Palak Paneer (Spinach Paneer Curry): Tips and Easy Palak Paneer Recipe

Palak paneer is a north Indian vegetarian curry with origins in the Punjab region. The dish is comprised of a spinach purée (palak is Hindi for spinach) and fresh-pressed cheese, with an aromatic blend of spices that includes ginger, garlic, and garam masala. Palak paneer is also sometimes called saag paneer.

Palak paneer is often served with basmati rice, naan bread, or both. Find our recipe for basmati rice here, or learn to make your homemade naan bread with this comprehensive article.

Paneer is an unaged, fresh, farmer-style cheese, made by draining fresh milk curds (usually formed with an acid like lemon juice) and weighing them down for a few hours into a compact cheese, which then holds its shape. Unlike many cheeses, paneer does not melt when cubed and cooked. It has a pleasant, mild character, and takes on the flavors of the surrounding curry beautifully.

Traditional palak paneer contains dairy in the form of ghee (clarified butter), heavy cream, and paneer. However, you can easily make your palak paneer vegan with a few simple substitutions.

• Substitute olive oil for ghee. While olive oil won’t impart the same richness as ghee or clarified butter, it’s a fine substitute in this dish.
• Substitute coconut milk for heavy cream. Coconut milk provides the same creamy finish as heavy cream. Avoid other dairy-free alternatives like nut milks, which are too thin for palak paneer.
• Substitute tofu for paneer. Make sure the tofu is lightly-firm. Too firm, and the tofu will be dry and crumbly; you want it to absorb the spice profile of the dish. Too soft or silken, and it may lose too much of its texture.

While you can technically substitute cottage cheese for paneer in palak paneer, the overall effect will obviously not be the same, since cottage cheese is loose instead of firm, and will evenly disperse itself into the spinach gravy.

1. 1. Blanch the spinach before you purée. Although some people swear by fresh spinach, blanching your spinach helps give palak paneer a vibrant green hue. Blanched spinach also gives the spinach purée a creamier consistency.
2. 2. Add dried fenugreek. Also known as kasuri methi, dried fenugreek lends the palak paneer a slightly sweet, nutty flavor that pairs nicely with the fresh cheese. Fenugreek leaves are often used as an herb or seasoning in Indian food, but it’s not a requirement.
3. 3. But only use the leaves. If you do include kasuri methi in your palak paneer, be sure to use dried leaves, rather than the seeds or ground powder found in most grocery stores. Fenugreek leaves are less bitter than the seeds, and won’t overpower the spinach.