Palak Paneer (Classic Indian Spinach & Paneer Curry)
Vibrant, silky spinach puree simmered with warm spices and studded with golden paneer cubes. Restaurant-style palak paneer you can make at home—bright, creamy and not at all fussy.
This is the palak paneer you remember from restaurants — silky, bright and cream-kissed, but made at home without fuss. It’s perfect for a midweek supper paired with rice or naan, or as the showstopper on a weekend curry spread.
What makes it sing is two small things: a very quick blanch to lock in that neon-green colour, and a short simmer to remove the rawness without turning the spinach into mush. Fry the paneer lightly for a touch of texture and you’re in business.
Ingredients
- 1 kg fresh spinach (palak)
- 250 g paneer — cut into 2 cm cubes
- 45 ml vegetable oil or ghee
- 1 medium onion — finely chopped
- 4 units garlic cloves — roughly chopped
- 15 g fresh ginger — 1-inch piece, peeled
- 1 unit green chilli — de-seeded if you want milder heat
- 1 medium tomato — roughly chopped (optional — gives balance)
- 5 ml cumin seeds
- 5 ml turmeric powder
- 5 ml ground coriander
- 0 ml red chilli powder — optional, adjust to taste
- 5 ml garam masala
- 5 ml kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) — lightly crushed
- 60 ml double/heavy cream — about 1/4 cup — optional (can reduce or omit)
- 100 ml water — to help blend and adjust consistency
- 5 ml lemon juice — freshly squeezed
- salt — to taste (start with 1 tsp and adjust)
Equipment
- blender or stick (immersion) blender
- heavy-based sauté pan or kadhai
- non-stick frying pan
- large pot for blanching
- bowl for ice water / colander
Instructions
Wash the spinach thoroughly. Submerge and swish several times, changing the water until the water runs clear — drain in a colander.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a pinch of salt and the spinach. Blanch for 60 seconds until bright green and wilted, then immediately plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop cooking.
Drain the spinach well and squeeze out as much water as you can using your hands or a clean tea towel (this is important). Roughly chop and transfer to a blender with the garlic, ginger, green chilli and tomato (if using). Add about 100 ml water and blitz until very smooth (or leave slightly coarse if you prefer texture).
Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat with 1–2 tbsp oil. Shallow-fry the paneer cubes until pale golden on two or three sides (about 6 minutes total). Remove and drain on paper towel. (Optional: for extra softness, briefly soak fried paneer in warm salted water for 5 minutes, then drain.)
In a heavy-based pan or kadhai heat the remaining oil/ghee. Add cumin seeds and let them sputter, then add the chopped onion. Sauté on medium-low until soft and golden (6–8 minutes).
Stir in turmeric, ground coriander and red chilli powder and fry for 30 seconds to bloom the spices. Pour in the spinach puree, stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
Simmer the spinach for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly and the raw edge has cooked away. If too thick, add up to 50 ml warm water; if too thin, simmer a little longer to reduce.
Add the fried paneer, cream, garam masala and crushed kasuri methi. Gently simmer for 3–4 minutes to heat the paneer through and marry the flavours. Finish with lemon juice and adjust salt.
Serve hot with steamed basmati rice or warm naan. Garnish with a drizzle of cream and a pinch of crushed kasuri methi or red chilli flakes.
Tips
- Blanch quickly and shock in ice water to keep the spinach vibrantly green — overcooking causes dull, olive-brown colour.
- Squeeze or strain the spinach very well after blanching; excess water is the common cause of a watery curry.
- If you want silky-smooth sauce, pass the blended spinach through a fine sieve; for rustic texture, skip this.
- To keep paneer soft: shallow-fry on medium heat, don’t overcook, or soak briefly in warm salted water after frying.
- Make-ahead: the curry keeps 3 days in the fridge. Reheat gently on low with a splash of water or cream to loosen.
Substitutions
paneer → firm tofu, pressed and pan-fried in the same way (use slightly more salt or a light soy dip beforehand)
Noticeably differentdouble/heavy cream → soaked cashews blitzed with 60 ml water to make cashew cream (vegan/dairy-free)
Stays closefresh spinach → frozen chopped spinach (about 700 g frozen), thawed and well drained; reduce added water
Stays closevegetable oil → ghee (clarified butter) for a richer, more traditional flavour
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 400
- Calories
- 18 g
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 600 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use frozen spinach?
Yes — thaw and squeeze out as much water as possible. Frozen spinach is convenient and works well, though the flavour is slightly different from fresh.
Why did my palak turn brown/olive instead of green?
Usually over-blanching, blending while piping-hot, or overcooking the puree. Blanch quickly, shock in ice water and allow to cool before blitzing.
How can I stop paneer becoming rubbery?
Don’t overcook at high heat. Shallow-fry until just golden and keep cooking time short when added to the curry. Alternatively soak fried paneer briefly in warm salted water to soften.
Can I make this vegan?
Yes — swap paneer for firm tofu and replace cream with cashew cream (blend 60 g soaked cashews with 60 ml water). Flavour is close but not identical.
How long will it keep?
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge it keeps for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on low with a splash of water or cream.
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