🥬 Saag Paneer
Saag paneer is a North Indian dish of cubes of paneer, a firm fresh cheese, simmered in a creamy spinach sauce with onion, ginger and garam masala. The spinach is cooked down and blended until smooth, then finished with a little cream for richness. The mild, soft cheese contrasts with the earthy greens, and it is served with rice or flatbread.
Diets
Allergens
Contains (in a typical recipe):
What it is made of
Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 g spinach
- 250 g paneer, cubed
- 100 ml cream
- 1 onion, chopped
- 20 g ginger, grated
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp oil
- salt
Method
- Blanch the spinach in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain and blend to a purée.
- Fry the onion in the oil until soft, then add the ginger and garam masala.
- Add the spinach purée and salt and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the paneer and cream and simmer gently for 5 more minutes.
How to make it lighter
- Halve the cream; the spinach purée still makes a smooth sauce.
- Use less paneer and more spinach in each portion.
- Lightly sear the paneer in a non-stick pan instead of frying it in oil.
History
Leafy-green dishes called saag are a long-standing part of Punjabi home cooking, and paneer is a common vegetarian addition. Saag paneer and the closely related palak paneer are now standard 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 →