Palak Paneer
Creamy spinach curry with cubes of paneer cheese, infused with garlic, ginger, and warm spices. A restaurant-quality Indian classic that's surprisingly doable at home.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 385
- Protein
- 18g
Ingredients
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Open the appInstructions
Step 1
Blanch spinach in boiling salted water 2 minutes, then transfer to ice water. Drain and squeeze dry.
Step 2
Blend spinach with 0.25 cup water until completely smooth. Set aside.
Step 3
Cut paneer into 0.75-inch cubes. Mince garlic and ginger together. Dice onion and tomato.
Step 4
Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium. Add cumin seeds; cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
Step 5
Add onion. Sauté 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and light golden.
Step 6
Add garlic and ginger. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, until very fragrant.
Step 7
Add tomato. Cook 2 minutes, breaking it down with a spoon, until softened.
Step 8
Pour in spinach puree. Stir to combine. Simmer 3 minutes until darkened slightly.
Step 9
Stir in yogurt and cream. Season with garam masala, salt, and pepper.
Step 10
Add paneer cubes. Simmer gently 5 minutes without stirring much—paneer should stay intact.
Step 11
Taste and adjust salt. Spinach should taste rich, slightly creamy, and cohesive.
Step 12
Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with a little extra cream if desired. Serve hot with naan or rice.
Tools you’ll need
- large pot
- colander
- ice bath
- blender or food processor
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- 12-inch heavy skillet
- wooden spoon
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
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