This easy palak paneer is a vegetarian Indian spinach curry featuring crispy-fried paneer chunks in a smooth blended spinach sauce with aromatic spices. It's a quick, healthy midweek dinner that comes together in under 30 minutes.
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Cut the paneer into bite-sized chunks. Place in a sandwich bag or Tupperware container with the turmeric, salt and chilli powder. Shake well to coat.
Heat the oil in a hot frying pan and fry the paneer chunks in batches until browned on each side, gently turning them over and adding more spray when needed. Transfer them to a bowl as they are cooked.
In the same pan, add the onions, garlic, chilli, ginger, cumin, coriander and fry until soft and golden brown.
Add the spinach and cook for 6-7 minutes until cooked through. Blend in the pan so that the spinach and onion mixture becomes a smooth sauce. (Add some water if you'd like it to be thinner.)
Add in the fried paneer, peas and garam masala and cook through on a low heat for 10-15 minutes. Add salt to taste.
Refrigerate cooked palak paneer in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat gently on low heat with a splash of water for 10-12 minutes until warmed through.
immersion blender (or regular blender for step 4)
Yes. Use about 800g fresh spinach and cook it down for 8-10 minutes until completely wilted before blending, as it reduces significantly.
Coat the paneer chunks in turmeric, salt and chilli powder first for seasoning, then fry gently in batches over medium-high heat. Turn carefully once to brown each side without crumbling.
You can substitute paneer with extra-firm tofu pressed and cubed, though the flavour and texture will differ. The rest of the recipe is naturally dairy-free.
After blending, it should coat a spoon. Add water a splash at a time if you prefer a thinner curry, or cook uncovered longer to reduce and thicken.
Yes. Prepare through step 4, cool and refrigerate up to 2 days. Add paneer, peas and garam masala when reheating gently for 10-15 minutes on low heat.
