind it.
PALAK PANEER RECIPE:
- Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and let it splutter.
2. Add chopped onions and cook for3-4 minutes till they turn light golden color.
3. Then add ginger garlic paste and cook till raw smell goes away.
4. Now, add tomatoes and cook till they turn mushy and release oil.
5. Add Chili powder, garam masala and mix well.
6. Add palak (spinach) paste, cook for 5 minutes.
7. Now add some water, cook for 5 minutes and adjust consistency.
8. Add paneer pieces (refer notes), mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
9. Garnish with cream and serve with roti, pulka, naan or jeera rice.
Check out some curry recipes:
Gutti Vankaya Recipe/ Stuffed Brinjal Curry
Methi Dal recipe – Foodie platter
Check out vegetarian recipes:
Vegetable Pulao Recipe (Rice Cooker/ Pressure cooker)
Goruchikkudu fry (Cluster beans recipe)
Carrot Fry Recipe – Foodie Platter
Aakakarakaya Fry Recipe/ Teasel gourd fry
Dondakaya Fry with Peanuts (Tindora)
Palak paneer recipe
Ingredients
- 3 Green chili
- 2 cups Spinach
- 4 cups Water
- 2 tbsp Oil
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp Chili powder
- 1 tbsp Garam masala
- 1 tbsp Cumin seeds
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
- 1 tomato chopped
- 200 grams Paneer
- 2 tbsp Cream Optional for garnish
Instructions
Method 1
- Heat oil in a pan and fry green chilis for 2 minutes on low flame.
- Add chopped spinach leaves to the same pan and fry for 2-3 minutes.
- Set aside, let it cool, add salt, green chili and then grind.
METHOD 2
- Boil 4 cups water and add spinach to it. Cook for 2 minutes and then drain into a bowl with ice cold water (this helps retain color of spinach).
- Add salt and green chili along with spinach and grind it.
PALAK PANEER RECIPE
- Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and let it splutter.
- Add chopped onions and cook for3-4 minutes till they turn light golden color.
- Then add ginger garlic paste and cook till raw smell goes away.
- Now, add tomatoes and cook till they turn mushy and release oil.
- Add Chili powder, garam masala and mix well.
- Add palak (spinach) paste, cook for 5 minutes.
- Now add some water, cook for 5 minutes and adjust consistency.
- Add paneer pieces (refer notes), mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Garnish with cream and serve with roti, pulka or jeera rice.
Notes
- Tofu can be fried before adding to the spinach paste but it absorbs more flavors when added directly without frying.
- You can blanch spinach to make healthier version of the recipe.
- Avoid adding cream to make it healthy
- Replace paneer with tofu for vegan recipe.
I’d love to know your thoughts about this dish! Please leave a comment or share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #foodieplatter6.