Indian
Palak Paneer
Spinach is wilted and blended with onion, tomato, garlic, and ginger, then simmered with spices and cream. Cubes of paneer go in at the end so they warm through without turning rubbery.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
Why you’ll love it
- Wilting the spinach first, then blending, makes a smooth sauce instead of a pile of leaves.
- Spices bloom in oil before the spinach goes back in so they taste toasted.
- Cream rounds the bitterness some spinach has after blending.
- Paneer only needs to heat through. A long boil makes it squeaky.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Wilt the spinach in a large pot with a splash of water over medium heat, about 3 minutes. Drain, cool slightly, and blend with the tomato until mostly smooth. A few flecks are fine.
- 2
Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the paneer in a single layer and brown the cubes lightly, about 2 minutes per side. Remove them.
- 3
In the same skillet, cook the onion until soft, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute.
- 4
Add the cumin, garam masala, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Stir 30 seconds.
- 5
Pour in the blended spinach. Simmer 8 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens and turns a deeper green.
- 6
Stir in the heavy cream and kosher salt. Return the paneer and simmer 3 minutes, until the cubes are hot.
- 7
Stir in the lemon juice and serve.
Pro tips
- Frozen spinach works. Use a 16 oz block, thawed and squeezed, and blend it with the tomato and 2 tbsp water.
- If the sauce is thicker than you want, loosen it with a tablespoon of water, not more cream.
- Pat the paneer dry before browning so it sears instead of steaming.
Easy substitutions
- Paneer
- Firm tofu, pressed and cubed
- Heavy cream
- Full-fat coconut milk
- Fresh spinach
- 16 oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate in a covered container up to 3 days.
Reheating
Warm in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat until the paneer is hot. Stir in a splash of water if the spinach sauce is thick.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 381
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
Moderate · Stovetop · Vegetarian
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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