Healthy Palak Paneer is made with indian cheese cubes simmered in a pot full of luscious creamy spinach gravy and served over a bed quinoa.
Sounds delicious, right?!I don’t know about you but lately this has been one meal I have been craving almost every week. I was trying to throw hints at Jerry hoping he will understand that all I wanted to eat this weekend was a big bowl of this goodness but instead we went out and ended up ridiculous amount of money on food that was just edible with no flavours at all! Palak paneer as called in India is typically a dish from Northern states of India and growing up, it was served at least 2-3 times a month for dinner. My mother will sometimes add potatoes in place of paneer but my favorite was always the one with paneer.
Since I developed interest in cooking, I have made it quite a few times but never before was I able to get it right. It does sound kind of weird as I grew up eating it but you know how things you take for granted or assume to be the simplest often turn out to be difficult. This recipe for me comes in the easy category but still there was something I was doing wrong every time.
Finally with the help of YouTube (serious!!), I got it right and it has been on my mind since then!!
I am planning on making it again this week and eating it while watching full season 1 of mixology on Netflix! Have you seen that show?! Jerry recently discovered it and we have been hooked. Light hearted kind of silly but perfect after a tired work day! It’s a story of 10 different people in a bar and it shows what goes on in their lives during a night in a bar.
Make sure you make a big batch of it as it freezes beautifully and serve with either store bought or homemade naan and lots of quinoa or if you are not into that sort of thing rice!
Happy Monday!
- 4 cups packed, fresh spinach leaves, washed
- 2 tsp olive oil or any good cooking oil
- 4 cloves
- 1-2 cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaf
- 4 cardamoms, green
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1medium size red onion, chopped
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp fenugreek leaves, powder them by crushing in between hands. ( you can omit if you don't have any)
- 4-5 green chilies, chopped
- ¼ cup yogurt
- 2 cups paneer or Indian cheese
- Salt to taste
- Take a pot filled with water and bring it to boil. Once boiling add spinach leaves. Let them cook for a minute and take them out using a strainer. Add blanched spinach leaves in a blender and blend until smooth paste forms.
- Keep aside.
- In a pot, add oil.
- Once hot, add cloves,cinnamon,bay leaf and cardamoms. Add cumin seeds. Once they stop sputtering, add chopped garlic. Sauté it for few mins until golden and fragrant. Add chopped onions and ½ tsp salt and cook them until they get nicely browned. Salt helps to squeeze out water from onion. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for few mins until raw aroma goes away. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they break down. Add turmeric, cumin,coriander,red chili and fenugreek powder. Add green chilies and salt to taste. Stir to mix all the spices. Add spinach purée and cook for another 5-7 mins to let the flavours develop. Take it off heat. Add yogurt and blend it again if you like a smooth creamy gravy. Return it to the pot and add paneer cubes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Warm just before serving.
- Serve with hot naan and rice or quinoa.
More Indian Recipes:
I love Indian food so much! And I’m loving that this recipe is easy and healthy (sometimes that not the case). Thanks!
I agree with you Bri but mostly gone cooked Indian food is healthy most of the time. Let me know if you try this!!
Home*
I wish I could have a plate of palak panner in front of me! It looks so inviting!
Come over!!
Palak paneer is one of my favorite Indian dishes! This looks great!
Thanks Bianca!
This sounds like my ideal kind of meal. Cheese, spinach and quinoa. What more could you want?!
I feel the same!!
I adore palak paneer, and it’s awesome to have a healthier version. **applause**
Doesn’t healthier versions make it more enjoyable Erin?! Hope you give this a try!
The older I get, the more I enjoy the flavors of Indian food. I like that this freezes well as I like to cook once and eat several times. I make homemade Naan bread often as it is a favorite in our home. Thanks so much for the recipe! I’ve never made anything like this so it will be fun to try something new.
Heather let me know how your family liked it when you try this recipe!!
I don’t cook a lot of indian food – I think this will be the first thing I try. I love the deep green color of the sauce – it must smell earthy and rich. Pinning for future reference. Thanks!
Thanks Geraldine and yes it was rich and fragrant but super healthy!
Love that you made a healthier palak paneer! It looks wonderful, Ami 🙂
Thanks girl!!
This looks absolutely delicious. I adore Indian food…but often I’m lazy about making my own (I’m sometimes deterred by a whole new list of spices!)…which is such a crime. I love palak paneer- I better try this one!
Hehe you should try this. I am sure it will be worth the efforts!
This is one of my husband’s an my favorite meals! Thank you for introducing us to a healthier version. I can’t wait to try this 🙂
I love Indian food but I rarely make it at home (a little intimidated I guess)! I’ll have to give this a try, it looks way too good!
This you should try Kari. Trust me it’s really simple and tastes great!
Eeee! I always get giddy when I see indian food somewhere since it’s mine and my husband’s in-the-top-3 favorite cuisines!!! This sounds so good especially because I’ve been craving quinoa like no other…but I’ve been so busy, errr lazy to even boil it???
Hehe Ellie try this recipe this weekend and you can make extra so you have leftovers too!