Palak Paneer Recipe

Palak paneer is a North Indian vegetarian dish of fresh paneer cheese cubes in a smooth, vibrant spinach sauce. It's one of the most popular vegetarian dishes in Indian cooking, valued for being both nutritious and genuinely delicious — the creamy, slightly earthy spinach sauce against the mild, firm paneer is a combination that works on every level. Done well, the spinach stays a bright green color rather than turning drab olive, which requires a quick blanch and immediate cooling. The process starts with blanching the spinach briefly in boiling water — 30 to 60 seconds is enough — then draining and immediately plunging it into ice water to stop the cooking and preserve the color. Blend the blanched spinach to a smooth purée and set aside. This step can be done ahead of time. The sauce base is built from onion, ginger, garlic, and green chili cooked in oil or ghee until soft and beginning to color. Ground spices — cumin, coriander, garam masala — are added and cooked briefly, then the spinach purée goes in. A small amount of cream or yogurt stirred in at the end gives the sauce its richness and rounds out the acidity of the spinach. Paneer is typically either fried in oil until golden before adding to the sauce, or added directly without frying. Frying gives it a lightly browned exterior and a slightly firmer texture that holds up better in the sauce. Soak fried paneer in warm water for a few minutes before adding to the spinach to keep it soft. Simmer together for 5 minutes to let the cheese absorb the flavors. Serve with naan or paratha and basmati rice.

Recipe Details

Cuisine: Indian

Prep time: 20 minutes. Cook time: 25 minutes. Total time: 45 minutes.

Servings: 4

Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

  • 1 cup paneer
  • 1 bunch spinach
  • 1 cup cream
  • 2 medium onion
  • 2 large tomato
  • 1 inch ginger
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup garam masala
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp turmeric

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Blanch and puree spinach. This first step establishes the foundation for the entire dish. Take your time here, as the quality of your preparation at this stage directly affects the final result. Ensure all ingredients are measured and ready before you begin.
  2. Step 2: Sauté onion, ginger, garlic. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the ingredients soften and begin to turn translucent. This step releases their natural sugars and aromatic compounds, building the flavor foundation for the dish. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a gentle sizzle without burning.
  3. Step 3: Add tomatoes and spices. Introduce the new ingredients to the mixture, taking care to distribute them evenly. Adding ingredients at the right moment is critical — too early and they may overcook, too late and they may not integrate properly with the other flavors.
  4. Step 4: Add spinach puree. Introduce the new ingredients to the mixture, taking care to distribute them evenly. Adding ingredients at the right moment is critical — too early and they may overcook, too late and they may not integrate properly with the other flavors.
  5. Step 5: Add cream. Introduce the new ingredients to the mixture, taking care to distribute them evenly. Adding ingredients at the right moment is critical — too early and they may overcook, too late and they may not integrate properly with the other flavors.
  6. Step 6: Add paneer cubes. Introduce the new ingredients to the mixture, taking care to distribute them evenly. Adding ingredients at the right moment is critical — too early and they may overcook, too late and they may not integrate properly with the other flavors.
  7. Step 7: Simmer gently. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle bubble — you want small, lazy bubbles breaking the surface, not a rolling boil. This low, slow cooking allows flavors to meld and develop complexity while keeping proteins tender. Cover partially to allow some evaporation and concentration of flavors.