Palak Paneer is a popular Indian curry dish made with spinach, spices, and cubes of creamy paneer cheese. It’s a delicious and nutritious vegetarian meal the whole family can enjoy!

Hello Reader! I try my hardest to research recipes as best as I can before posting to ensure I am representing each culture correctly. If this recipe is from your country and I have made a mistake or you have suggestions for how to make it more authentic, I would love to hear! Please leave a comment below letting me know what should be different, and I will rework the recipe. It is always my intention to pay homage and respect to each cultural dish that I cook. Thanks for reading!
Palak Paneer is a creamy, dreamy, and also nutritious curry dish from India.
It’s made with blanched and blended spinach, tomatoes, and a mixture of Indian spices. The real star of the show, however, is the Indian cheese, paneer.
Paneer is milky and creamy and the flavor blends perfectly with pureed spinach and spices like garlic and ginger.
While this dish is considered a curry dish, it’s not uncomfortably spicy like many Indian dishes can be. The spice in this easy palak paneer recipe comes from simple green chilies and a bit of red chili powder, but it’s made mild when balanced out with spinach and cheese.
Palak paneer is an awesome vegetarian option. It pairs well with naan or jeera rice and can be put together fairly quickly. It is so popular in India it is enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
If you love Indian cuisine and are looking for something fresh and delicious, this palak paneer recipe is one you need to try!
What is Paneer?
Paneer is called an “Indian cottage cheese” by many. It’s a fresh cheese made with milk and something acidic, like lemon juice.,
Since most of India is vegetarian, many of their recipes have some sort of meat substitute (like this Easy Egg Biryani recipe!) and they have become very skilled at using dairy in many different ways.
Paneer is a great option for a meat substitute because it has a spongy texture that soaks up the flavor of any marinade or sauce it is placed in, but it is also unique because it will not melt.
Homemade paneer is made by boiling milk and acid over heat, which changes the proteins in the milk and allows it to hold its shape. It can be fried, grilled, or thrown into a soup without melting into the sauce.
You do need to use some caution when using paneer. If heat is applied too long, it can cause any remaining liquid to leave the cheese, making it rubbery rather than soft.
Many people make paneer at home but you can also purchase it at an Indian grocery store.
There are a few options that may make good substitutes for paneer if you don’t have a specialty store nearby. Firm tofu is an excellent vegan option. Mexican queso blanco or queso fresco or a mild feta cheese may also work. These are great substitutes in terms of textures, however, the taste profiles of the cheeses will differ significantly.
Paneer is an “Indian cottage cheese” but American cottage cheese is not a great substitute. While it may have a similar flavor, cottage cheese will fall apart in the sauce.
Learn more about paneer with my informational article Saag Paneer vs Palak Paneer and these delicious Indian dishes.
Recipe Origins
There is no clear origin story for palak paneer. The name, in Hindu, translates to “spinach cottage cheese” so it is pretty self-explanatory.
There is an old story that paneer was first invented by accident during the Mongol Empire. As nomads would travel from settlement to settlement, the milk in their saddlebags was cooked by the sun, combined with the lining of the bags, and curdled to form the first paneer.
The cheese didn’t make its way to India until the Mughal Empire, and it’s possible it was Portuguese settlers that taught Indians the method of using acid.
Paneer is simple to make at home and only takes an hour or two from start to finish.
It is said that residents of Punjab, used to long days of hard labor, took to the making of paneer right away. Many of their recipes called for butter and yogurt, and paneer has become another popular ingredient to add to the list. It was the perfect flavor combination for spinach which has been grown in India for thousands of years after arriving from Persia.
The combination of spinach and paneer was inspired by another popular Indian dish, saag paneer. The two dishes are often confused but saag paneer uses a combination of leafy greens and mustard greens while palak paneer is specifically made with spinach puree.
Why Make This Recipe
- Nutritious Meal: There are so many health benefits to spinach, and this dish provides a very flavorful and delicious way to ensure you are getting the iron your body needs!
- Flavorful Sauce: So many spices and flavors come together in this dish to create something so delicious!
- Taste of India: If you love Indian curry but are looking for something new, this incredibly popular green curry dish should be the next on your list.
What Do I Need to Make This Recipe?
Ingredients

Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Spinach: It is best to use baby spinach because the stems will not be as tough. However, any type of spinach will work. You can also use other greens if desired, but in that case, this dish will then go by a different name.
- Ghee or Vegetable Oil: You could also use butter
- Cumin Seeds: I use white cumin seeds, but you could also use black cumin.
- Fresh Green Chilis: Feel free to use as many of these as desired in order to reach your desired spicy-level
- Fresh Ginger/Garlic: I used 3 garlic ginger cubes to replace the fresh ginger and garlic
- Heavy Cream: This is optional. If you want a lighter version of this Easy Palak Paneer Recipe, you can omit the heavy cream altogther. Alternatively, you can substitute half and half or cashew cream. Do not use milk as the texture will be too liquidy.
- Fresh Paneer: You can buy a block of paneer at your local Indian grocery store, and, increasingly more commonly, sometimes in your supermarket as well. I buy the paneer in a block and then cut it into ½” cubes.
- Kasuri Methi (Dry Fenugreek Leaves): Find this at an Indian grocery store or purchase it online.
How to Make This Recipe
Step One: Blanch the Spinach


Prepare an ice water bucket by adding ice cubes to cold water in a large bowl.
Bring a pot of water to a roaring boil on medium to high heat. Add salt and stir. Turn off the heat and immediately add spinach leaves to the water. Cover the pot and let them sit for a minute.
Take them out and put them in ice-cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.
Step Two: Make the Sauce




Add a large pot on the stove over medium heat. Add the ghee and allow it to heat up, then add the cumin seeds. Allow the cumin seeds to toast until fragrant.
Add the red onion and the green chili and saute until the onion begins to soften.
Add the ginger paste and garlic and fry for 2 minutes.
Add the diced tomato and saute until the tomato turns mushy.
Add the turmeric powder, coriander, red chili powder, and salt and mix. Then add the blanched spinach into the pot along with about 1 cup water.
Put the lid on the pot and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat.
Use an immersion blender or food processor to completely blend the contents of the pot.
Step Three: Add the Paneer

Add the pot back onto the stove at medium heat and cook for a few minutes until the mixture comes to a boil.
Add the garam masala and mix to combine, then add your paneer cubes. Add ¼ cup cream at this time if desired. Cook for a minute and turn off the heat. Rub the kasuri methi on your palm and sprinkle it on top.
You can add a splash of water if you think your sauce needs to be thinner (I added a few tablespoons). Garnish with more cream if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips

- If you use store-bought paneer it’s a good idea to soak it in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes before using it in this recipe to make it extra soft.
- You can put paneer in a bowl of warm water until it’s ready to use. It helps keep it creamy and avoids getting chewy.
- A lot of people like to pan fry the paneer until golden brown before adding it to the sauce to give it a little crisp and flavor on the edges. It’s up to your personal preference if you want to give it a try. Some people prefer the cubed paneer to be soft.
FAQs

This recipe is very easy to make vegan! Just use tofu instead of paneer and replace the cream with coconut milk or cashew cream, or leave it out altogether.
Check out this article with 30 of my favorite Paneer Side Dishes.
Did you enjoy this Easy Palak Paneer Recipe (made on the stovetop?). If so, make sure to check out these other recipes I picked out just for you:

Easy Palak Paneer Recipe (Stovetop Version!)
Equipment
- Immersion Blender
- Mixing Bowl(s)
- Pot(s)
Ingredients
- 8 oz Spinach
- 2 tbsp Ghee , or vegetable Oil
- 1 ½ tsp Cumin Seeds
- ½ Red Onion, finely diced (about ½ cup)
- 2 Green chilis, cut into quarters
- ½ tbsp Ginger, grated (I used 3 garlic ginger cubes to replace the fresh ginger and garlic)
- 1 tsp Garlic, minced (I used 3 garlic ginger cubes to replace the fresh ginger and garlic)
- 1 Roma tomato, diced
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 tsp Ground Coriander
- ¼ tsp Red chili powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- ¼ cup Fresh cream , optional; or cashew paste
- 2 tsp Garam Masala
- 8 oz Fresh Paneer , cut into ½” cubes
- ½ Tablespoon Kasuri Methi, Dry fenugreek leaves
Instructions
- Prepare an ice water bucket by adding ice cubes to cold water in a large bowl.
- Bring a pot of water to a roaring boil on medium to high heat. Add salt and stir. Turn off the heat and immediately add 8 oz spinach leaves to the water. Cover the pot and let them sit for a minute.
- Take them out and put them in the ice cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.
- Add a large pot on the stove over medium heat. Add the 2 tbsp ghee and allow it to heat up, then add the 1 ½ tsp cumin seeds. Allow the cumin seeds to toast until fragrant.
- Add the ½ red onion and the 2 green chili and saute until the onion begins to soften.
- Add the ½ tbsp ginger paste and 1 tsp garlic and fry for 2 minutes.
- Add the 1 diced tomato and saute until the tomato turns mushy.
- Add the ½ tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp coriander, ¼ tsp red chili powder, and 1 tsp salt and mix. Then add the spinach into the pot along with about 1 cup water.
- Put the lid on the pot and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat.
- Use an immersion blender to completely blend the contents of the pot.
- Add the pot back onto the stove at medium heat and cook for a few minutes until the mixture comes to a boil.
- Add the 2 tsp garam masala and mix to combine, then add your 8 oz paneer cubes. Add ¼ cup cream at this time if desired. Cook for a minute and turn off the heat. Rub the ½ tbsp kasuri methi on your palm and sprinkle it on top.
- You can add a splash of water if you think your sauce needs to be thinner (I added a few tablespoons). Garnish with more cream if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Spinach: It is best to use baby spinach becuase the stems will not be as tough. However, any type of spinach will work. You can also use other greens if desired, but in that case, this dish will then go by a different name.
- Ghee or Vegetable Oil: You could also use butter
- Cumin Seeds: I use white cumin seeds, but you could also use black cumin.
- Fresh Green Chilis: Feel free to use as many of these as desired in order to reach your desired spicy-level
- Fresh Ginger/Garlic: I used 3 garlic ginger cubes to replace the fresh ginger and garlic
- Heavy Cream: This is optional. If you want a lighter version of this Easy Palak Paneer Recipe, you can omit the heavy cream altogether. Alternatively, you can substitute half and half or cashew cream. Do not use milk as the texture will be too liquid.
- Fresh Paneer: You can buy a block of paneer at your local Indian grocery store, and, increasingly more commonly, sometimes in your supermarket as well. I buy the paneer in a block and then cut it into ½” cubes.
- Kasuri Methi (Dry Fenugreek Leaves): Find this at an Indian grocery store or purchase it online.
- If you use store-bought paneer it’s a good idea to soak it in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes before using it in this recipe to make it extra soft.
- You can put paneer in a bowl of warm water until it’s ready to use. It helps keep it creamy and avoids getting chewy.
- A lot of people like to pan-fry the paneer until golden brown before adding it to the sauce to give it a little crispiness and flavor on the edges. It’s up to your preference if you want to try it. Some people prefer the cubed paneer to be soft.
Leave a Reply