Inspired by the palak paneer I grew up eating, this homestyle recipe focuses on fresh spinach, soft paneer, and warm spices. The spinach is blended just enough to keep its texture, while ingredients like ginger, garlic, and mustard oil add depth and aroma. It's a comforting, one pot, North Indian-style dish that comes together easily at home in about 1 hour.
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It is hard to not fall in love with the simplicity of this indian spinach dish. During winters, my grandmother cooked it using homegrown spinach from her vegetale patch that sprung to life with all sorts of greens under the winter sun. Easily one of the best palak paneer I have eaten, made from freshest spinach plucked right off.
The same palak base carried on to many meals on our tables. Sometimes simmered with chicken, other days with tender pieces of lamb and on busy evenings with chickpeas for palak chole.
What Makes My Recipe Special
I first shared this recipe in 2014 and havent changed a thing since then. That alone should tell you good it is. Here are a few things that makes my palak paneer recipe stand out.
- Keep the elements of the spinach sauce separate. Process the blanched spinach on its own, then fold it into the onion-tomato masala. Yes, blanching takes an extra 5-7 minutes, but that small effort pays off. This way, each layer keeps its character, instead of everything being puréed together and drowned in cream.
- Texture of spinach. When I grind spinach, I avoid blending it too fine. I use a food processor fitted with a metal blade, keep the speed low, and stop when the mixture is cohesive yet coarse. This gives the sauce amazing body and texture.
- Forget chasing that bright green color! Trust me on this one. Real flavor comes from slow, patient sautéing(bhunai) of spinach. This intentional step builds a deeper, more complex yet balanced flavor. Not only the raw taste of spinach is gone, but also the extra moisture evaporates away giving sauce a concentrated flavor. One you get hooked to proper bhuna hua palak paneer, it is life changing! Later in the post, I will share the visual cues so you know exactly when the spinach is cooked down perfectly.
- No need to pan fry paneer, or even soak it in hot water. The later step is not needed since the paneer is going to soften as it simmers in the sauce. Plus you save a pan! About soaking, in general I am not a fan of this step either, because if you are cooking paneer, it is going to soften anyways!
- No red chili powder- I use only green chilies, indian green chilies specifically (hot!) for adding heat. The heat from green chilli is fresh & grassy and it really complements the taste of spinach. In my opinion, the red chilli powder gives this tinge to palak paneer which doesnt go well with spinach.
- I don't go overboard on spices.The core ingredients of this dish aka palak and paneer both are mild and mellow and really, we dont want to overwhelm them with spices.
What Kind of Spinach To Use
In over a decade of living in the United States, I've made palak paneer with just about every kind of palak available. From fresh bunches of spinach to convenient frozen packs and even baby spinach, I've truly tried them all.Here are my thoughts!
- Spinach Bunch - The mature leaves of spinach bunch are darker, heartier, and intensely flavorful. They bring a natural depth and slight earthiness that is essential for a good palak paneer. Their stems are thick but still tender, which means they will soften beautifully once cooked and add body to the sauce instead of watering it down. Bunch spinach also stands up well to blanching, grinding, and slow sautéing, giving you a palak that tastes rich and robust, not flat or grassy. This is the kind of spinach that delivers that old school, homestyle flavor.
- Frozen spinach - The pro with frozen spinach is that you don't need to bland it. But for my recipe, since are pre grinding the palak, you have to either let it thaw or add warm water and grind it. Works beautifully nonetheless!
- Baby Spinach - It sure is convenient, but the spinach flavor is super mild and the masala base tends to overpower. I do not recommend unless you arent in mood for grocery run and thats all you have in the fridge.
Other Ingredients
- Onion & Tomatoes - Since my recipe is all about building texture, I always chop everything instead of slicing or pureeing it.
- Green Chillies - I use Indian green chillies, which are seriously hot and add a real kick! Good substitutes are serrano peppers or Thai green chilies.
- Tomatoes - Fresh tomatoes work best. I use chopped tomatoes on the vine or Roma tomatoes (just make sure they aren't too sour).
- Mustard Oil - This is a Punjabi dish and I prefer to cook it in mustard oil. Ghee can be substituted instead for a rich taste.
- Kasuri Methi - Also known as dried fenugreek leaves. They aren't absolutely essential, but they really bring the flavor closer to a traditional homestyle or restaurant-style palak paneer.
- Heavy Cream - Some people feel adding heavy cream is redundant since paneer is already creamy and milky, but I insist that you do add 1-2 tablespoons for that smooth, rich, luscious, velvety finish.
- Whole Spices - Fennel seeds and cloves are a unique addition in my version. They add a beautiful underlying warmth and subtle licorice-like depth that really elevates the spinach sauce.
How To Make Palak Paneer
Preparation
- Washing & Grinding Spinach - I remove the tough stem parts and soak the spinach in large pot of cold water, while swirling to release dirt. I repeat with fresh water until clear, then drain in a colander while I bring clove-laced salted water to boil. Blanch for 3-5 minutes, then transfer to a food processor. Grind the spinach coarsely. Reserve the blanching water to thin the sauce if needed.
- Cutting Paneer- I slice the paneer block lengthwise into even slabs, while keeping them moderately thin. Each slab is cut into wide strips, then diagonally into triangle pieces. The triangles are thin enough to absorb the gravy but thick enough to hold their shape. You can cut paneer into cubes if desired.
Make Spinach Sauce
- Heat mustard oil on medium high in a cooking pot (10 inch or 12 inch) until slightly smoky. Once warm, lower the heat, wait for 2 minutes and then add crushed cumin & fennel seeds along with cilantro stems and chopped green chillies. Fry carefully taking care spices do not burn.Remove the pan from heat briefly if needed.
- Add chopped onions and fry until lightly browned. Browing onions takes about 6-8 minutes. Don't let dark brown. Add garlic, ginger paste next and saute for a minute.
- Then add chopped tomatoes, coriander powder, turmeric, and cinnamon powder. Cook on medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and mushy but not dried out.
- Add the puréed spinach next, salt, and about ⅓ cup of the reserved spinach liquid. Mix well and cook, wile stirring frequently on low heat for 8-10 minutes. You will see lot of bubbling as spinach cooks and its bright color fading. Once sautéed prperly, tiny oil bubbles will appear on the surface of the sauce.
- Add the cut up paneer, crushed kasuri methi (if using) and ghee along with sugar, garam masala powder & heavy cream. Stir well to mix and cook together for another 3-5 minutes until the paneer is warmed through and you see slow bubbling. You will also notice a thin layer of oil on top of the sauce. Switch off the stove and let the palak paneer rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with homemade indian flatbreads such as yeast free naan or whole wheat flour roti, steamed fluffy basmati rice or jeera chawal.
My Recipe Tips
- Use a wide, heavy pan or pot (10-12 inches) for cooking. It's easier to stir and allows proper and quicker bhunai of the spinach.
- Add the reserved spinach water gradually to adjust consistency. Keep the sauce thick yet pourable or slightly looser if preferred. After each addition, mix well and let bubble before adding more. This step is crucial to prevent water from separating from the sauce and is a sign of a well-made palak paneer.
- If using frozen spinach, let it thaw slightly or grind it with warm water for easier blending.
- Avoid cast iron pans, as spinach can turn an unappetizing dark color and may develop a metallic taste.
Easy Palak Paneer Recipe
Easy to follow, rich and warming palak paneer recipe with creamy paneer chunks in a fragrant & smooth spinach sauce. Best served with warm naan or roti.
Ingredients
For Blanching Spinach
- 8oz (~250g) spinach bunch washed thoroughly, refer to note #1
- 2-2.5 cup water for boiling
- 2 cloves
For Spinach Sauce
- 3-4 tablespoon mustard oil (or any cooking oil of choice)
- 2-4 green chillies chopped (adjust to tolerance)
- ½ tablespoon cilantro stems finely chopped
- ½ cup (90g) onions chopped
- ¾ teaspoon ginger paste
- 1.5 teaspoon garlic paste
- ¾ cup (150g) tomatoes finely chopped
- 6 oz (~170g) paneer cut into triangles or cubes (use store-bought or homemade), refer note #2
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), skip if not available
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ tablespoon ghee optional
- 2 tablespoon heavy cream (adjust to taste)
Spices
- ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds crushed
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- pinch of ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
Instructions
- Pour water in your cooking pot(see note #3 for sizing), add cloves and bring to a boil. Roughly chop the spinach leaves if they are too big. Cut off the hard parts of the stems and use only juicy, tender ones.
- Once the water is boiling, immediately add spinach to it. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the leaves have wilted & turn darker green, and the stems are soft and pilable. Using tongs transfer the spinach to your food processor jar fitted with metal blade(add the cloves too). Reserve the blanching water to thin the sauce if needed.
- Pulse or blend spinach on lowest speed.I don't maka smooth fine puree. But the spinach should be blended enough in a way that water is not seperating. You can blend the spinach to desired texture. If needed, the reserved can be used liquid while blending. Set the blended spinach aside.
Make The Palak Sauce
- Heat mustard oil in the same cooking pot over medium-high heat until lightly smoking. Lower the heat, wait about 2 minutes, then add the crushed cumin and fennel seeds along with the cilantro stems and chopped green chilies. Fry gently, taking care not to burn the spices. Remove the pan briefly from the heat if needed.
- Next, add the chopped onions and sauté until lightly browned, about 6-8 minutes. Do not let them turn dark brown. Add the garlic and ginger paste and sauté for another minute.
- Then add the chopped tomatoes, coriander powder, turmeric, and cinnamon powder. Cook over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and mushy but not dried out
- Add the puréed spinach, salt, and about ? cup of the reserved spinach liquid. Mix well and cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently. You'll see bubbling as the spinach cooks and it's bright color starting to fade. Once properly sautéed, tiny oil bubbles will start appear on the surface of the sauce.
- Add the paneer cubes, crushed kasuri methi (if using), ghee, sugar, garam masala, and heavy cream. Stir well to combine and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until the paneer is heated through and the curry shows gentle bubbling. You'll also notice a thin layer of oil on the surface. Turn off the heat and let the palak paneer rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve alongside hot flatbreads, steamed fluffy rice or jeera chawal.
Notes
Note #1
- Washing & Grinding Spinach - I remove the tough stem parts and soak the spinach in large pot of cold water, while swirling to release dirt. I repeat with fresh water until clear, then drain in a colander while I bring clove-laced salted water to boil. Blanch for 3-5 minutes, then transfer to a food processor. Grind the spinach coarsely. Reserve the blanching water to thin the sauce if needed.
- Cutting Paneer- I slice the paneer block lengthwise into even slabs, while keeping them moderately thin. Each slab is cut into wide strips, then diagonally into neat triangle pieces. The triangles should be thin enough to absorb the gravy but thick enough to hold their shape. You can cut into cubes if desired.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Lisa Balakrishnan says
I am a caucasian woman married to a South Indian man... I made this dish for him tonight and he claims that it is the best dish ever. He gives it an 11 on a scale of 1-10! So I thank you for such a kick-a** recipe. It is a keeper!
We actually doubled the recipe and I then doubled the garlic. My husband added about 8 green chilies and we did puree the whole lot.
Tanvi Srivastava says
Thank you so much Lisa! I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe.
Modern Cooking says
Looks really nice n delicious. Thanks for sharing. For simple, yummy recipes, please visit my website