🥬 Palak Paneer
Palak paneer is a North Indian curry of soft paneer cheese cubes in a smooth, bright-green spinach sauce. The spinach is blanched and puréed, then cooked with onion, garlic and garam masala and finished with a little cream for richness. The sauce is mild, velvety and aromatic, and it is served with rice, naan or roti.
Diets
Allergens
Contains (in a typical recipe):
What it is made of
Recipe
Ingredients
- 250 g paneer, cut into cubes
- 400 g spinach
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 green chilli (optional)
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 60 ml cream
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp salt
Method
- Blanch the spinach in boiling water for 1–2 minutes, cool in cold water and blend with the chilli into a smooth purée.
- Heat the oil in a pan and cook the onion for 6–8 minutes until soft and golden; add the garlic for 1 minute.
- Stir in the garam masala and salt, then add the spinach purée and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the paneer cubes and cook gently for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the cream, heat through and serve.
How to make it lighter
- Paneer is rich: use 150–200 g for four servings and add more spinach.
- Use less cream or swirl in just a spoonful at the end.
- Serve with a measured portion of rice or one roti instead of buttery naan.
History
Palak paneer is closely associated with Punjabi home and restaurant cooking and became one of the best-known vegetarian dishes on Indian restaurant menus worldwide.
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Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →