Main Course

Indian Palak Paneer

A popular North Indian vegetarian curry featuring fresh spinach purée with cubes of paneer cheese. This creamy, mildly spiced dish is packed with nutrients and pairs perfectly with naan or rice.

Md Afroz Alam

Cook Time

Servings

reviews

Medium

Difficulty

Instructions

Blanch spinach

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add spinach and blanch for 2 minutes until wilted. Immediately transfer to ice water to preserve color. Drain, squeeze out excess water, and blend with green chilies to a smooth purée.

The ice water bath stops cooking and keeps the spinach bright green.

Fry paneer

Cut paneer into 2cm cubes. Heat oil in a pan and lightly fry paneer until golden on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside on paper towels.

Frying paneer gives it a pleasant texture and prevents it from breaking apart in the curry.

Make base gravy

In the same pan, add butter and sauté finely chopped onions until golden brown. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until soft and oil separates, about 8 minutes.

Well-cooked tomatoes and onions create the foundation for a rich, flavorful curry.

Add spices and spinach

Add cumin, coriander, and half the garam masala. Cook for 1 minute. Add spinach purée and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Don't rush the simmering - this allows the spinach to meld with the spices.

Finish the dish

Add cream and remaining garam masala. Gently fold in fried paneer cubes and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Adjust salt to taste. Serve hot with naan or basmati rice.

Add paneer at the end to prevent it from becoming rubbery with prolonged cooking.