Cooking Lucid
Palak Paneer
Fresh spinach purée simmered with cubes of soft paneer cheese in a spiced onion-tomato base. A vibrant North Indian vegetarian classic that's healthy and deeply satisfying.
Prep 15 min
Cook 25 min
Total 40 min
Serves 4
Ingredients
Step 1 — Blanch the spinach
- 1½ lbs fresh spinach (washed)
- Ice water bath
Step 2 — Make the curry base
- 2 tbsp ghee or oil
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 inch ginger
- 2 green chilies
- 1 medium tomato (chopped)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp salt
- 14 oz paneer (cubed)
- 2 tbsp heavy cream (optional)
Step 3 — Serve
- Basmati rice or roti
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- 1
Blanch and purée spinach
Blanch spinach in boiling water 2 minutes until wilted. Transfer immediately to ice water. Drain, squeeze out excess water, and blend to a smooth purée with a splash of water if needed.
- 2
Cook the curry
Blend onion, garlic, ginger, green chilies, and tomato to a paste. Heat ghee in a pan, add cumin seeds, then fry the paste 8–10 minutes until oil separates. Stir in turmeric, garam masala, and salt. Add spinach purée and simmer 5 minutes. Gently fold in paneer cubes and cream if using. Cook 3 more minutes.
- 3
Serve
Serve hot with basmati rice or warm roti and a squeeze of lemon.
Nutrition per serving: 340 cal · 18g protein · 12g carbs · 26g fat · 4g fiber
For informational purposes only. Not medical or dietary advice. Verify ingredients for allergens, cooking times, and safe internal temperatures before serving.
