Name: Punjabi Palak Paneer Recipe
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 500 gms. Spinach Leaves (- keep the stems as well); 150 gms Paneer or Cottage Cheese (Replace it with Tofu for Vegan option); 2 Tomatoes (- cut in 4 cubes); 1 Onion (Medium Size - cut in 4 cubes); 8 Cloves of Garlic; 2 inches Ginger; ½ tsp Jeera or Cumin Seeds; ¼ tsp Shahi Jeera or Black Cumin Seeds (Optional); A pinch of Hing or Asafoetida Powder; Salt to Taste; 1 tsp Cumin Powder; 2 tsp Coriander Powder; 3 tbsp Ghee to cook (You may replace it with Mustard Oil for Vegan option); ½ tsp Kasoori Methi/Fenugreek Leaves; 2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup; 1 tsp Fresh Cream (Omit for Vegan option); 2 Dried Red Chilies; ½ tsp Garam Masala Powder

Gluten Free Vegan Vegetarian

Table of Contents

Palak Paneer Recipe that is even better than the ones served at the restaurants!

Palak Paneer is probably one of the most popular dishes in any Indian restaurant. The spinach gravy is creamy and luscious with cubes of cottage cheese (or Indian fresh cheese) in it.

Palak Paneer is mildly spicy, extremely delicious and tastes just out-of-world with butter slathered naans. It is gluten-free and power-packed with essential vitamins and minerals. So if you are a fan of Indian food especially North Indian cuisine, this palak paneer recipe will totally make you forget the Punjabi restaurant near your place.

Restaurant style Punjabi Palak Paneer recipe

Yes! I claim that my Palak Paneer is way BETTER than what is served at some of the Punjabi cuisine restaurants. And, my work on this recipe over the years has somewhat earned me this bragging right!

One of the most essential aspects of a good Palak Paneer recipe making is that the spinach gravy should be luscious and completely free of fibrous stalks and stems of Spinach. For me, anything lesser than that is completely unacceptable.

Also, I simply refuse to have a green goop being served as Saag Paneer. Well, what’s with the name Saag Paneer? ‘Saag‘ means greens which may include varieties like mustard greens, spinach, chenopodium, fenugreek leaves, radish greens, etc. So, if it contains spinach then it is Palak Paneer (palak means spinach).

So, this Punjabi Palak Paneer recipe is smooth, mildly spicy, adequately rich and has all the nutrients of the greens intact!

How to make Palak Paneer Recipe – Ingredient List

Spinach – alternate would be Kale or Chard
Paneer or Indian Cottage Cheese – alternate would be Tofu, Halloumi or Mozzarella
Onion
Ginger & Garlic
Tomatoes
Spices like Cumin Seeds, dried Red Chilli, Hing or Asafoetida, etc.
Powdered Spices like Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder, Garam Masala Powder.
Kasuri Methi or dried Fenugreek Leaves – alternate would be fresh Fenugreek Leaves
Mustard Oil – alternate would be any oil
Ghee – optional
Fresh Cream – optional

How to make Palak Paneer, even better than the restaurants?

Can anything be simpler or easier than this recipe? Well, I don’t think so. If one has all the ingredients than it takes no more than 30 minutes to whip up some magic for dinner for 2 persons. By this time, you must have noticed that all the recipes are for 2 people because I shop like that and make in such a quantity so that I and S can finish it off in one meal.

However, if I am left with some leftovers, then I don’t mind! By the way, this Palak Paneer tastes even better the next day!

If you are wondering what happens with the other half of it, then rest assured because it goes into our breakfast next day Paneer Bhurji.

How to make soft chapattis rotis at home

What can we eat with Palak Paneer? Pairing ideas.

Usually, Indian flatbreads like Chapattis, Rotis, Naans, or Paranthas are served with Punjabi Palak Paneer. This kind of combination would be common on an Indian dinner table. However, in a special menu like on weddings or parties, Palak Paneer is also served with Lachha Parantha, Missi Roti or even Stuffed Naans.

Making chapattis or rotis at home is no rocket science. All that is needed is some tricks and tips to get the softest chapattis on your dinner table.

In case you are a big fan of Paneer like me, then you can try some of these.

Also, allow me to list some of the Spinach recipes from my Blog

Have you tried this recipe? I would love to hear about it.
Tag me on Instagram @priyankabhattacharya.sa or Facebook @hashdiaries and I will share it further.

Punjabi Palak Paneer Recipe

Prep Time

45 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

1 hr 15 mins

Palak Paneer is probably one of the most popular dishes in any Indian restaurant. It is a creamy and luscious spinach gravy with cubes of cottage cheese (or Indian fresh cheese) in it. It is mildly spicy, extremely delicious and tastes just out-of-world with butter slathered naans. It is gluten-free and power-packed with essential vitamins and minerals.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian, Punjabi

Keyword: Paneer Recipes, Restaurant style Recipes, Spinach Recipes

Servings: 3 People

Calories: 357 kcal

Ingredients

500 gms. Spinach Leaves – keep the stems as well
150 gms Paneer or Cottage Cheese Replace it with Tofu for Vegan option
2 Tomatoes – cut in 4 cubes
1 Onion Medium Size – cut in 4 cubes
8 Cloves of Garlic
2 inches Ginger
½ tsp Jeera or Cumin Seeds
¼ tsp Shahi Jeera or Black Cumin Seeds Optional
A pinch of Hing or Asafoetida Powder
Salt to Taste
1 tsp Cumin Powder
2 tsp Coriander Powder
3 tbsp Ghee to cook You may replace it with Mustard Oil for Vegan option
½ tsp Kasoori Methi/Fenugreek Leaves
2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
1 tsp Fresh Cream Omit for Vegan option
2 Dried Red Chilies
½ tsp Garam Masala Powder

Instructions

Pressure cook the Palak or Spinach leaves with its stem with Salt and 1/4 cup of water. Let it whistle for 3-4 times before taking it off the heat.
Once it cools, open the lid and blend the entire content into a smooth puree.
While you may keep it aside to cool off completely before running it into your mixer, otherwise, if you are in a hurry, blend it hot without the lid, but covering the mixing jar with a clean kitchen towel.
This would allow to escape the steam and prevent the splattering of the green slurry everywhere around. Believe me, it's a pain to clean a green mess, as it tends to stick!! 🙁 Experience speaks here….
Anyways, once its done, keep this puree aside. Make a puree of the Tomato, Onion, Garlic and Ginger.
Heat the ghee/mustard oil in a pan. Keep the heat on medium and temper the ghee or oil with Cumin seeds, Black Cumin Seeds, dried Red Chilies and Asafoetida or Hing.
Once they start splattering, add the puree of Onion and Tomato in it. Fry till the tomatoes-onion mix loose the raw texture. It should also reduce in amount
Now, add Ketchup, Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder, Garam Masala & Kasoori Methi to the Onion mix. Fry till you can see some of the fat separating from the edges of the masala mix.
Now, add the Palak or Spinach puree into the fried masala and mix everything well. Let it simmer for next 15-20 minutes on medium-high heat. Keep stirring it once in a while to prevent it sticking at the bottom. You may put the lid while it simmers as it tends to splatter and messes everything around.
Once you see that the water content has been reduced, fry the rest of on high heat for 2-3 minutes.
Now, add the Paneer or Cottage Cheese cubes and some cream. Mix everything well and let it bubble-boil once. Turn off the heat and serve.
Note, I shallow fried the Paneer cubes in a teaspoon of ghee before putting them in the gravy. That is how my family prefers. However, this is totally optional.