Palak Paneer (Stovetop Blanched Version)

Palak Paneer is a classic Punjabi dish that is essentially Indian cheese cooked in a pureed spinach gravy flavored with aromatic spices.

In our home, Paneer was a novelty. Since paneer is essentially cheese, it tends to be higher in fat and my parents were always concerned about their health issues.

With that said, on special occasions, such as birthdays, anniversaries, and Diwali, my mom always cooked a paneer dish whether it was Paneer Makhani, Matar Paneer, Kadai Paneer, Paneer Bhurji, or Shahi Paneer. There are tons of paneer recipes out there, and here’s yet another version.

Today I’m sharing with you a Palak Paneer recipe that is prepared stovetop and blanched. I also have an authentic Punjabi-style Instant Pot Palak Paneer recipe on my blog which is amazing.

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What is Palak Paneer?

Palak means spinach and paneer is an Indian cheese, so, Palak Paneer is an Indian cheese cooked in pureed spinach gravy. The gravy is flavored with aromatic spices, masala mixture, and finished off with a touch of heavy cream or butter for added richness. 

For this recipe, I skipped the heavy cream and opted for a few cashews for that added richness and a tablespoon of butter at the end. This curry is delicious even without butter, however a dollop of butter takes this Palak Paneer up a notch.

Palak Paneer is one of my favorite paneer dishes. I know, I know, I say that about every paneer dish, because they’re honestly all so good, however palak paneer makes my top 3 favorite paneer dishes.

Enjoy this delectable Indian dish with roti, naan, or basmati white rice.

What’s the difference between Palak Paneer and Saag Paneer?

Palak is spinach, whereas saag comprises all other leafy greens including, spinach, mustard greens, broccoli, kale, or any combination of greens you like. 

So the main difference is palak paneer just uses spinach, on the other hand, saag paneer uses a combination of leafy greens. Additioanlly, Saag Paneer is a great way to clean out the fridge and use up all leftover greens. 

The Secret to making the BEST Palak Paneer

In my opinion, there are 3 key ingredients that result in the best Palak Paneer:

• garlic – lots of it
• green chilies – it’s delicious with spinach
• butter – a touch of butter at the end of your dish will take this dish up another notch.

Ingredients you’ll need for Palak Paneer:

Fresh Spinach: It’s important that you use fresh spinach for this recipe. The spinach will need to be blanched and transferred to an ice bath. 

Paneer: I love using store-bought paneer, but feel free to use homemade which will obviously taste better. If using store-bought, soak the paneer in hot water for at least 20 minutes.

Oil, Ghee & Butter: This recipe requires oil and ghee. Just 1 tablespoon of ghee makes a big difference in this recipe. Butter is optional, but I recommend it as a finishing touch. This recipe contains no cream. 

Spices: Turmeric powder, bay leaf, cumin seeds, cloves, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, kasoori methi, and salt. 

Ginger, Garlic, Green Chilies, Onions, and Tomatoes: The most basic ingredients you’ll need in Indian cooking. 

Cashews: The cashews serve as a replacement for heavy cream. If you’re allergic to nuts, simply omit and add 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream at the end. 

Palak Paneer is:

Mouthwatering
Creamy
Indulgent
Delicious
Vegetarian
Gluten-free (see notes)
Festive

How to make Palak Paneer recipe step by step?

Prep

1. If using store-bought paneer, store it in hot water for 20 minutes. This will help the paneer soften.

2. Bring a pot of hot water to a boil. We will blanch the spinach later on.

3. Chop onions, ginger, garlic, and green chilies.

4 Chop tomatoes. Set aside.

Blanch the Spinach

1. Add fresh spinach to boiling hot water. Blanch the spinach for 3 minutes, then transfer the spinach to an ice bath.

2. In the meantime, prepare an ice bath. This will prevent the spinach from cooking and it’ll retain the nutrition and the green color.

3. Once the spinach has blanched, add the spinach to the ice bath.

4. Let the spinach sit here for about 5 minutes minimum.

5. Drain the spinach squeezing out most of the water. Add it to the blender along with cashews. I also added 2 tablespoons of water. 

6. Blend.

7. This is what you should have. The spinach puree should be slightly thick, not too runny.

Cook the Palak Paneer

1. Heat up an enameled cast iron pot, and add one tablespoon of ghee and half a tablespoon of oil, once hot, add bay leaf, cumin seeds, and cloves. Saute for 30 seconds.

2. Add garlic and saute for a minute until slightly toasty.

3. Add ginger and green chilies. Saute for a minute.

4. Add red onions and season with salt. Saute for 3-4 mintues until tranlucent.

5. Now add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, and kasoori methi. Cook the spices for a minute.

6. Add 2 tablespoons of water so the spices don’t burn.

7. Now add the tomatoes and season with salt.

8. Cover and cook for about 3 minutes.

9. Add the pureed spinach and season with salt. Stir and cook for 3 minutes.

10. Add a couple of tablespoons of water to the blender to get the remainder of the spinach puree.

11. Add the spinach water.

12. Add garam masala. 

13. Add cubed paneer. Don’t overcook the paneer else it’ll turn rubbery.

14. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes. Adjust salt as needed. Turn off the stove.

15. Garnish with sliced green chilies and one tablespoon of butter. 

Serving Suggestions

Palak Paneer is best when paired with naan, roti, and rice. I love all three options.

Tips on making Palak Paneer:

• Soak the store-bought paneer in hot water. This ensures the paneer is nice and soft. If you’re using homemade paneer, you don’t need to soak it in hot water.
• Blanch the spinach and transfer it to an ice bath. Puree the spinach.
• Make the spinach gravy.
• Add the paneer in and enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I make this recipe vegan?

For a vegan option, you may substitute butter/ghee for vegan butter and tofu for paneer.

Keep in mind though, that tofu and paneer may look similar, but the taste is completely different. Tofu is vegan and not as rich as paneer, but it works in this recipe and it will still be delicious.

2. Can I make Palak Paneer gluten-free?

This dish is already gluten-free. there are no changes required.

3. I have a nut allergy, can I skip the cashews in this dish?

Yes. I like adding cashews for that extra thick gravy since I don’t use heavy cream. If you skip the nuts, add 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream to give this dish a little richness. You may skip the butter or add as needed at the end. 

4. How does the green color stay so bright green?

The trick to keeping the spinach bright green is:

1. Blanch the spinach and immediately transfer it to an ice bath. This process stops the cooking process which helps in retaining that bright green color. Additionally, it retains the nutrition in the spinach.
2. Do not overcook the pureed spinach once you begin to cook it on the stove.

5. Is Palak Paneer healthy?

This dish is nutritious, but I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s healthy given there is some ghee, butter, and a good amount of cheese. To make a healthier Palak Paneer, omit the ghee and butter, and just use a little more oil in place of ghee.

More Paneer Recipes!

• Hariyali Paneer
• Paneer Makhani
• Matar Paneer
• Paneer Bhurji
• Mughlai Shahi Paneer
• Kadai Paneer
• Paneer Kathi Roll

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Pin & Enjoy!