The Perfect Palak Paneer With Frozen Spinach

As an Italian trying out curries for the first time well over a decade ago when I met Jay, palak paneer was my go-to dish.

Considering the level of spice I was practicing for [after all, South Indian heat level was my aim!], this seemed like a good first stepping stone, as the spinach sauce is flavorful but not too hot, and the Indian cottage cheese [paneer], is not spicy at all!

The Indian spices used in the curry are quite varied and balanced throughout each step, the tomato offers a light tang, while the creamy spinach and paneer bring sweetness.

This is the perfect curry for any Indian food lover, meat eaters, and vegetarians alike... the flavor is not lacking. Try it out and enjoy it in half an hour!

Easy Palak Paneer Recipe Ingredients

• Frozen Spinach: Most recipes ask to buy, wash and blanch the spinach. Frozen spinach is ready-washed, blanched, and costs a fraction of the price, while also saving preparation time and maintaining the same flavor!
• Store-Bought Paneer: Paneer can now be found in most large grocery stores in the cheese fridge, where there's usually an international section. Should you need to pop into your local Indian or Asian store, then you will find plenty of Indian cottage cheese options there too!
• Green Chilies: Green chilies don't only offer heat, but also a light capsicum flavor and blend very well with the spinach.
• Cashew Nuts: Spinach is a watery vegetable and to thicken it without watering down its flavor, blending cashew nuts is a great option.
• Oil: An unflavored oil, such as sunflower, canola, or vegetable oil is your best bet. Strong options like olive oil or coconut oil are not suitable at all and will change the end result.
• Cardamom, Cloves, Cinnamon, and Cumin: These are the only whole spices in the recipe. You can use either green cardamom, or half green and half black.
• Onion: This will offer some chunkiness to the pureed spinach curry. Ensure it is finely chopped!
• Ginger Garlic Paste, and Tomato: These offer tanginess and flavor.
• Garam Masala: Good quality garam masala is essential to make palak paneer, as it is the only ground spice used.
• Dry Fenugreek Leaves: This ingredient, also known as methi in Hindi, is used in many North Indian recipes. If you can't find it, don’t worry—you can check out my guide on substitutes for fenugreek for alternatives.
• Sugar: Regular caster sugar will work well. It adds a sweet note and helps should the spinach be a bit bitter, which may happen if it is overcooked or older spinach is used.

How to make palak paneer?

Prepare the spinach puree

1. In a large pan, place the frozen blocks of spinach and cover with the lid; turn on the heat to low and allow the spinach to defrost, but not cook.
2. Once the spinach cubes are defrosted, set them aside.
3. Warm up the oil and, once warm, add the green chilies and cashews and lightly fry until golden.
4. Add the cashews and chilies to the spinach, together with the water, and blend to a very smooth spinach puree and set aside.

Start preparing the base curry

1. In the empty saucepan, add the oil and warm up on low to medium heat. Once the oil is warm, add the whole Indian spices (cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, and cumin) and lightly fry until fragrant.
2. Next, add the finely chopped onion and sauté them until they start softening.
3. Add the ginger-garlic paste, and lightly fry until the smell of rawness of the paste has gone, then add the tomatoes.
4. Cover the saucepan with the lid once more, and reduce the heat to low. At this stage, allow the tomatoes to cook until mushy. Keep the flame on very low so the tomatoes don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

The finishing touches for Palak Paneer

1. Put the fenugreek leaves in a small ceramic pot or paper towel and microwave for 15 seconds.
2. Add the dry fenugreek leaves to the curry base by crushing them between your palms; add the garam masala as well and mix the curry well.
3. Once the spices are cooked, add the water and bring the curry to a light simmer.
4. Add the pureed spinach and mix well; apply the lid to the pan again and keep the curry on a low flame.
5. In the meantime, while the spinach curry is simmering on a low flame, chop the paneer into cubes about half an inch (1 to 1.5cm) in size; add the oil to a frying pan, warm it up and lightly fry the cubed paneer. [The paneer can be cubed and added to the curry without frying.]
6. Once the paneer is fried, add it to the spinach curry and mix well; allow the paneer to cook in the curry for 2-3 minutes then serve!

How To Make Palak Paneer With Fresh Spinach?

If using fresh spinach leaves, try using baby spinach, as its leaves are tender and sweeter, reducing the risk of the palak paneer being bitter.

Thoroughly wash the spinach leaves, eliminating the tougher parts and wilting leaves.

Next, boil the leaves in a pan of lightly simmering water for 3-4 minutes, then quickly remove them and add them to a bowl of cold water [you can add some ice cubes if needed] to stop the cooking.

Next, remove from the water, squeeze the excess water out and add to the blender. Proceed with the palak paneer recipe as written.

How To Store Palak Paneer?

• In the fridge: Palak paneer can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
• In the freezer: I don't recommend freezing palak paneer, as the cottage cheese may lose its consistency. The spinach curry on its own can be frozen for up to three months.

Tips and Tricks For Palak Paneer

• Paneer: Should you wish not to pan-fry the paneer, that is absolutely fine. Follow the warming-up instructions on the package.
• Pan-frying: It is very important that the oil is hot before the paneer cubes are added to the pan, as they may break or stick to the bottom of the pan otherwise. [Learnt the hard way!]
• Vegan Option: Paneer can be substituted with firm or extra firm tofu or boiled potatoes [aloo palak is quite a famous Indian curry].
• Instant Pot: There are many recipes for making palak paneer in an instant pot, but I personally think that this curry needs all the consistency to be right. The spinach puree, the chunky onion, and tomato curry, and finally the golden paneer cubes all need different preparation methods, which are so quick, the instant pot doesn't really save any time!
• Heath: As you want to keep the palak paneer looking as green as possible, try adding more green chilies to the curry for heat, rather than red chili powder, as this will alter the color.
• Bitter: Should the palak paneer curry taste bitter, this may be for different reasons, such as going for mature or large leaves, which have a higher concentration of oxal acid, or overcooking the spinach. The sugar in the recipe should help reduce this already, however, if needed, add also ½ to 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.

Making palak paneer at home is so easy, that it will become part of your dinner recipes repertoire!

Being one of the milder curries to make, it is a crowd-pleaser and a great way to introduce both Indian meals and greens into anyone's diet.

Punjabi food is delicious and one of my favorite Indian cuisines, especially when I was just being introduced to hot food!

Having palak paneer with garlic naan or jeera rice is a real treat any day of the week... have a go!

WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU: Get in touch with any questions and we'll get back to you! If you tried the recipe, please comment and rate the recipe card below... we'd really appreciate it!

🥗 More Vegetarian Recipes Here!