Palak Paneer (Spinach and Cottage Cheese Curry) - Instant Pot

Palak Paneer Recipe is a dish of North Indian origin consisting of palak (spinach) and paneer (cottage cheese) in a thick curry sauce based on pureed spinach, onion, tomatoes, and spices made in a stovetop or Instant pot pressure cooker. This healthy dish can be made in under 20 minutes in an Instant Pot. Vegetarian, Low carb, Keto, and Gluten-free!

We love Spinach at home, I usually make Palak Paneer Paratha, Spinach Rice, or creamy spinach pasta at home. If you are looking for more such easy spinach recipes do check Palak Recipes List from my blog.

Jump to:

• What is Palak Paneer?
• Palak Paneer Recipe Ingredients
• How to Make Palak Paneer
• How to Serve Palak Paneer?
• Serving Suggestions
• Tips to make the Best Palak Paneer
• Variations
• Recipe FAQs
• More Spinach Recipes
• More Instant Pot Indian Curries Recipes
• Instant Pot Palak Paneer Recipe (Pressure Cooker)

What is Palak Paneer?

Palak means Spinach, and Paneer means Indian cottage cheese in Hindi. Palak paneer curry is made with spinach, Indian cottage cheese along with some spices. So we can also name it Indian spinach curry.

Everyone has their own way of making this dish, and honestly, I also make it in a different way every time I cook it.

People often get confused between Saag paneer vs. Palak paneer, The main difference is Saag Paneer is made with mustard greens and spinach whereas, Palak paneer is made with spinach leaves only.

Also for those of you who do not have an Instant Pot, do check out the Stovetop pot recipe instructions below.

If you are on a Keto/Low Carb Diet I highly recommend you try this keto palak paneer recipe. Don’t forget to check out my post on 70+ Keto Indian Recipes.

Palak Paneer Recipe Ingredients

Here are the ingredients to make the best palak paneer recipe.

• Paneer: about 200 grams of paneer, cubed into 1-inch pieces, about 1.25 cups.
• Palak: I have used 10 oz fresh baby spinach (about 8-10 cups). You can also use frozen spinach.
• Onion, garlic, and ginger: I used yellow onions, garlic, and ginger.
• Tomato: Use one large Roma tomato diced. Alternatively, you can also use canned crushed or diced tomatoes.
• Oil: use olive oil suitable for sautéing.
• Herbs & spices: I have used turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, and garam masala as spices and dried fenugreek leaves (Kasuri methi) to give restaurant-style flavor to the dish.
• Cream: I have used cashew cream. But you can also use heavy or coconut cream. In addition, you can make cashew nut cream at home by blending a few soaked cashew nuts and water in a blender.

How to Make Palak Paneer

Stovetop Pot Method

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spinach and blanch for 1-2 minutes until wilted.

Drain the spinach and put it in a bowl of ice-cold water. This helps the spinach leaves retain their green color.

To a blender, add the blanched spinach, ½ cup of water and puree until smooth. Keep it aside.

Heat oil in a kadai. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, and let them splutter.

Then add onions, and saute until the onions turn light brown.

Add minced ginger, garlic, and green chili, and saute until the raw smell of ginger and garlic goes away.

Next, add diced tomato (or tomato puree), and saute till the tomatoes are soft and mushy.

Then add spices like red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt, and sugar. Cook for 1-2 minutes till the masalas are cooked well.

Add the spinach puree and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Do not cook for longer at this stage as the spinach can lose its color. If the gravy is thick you can add some water.

Lastly, add kasuri methi, garam masala, and paneer cubes. Give a quick stir and turn off the stove. Optionally use can add 2 tablespoons of fresh cream or cashew cream at this stage.

Delicious palak paneer restaurant style is ready. Serve it with your favorite Indian bread variety (roti / naan / kulcha / paratha) or even plain rice.

Instant Pot Method

Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add oil to the POT. Add cumin seeds once the oil is hot, and let the cumin splutter.

Next, add roughly chopped onions, minced ginger, garlic, green chili, and saute until onions turn light brown.

Add diced tomato, and spices like red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt, and sugar. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and mushy.

Add ½ cup of water and deglaze the pot. Next, add in the fresh spinach.

Close the lid securely, and turn the vent to "SEALING". Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 2 minutes. If using frozen spinach, then set the timer to 1 Minute.

When the instant pot beeps, Do a QUICK RELEASE (QR).

Blend the ingredients in the pot to a creamy texture using an immersion blender. If you don't have an immersion blender, then take the mixture out, cool it, and then blend in a regular blender and add the mixture back to the instant pot.

Lastly, add garam masala, kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), and paneer cubes and mix well. You can also add some fresh cream or cashew cream at this stage. No need to boil/saute again after adding paneer. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

Delicious easy pressure cooker palak paneer is ready. Serve it with your favorite Indian bread variety (roti/naan/kulcha/paratha) or even plain rice.

How to Serve Palak Paneer?

Serve Palak paneer with naan, roti, paratha, or basmati rice. I like pairing it with jeera rice too.

You can also include it with vegetable biryani and drinks like mango lassi on the side.

Serving Suggestions

• Store: You can store leftover spinach paneer curry in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
• Freeze: Freeze in freezer-safe containers or Ziploc bags for up to 2 months.
• Reheat: Reheat palak paneer curry in a microwave or stovetop until warm. If it's frozen, defrost first and then reheat.

Tips to make the Best Palak Paneer

• Fresh Spinach: Use fresh, tender spinach leaves for the best results. You can also use frozen spinach.
• Blanch Spinach: For the stovetop method, Blanch the spinach before pureeing to retain its vibrant green color. If using frozen spinach, since they have already been blanched, you can skip that step. For the Instant pot method, Make sure to quick release after the pressure cooking and not overcook the curry. It will lose its bright green color from the spinach.
• High-quality Paneer: Use homemade paneer for a rich flavor, creamy, and soft texture.
• Pan-fry Paneer: Shallow fry the paneer cubes in a pan until golden brown for a crispy texture. You can also air fry or bake them.
• Sugar: If the spinach curry is bitter, you can use ½ teaspoon of sugar to balance the flavors.

Variations

• Vegan: If you are a vegan, Substitute paneer with extra-firm tofu.
• Add vegetables: You can also add cubed boiled potatoes, mushrooms, or boiled sweet corn to spinach curry.
• Kasuri Methi: You can also add Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) at the end to get the restaurant-style flavor to the dish.
• Canned Tomato Puree: Replace the chopped tomatoes with canned tomato puree or sauce.
• Skip Tomatoes: You can skip tomatoes and substitute with 2 tablespoons of yogurt for sourness. Or add the juice of half a lime after pressure cooking.
• Cream: Adding cashew-nut cream or fresh cream is optional. This is added to make the curry more rich and creamy. Prepare cashew-nut cream by blending a few soaked cashew nuts and water in a blender.

Recipe FAQs

More Spinach Recipes

• Spinach Dal
• Spinach Rice
• Spinach Paratha
• Spinach Raita
• Spinach Corn Sandwich
• Chana Saag (Chickpea Spinach Curry)

More Instant Pot Indian Curries Recipes

• Black Eye Pea Curry (Lobia Curry)
• Aloo Gobi
• Rajma Masala
• Chana Masala
• Mushroom Masala
• Beetroot & Chickpeas Stir Fry
• Lauki Chana Dal
• Zucchini Stir Fry

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