Palak paratha are Indian flatbreads made with whole wheat flour, spinach and spices. ‘Palak’ is the Hindi word for ‘spinach’ and paratha are Indian flatbreads made with unleavened dough. So palak paratha are nothing but spinach flatbreads. These are healthy, delicious & easy to make. Serve them with chutney, dal or curry. Wrap them with your favorite fillings and make kathi rolls or vegetable wraps.
Palak paratha are great to enjoy anytime of the day for a meal. They also go well in a school/ office lunch box. These are my kids’ favourite and they love these in their school box, rolled with some paneer bhurji & fresh veggies. I love experimenting with different kinds of stuffings in these palak parathas.
Regular use of spinach helps us to prevent iron deficiency and boosts our immunity. I always found this to be the best ways to include spinach in out diet since the leaves are lightly cooked so most nutrients are still preserved.
As I said these go wonderfully well with any chutney, simple dal or vegetable curry. This time I made these with beetroot chutney and vegetable salad.
There are 2 kinds of parathas made in Indian cuisine – plain and stuffed. These are the plain, non-stuffed parathas so they are kind of easy to make and requires no preparation. Just puree the spinach leaves and add it to the flour. Spice up to suit your taste and form the dough.
The dough needs no resting so it can be rolled immediately to parathas. Again you can make these the way I showed or make triangle and square parathas like I made these plain parathas.
These palak parathas are so good and flavorful so even the normal rolled ones taste great. If you have fussy kids who don’t not like greens then give this recipe a try.
More Palak recipes
Spinach curry
palak paneer
palak chole
aloo palak
dal palak
You can also find more Paratha recipes here.
Preparation for palak paratha
1. Pluck each leaf of spinach, check for worms. Add them to a large pot filled with water. Once done, sprinkle some crystal salt and leave it for a while. This helps to get rid of pesticide residues. Then rinse them a few times in fresh water. Drain off to a colander completely. I used about 125 to 150 grams spinach weighted without stalks. More or less is just fine.
2. Add them to a blender jar with half inch ginger or garlic and 1 green chilli. Skip chili for kids. I usually add 1 to 2 tbsp. water to the jar since i drain the spinach completely. This helps to blend to a smooth puree. Adding too much water will make the dough sticky and you may need to add more flour.
3. Add 1½ cups whole wheat flour, palak puree, ¼ teaspoon garam masala and ½ teaspoon salt. You can also use any other spices you like kasuri methi, carom seeds etc.
4. Mix all the ingredients and form a soft non-sticky dough. If required add more water. If the dough is too sticky then add little more flour. Add 1 tablespoon oil (optional).
5. Knead until the dough is soft and pliable. Smear few drops of oil. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.
6. Divide the dough to equal sized balls and set aside. You will get about 6 to 7 parathas depending on the size and thickness.
How to make palak paratha
7. Sprinkle little flour over the rolling area and then over the ball as well. Flatten a bit and roll them. Lightly sprinkle flour as needed to prevent the paratha from sticking. Roll to a neither too thick or too thin palak paratha. If you want to make layered paratha you can check this post on plain parathas.
8. Heat a tawa or griddle on a high flame. When the griddle is hot enough, gently lift the palak paratha and dust off all the excess flour and transfer it to the griddle.
9. Very soon you will begin to see bubbles.
10. Flip the palak paratha to the other side and gently press down with a spatula so the paratha puffs well. Smear 1 teaspoon ghee over the paratha.
11. Gently press the paratha to help it puff up. It may not puff if it is too thin or doesn’t get enough heat. Clean up the tawa to remove any dry flour before you begin to roast the next one.
Lastly stack spinach paratha to keep them soft. Place them over a kitchen towel. When they cool down, place them in a box to keep them soft for hours.
Tips to make palak paratha
- I prefer to puree the palak first and then add it to the flour. However you can also add them finely chopped. Since I have fussy kids I do prefer to blend them.
- Avoid adding stalks of spinach as they sometimes lend a bitter or metallic taste.
- I do not blanch the palak or any leaf greens. But if you are on a low oxalate diet, then yes do add the spinach to boiling water and leave for 1 to 2 mins. Then add them to cold water. Drain and use them.
- Adjust the amount of spice powders to suit your taste. The recipe below is to make mildly spiced palak paratha.
- You can also substitute little multi grain flour for whole wheat flour in the recipe.
Related Recipes
Recipe card
Palak paratha (spinach paratha)
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
- 1½ cups Whole wheat flour (atta)
- 1½ cups spinach (palak, roughly 125 to 150 grams leaves)
- ½ inch ginger or 1 to 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ tsp garam masala (optional)
- 1 small green chili (optional, skip for kids)
- ½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 to 2 tbsp water to blend palak (optional)
- 1 tbsp Oil for kneading
- 2 tbsp Ghee for toasting
Instructions
Preparation for palak paratha
- Wash spinach and drain completely.
- Add them to a blender with chili, ginger or garlic and make a fine puree with the help of 1 to 2 tbsp water. Use water only if needed.
- Add the puree to the flour along with salt and spice powders.
- Knead together to make a dough.
- If the dough turns sticky, just sprinkle more flour & knead to a non sticky dough.
- If the dough turns too dry then, sprinkle water & knead.
- Add little oil and knead well to make a soft pliable dough.
- Set this aside for 20 to 30 minutes. Make 8 equal sized balls. Cover them.
How to make palak paratha
- Flour the rolling area and flatten a ball. Sprinkle flour.
- Roll it to make slightly thick palak paratha.
- Sprinkle flour over the paratha as needed to prevent sticking. It has to be slightly thicker than roti.
- Heat a tawa until hot enough. Transfer a paratha to the tawa.
- When the paratha begins to get bubbles over it.
- Flip it to the other side. Gently press down the paratha with a spatula to puff it. Cook until golden spots appear.
- Once done smear little ghee.
- Place a kitchen tissue on a plate. Stack the palak parathas to keep them soft.
- Serve palak paratha with chutney, dal or curry. Or use them to wrap as rolls with veggie or egg fillings.
Notes
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Tabassum Girach says
Hi mam. Can we chop palak n knead dough, like we do in me methi ka thepla?
swasthi says
Hi Tabassum,
Yes you can do it.
Ola says
I like your recipes very much. It is easy and tasty. I’m not Indian that is why sometimes it is difficult to find some ingredients 🙂
I wanted to ask will the paratha puff without adding any yeast?
Thank you so much ☺️
swasthi says
Hello Ola
You are welcome. Yes they will puff well. We don’t use yeast or any kind of leavening for our regular flatbreads. They will still puff. You can check the picture of the puffed paratha in the step by step pictures below. Hope this helps. Thank you
Gayathri Nagappa says
Very healthy recipe. I try to make It as often as possible.
Thanks for sharing.
swasthi says
Welcome Gayathri
Sathimony says
I think it is better for children and everyone forhealthy life
swasthi says
Yes indeed it is healthy
Megha says
Loved it… Thanks for Sharing nice recipe
swasthi says
Welcome Megha
Glad you loved them.
Vanshika Tibarewalla says
Loved it. Thank you so much for sharing.
swasthi says
Welcome Vanshika
Thanks for rating the recipe.
Sree says
No need to cook the palak with hot water?
swasthi says
Hi Sree,
Yes don’t need to boil it. It will get cooked in the paratha
Raima says
Hi Swasthi,
As you mentioned I also added 1 potato to the parathas. Wow so soft and yummy. My lo loved them though he couldn’t eat much.
swasthi says
Hi Raima,
Thanks for the comment. Glad to know your lo liked it.
Priya says
Love these recipe..
My kid likes it…. Good way to eat veggies…
Thank you so much
swasthi says
You are welcome Priya
Thanks for trying
Piya says
Love these very much. I make these often . Thanks for the recipe
Swapna says
Love to watch ur recipes n love to try out for my kiddo n family .. tried out Palak paratha for my kiddo n she had it without hassle … happy cooking ..
Thank u so much
swasthi says
Welcome Swapna
Glad to know your kid liked them. Thanks for the comment
🙂
Zanna says
So good! The puree gives a very nice soft texture
Jasinta says
Love it, for someone who hates greens, this is a perfect way to incorporate it into ones meal.
swasthi says
Thanks Jasinta. Yes you are right.
🙂
RekhaReddy.U says
Your recipes are very easy to understand and easy to make. They are very delicious too. Thanks so much for taking the effort to post these recipes.
swasthi says
Welcome Rekha
Happy to know the recipes are useful. Thank you
shruti says
Very good information
swasthi says
Thanks shruti
lata says
Very very good recipi I love it
swasthi says
thanks Lata
Ana says
Good
swasthi says
Thank you
Fizu says
A very healthy blog. Nw a days i am d queen of makng healthy dish in my fmly n among my coleagues. Thank u n kp dng the gud job. May god bles u n ur fmly
swasthi says
Hello Fizu,
Thanks for the compliment. Very Happy to know you stand out among your family and colleagues in making healthy dishes. Welcome and thanks again for the wishes. Have a Good day.
Mona says
Thanks for sharing. turned out very nice
swasthi says
Welcome Mona
rajvir says
Madam palak ki puree jar me puri trh se nai bn rhi
swasthi says
Rajvir,
Try adding little more water. 1.5 cups palak will usually fill the jar, adding a bit more of water will help to blend well. Use the small chutney jar. If you are still not able to make the puree, you can even add coarse puree to the atta. Hope this helps
Moumita Malla says
Nice paratha..and lovely colour too