Palak Paneer (Restaurant Style)

Looking for an easy-to-make yet delicious restaurant-style palak paneer recipe? I bet your search ends here. This is the BEST Punjabi palak paneer recipe I have ever made.

Wonderful recipe! I love Palak paneer and have been making it for 20 years… This recipe was the best ever! My whole family loved it…even my daughter who doesn’t like Palak! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
– Shona

About This Recipe

Palak paneer is a popular dish from North India (Punjab). Here soft paneer (Indian cottage cheese) cubes are simmered into smooth, creamy, medium spicy, vibrant green spinach (palak) gravy.

If you are one of those who think that any spinach dish is bland and tasteless, then I bet you haven’t tried this recipe. Try it once, I am sure you will love it. Even my kids (one of them is a picky eater) eat this happily without any fuss. Many times I swap paneer with boiled chickpeas for my kids.

My Secrets To Make BEST Palak Paneer

• Blanch the spinach right way (makes the vibrant green gravy)
• Boil the onion instead of browning (adds a distinct flavor and also helps keep the gravy green)
• Do not add any spice powders other than garam masala & kasoori methi. (spices like red chili powder, coriander powder, etc will overpower the overall flavor of the gravy)
• Add enough garlic and green chilies. (Garlic adds lots of flavor and chilies add heat and spicy taste)

My Version Of Recipe

This palak paneer recipe was first posted in 2012 (in the first month of my blogging journey). I have adapted it from the cookbook “Paneer” by Tarla Dalal. That was a little elaborate process.

Over the years, I have modified the recipe to make it easy without compromising the taste and flavor. Trust me, this latest version is too good.

And it’s been more than 12 years since I published this palak paneer recipe and so many of you have been making it in your kitchen. And I love reading your feedback in the comments.

My recipe calls for blanching the spinach. This is the most important step and when it’s done right you’ll get the vibrant green color of the spinach gravy. You’ll find many palak paneer recipes on the internet that call for no blanching as a shortcut method. But you’ll notice the color difference. Without blanching you’ll get slightly on the blackish side green vs vibrant green comes from blanching.

I know it is an extra step but so worth it. This step doesn’t increase the total cook time, you can do other steps simultaneously, as you’ll see in the steps below.

Ingredient Notes

Here is a pic of the ingredients used in making this restaurant style palak paneer. You’ll find the ingredient amount details in the recipe card at the end of the post. Please check out a few notes after this image. 

Paneer

• Homemade: Here is my recipe on how to make paneer if you prefer to make your own. For convenience purposes, I have not made it at home. 
• Store-bought: A few years ago I used to love Nanak paneer from the Indian grocery store. But in the last few years, looks like they have changed their recipe/method, I find it a little tough and chewy. Since then I have tried many other brands and I am happy with Gopi, Brar, and Verka. Recently I found Verka low-fat paneer at my nearby grocery store and I have been using that lately.
• Soak in warm water: If using store-bought paneer then make cubes and soak the paneer in warm water while you’re making gravy. This step makes the paneer pieces super soft.
• Pan-fry paneer or not? I personally skip this step because one needs to be really careful not to over-fry it otherwise it becomes chewy and hard. But if you prefer you can shallow fry in a couple of teaspoons of oil until lightly golden brown. Once done remove it from the pan. Don’t let it sit in the pan for longer otherwise, it gets tough and chewy. 

Palak (Spinach):

• Indian desi-style spinach (Palak): If you find it then please use this. Make sure to remove the stalks (stems aka dandiya) which make the gravy bitter and taste metallic.
• Regular Spinach: Easily available in bunches at the grocery stores. Sometimes you can find it in bags (prewashed). Washing part takes some time but makes the best-tasting gravy.
• Baby Spinach: It makes the slightly mild-tasting gravy but still good. I most of the time make it using baby spinach as it is available pre-washed and so convenient.
• Frozen spinach (my last option): You’ll never get the perfect vibrant green color with frozen spinach. You’ll notice the flavor difference in the gravy. Still, if you’re using frozen spinach for making palak paneer then go for whole-leaf frozen and not chopped spinach. Also, reduce the amount compared to fresh spinach as frozen one is compacted.  

Onion: I have used red onion but yellow or white works too. Roughly chop them into cubes as we are going to boil them.

Ginger, Garlic: Again, roughly chop them as we are boiling them along with onion and cashews.

Green chilies: This is the only ingredient that provides a spicy taste and heat to the dish. So use it accordingly. if you like spicy add more. If you want a mild dish then use fewer chilies.

Cashew nuts: They provide a rich and creamy flavor to the gravy.

Tomato: You’ll need a small amount of tomatoes. Just finely chop them or simply puree them, but no big chunks.

Black salt (Kala namak): It adds an umami flavor while boosting the overall flavor of the gravy.

Garam masala: I prefer to make my own homemade garam masala. You can use store-bought as well.

Kasoori methi (Dried fenugreek leaves): Always crush the kasoori methi between your palms before adding it to release its aroma and flavor.

Heavy whipping cream: Traditionally the malai is used. But the whipping cream is the closest one you’ll find in the USA. This gives a smooth and creamy texture to the gravy.

Step By Step Photo Instructions

Making Onion Puree:

1) Take onion gravy ingredients (onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies, cashews, salt, and water) in a saucepan and turn the heat on medium.

2) Let it cook for 15 minutes or until the onion becomes soft and translucent.

3, 4) Let the mixture cool down slightly and then transfer to the blender jar along with its cooking water. Blend into a smooth puree. 

5) Pour the puree into a bowl and keep it aside. We’ll use the same blender jar to make spinach puree.

TIP: While onions are cooking, boil the water on another stove to blanch the spinach. And blanch the spinach while the cooked onions are cooling.

Blanching Spinach And Making Puree:

1) Bring 5 cups of water to a rolling boil. Keep this pot on another stove while onions are cooking as water takes time to get to a boil. Add spinach leaves and push the leaves in the water using a spatula.

2) Let it cook for exactly 4 minutes.

3, 4) With the help of a pair of tongs take all the leaves out and add into the ice-cold water immediately to stop the cooking process. This ensures the spinach keeps the bright green color intact.

5, 6) Now drain the cold water and take spinach to the blender jar. Blend into a smooth puree.

Making Gravy:

1, 2) Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are soft and mushy. With the back of the spatula mash the tomatoes. 

3, 4) Add prepared onion puree. Mix and simmer for 2-3 minutes only. Do not brown the gravy. 

5, 6) Add remaining salt, black salt, garam masala and crushed kasoori methi. Mix well.

7) Add prepared spinach puree.

8) Mix well, adjust the gravy consistency by adding water (if needed) and let it simmer for 2 minutes only. TIP: Do not cook for longer otherwise, the gravy will lose its green color.

9, 10) Add paneer and heavy cream. Mix well and let the gravy come to a simmer and turn off the stove right away. Palak paneer is ready to serve.

What To Serve With Palak Paneer?

• Serve palak paneer with any Indian bread (e.g. paratha, tandoori roti, naan, garlic naan)
• OR it can be served with jeera rice or plain basmati rice.
• A side of laccha pyaaz and a glass of chaas or salted lassi will complete the meal. 

Tips To Keep Gravy Vibrant Green

• To keep the green color intact, spinach must be blanched using the RIGHT method. Please follow the exact time and method shown.
• Do not add any spice powders like turmeric, red chili powder. Those can alter the green color.
• Do not simmer the gravy for a longer period, especially once the blanched, pureed spinach is added.
• Do not add more tomatoes than the mentioned amount.
• Do not brown the onion paste. Just saute for a couple of minutes only.

Storage (Freezing)

• In the refrigerator, palak paneer can be stored for 2 days in an airtight container.
• In the freezer, it stays good for up to 2-3 months. I like to freeze the gravy only in silicone cupcake molds. So using this spinach gravy I can make many other curries. E.g. add boiled potatoes for aloo palak, boiled chickpeas for palak chole. You can add sauteed mushroom or mixed vegetables too. 
• Thaw on the counter or in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave or stovetop.

Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a review in the comment section below. If you’re sharing it on your Instagram then don’t forget to tag me @spice.up.the.curry