Palak Paneer (Easy, Restaurant-Style)

Palak Paneer, or Saag Paneer, is a restaurant-famous spinach and paneer curry. This recipe is crowd-pleasing with complex yet balanced, authentic flavor. It's also easy-to-follow, requires one pan if you skip pan-searing the paneer, and takes 50 minutes from start to finish! Tested to perfection!

📝 Ingredients

• 1/4 cup neutral oil (such as grapeseed or avocado oil)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 medium yellow onion (finely chopped)
• 5 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 1- inch ginger (finely chopped)
• 1-2 small Serrano or Thai green chili peppers (finely chopped)
• 2 ripe Vine or Roma tomatoes (puréed in food processor)
• 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2-3/4 tsp red chili powder or cayenne
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 lb fresh spinach (thoroughly washed & stems removed (thin stems are fine) - See Note 1 for substitutions)
• 2 tbsp ghee or butter (salted/unsalted both fine)
• 1/2 cup water
• 8 oz store-bought paneer (I use Gopi brand, cut into ~1/2 inch cubes - see Note 2 on how to cut paneer cubes)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream (double cream) (See Note 3 for using half & half)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp whole milk
• 1/2 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (methi)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp garam masala (optional)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Heat oil in a large, wide-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds (they’ll immediately sizzle) and the chopped onion and sauté for about 10 minutes, until golden brown. Deglaze with 2 tbsp of water to encourage the onions to brown evenly.
2. 2Add garlic, ginger, and green chili and cook for 2 minutes, until aromatic. The onions will have deepened even more in color. If the mixture starts to stick, deglaze with another 2 tbsp water.
3. 3Add the tomatoes, ground spices, and salt and continue to sauté for 3-4 minutes, until the oil starts to separate. If needed, deglaze again with 2 tbsp water.
4. 4Increase the heat to high and add the spinach, a handful at a time, and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes.
5. 5Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for another 10 minutes (~15 minutes if using frozen spinach), stirring once in between. The spinach will release its own moisture, but if it starts to stick (likely if using frozen), add 1/4 cup water. If your fresh spinach is still moist from washing, you may not need any water. The spinach will turn darker and start sticking to the pan.
6. 6Optional - Meanwhile, if you’re pan-searing the paneer, do so now. Heat 1 1/2 tbsp neutral oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Place the paneer cubes in a single layer and cook, turning constantly, until lightly golden on all sides, ~6-8 min in total. If it starts to pop, reduce the heat and keep turning. Transfer the paneer from the pan to a paper towel-lined plate. Cover and set aside.
7. 7Uncover the spinach and stir to mix. Turn off the heat and allow it to cool for a couple minutes before transferring it to a food processor. Pulse to chop (~20 times) or blend on low into a rough purée. You don’t want a completely smooth paste.
8. 8Place the pan back over medium-high heat and add the ghee or butter. Once it melts, pour in the roughly puréed spinach. Sauté for a minute to fry the mixture. Add the measured water (1/2 cup) and stir, letting it meld into the curry.
9. 9Stir in the paneer, heavy whipping cream, and milk. Reduce the heat to low-medium, cover, and cook for 7-10 minutes, until the paneer has softened and soaked up the masala. All excess water will have evaporated by now and the oil will start to separate on the sides.
10. 10Crush the dried fenugreek leaves between the palms of your hands and sprinkle it in. Taste and adjust salt, if needed. Squeeze in the lemon juice and give it a stir. Sprinkle with garam masala, if using. Serve with roti, naan, paratha, or basmati rice.