Easy Palak Paneer Recipe – EASY 30 MINUTES

This Easy Palak Paneer Recipe is a simple Indian vegetarian curry made with soft paneer cubes simmered in a smooth, vibrant spinach gravy. Fresh spinach is quickly blanched, blended into a silky puree, and cooked with onion, ginger, garlic, green chili and everyday Indian spices. The curry is finished with garam masala for a warm, aromatic flavor.

If you are looking for an easy Palak Paneer recipe that comes together in about 30 minutes, this is the one to try. It is comforting enough for a weekend Indian dinner but simple enough for a weeknight meal.

Serve this homemade Palak Paneer with warm roti, naan, paratha or fragrant jeera rice for an easy and satisfying vegetarian dinner.

What is Palak Paneer?

Palak Paneer is a popular North Indian curry made with palak, which means spinach in Hindi, and paneer, a fresh Indian cottage cheese.

The spinach is briefly blanched and blended into a smooth puree. It is then cooked with aromatics and spices before soft paneer cubes are added to the gravy.

There are many different ways to make Palak Paneer. Some versions are creamy and rich, while others are lighter and let the spinach and spices do most of the work.

I prefer a simple homestyle version where the spinach remains the star of the dish. The gravy is flavorful without being overly spicy, and the paneer stays soft and tender.

Why You Will Love This Easy Palak Paneer Recipe

• Easy to make: The recipe uses simple ingredients and straightforward cooking steps.
• Ready in about 30 minutes: Once your ingredients are prepped, the curry comes together quickly.
• Vegetarian: Paneer makes this a satisfying meat-free main dish.
• Mildly spiced: The spices add warmth and depth without overpowering the spinach.
• Naturally vibrant: Blanching the spinach helps maintain its beautiful green color.
• Weeknight friendly: This is an excellent Indian dinner when you want something comforting without spending hours in the kitchen.
• Easy to customize: You can make it creamier, spicier or lighter depending on your preference.

Ingredients for Palak Paneer

Spiniach – Use fresh, mature spinach if available. The larger leaves have a deeper spinach flavor and work beautifully for this curry. Baby spinach also works, especially when you want a quicker preparation.

Paneer is a fresh Indian cheese that does not melt like regular cheese. It holds its shape while absorbing the flavors of the spinach gravy. Store-bought paneer works perfectly for this recipe.

Onion – Finely chopped onion forms the aromatic base of the curry and adds a subtle sweetness.

Ginger Garlic – Fresh ginger and garlic add warmth and savory depth to the spinach gravy.

Green chili gives the curry a gentle heat. You can increase or decrease the amount depending on how spicy you like your food.

Ghee – I like using ghee because it adds a subtle richness that pairs especially well with spinach and paneer. You can substitute with cooking oil if you prefer.

Whole Spices – I use cumin seeds, fennel seeds and bay leaf. These spices gently perfume the ghee and create the aromatic base for the curry.

Ground Spices – The spinach gravy is seasoned with cumin powder, coriander powder, chili powder and turmeric.

The curry is finished with garam masala, which adds a final layer of warmth and aroma.

How to Make Easy Palak Paneer

Prepare the spinach

• Start by washing the spinach thoroughly to remove any dirt or grit.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spinach and a tiny pinch of baking soda, if using.
• Blanch the spinach for a few minutes, then drain.
• The spinach does not need to be cooked until completely soft. The goal is simply to wilt the leaves before blending.
• Transfer the blanched spinach to a blender and puree until smooth.
• Set aside.

Prepare the paneer

• Cut the paneer into bite-size cubes.
• If you are using store-bought paneer, soak the cubes in warm water with a little salt for about 10 to 15 minutes.
• This simple step helps soften packaged paneer and gives you a more tender texture in the finished curry.
• Drain the paneer before adding it to the curry.

Make the aromatic base

• Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.
• Add cumin seeds, fennel seeds and bay leaf.
• Let the spices sizzle for a few seconds until fragrant.
• Add the ginger, garlic and green chili.
• Cook briefly until the raw aroma disappears.

Cook the onion and spices

• Add the finely chopped onion and a little salt.
• Cook until the onion softens.
• Add cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric and chili powder.
• Stir everything together and cook the spices briefly.
• You do not need to brown the onion heavily for this version of Palak Paneer. Keeping the base relatively light allows the fresh spinach flavor to come through.

Add the spinach puree

• Lower the heat and carefully add the spinach puree.
• Spinach puree can splatter when added to hot fat, so reduce the heat before adding it.
• Stir well and allow the spinach gravy to simmer gently.
• If the gravy seems too thick, add a little water until you reach your preferred consistency.

Add the paneer

• Add the softened paneer cubes to the spinach gravy.
• Stir gently so the paneer does not break.
• Let the curry simmer for a few minutes so the paneer absorbs some of the flavor from the gravy.

Finish with garam masala

• Taste and adjust the salt.
• Finally, sprinkle in the garam masala and gently stir.
• Let the curry simmer for another minute or two, then turn off the heat.
• Your easy homemade Palak Paneer is ready.

How Do You Keep Palak Paneer Green?

The bright green color is one of the things that makes Palak Paneer so appealing.

The most important step is to avoid overcooking the spinach.

Quickly blanching the spinach before blending helps preserve its fresh color and flavor.

Another useful trick is to transfer the blanched spinach directly to a blender rather than cooking it for a long time.

Some recipes also use a tiny amount of baking soda while blanching spinach to help maintain its green color. I use only a very small amount because too much baking soda can affect the flavor and texture.

How Do You Keep Paneer Soft?

Store-bought paneer can sometimes be firm or chewy.

One of my favorite tricks is to cut the paneer into cubes and soak it in warm salted water for 10 to 15 minutes before adding it to the curry.

You can also avoid overcooking the paneer.

Once the paneer goes into the spinach gravy, it only needs a few minutes to warm through and absorb the flavors.

Should You Fry Paneer Before Adding It?

You do not need to fry paneer for this easy Palak Paneer recipe.

Frying paneer can create a golden exterior and a slightly firmer texture, but it also adds an extra cooking step.

For a quick weeknight Palak Paneer, I prefer soaking the paneer in warm salted water and adding it directly to the spinach gravy.

This keeps the recipe simple and gives the paneer a soft texture.

If you prefer a slightly firmer texture, you can lightly pan-fry the paneer cubes in ghee before adding them to the curry.

Fresh Spinach vs. Frozen Spinach

Fresh spinach is my first choice for this recipe because it gives the curry a fresh, vibrant flavor.

However, frozen spinach can be a convenient alternative when fresh spinach is not available.

If using frozen spinach, thaw it completely and drain any excess liquid before blending.

You may need to adjust the amount of water added to the curry because frozen spinach can contain more moisture.

Is Palak Paneer the Same as Saag Paneer?

Not exactly.

The names are often used interchangeably outside India, but there is a distinction.

Palak means spinach, so Palak Paneer specifically refers to paneer cooked with spinach.

Saag refers more broadly to leafy greens. Saag Paneer can therefore contain spinach along with other greens such as mustard greens or other regional leafy vegetables.

There are also many regional and family variations, so you will find recipes that blur the distinction.

What to Serve with Palak Paneer

There are plenty of ways to serve this spinach and paneer curry.

Soft homemade roti is one of my favorite pairings. The flatbread is perfect for scooping up the spinach gravy.

Warm naan and Palak Paneer make an easy restaurant-style dinner at home.

Try it with garlic naan if you want something especially indulgent.

he earthy cumin flavor of jeera rice pairs beautifully with the mild spinach gravy.

Simple steamed basmati rice is another easy option when you want the curry to be the main attraction.

Can You Freeze Palak Paneer?

Yes, although the texture of paneer can change slightly after freezing and thawing.

For the best result, freeze the spinach gravy separately if possible and add fresh paneer when reheating.

If freezing the complete curry, allow it to cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container.

Thaw it in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop.

Easy Variations

Add a splash of heavy cream at the end for a richer, creamier curry.

Increase the green chili or chili powder if you enjoy more heat.

For a dairy-free variation, replace paneer with firm tofu. Press and cube the tofu before adding it to the spinach gravy.

Pan-fry the paneer cubes until lightly golden and finish the curry with a little cream or butter.

You can make a no-onion version by skipping the onion and adjusting the aromatics and spices.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Indian Vegetarian Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this easy Palak Paneer recipe, you may also like:

• Shorshe Paneer, paneer cooked in a flavorful mustard-based sauce
• Paneer Curry, an easy everyday paneer dinner
• Paneer Butter Masala, a rich and creamy tomato-based paneer curry
• Matar Paneer, paneer and green peas cooked in a flavorful gravy
• Paneer Tikka, a popular Indian appetizer
• Jeera Rice, the perfect rice pairing for Indian curries
• Homemade Naan, perfect for scooping up the spinach gravy

Palak Paneer

Kankana Saxena

Palak Paneer is a classic Indian vegetarian curry made with soft paneer cubes simmered in a smooth, mildly spiced spinach gravy. This easy version comes together in about 30 minutes and makes a comforting weeknight dinner.

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Curries and Stew, Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Servings 0 Serves 4

Calories 261 kcal

Ingredients 

• 1 bunch big spinach leaves
• Store bought or fresh homemade paneer – 8 oz
• 1 medium size red onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 inch fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• 1 fresh green chili
• a tiny pinch of baking soda (optional)
• salt to taste

spices

• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• ½ teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon turemric powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder

Instructions 

• Prep the ingredients: Finely chop the onion. Pound the ginger, garlic and green chili together with a tiny pinch of salt. Roughly chop te spinach leaves.

• Slice the paneer into bite size cubes or triangles. For store bought paneer, soak the paneer cubes in hot water with salt for about 10 minutes.

• In a big pot pour enough water to boil and blanch the spinach leaves.

• Once the water starts to boil, add the leaves and the baking soda (Baking soda is just to keep the vibrant green color)

• Let it cook for 5 minutes and then drain it off the pot to a blender and blend it to a puree.

• In a heavy bottom pan or wok, pour the ghee. Once the ghee warms up, add the cumin seeds, bay leaf, fennel seeds and ginger garlic chili paste that you had pounded earlier and kept aside.

• Allow these to sizzle for about 1 minute.

• Scatter the chopped onion, season with salt and cook for 2 minutes.

• Then add the psice powder : cumin, coriander and chili. Stir around and cook for 5 minutes.

• Pour the spinach puree and stir around, keep in mind that it will splatter, so keep the heat low and cover the pan.

• Drain the soaked paneer and add it to the pan, stir it around and let it simmer for 5 minutes.

• Check for salt and add any if needed.

• Sprinkle the garam masala, toss it aorund and let it simmer for 2 more minutes.

• Enjoy Palak paneer warm!

Video

Notes

Notes

• Soaking paneer in warm salted water helps soften store-bought paneer.
• Do not overcook the spinach if you want a vibrant green color.
• Cream is optional and can be added at the end for a richer curry.
• Frozen spinach can be used. Thaw and drain it before blending.
• Adjust the amount of green chili and chili powder according to your preferred spice level.
• If the curry becomes too thick, add a little water while reheating or cooking.

Serving Suggestions

Serve Palak Paneer with:

• Roti
• Garlic naan
• Plain naan
• Paratha
• Jeera rice
• Steamed basmati rice
• Vegetable pulao

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 261kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 13gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 636mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3g

Keyword cheese, Healthy Lunch, Indian food, Indian Paneer Curry, Spinach, Vegetarian Curry