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 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.
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.
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.
To get the best color, keep garam masala to minimum in this recipe and also prevent overcooking which darkens the dish. You can check more palak recipes here which I have shared on the blog.
More Paneer recipes
Paneer butter masala
Malai kofta
Paneer makhani
Easy paneer bhurji
Paneer lababdar
Palak paneer recipe
Palak paneer recipe | How to make palak paneer recipe
Palak paneer recipe - Indian cottage cheese in simmered onion tomato spinach gravy. This palak paneer is one of the best you can make at home. Serve palak paneer with plain or flavored rice, paratha, naan or roti.
Ingredients (240 ml cup used)
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 tbsp Oil or butter as needed
- 2 to 3 green chilies deseeded
- ¾ cup onions fine chopped or ½ cup paste
- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste or garlic paste
- ½ cup tomatoes (deseeded & chopped) or puree
- salt as needed
- 8 to 10 cashewnuts or 3 tbsps cream
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp kasuri methi or dried fenugreek leaves
Dry spices for palak paneer
- 1/8 tsp cumin or jeera
- 2 green cardamoms or elaichi
- 1 inch cinnamon or dalchini
- 2 cloves or laung
How to make the recipe
Preparation for palak paneer
For best taste always use young and tender palak. Check each spinach leaf for worms. Pluck only the 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.
Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Fry green chilies and spinach for 2 to 3 mins until the leaves wilt off thoroughly. Do not overcook. 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 & blend chilies, palak & cashews to a smooth puree in a mixer jar.
How to make palak paneer gravy
Add cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves & cumin to hot oil. When they begin to splutter, add onions and fry till they turn transparent.
Next add ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell goes away.
Then put in tomatoes and sprinkle salt. Fry till they 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.
Simmer the flame, add the pureed spinach. Mix well and cook until it begins to bubble for about 2 to 3 mins.
Add paneer & mix well. If using cream pour it now. Switch off.
- Serve palak paneer with naan, roti or rice.
Recipe Notes
Notes on palak paneer recipe
1. Avoid using stalks of spinach as they may lend a bitter taste.
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.
How to make palak paneer recipe – 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 palak paneer 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.
Surinder Kumar says
Please include number of onions and tomato and size also like medium/large instead of just portion of cup.
swasthi says
Yes sure I will
SAROJINI says
The palak paneer came out perfectly. Thank you so much Swasthi for your great recipes!!
swasthi says
Welcome Sarojini
Rohit says
Can you pls explain abt calories bco i think only oil has more then 100 per spoon. Will be glad
swasthi says
Hi Rohit,
Thanks for the mention. I updated the nutrition facts.
Thamil says
Fantastic I tried your receipe it came out very well.
swasthi says
Thank you so much
Vinni says
I follow your palak paneer recipe , test was very nice but it was little bitter , can you please tell me why this is happening.
swasthi says
Hi Vinni
If you use palak with stems they will make the dish bitter. Also if the palak is not young then also it may turn bitter. I have mentioned it in the first step in the recipe card.
Deepak says
Thanks to give method to cook delicious food at home. Very thankful to you.
swasthi says
Welcome Deepak