Saag Paneer is a delicious Indian paneer curry with spinach and other greens. Try this authentic, easy recipe that rivals an Indian restaurant.
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What is Saag Paneer?
Saag Paneer is a healthy vegetarian curry from Northern India that literally translates to mean “Greens-Cheese”.
“Saag” refers to the greens in Hindi and “paneer” refers to the Indian cheese used in the dish.
It is a bright, fresh and quick-cooking recipe (compared to many curries that are slowly simmered for hours) and I guarantee you’ve never seen three small children inhale spinach so fast.
The spinach and greens are cooked with a blend of onions and aromatics, including ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, and garam masala, and is then blended into a smooth puree.
Cubed paneer is added to the spinach puree, where it absorbs the flavors of the spices and becomes tender and creamy.
I know you’ll love this recipe as much as my family. It was even featured by the Toronto Star in “Dishes That Kids Will Ask For Again and Again“.
Gather Your Ingredients
Before we start making mouthwatering saag paneer, let’s gather all the yummy ingredients you need. Get your apron on and let’s do this!
- Leafy Greens: you can use fresh or frozen spinach leaves (just pour boiling water over the frozen kind to make it ready to go) and/or a mix with kale, Swiss chard, the tops from a bunch of beets, or mustard greens (aka mustard leaves, found wherever you buy indian groceries).
- Ghee: if you’re not familiar with it, ghee is just butterfat. Butter is actually made up of about 20% water plus milk solids. To make ghee, butter is boiled and the milk solids are removed, leaving a toasty, delicious golden oil. Grab it at an Indian grocery store or many north-american shops. Otherwise you can substitute butter or your favourite cooking oil.
- Onions: as with many indian curries, the onions in saag paneer are cooked down to golden and ultra soft. This serves as the naturally-sweet counterpoint of a spiced dish.
- Fenugreek: this seed, also called methi, is only spice ingredient that warrants explaining. It has a distinct, pungent flavour that is a big component of British and North American “curry powder”. So if you can’t find fenugreek, use the curry powder (different from garam masala) you can get at any North American grocery store. You could alternatively add a handful of fresh fenugreek leaves with the greens.
- Cubed paneer: which you can get in the fancy cheese section of any grocery store these days, but see above for substitutions.
- Cream: full-fat yogurt or sour cream are acceptable stand-ins, this provides a subtle creaminess to balance a veg-forward flavour.
- Lemon juice: hits the final flavour point of the spicy-sweet-tangy triangle that makes this dish so irresistible.
- Ginger, garlic, cumin seeds and turmeric: all straightforward flavour-building pantry staples. (I freeze ginger and minced garlic so it’s always ready to go!)
Vegan Variation:
- Tofu: Swap in tofu for the paneer.
- Oil: Use in place of ghee or butter.
- Coconut milk or cashew cream: use instead of yogurt or cream.
Can’t Find Paneer? Here are the Best Substitutes
There are lots of perfectly-excellent substitutions for paneer (or you can make your own with my simple Homemade Paneer recipe).
Interestingly, paneer is made exactly like ricotta, just strained of more liquid until firm. Strain it in cheesecloth or a clean dish towel to remove excess moisture and ricotta easily stand in for paneer.
Halloumi or feta also make good excellent swaps for paneer. For either, start with half the quantity (they’re heavier and saltier, so you’ll want a higher greens-to-cheese ratio).
To use feta, just nestle it on top of the finished dish and cover pan to warm through.
How to Make Saag Paneer: Step-by-Step Instructions
Here are the step-by-step directions for preparing this easy saag paneer:
- Place greens in a blender or food processor, drizzling it with the boiling water as you go so it wilts and you can fit it all in. Process until very finely chopped, but not pureed. Set aside.
- Heat ghee or butter in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion and half the salt; cook, stirring often, until very soft and golden. Reduce the heat if onions are browning – low and slow is the goal.
- Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the spices. In go the turmeric, cumin, and fenugreek powder and cook for 1 minute more.
- Stir in the greens, bring to a simmer, then add cream or yogurt, lemon juice, and remaining salt.
- Gently stir in paneer and heat through.
That’s it! By following these simple steps, you’ll have a delicious and comforting saag paneer ready to enjoy.
Tips and Tricks for the Best Saag Paneer Ever
The biggest secret to Indian cooking that I have discovered is patience.
You need to resist the urge to toss everything in together at the same time – the magic happens in stepwise fashion.
- Really take your time with the onions – they should be caramelized, not browned or just softened. This step alone makes or breaks a curry.
- Then add the garlic and ginger. Then the spices. Everything gets its turn in the hot oil (which is not used in particularly modest amounts – the fat makes a big difference to the flavour).
- All throughout, you need to season it well. A curry without enough salt will simply not taste good.
How to Add Extra Flavor to the Paneer
To boost the flavor of paneer in your recipe, you have a few options:
- Marinate it: here’s how to marinate paneer for a maximum flavor boost.
- Pan-fry it: give it a quick sear on all sides over medium-high heat and you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful golden crust and extra flavor.
How to Serve Saag Paneer
This is an easy and delicious, cozy and healthy lunch or dinner. You can garnish it with fresh cilantro (coriander leaves), limes, microgreens, or thinly-sliced serrano chile if you like.
Indian Flatbreads: naan, paratha, roti or chapati are great accompaniments. You could use regular, whole wheat or gluten-free wraps as a stand-in for homemade flatbreads if you like.
Rice: I’m obsessed with my Indian Mother-in-Law’s foolproof basmati rice recipe. It makes fluffy rice perfectly every time without measuring.
Salad: You could add a simple salad of tomato and onion dressed with lemon and olive oil. The tomatoes and citrus add vitamin C which helps the body to absorb more iron from the naturally-iron-rich greens. For a bigger meal, add an Indian Cucumber Yogurt Salad on the side.
FAQs
Just skimming through? Here are some quick answers to the commonly-asked questions.
Saag Paneer and Palak Paneer are nearly identical dishes, but Palak specifically means spinach. See my article on: Palak Paneer vs Saag Paneer for the full comparison of ingredients, method and nutrition.
Paneer is a mild, milky fresh, firm cheese made simply by boiling whole milk and curdling it with lemon juice or vinegar. Once the curds and the whey have separated, you strain and press it into a block.
The result is a creamy, but not-too-rich, block with a subtle tang and nice, bouncy texture.
Commonly referred to as Indian cottage cheese, paneer is a beautiful canvas for all kinds of bold Indian flavours.
Sarson ka Saag is a rustic, traditional dish with a focus on mustard greens and a simple tempering of aromatics and spices, while Saag Paneer is a more complex creamy, spiced spinach dish that highlights paneer.
Saag Paneer is a popular North Indian dish made by cooking paneer (Indian cottage cheese) in a creamy and spiced spinach or mixed greens gravy. It’s known for its rich texture and aromatic flavors.
Saag Paneer tastes creamy and rich, with a balanced blend of earthy greens and aromatic spices. The paneer adds a mild, milky flavor that complements the spicy, herbaceous gravy.
In Indian cuisine, “saag” refers to leafy green vegetables, including spinach, mustard greens, and collard greens. It’s used to describe dishes made with these greens, often cooked down to a soft, flavorful curry.
Paneer is considered one of the healthier cheese options due to its high protein content and lower levels of fat compared to aged cheeses. Its health benefits also include calcium and essential vitamins.
In the USA, paneer is also called Indian cottage cheese. It’s widely recognized by its Indian name, “paneer,” in supermarkets and specialty stores.
Adarsh’s Other Favorite Vegetarian Indian Recipes:
Don’t miss my delicious restaurant-style Palak Paneer recipe. Then check out some of Adarsh’s other favorite vegetarian dishes:
- Butter Paneer and Malai Kofta for creamy paneer in every way possible
- Madras Lentils, Curried Lentils with Coconut Milk and Masoor Dal for all the yummy dahls.
- Our family’s favorite Indian Chickpea Curry Recipe.
- Aloo Gobi and Potato Curry.
- If you love classic Indian recipes, you must also try my almost-famous Chai Tea, Butter Chicken, Potato Samosas and Chicken Korma recipes.
Read next: My ultimate paneer recipe collection for 52+ of the most delicious recipes on the internet.
Saag Paneer (Indian Greens and Cheese)
Ingredients
- 1 lb spinach (Or a mix of spinach with other greens)
- 1 cup boiling water
- 4 tbsp ghee or butter
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 inch piece of ginger finely minced or grated
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp cumin
- 1 tsp fenugreek powder or curry powder
- 3 tbsp cream or yogurt
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt or more, to taste
- 12 oz paneer in 1/2 inch cubes
Instructions
- Place greens in a blender or food processor a little at a time, drizzling it with the boiling water as you go so it wilts and you can fit it all in. Process until very finely chopped, but not pureed. Set aside.
- Heat ghee or butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and half the salt; cook, stirring often, until very soft and golden. Reduce the heat if onions are browning – low and slow is the goal.
- Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the turmeric, cumin and fenugreek powder and cook 1 minute more.
- Stir in the spinach (and/or other greens), bring to a simmer, then add cream or yogurt, lemon juice and remaining salt.
- Gently stir in paneer and heat through.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
A favorite! Such a wonderful use for paneer. The flavors sound amazing with the combination of spices.
Absolutely amazing! There’s not enough in one pot for me!!
I just made this and loved it! So tasty and easy.
My family and I made this dish as part of a South Asian feast for New Year’s Eve 2022 and everyone loved it. I was surprised by how easy it was to make and source ingredients, and my 11-year-old asked to have this added to our weekly meals as a staple!
New family fav! You’re so right, the kids inhaled it. Couldn’t even believe my eyes ahhahah. It was really delicious for us grown ups too 🙂
I made this tonight, and the family loved it. I found the paneer a bit bland, and way to add more flavor? It could be the paneer I bought? Thanks!
I do find that some brands of paneer are a little lack lustre. Oh my gosh yes, you can totally add more flavour. Before you start the recipe, pan-fry the cubes of paneer in ghee or butter with a little salt. Then transfer them to a plate and proceed with the recipe as written.
Hi Kelly, I have not but I’m sure it would be delicious!
Such a great recipe! So easy and very tasty! A great way to get your veggies in
Hi Erin, thank you for coming back to comment! So happy you like the recipe.
Lovely recipe. I have tried many many of your recipes and they all turn out lovely! My kids used to love only restaurant North Indian dishes. Being a South Indian, I could never capture that. But with your recipes, my kids are enjoying home food 😊 Thank you!!
Oh my goodness this comment makes my day, thank you!
Thank you for sharing this delightful recipe. I can hardly wait to try it.
You’re so kind, thanks for the comment.