Palak paneer recipe – Indian cottage cheese in smooth creamy delicious spinach gravy. Palak paneer is one of the most loved North Indian dishes that’s eaten with roti, paratha, naan, Jeera rice, Ghee rice or even with plain rice. It is very easy to prepare and can be made in so many ways. This is an easy and healthy palak paneer recipe which I finally arrived at after trying so many other recipes.
In this palak paneer recipe, I have not blanched the spinach to prevent loss of nutrients. In most Indian recipes spinach is not blanched and used directly to make dal palak, spinach paratha, palak rice, spinach omelette, aloo palak and many other recipes as the nutrients are lost when blanched.
Tips to make best palak paneer
1.Blanched Vs unblanched spinach: This palak paneer is the best I have made in the years. Not blanching the spinach and frying it for a short time is what makes this delicious. However this recipe also works with blanched spinach.
I would recommend blanching, if you have been on a low oxalate diet and do not consume spinach without blanching in any other foods like dal palak or any spinach curries.
To make palak paneer, always spinach is blanched prior to making a puree. But if you are trying to make the best palak paneer, give it a try without blanching.
I am sure you will wonder how good this tastes and completely different from the one made with blanched spinach.
2.Preserving the color of palak: To get the best color, keep garam masala to minimum in this recipe and also prevent overcooking spinach which darkens the dish.
3: Smooth creamy texture: I have used few cashews to give a slightly creamy texture to the palak paneer gravy. However you can just skip them and use about 3 tbsps cream. You can also use blanched almonds.
4.Blending: I often get queries asking about the kind of blender I use to puree the ingredients. I use a regular high speed blender. You can use any smoothie blender too.
If you do not have a powerful blender, then soak the cashews for 30 in hot water and then use. This helps to get a smooth puree.
5.Paneer: Do choose good quality paneer as it is the key ingredient in this palak paneer recipe. I use this homemade paneer which is soft with a melt-in-the-mouth texture.
If using frozen store bought paneer then soak it in slightly hot water for 15 to 20 mins. Drain and use. This helps to keep it soft.
You can check more palak recipes here which I have shared on the blog.
How to choose palak to make palak paneer
- Always choose tender palak that is light to medium green in color. Dark leaves are usually less tasty.
- Do not use the stalks or stems of palak as it makes the palak paneer bitter. It also leads to metallic taste.
- I have not made this recipe with frozen spinach anytime. But a few readers have had positive results even when made with frozen spinach.
More Paneer recipes
Paneer butter masala
Malai kofta
Paneer makhani
Easy paneer bhurji
Shahi paneer
Paneer tikka masala
Palak paneer recipe
Palak paneer recipe
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
Ingredients for palak paneer recipe
- 1¼ cup paneer or 150 grams Indian cottage cheese
- 2 cups palak or indian spinach, tightly packed (100 grams)
- 2 tablespoons Oil or butter as needed
- 2 to 3 green chilies deseeded (less spicy kind)
- ¾ cup onions fine chopped or ½ cup paste (2 medium)
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste or fine chopped
- ½ cup tomatoes (deseeded & chopped) or puree (2 small)
- salt as needed
- 8 to 10 cashewnuts or blanched almonds or 3 tbsps cream
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon kasuri methi or dried fenugreek leaves (skip if you don't have)
(optional) Whole spices for palak paneer
- 1/8 teaspoon cumin or jeera (optional)
- 2 green cardamoms or elaichi (optional)
- 1 inch cinnamon or dalchini (optional)
- 2 cloves or laung (optional)
How to make the recipe
Preparation for palak paneer
- Pluck only the young & tender palak leaves and discard the stems as they may leave a bitter taste.
- Add them to a large pot of water. Rinse them well few times & drain to a colander.
- Allow the water to drain completely otherwise it will let out lot of moisture while cooking.
- Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Fry green chilies and spinach for 3 to 4 mins until the leaves wilt off thoroughly & raw smell of spinach has gone away.
- OR another option is to blanch the palak in 4 cups of hot water with ¼ tsp salt for 2 mins. Then immerse in ice cold water. Drain completely.
- Cool this completely. Blend this along with cashews to a smooth puree.
- Optional: If using store bought paneer, then cube them and add to 2 cups hot water. Keep these immersed for 20 mins. Drain and use. Or you can also fry the paneer in 1 tsp oil for 2 mins and then add it to the hot water.
How to make palak paneer
- Heat 1.5 tbsp oil in a pan and fry cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves & cumin until they sizzle.
- Then add onions and fry till they turn transparent to golden.
- Next fry ginger garlic paste until the raw smell goes away.
- Then fry tomatoes with some salt until they break down and turn mushy.
- Add kasuri methi & garam masala. Saute until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan.
- Pour half cup water and cook until the mixture thickens.
- Lower the flame, add the pureed spinach.
- Mix well and cook until it begins to bubble for about 2 to 3 mins.
- Avoid overcooking. Add paneer & mix well.
- If using cream pour it now. Switch off. Serve palak paneer with naan, roti or rice.
NUTRITION (estimation only)
Notes
- Avoid using stalks & stems of spinach as they may lend a bitter taste. Cut off each stem from the leaves.Overcooking palak can leave a bitter taste.
- You can use more spinach if you like.
If you are a beginner or new to Indian cooking, I highly suggest you to check the supporting step by step photos for best results. Step by step photos with description available below after the recipe card.
Serving suggestions: palak paneer goes well with
Indian flat breads like roti, naan or plain paratha.
Plain or flavoured rice like jeera rice, biryani rice or ghee rice or veg pulao.
Preparation
1. Avoid using stems or stalks of palak as they make the gravy bitter. Use only young and fresh spinach. Wash cleaned palak thoroughly in a large pot filled with water. I also sprinkle vinegar and salt to remove the pesticide residue. Rinse a few times more. Drain off the water completely.
If you are on a low oxalate diet then you can blanch the spinach by following the steps mentioned in the recipe card above.
2. This step is optional. Heat a pan with 1 tsp oil and saute paneer just for 2 to 3 mins. You can add them to warm water and leave for 10 to 15 mins to keep them soft. Drain and set aside. I do not add to water.
3. To the same pan add another tsp oil, then saute green chilies and palak on a medium heat.
4. Switch off when the leaves wilt off. This takes only 2 to 3 minutes. Do not overcook, spinach takes only 2 to 3 mins to cook. If there is any stock of spinach left, you can use up. You need not evaporate it.
5. Cool it completely. Add to a blender with green chilies. We are not going to use red chilli powder, so the heat comes only from green chilies. Mine were not hot, so I used 3. You can also add 8 to 10 cashews at this stage to make creamy palak paneer.
6. Make a smooth paste. Set aside.
Make gravy
7. Heat oil in a pan or pot. Add cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and jeera as well. Do not skip the dry spices as we are not going to use much garam masala in powder form which helps to retain a good color.
8. Add onions or onion paste. Fry until golden.
9. Add ginger garlic paste or garlic paste alone. Fry until the raw smell goes off.
10. Add deseeded tomatoes or tomato puree and salt.
11. When the tomatoes turn fully mushy, add crushed kasuri methi and garam masala. You can also add kasuri methi later along with pureed palak.
12. Saute until the masala smells good for 2 to 3 mins or until it begins to leave the sides of the pan.
13. Add half cup water and cook on a medium heat.
14. When the gravy thickens, lower the flame completely. Next add the puree.
15. Mix it well and cook until it begins to bubble just for about 2 mins. I do not suggest cooking for long at this stage as it discolors the gravy.
How to make palak paneer
16. Add the paneer. Mix well. Switch off the stove.
17. If using cream pour it now. You can skip cream is you have used cashews while pureeing the spinach.
Serve palak paneer with rice, roti or paratha.
Sandeep says
Awesome
swasthi says
Thank you!
Flavia says
Hey Swasthi,
Tried your palak recipe. It turned out superrrrr delicious👍👍..Thank you so much for the recipe🥰..
Is there a low fat option to cashew or cream?. If yes, will it taste equally good.
swasthi says
Hi Flavia,
You are welcome! This recipe I have tried only with almonds & cashews. But my mom says poppy seeds always work well as a substitute to cashews in any curry recipe. You may try it!.
Savithri says
Hi Swasthi,
I have made this recipe several times and it’s excellent! I love the idea of sautéing the spinach instead of blanching and it’s so much easier and faster.
Thank you for all your great recipes and tips. You’re doing an excellent job. God bless you.
Savithri
swasthi says
Hi Savithri,
You are welcome! Glad you liked it. Thank you so much for the wishes.
🙂
Jackie says
Hi Swasthi.
In your palak paneer recipe, can I substitute Ground Fenugreek seed for the ½ teaspoon kasuri methi? If so, how much would I use?
I’m not familiar with this spice and wasn’t sure if you were referring to leaves or ground.
Also, I have a limited variety of chili peppers at my grocery store. There are jalapeños and thai chili’s that are green. Which would you recommend? I like spicy, but not so hot I can’t taste the food halfway through—haha. Thank you for your help and teaching me how to cook awesome Indian food!
Jackie
swasthi says
Hi Jackie,
Kasuri methi is dried leaves of fenugreek plants & are different from the seeds. Both impart different flavors & cannot be substituted for each other. I suggest you skip it.
Thai chillis would be quite hot so you can go witth jalapenos.You can also skip blending the chilli. Instead slit the chilli and saute it with onions. Hope this helps.
radhika says
thanks a lot even my son doesnt like onion and tomato in the gravy
swasthi says
Welcome Radhika
Hope your son likes it!
🙂
Archana Nalavade says
Hello,
First of all thanks a lot for the lovely receipes. I follow ur butter chicken recipe religiously and it turns out every time amazingly. Your way of presenting the recipe is really good and simple. today I m trying ur broccoli recipe and I m sure following ur instructions it’ll turn up nicely. God bless you and all the very best for your journey of cooking. Thanks a lot.
swasthi says
Hi Archana,
You are most welcome! Happy to know you like the recipes. Thank you so much for the wishes!
🙂
radhika says
Hi
All your receipes looks very simple and easy.. going to try your palak paneer tomorrow … Have a doubt alternatively can v saute onion tomato grind it to a paste then saute it after tempering whole spices .will it taste good ?
swasthi says
Hi Radhika
Thank you! Yes I do that as my kids don’t like the onions and tomatoes in the gravy. It tastes good but sometimes the color is not the same due to blending. Hope this helps.
Sheela says
Hi.. love all ur recipes..
swasthi says
Thank you Sheela!
Khadeejah says
Absolutely amazing palak paneer. Definitely my go to recipe for this dish. Thanks so much!
swasthi says
Hi Khadeejah,
You are welcome! Glad to know!
Muskan says
Very tasty.. My family members liked very much.
swasthi says
Thanks Muskan
Kriti says
Hi Swasthi,
This recipe is a revelation for me! Have tried palak paneer in different styles for the last 14 years! But the taste of it, when I made it today with your recipe is UNBELIEVABLE! Thanks so much for this! Just made it a few minutes ago and couldn’t wait to provide my feedback. I have been blanching it all my life but giving it a 2-3 min stir in a pan and then grinding it is the MAGIC here ! Thanks again for this and all your recipes that I have been trying. God bless and have an amazing day as I am going to have one with this amazing palak paneer
swasthi says
Hi Kriti,
You are welcome! So glad you liked it.Thank you so much for the wishes!!
You too have a great day!
🙂
Sindhu says
Hi Swasthi,
I’d tried many versions of palak paneer in that past and all were average, but your recipe is the best tried recipe. Thank you very much for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Which spinach tastes better is it blanched one or sauted one? I had tried both but can’t tell the difference in taste.
swasthi says
Hi Sindhu,
You are welcome! Sauteed one tastes better. Thank you so much for trying.
Vidya Renjith says
Thank you so much Swasthi.I made rasam and palak paneer referring to this site. Both came out well. I’m really grateful to you for bringing confidence in me for cooking. Your recipies are really easy and simpler.
swasthi says
Welcome Vidya
Glad your food turned out good. Thank you!
Anju says
Dear Swasthi, amazing recipe! Was perfect first time. Second time, the chilli turned out to be too spicy. Any advice to fix the spiciness?
swasthi says
Hi Anju,
Blend some cashews with water to a smooth thick mixture and pour it to the curry. Remove the paneer from the gravy and simmer for a while. You can also use coconut milk or cream. Hope this helps.
Dominik says
thank you a lot for your well written and structured recipes and your helpful insights!
swasthi says
You are welcome!
Sweatha says
I have tried a few other recipes and they were mediocre. Your recipe was amazing. My kids love it. I love the fact that it is healthy and tasty.
swasthi says
Hi Sweatha,
Thank you so much! Glad you liked palak paneer.
🙂
Padmaja reddy says
very good recepies .I am enjoying alot.
swasthi says
Thank you Padmaja
Swati says
Amazing recipe.. It’s the best palak paneer i have ever tasted. Thanks.
swasthi says
Hi Swati,
Glad you liked it. Thank you so much!
Jessy says
Palak paneer was awesome.. I tried
swasthi says
Thanks Jessy.
Shaila dudalkar says
Best palak paneer I ever had. Thank you swasthi.
swasthi says
Hi Shaila,
You are welcome! Glad you liked it!
Vinod Kumar says
I have an Indian restaurant in Seoul korea.i am preparing palak paneer by this method .very delicious and tasty palak paneer we are serving to our South Korean customers.sir please regularly shows us these different types of recipees.thanka lot sir.
swasthi says
Hello Vinod Kumar,
You are welcome. Glad to know! Yes sure I will be sharing more recipes. Wishing you the best!!