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“Palak Paneer ” is a popular North Indian dish. Cubes of cottage cheese or “paneer” are simmered in creamy blend of spinach, tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic, and spices to make this flavorful dish.
I learned this recipe many years ago from my family chef in India. Brother or “bhaiya” as he is affectionately known, is an exceptional and mostly self-taught cook. I have tried many different recipes of palak panner from cook books and all my friends and family but prefer this one. It is a simple, healthy dish that is perfect for any family!
Ingredients:
- 454 grams of spinach- cleaned and washed
- 4 big cloves of garlic
- 1 inch piece of ginger- chopped roughly
- 1 small onion- chopped finely
- 2 green chillies- roughly chopped
- 2 medium sized tomatoes- pureed or grated
- 1/2 teaspoon tomato paste- optional (for color)
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon red chilly powder ( this is only for color)
- salt to taste
- 4 tablespoons oil
- 300 grams paneer- store bought or home made
- Steam the spinach in a vessel and keep aside. I do not add water, just put spinach in a vessel and keep on low heat and cover. After 7 to 10 minutes it will wilt.
- Squash the garlic in a mortar -pestle, roughly. Don’t be tempted to chop the pieces.
- Heat oil in vessel. Add the garlic and turn the heat to low. Keep frying. It should be a light brown color. Be careful, not to burn this.
- Turn the heat to medium high, add onions and fry to a golden brown color. While browning, I add a dash of salt as this helps the onions to release some it’s water and speeds up the browning.
- While the onions are browning, grind the steamed spinach, ginger and chillies in a blender and keep aside.
- After the onions are lightly browned, add the pureed spinach, ginger and chilly mixture to it. Mix well.
- Add garam masala, turmeric, coriander powder, red chilly powder. Saute this for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and tomato paste and fry for 5 minutes. Cover and let it cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.
- Fry well, and then add the paneer which is cut in small pieces. Cover for 5 minutes.
- Serve hot with “Chappati or Naan”.
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This looks so flavorsome and absolutely delicious!
This sounds very flavorful and like a great healthy starter.
Yum! One of my favorite Indian side dishes.
Oh I’ve had something like this before, and it was delicious. Thanks for sharing your recipe… I’ll have to try it out.
This is one of my favorite dishes. I love to eat it with naan.
Oooh, I love ordering this dish at Indian restaurants!
I always order this when I go to an Indian restaurant! I love it
My fav too
, i love the creamy spinach gravy in this dish…
Love the texture of your palak paneer.
Mmmmm… love comforting palak paneer
Ohhh this does sound delicious!
I’ve had this at Indian restaurants before, but have never had a homemade version. It looks delicious!
I like Indian recipes and am always happy to try a new one.
I am so excited that u post the recipe here. I was dearly needing a palak paneer recipe and I know yours will be great for sure.
This dish was one of the first indian dishes I enjoyed the most, when I came here. =)
Hi Helene,
Thank you. That is so nice of you to say. I hope you try this recipe. My family loves it including my 6 year old.
I love Palak Paneer! Oddly enough, though, I’ve never made it – silly since it’s a fairly easy recipe. Your version looks particularly nice. I particularly like the inclusion of tomato paste. Good stuff – thanks.
Hi,
Thanks you so much. I added the tomato paste for color but it also gives a good tang to the dish. Out of the many “Palak Paneer” recipes I have tried out, this one is an all time favorite and always a hit.
I tasted the Palak Paneer when I traveled in Rajasthan few years ago. I have tried different recipes and now I’m curious and delighted to try this one. Any advice for the Paneer? the last time I bought it had no flavor (… is it normal?)
Hi Rita,
Yes, paneer on it’s own is tasteless. The one you get in India, is really soft and creamy which is definitely yummy. In the US, store bought paneer tends to be tough. It is available in an Indian grocery store, in the freezer section. I keep it in the refrigerator the previous day and thaw it. I like to also cut the slab of paneer horizontally (from the longest side), you get 2 slabs which are slightly thinner. Then, I cut it in small cubes and cook it for 5 to 10 mins on medium low heat in the gravy. This should yield a soft taste.
If for any reason, you cannot find paneer, just add potatoes or corn to this mixture. Works well too!
I recently tried this for the first time and I LOVED it. I also love the fabric your plate is sitting on
What a delicious make of this curry my friend
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
We just ordered in palak paneer on Saturday night and loved it. I MUST MAKE THIS!!!! (My husband will be so impressed!)
I adore paneer and this looks scrumptious!!
Oh Asmita, this is one of my favorite Indian dish…I always order this dish when eating at the local Indian restaurant…I even by it frozen from Trader Joes…I never made this at home…now with your recipe I must try it.
Have a wonderful week…and thank you so much for the recipe
This is my favorite Indian dish!
I love spinach and this dish reminds me of the spanakopita filling only it has a character of its own. It must be delicious!
My daughter’s favorite, looks very delicious..
Dear Asmita,
I love palak paneer and always thought it was quite difficult to make until I saw it being made in SBS’s Food Safari on TV. Good idea not to add water while steaming the spinach. As good as this dish is, I always yearn for a spicy curry to go with my roti and naan too.
I have never made this but I do love to order it in Indian restaurants. I’ve often wondered how it’s made so thanks for sharing your recipe. I would like to try this xx
I’m having palak paneer for lunch today. I like that you didn’t put the spinach through the blender only roughly mashed it. great tip.
This looks really delicious!
a delicious way to eat cottage cheese and i love that you added the spinach! wonderful
Love palak panneer!.I like your way of steaming the spinach first.
This is a must-try.Iam bookmarking it.
It looks flavourful!
I still need to try paneer. I didn’t know paneer is cottage cheese. Cheese always go well with spinach! More delicious way to consume calcium!
How did you know? Palak paneer is my 100% #1 favorite dish but I have never made it! I am so excited about this recipe
How did you know? Palak paneer is my 100% #1 favorite dish but I have never made it! I am so excited about this recipe
this looks chock-full of flavor! sounds so delicious!
Hello Asmita, I am SO GLAD that you found my blog ‘la bella vita’! I love Indian food and almost, ALMOST had a great chance to visit India through my job, but the funding fell through and I wasn’t able to go! I was crushed. I have many students from India as well as colleagues who work with me and I must admit . . . they are brilliant. I stay in touch with my graduates thru social media and it is very rewarding! One just sent me pictures of his Indian wedding …. how beautiful! Thank you for this recipe, I will dive right in!
I am now following you on Google Reader and Facebook blogs! I am anxious to learn more from your posts!
Roz from ‘la bella vita’
Hi Roz,
So nice to meet you. I am glad to have found your blog too. Thank you so much for kind and sweet comments.
Yes, Indian weddings are a lot of fun. Very colorful and the festivities go on for 3 to 4 days.
I hope you get to travel to India soon. You will love it!
Yum! I found you through Choc Chip Uru’s site and I’m so glad I did because I’ve been looking for some good Indian recipes/tips. Can’t wait to explore more around your awesome-looking site!
This is my all time favvvvvv
I’d like to take a chance on indian food. I only tried once, with discrete results. Paneer has a very plain taste, it’s in great combination with the pinach. This is a must in the indian cuisine, I’ll try your recipe because everything in your blog looks great!
Hi Daniela,
Thank you for visiting my blog and for your lovely comments. I do hope you give the recipes a try and enjoy them!
I only tried this dish not too long ago but I absolutely love it! Would love to try making it at home.
Paneer is one of my favourites
Another one of my favourite Indian recipes. thanks Asmita! x
Dear Asmita I ate this delicious dish last night! Wonderful THANK YOU. I could not find paneer, but I’ve used boiled potatoes instead as you suggested. great powerful flavours combined all together.
Hi Rita,
I am so glad you liked this dish. It tastes very good with corn or even chickpeas. Just drain the chickpeas from the can and wash it well and add it to the mix.
You won’t believe this, but I too made palak paneer last night for dinner. Like they say, great minds think alike.
Hi, Asmita,
I love palak paneer! When we were living in Kuala Lumpur, there was a little Indian restaurant close to our house and we would order take away at least one or two Saturdays a month. I miss it! Thanks for the reminder of happy memories.
If only I could buy the cheese, with your recipe, I could make my own. *deep sigh*
Glad to have found your blog! You have some lovely recipes here.
Stacy
Hi Stacy,
Thank you so much for visiting my blog. If you really would like to try this, just add corn or chickpeas. I usually take canned chickpeas, drain it and wash them well and then throw them into the gravy.
It’s healthy and so delicious!