Restaurant favourite · Vegetarian
Palak Paneer Recipe (Bright Green Spinach Paneer)
Blanch 2 minutes. Ice bath. Cook briefly.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenPalak paneer is soft paneer in a smooth spinach gravy. It turns dull khaki or bitter when the spinach is overcooked. The fix is blanching spinach for just 2 minutes, plunging it into ice water, blending, and cooking the puree only briefly at the end.
The 3 laws of palak paneer
Why this recipe works
Long boil
Keeps colour and sweetness.
Cooling slowly
Locks the green.
Long simmer
Spinach turns dull fast.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Palak
The NineFoods paneer gauge
Is the paneer soft?
Press a cube of paneer with a spoon before adding it.
Method · 3 stages
Step by step
Blanch
- Blanch spinach 2 minutes, then into ice water.
- Blend with green chillies to a smooth puree.
Masala
- Fry cumin and garlic in ghee, add onion until golden, then tomato and spices.
Combine
- Add spinach puree and simmer 3 minutes.
- Add paneer, cream and kasuri methi.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Spinach overcooked.
Fix next time
Blanch 2 minutes, ice, and cook the puree last.
Why
Stems or overcooking.
Fix next time
Remove thick stems and add cream.
Why
Dry paneer.
Fix next time
Soak paneer in hot salted water.
Why
Spinach not squeezed.
Fix next time
Squeeze blanched spinach lightly before blending.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Paneer | Main | Tofu, pressed |
| Cream | Richness | Cashew paste |
| Spinach | Base | Mix with mustard greens for saag paneer |
| Ghee | Aroma | Oil |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Roti, naan or jeera rice.
Store
Fridge 2 days; spinach darkens over time. Do not freeze.
Reheat
Warm briefly on low with a splash of milk to keep the colour.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 4 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 3 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (is the paneer soft) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Palak Paneer FAQ
How do I keep palak paneer green?
Blanch spinach for 2 minutes, ice it and cook the puree briefly.
Is palak paneer the same as saag paneer?
Saag uses mixed greens; palak means spinach.
Can I use frozen spinach?
Yes, thaw and blend without blanching.
Can I use tofu?
Yes, pressed firm tofu works.