Saag Aloo (Spinach & Potato Curry)
A homely North Indian-style saag aloo: tender potato cubes folded through garlicky, spiced spinach. Bright, comforting, and very much weeknight-friendly — vegan and gluten-free as written.
Saag aloo is the comforting sibling of saag paneer — all the leafy goodness, but with humble potatoes doing the heavy lifting. It’s the kind of dish you make when you want something green and nutritious that’s also properly satisfying.
Make it for a midweek dinner with warm rotis or as part of a bigger Indian spread. The trick is slow-caramelised onions, short-parboiled potatoes that hold their shape, and a final squeeze of lemon to lift the whole dish — simple, honest, and reliably crowd-pleasing.
Ingredients
- 600 g potatoes (maris or desiree) — peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
- 500 g fresh spinach (or baby spinach) — washed and roughly chopped; see substitutions for frozen
- 45 ml vegetable oil — about 3 tbsp
- 5 ml cumin seeds
- 1 onion — medium (about 150g), finely sliced
- 4 garlic cloves — finely minced
- 20 g fresh ginger — about 1 inch, minced
- 1 green chilli — optional, finely sliced (adjust to taste)
- 1 tomato — medium, diced (optional, adds brightness)
- 10 ml ground coriander
- 5 ml turmeric
- 5 ml red chilli powder — adjust to taste
- 5 ml garam masala
- 0 ml asafoetida (hing) — pinch — optional but authentic
- 10 ml salt — adjust to taste
- 100 ml water — as needed to loosen the curry
- 15 ml fresh lemon juice
- 15 g fresh coriander (cilantro) — a small handful, chopped, to garnish
Equipment
- large heavy-based sauté pan or skillet
- medium saucepan
- colander
- potato masher or sturdy spoon
Instructions
Prep everything: peel and cut potatoes into 2cm cubes; wash and roughly chop the spinach; finely slice the onion; mince the garlic and ginger; dice the tomato if using.
Parboil the potato cubes: put them into a medium saucepan, cover with cold water, add a pinch of salt and bring to a simmer. Cook until just tender when pierced with a knife (do not let them fall apart).
Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them sit for 4–5 minutes to steam-dry; shaking the colander gently removes excess moisture that makes frying difficult.
Heat a large, heavy-based sauté pan over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of the oil. When shimmering, add the cumin seeds and fry for 15–20 seconds until aromatic.
Add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and beginning to caramelise — about 8–10 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic, ginger and sliced green chilli (if using). Fry for 40–60 seconds until fragrant.
Add the diced tomato (if using), ground coriander, turmeric, red chilli powder and the pinch of asafoetida. Cook until the tomato loosens and the spices smell toasted, about 2–3 minutes.
Add the parboiled potato cubes and the remaining 1 tbsp oil. Toss to coat and shallow-fry for 5–7 minutes until edges are golden — stir gently so they don’t break up.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the chopped spinach in batches, stirring each batch into the pan to wilt it down before adding more. Once all spinach is in, stir well to combine.
Pour in about 100ml water (just enough to make a light saucy coating), season with salt, cover and simmer gently for 5–8 minutes so the potatoes finish cooking and the flavours marry. Mash a few potato cubes against the pan to thicken the sauce slightly, if you like.
Stir through the garam masala and lemon juice, taste and adjust salt or chilli. Remove from the heat.
Garnish with chopped fresh coriander and serve hot with chapatis, naan or steamed rice.
Tips
- Parboil the potatoes until just tender — overcooking makes them fall apart when you toss them with the spinach.
- Caramelise the onions slowly on medium–low; it’s the flavour base. If you rush, the curry will taste flat.
- If using frozen spinach, thaw and squeeze out excess water first; add it directly to the hot pan and reduce extra liquid on a higher heat.
- To make ahead: cook through step 10, cool, then refrigerate for up to 48 hours. Reheat gently with a splash of water and finish with lemon and garam masala.
- For a slightly crisp finish, roast the parboiled potatoes at 220°C (fan 200°C) for 20–25 minutes instead of pan-frying.
Substitutions
fresh spinach → 400g frozen spinach, fully thawed and squeezed dry
Stays closepotatoes → 400–450g sweet potato, cut into 2cm cubes
Noticeably differentvegetable oil → 3 tbsp ghee or sunflower oil
Stays closegaram masala → 1 tsp ground cumin + 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 269
- Calories
- 7 g
- Protein
- 39 g
- Carbs
- 11 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make saag aloo in advance?
Yes. Cook fully, cool and refrigerate for up to 48 hours. Reheat gently adding a splash of water and finish with lemon and fresh coriander before serving.
Why is my saag aloo watery?
Common causes: using thawed spinach without squeezing out water, adding too much water, or not cooking long enough after adding spinach. Squeeze spinach dry, add water sparingly, and simmer uncovered to reduce.
Can I use other greens instead of spinach?
Yes — mustard greens (sarson) or a mix of kale/spinach work well. Mustard greens give a peppery edge (noticeably-different).
How do I make this oil-free or lower fat?
Use 1 tbsp oil and a non-stick pan, or roast the parboiled potatoes (no oil or use a light spray). The flavour will be a touch less rich but still tasty.
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