Instant Pot Palak Paneer/ Saag Paneer Recipe
Instant Pot Palak Paneer or Saag Paneer recipe is super easy to make at home and it is better than the restaurant. Nutritious, delicious and so good.
Servings: 6
Calories: 359kcal
Equipment
- Inner Pot
- Hand Held Immersion Blender or high speed blender
Ingredients
Fresh Ingredients
- 1 pound Spinach leaves I use baby spinach leaves
- 1 medium Red Onion roughly chopped
- 3 medium Tomatoes roughly chopped
- 1 large piece /1 tbsp Ginger roughly chopped
- 1 tsp/2 cloves Garlic roughly chopped
- 1-2 Green Chilies or 1/2 jalapeno roughly chopped (skip it if you want mild curry)
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
- 2 tbsp Water
Oil & Spices
- 1 tbsp Cooking Oil
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp Red Chili powder / paprika use very less if you want mild curry
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 1 tsp Salt or to taste
Other Ingredients
- 2 cups or 350 grams Paneer cubed into 1 inch cubes
- 3 tbsp Heavy Cream
- 1 tbsp Butter
Corn Starch Slurry
- 1&1/2 tbsp Corn Starch
- 3 tbsp Water room temperature
Instructions
Always read the recipe before starting to cook. Gather Ingredients. ALSO ALWAYS READ THE NOTES for more information and tips on serving, storage, substitutes etc.
SAUTE
- Place Inner Pot inside Instant Pot 6 quart. Press saute and set on high. Once the screen displays HOT, add Cooking Oil and after a few seconds add Cumin Seeds. Wait for few seconds and then add roughly chopped onion, ginger & garlic. Further saute for 2 minutes. Now add roughly chopped tomatoes & green chilies. Also add Turmeric powder, Red Chili powder or Paprika & Salt. Saute for 1 more minute. Add spinach leaves + 2 tbsp water. Give a good stir. Now cancel the SAUTE MODE.
Pressure Cook on High
- Close the Instant pot with its lid and set the valve on SEALING. Press Pressure Cook Mode and set on high for 8 minutes. Once the timer goes off, follow NPR (natural pressure release). As the pin drops, open the lid carefully.
Blend into Smooth Puree
- Take a Hand held immersion blender and blend the ingredients to a smooth puree. You can blend it in high speed blender too.
Add Paneer & Cook on Saute
- Add Paneer cubes and Garam Masala to it. And cook it further on saute mode for about 5 minutes. Your Palak Paneer is ready. Adjust the salt as needed.
Now these steps are optional but add beautiful texture and creamy taste to the curry.
- After adding paneer & garam masala, add the slurry of 1&1/2 tbsp corn starch and 3 tbsp water to the curry. Mix it well. Cook it for 5 minutes. This step binds the spinach curry and stabilizes it.
- You can add 1 tbsp butter and 3 tbsp heavy cream to the curry after cooking, for richer texture and flavor.
Stove Top Palak Paneer
- Take a heavy bottom deep sauce pan/pot and heat oil in it. Once the oil is hot, cumin seeds and let crackle for few seconds. Now add roughly chopped onions, garlic and ginger and saute for 2 minutes. Further add roughly chopped tomatoes & green chilies. Also add Turmeric powder, Red Chili powder or Paprika & Salt. Saute for 1 more minute. Add spinach leaves + 2 tbsp water. Give a good stir. Cover the pan with the lid and cook on medium heat for about 10-15 minutes till spinach leaves wilt completely.
- Switch off the heat. Take an immersion blender and blend it to a smooth puree. Add paneer cubes and garam masala. Stir it well. Add more water if needed. If it is too watery, then add the corn starch slurry to thicken it. Cook further on medium heat for 5-7 minutes.
- Add butter and cream after the curry is cooked. Mix it well. Adjust salt as needed. Serve it hot with roti or naan.
Serving Suggestion
- Make it a complete meal along side - Naan, Madras Lentils, Aloo Matar (potato & peas curry), Cumin Rice and some cut salad.
Notes
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What kind of Spinach should I use for this recipe?
Although you can use any kind of spinach for this recipe, but I like to use baby spinach. The baby spinach has milder and more buttery taste. But go ahead and use whatever you have handy.Can I use frozen spinach for this recipe?
Yes you can. I make it with frozen spinach all the time. The instructions and time will remain the same.Is it ok to make it in advance?
Yes, you can prepare it in advance. You can make it few hours before eating and even a day before eating.How long does it stay good in refrigerator?
It can stay good for up to 1 week to 10 days in the refrigerator. You store it in air tight container in refrigerator.Can I freeze it?
Yes you can freeze it for upto 6 months in freezer friendly container.What is the difference between Saag Paneer and Palak Paneer?
Saag actually means curry made with any seasonal green. Saag traditionally uses a combination of mustard leaves, fenugreek leaves and spinach. I make saag with baby kale as well in USA. Check out my very popular SAAG ALOO recipe. You can use this recipe to make Saag Paneer too. Just add Paneer after the saag is cooked. Here in USA, Palak Paneer is often referred as Saag Paneer because of its green color. Whereas in India, Palak Paneer is made strictly with Spinach only.Ingredients of Palak Paneer Saag Paneer
Fresh Ingredients - Spinach, Onion, Tomato, Ginger, Garlic, Green Chilies Spices & Oil - Cooking Oil or Ghee, Cumin Seeds, Turmeric powder, Red Chili powder/Paprika, Salt, Garam Masala Other Ingredients - Butter, Corn Starch, Heavy Cream PANEER (cottage cheese) - or you can use Extra Firm Tofu alsoKitchen Gadgets for the Recipe
Kitchen Colander Instant Pot 6 quart Inner Pot Chopping board and knife Measuring cups and spoons Hand held immersion blenderNutrition
Calories: 359kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 492mg | Potassium: 613mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 7774IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 474mg | Iron: 3mg