Palak Paneer
Golden seared paneer simmered in a vivid, silky spinach sauce warmed with cumin, ginger, garlic and garam masala, finished with a splash of cream.
By Theo Brandt, Test Kitchen Lead & Cheese Specialist
Published April 18, 2025
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Level
- Easy
The secret to bright green palak paneer is a very quick blanch. One minute in boiling water, then straight into ice water, keeps the spinach vivid instead of army green, and blending it with a fresh green chile gives the sauce a clean, lively heat.
We sear the paneer before it goes into the sauce, then soak it briefly in warm water so it stays soft and tender. The base of onion, ginger, garlic and tomato cooks down slowly in ghee until jammy, which gives the finished dish real depth.
A little cream and crushed dried fenugreek leaves round everything out. Serve it with warm naan or basmati rice and a squeeze of lemon.
- Vivid blanched spinach sauce
- Seared, tender paneer cubes
- Ready in under an hour
Ingredients
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and set a bowl of ice water nearby. Add the spinach and blanch just until wilted, about 1 minute.
Transfer the spinach to the ice water to stop the cooking, then drain and squeeze out some of the water. Blend with the green chiles and 1/3 cup cold water to a smooth puree.
Heat 1 tbsp of the ghee in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the paneer until golden on a few sides, 4 to 5 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of warm salted water.
Add the remaining 2 tbsp ghee to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Add the cumin seeds and cook until they sizzle and darken slightly, about 30 seconds.
Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until soft and light golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the tomatoes, coriander, turmeric and chili powder and cook until the tomatoes break down and the ghee begins to separate at the edges, 5 to 6 minutes.
Pour in the spinach puree, add 1/4 cup water if very thick, and simmer gently for 4 to 5 minutes. Avoid long cooking so the color stays bright.
Stir in the garam masala, cream and fenugreek leaves, crumbling the leaves between your palms as they go in. Season with salt.
Drain the paneer, fold it into the sauce and simmer 2 minutes to warm through. Drizzle with a little cream and serve hot.
Test-kitchen tips
- The spinach puree keeps for 2 days in the fridge, and the finished dish reheats well, though the color will deepen slightly.
- Soaking the seared paneer in warm salted water keeps it soft and seasons it lightly, so do not skip it if your paneer is firm.
- Swap the paneer for pan-fried extra-firm tofu, or replace half the spinach with fresh fenugreek or mustard greens for a more peppery sauce.
