Restaurant Style Palak Paneer

What is Palak Paneer

Palak is the Indian name for spinach and paneer is an Indian cottage cheese made from milk. It is similar to tofu. You get Dhaba-style Palak Paneer when a luscious creamy spinach sauce is infused with Indian spices and topped with grilled paneer. It's an easy authentic Indian recipe, that's perfect for weeknight dinners or family brunches.

Whenever I get spinach, I either make this dish that hails from northern India or make this South Indian dish called Keerai Kootu. These two are my absolute favorite recipes with spinach! Instant Pot Chana Palak, and Garlicky Peas Spinach Fenugreek Curry are two other vegetarian spinach recipes that I often make at home.

Difference between Palak Paneer and Saag Paneer

People often want to know the difference between palak paneer vs saag paneer. Saag refers to a combination of leafy greens like spinach, fenugreek leaves, and, mustard leaves in northern India. The main difference between the two is that Saag Paneer can be made with any leafy greens or a combination of greens. But, Palak Paneer is a gravy made with only spinach. Both taste great though!

As you can see from the image above, we need a few basic ingredients to make this palak paneer restaurant-style! 

Spinach - We need spinach leaves, not the stems. Baby spinach is also a great option to use.

Paneer - While you can easily make paneer at home, store-bought paneer works great. Thaw it first if using frozen paneer.

It's available in Indian grocery stores and on Amazon.

Whole spices - cinnamon and bay leaf.

Spice mixes - garam masala and Kasuri methi. They give a nice aroma and flavor to the dish.

Basic essentials - Onion, garlic, ginger paste and, Jalapeno and Cashews.

So if you have lots of fresh spinach and want to make something before it goes bad, then give this recipe a try! 

In order to make restaurant-style palak paneer, we need to first prep in three steps. 

1. First, we need to blanch the spinach. Boil water, add sugar and then add spinach to it.
   • Submerge it in boiling water and turn off the flame. Let it sit for 3 minutes. No need to cover it. 
2. Strain the water after 3 minutes and immediately give it an ice bath.
   • Add ice cubes to a bowl and add the blanched spinach to it. Let it sit for 5 minutes.  
3. Transfer it to a blender and blitz it to make a smooth creamy puree. Keep it aside for now.
4. Simultaneously work on the masala base. In a pan add roughly chopped onion, jalapeno and, cashews along with water.
   • Bring it to a boil, reduce the flame and cook for 6-7 minutes. 
5. Do not strain. Allow it to cool down completely before grinding it to a smooth paste, in a blender. Keep it aside for now.
6. If using frozen paneer, thaw it completely and then cut the paneer in any desired shape.
7. Heat a grill pan and grill the paneer slices in little oil till it turns light golden on both sides. Set the grilled paneer aside for now. 
8. Add oil in a pan. Once it's hot enough, add bay leaf, cinnamon, crushed Kasuri methi, minced garlic and ginger paste.
   • Fry for 2-3 minutes or till the garlic turns golden.
9. Next, add the onion paste and fry it for 2 minutes. Now add the spinach puree, garam masala and, salt.
   • Add water if you need to adjust the consistency. Mix it all together and cook till it comes to a boil. Take it off the flame.

Serving suggestions

Add the grilled paneer just before serving. You can also garnish it with some fresh cream, lemon juice and, crushed Kasuri methi.

This palak recipe tastes best with any flatbread or steamed rice. But for health-conscious people, you can serve this with a bowl of cooked quinoa or cauliflower rice. 

Top recipe tips

If using frozen spinach, thaw it and blend it to a smooth puree. You can skip the blanching and ice bath steps.

Adding sugar while blanching the spinach helps retain the green color and helps cut the bitterness.

You can add roasted veggies instead of paneer or tofu or even use this spinach puree base as a pasta sauce!

Instead of paneer slices, add paneer crumbles on top and enjoy it as a hearty spinach soup!

Prepare the sauce and top it with your favorites like roasted veggies or meat! The options are endless. This dish is perfect for mixed households where some want vegan food and some want meat.

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