Palak paneer
Golden cubes of paneer in a silky, spiced spinach sauce. A North Indian classic for scooping up with naan.
- 40 min15 prep · 25 cook
- MediumDifficulty
- 340 kcalper serving
Ingredients
- Fresh spinach500 g
- Paneer, in cubes250 g
- Onion1
- garlic3 cloves
- Grated fresh ginger1 tbsp
- Green chilli1
- Tomatoes2
- Cumin seeds1 tsp
- Ground coriander1 tsp
- Ground turmeric½ tsp
- Garam masala1 tsp
- Single cream50 ml
- Ghee or butter2 tbsp
- Saltto taste
Missing something? Ingredients with × can be left out.
Steps
- 1
Blanch the spinach in boiling water, then cool it in iced water and blend with the green chilli until smooth.
- 2
Brown the paneer in a little of the ghee and set aside.
- 3
Heat the rest of the ghee, add the cumin seeds and then the chopped onion, and cook until golden.
- 4
Add the garlic, ginger, chopped tomatoes, coriander, turmeric and garam masala and cook until thick.
- 5
Stir in the spinach purée with a splash of water, season and simmer.
- 6
Add the paneer and cream, warm through and serve with naan or rice.
Tips and questions
- How do I keep the sauce bright green?
- Blanch the spinach for just 1–2 minutes and plunge it into iced water before blending. Overcooking turns it dull olive.
- What can I use instead of paneer?
- Halloumi or firm tofu work well; for a vegan version, use tofu, oil instead of ghee and coconut cream.
- Can I freeze it?
- Freeze the spinach sauce on its own for up to 3 months; paneer goes rubbery when frozen, so add it fresh when reheating.
Enjoy your meal!
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