Easy Palak Paneer Recipe (Stovetop Version!)
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!
Servings 4
Calories 319kcal
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
Copyright The Foreign Fork. For educational or personal use only.
- 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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 725mg | Potassium: 423mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 5711IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 356mg | Iron: 2mg