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Fancy a super quick and easy vegetarian curry? This delicious Palak Paneer is a wonderful combination of flavours and convenience – ready in about 35 minutes for a speedy midweek vegetarian family meal or as part of a bigger Indian-style banquet. 

A bowl of Palak Paneer curry and rice, with a fork.

By now I think most of us have our favourite curries on a meal plan loop, thanks to the simplicity, variety, flavour and affordability they offer.

Only a few ingredients go a very long way and make something special every time. 

This Palak Paneer is made with Indian cheese, frozen spinach and a handful of store cupboard ingredients, so it’s easy to throw together, budget-friendly and healthy too.

I love adding a vegetarian Indian spinach dish to my go-to recipes because

a) I love the way spinach tastes

b) I always have some spinach in my freezer

c) It’s SO good for us, and

d) Eating it in a curry dish is probably the best way to enjoy spinach

For this recipe, paneer has a nice long shelf-life too, so it’s good to keep in for when the moment arises.    


Why you’ll love this Palak Paneer recipe

⭐️ Super healthy and inexpensive

⭐️ Very quick and simple to make

⭐️ Delicious and comforting


Two bowls of palak paneer and rice with forks on a table, ready to eat.

How we came up with this recipe

Palak Paneer is a green vegetarian curry dish that hails originally from Northern India and is made up of spinach (palak) and paneer, a type of Indian cottage cheese, which is mild, solid and doesn’t melt – a little like halloumi but with a slightly softer texture. 

This is my take on this Indian spinach dish, which is simplified for speed and convenience.

For example, a very authentic Spinach Paneer would involve puréeing the spinach, but as we’re using frozen spinach (which usually comes pre-chopped in little blocks), we don’t need to as it’s already really fine.


Palak Paneer Ingredients Notes

Bowls of ingredients on a counter top for the recipe Palak Paneer.
  • Oil – Sunflower, olive or Fry-light is fine
  • Frozen veg – Spinach and peas
  • Onions, ginger and garlic – Fresh or pre-chopped frozen is OK
  • Green chilli – You can get this frozen too if you prefer! 
  • Spices – Cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala and mild chilli powder

How to make Paneer and Spinach Curry

A close up of a frying pan with paneer being cooked, for step 1 in the process of cooking palak paneer.

1. Cut the paneer into chunks and coat well with turmeric, salt and chilli powder (as per the recipe). Fry it until browned, remove from the heat and put aside.

Onions and chilli frying in a pan with a wooden spoon in for step 2 in the recipe for Palak Paneer.

2. In the same pan, fry the onions, garlic, chilli, ginger, cumin, coriander until golden brown.

A frying pan filled with bright green spinach and onions with a wooden spoon stirring, for step 3 in the recipe for Palak Paneer.

3. Add the spinach and cook for 6 or 7 minutes until cooked through. Stir well until the mixture becomes a smooth sauce.

A frying pan with a combination of ingredients being stirred by a wooden spoon for step 4 in the recipe for palak paneer.

4. Add the paneer back, along with the peas and garam masala. Cook on a low heat for 10-15 minutes. Add salt to taste.


If you want to cook up a homemade curry night, you could also rustle up one of these easy curries alongside the Palak Paneer:

Vegetarian curries…

Meat curries…

Leftovers

In the fridge You can keep this recipe in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat fully by before serving.

In the freezer You can freeze this recipe but be aware that it might not be at its best because the spinach has already been thawed. Fresh is always best with delicate ingredients but I certainly wouldn’t waste it if there’s some spare.

What to serve with Palak Paneer

Try some rice, poppadoms, naans or chapatis, raita yoghurt dip and mango chutney.

FAQs

Is Indian Palak Paneer healthy?

Yes! This is a naturally low in fat and high nutritional value dish.

What is the difference between Palak Paneer and Saag Paneer curry?

They are interchangeable in the UK, so often they are the same dish. However, the traditional Saag Paneer recipe contains other leafy green vegetables as well as spinach.

Is Palak Paneer gluten free?

Yes, this is a gluten-free curry dish, but please double check all packets before cooking to make sure.

Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.

Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).

4.38 from 24 votes

Easy Palak Paneer {Indian Spinach Curry}

This vegetarian Palak Paneer recipe is a quick and easy, healthy and delicious midweek winner of an Indian curry dish.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • 220 g Paneer

Paneer marinade:

  • 1/2 tsp Tumeric
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Mild chilli powder
  • 1 tbsp Oil

For the sauce:

  • 2 Onions, Peeled and finely chopped
  • 4 Garlic cloves, Peeled and crushed
  • 1 Green chilli, Finely chopped
  • 1 Ginger, Peeled and grated
  • 1 tsp Ground cumin
  • 1 tsp Ground coriander
  • 600 g Frozen chopped spinach
  • 200 g Frozen peas
  • 1 tsp Garam masala

Instructions 

  • Cut the paneer into bite-sized chunks. Place in a sandwich bag or Tupperware container with the turmeric, salt and chilli powder. Shake well to coat.
  • Heat the oil in a hot frying pan and fry the paneer chunks in batches until browned on each side, gently turning them over and adding more spray when needed. Transfer them to a bowl as they are cooked.
  • In the same pan, add the onions, garlic, chilli, ginger, cumin, coriander and fry until soft and golden brown.
  • Add the spinach and cook for 6-7 minutes until cooked through. Blend in the pan so that the spinach and onion mixture becomes a smooth sauce. (Add some water if you'd like it to be thinner.)
  • Add in the fried paneer, peas and garam masala and cook through on a low heat for 10-15 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Notes

Onions, garlic, ginger and chilli: You can use ‘cheat’ versions of all of these to save time if you like. Or use fresh if you prefer
Spinach and peas: Use the frozen type for this recipe
To freeze: You can freeze this recipe but be aware that it might not be at its best because the spinach has already been thawed. Fresh is always best with delicate ingredients but I certainly wouldn’t waste it if there’s some spare
Serving suggestions: Rice, poppadoms, naans or chapatis, raita yoghurt dip and mango chutney

Nutrition

Calories: 311kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 17gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 759mgPotassium: 767mgFiber: 9gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 18129IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 496mgIron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
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4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Thanks for this- I left it chunkier as getting it from the restaurant I knew and it has been a delight to make!

  2. Hi,
    Which brand of paneer do you use please? The syn value for paneer is higher on the Slimming World app than in your recipe, so it would be great to know which you’re using. Thanks 🙂