Your recipe uses frozen spinach. Can I make this Spinach Palak Paneer with fresh spinach?

Yes, you can! While I use frozen spinach for convenience in this easy Palak Paneer recipe (and you don't even need to thaw it!), you can substitute fresh spinach. You will need a similar amount by weight (12 OZ). You would add the fresh spinach to the sauce base just as you would the frozen, but it will wilt and cook down much faster, likely in just 2-3 minutes instead of the 5-10 minutes. The rest of the steps for this homemade Palak Paneer, including using the immersion blender, remain exactly the same.

Recipes

Spinach Palak Paneer

My Spinach Palak Paneer is a classic North Indian dish featuring creamy spinach and soft, fresh paneer cheese. This flavorful and comforting vegetarian spinach curry is surprisingly easy to make at home, requiring just 30 minutes of your time. My homemade Palak Paneer recipe delivers authentic Palak Paneer flavor with a simple, step-by-step approach. Whether you're a seasoned cook or new to Indian cuisine, you'll find this Palak Paneer recipe approachable and satisfying. It's the best Palak Paneer recipe, perfect served over rice or with naan for a complete and delicious meal. I'm here to help you learn how to make this perfect, easy Palak Paneer with readily available ingredients.

Tom the Chef Founder

Published:
November 6, 2025

Before You Start

Let’s talk about important parts of the recipe before you start…

My Authentic Spinach Palak Paneer

I’m so glad you’re here to try my Spinach Palak Paneer recipe! This is a classic North Indian dish that I’ve streamlined so you can make it easily at home in about 30 minutes. My recipe focuses on creating a flavorful, comforting vegetarian spinach curry using creamy spinach and soft paneer cheese. The authentic Palak Paneer flavor comes from a simple, step-by-step approach that I’ve perfected. This homemade Palak Paneer is one of my favorites, and it’s perfect for anyone, whether you’re an expert or new to making an Indian spinach recipe. It’s a satisfying, easy Palak Paneer that I love to serve over rice or with fresh garlic naan. Let’s cook this delicious spinach curry together!

Building the Flavor Base for Spinach Palak Paneer

The first step in my Spinach Palak Paneer recipe is crucial for developing a deep, authentic Palak Paneer flavor. I start by preheating a stir fry pan or wok on medium-high heat with 4 TBSP of frying oil. Then, I add one large, finely chopped onion. You’re not looking to deeply caramelize it; the goal is to sauté the onion, stirring occasionally, for about 2-4 minutes. What I’m looking for is for the onion to achieve what I call “glossiness” and a “slight sear.” This quick-cooking at a higher heat releases the onion’s sweetness and creates the first layer of flavor for our Indian spinach recipe. This simple step is the foundation upon which we build the entire spinach curry.

Blooming the Dry Spices

Right after the onions are glossy, I move on to a quick but vital step in this Palak Paneer recipe: blooming the dry spices. I add ½ TSP of ground coriander, ½ TSP of ground cumin, and ¼ TSP of ground cinnamon directly into the hot oil and onions. I also list ½ TSP of ground cardamom as an optional but recommended addition for a more complex aroma. You’ll cook this mixture while stirring constantly for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. This infuses the oil with the spices’ essential oils and toasts them, making their flavor more potent and integrated into the final creamy spinach dish. You’ll know it’s ready when the spices are incredibly fragrant. This is a key technique for my best Palak Paneer recipe.

Creating the ‘Masala’ Paste

Once the spices are fragrant, I immediately add the aromatics and the tomato component to form the ‘masala’ or sauce base of the Spinach Palak Paneer. I stir in 5 cloves of grated garlic, 1 TBSP of minced fresh ginger, and ¾ cup of tomato purée (fresh or canned is fine). This is also where I add the main seasonings: ¾ TSP of salt, 2 TBSP of garam masala, and optionally, up to 1 TBSP of chili powder for heat. I stir this all together thoroughly. Then, I continue cooking and stirring this mixture until its volume is reduced to about half. This reduction step is essential. It cooks out the raw flavor of the garlic and ginger and concentrates the tomato, creating a thick, rich, and flavorful paste that defines this homemade Palak Paneer.

Crafting the Creamy Spinach Sauce

With the flavor base for the Spinach Palak Paneer ready, it’s time to create the “palak” (spinach) part. I add 1 ½ cups of water, 12 OZ of frozen spinach, and 1 cup of heavy cream. A note on the spinach: I use frozen spinach, and you don’t even need to defrost it, which makes this an easy Palak Paneer recipe. I stir everything together thoroughly to break up the frozen spinach and combine it with the masala paste. I then bring this to a simmer (about 190°F), stirring occasionally. Once it’s simmering, I lower the heat to medium and let it continue to simmer until the spinach is fully cooked through, which usually takes about 5-10 minutes. This step melds all the flavors and creates the base of our spinach curry.

The Immersion Blender Technique

This is a key part of my Palak Paneer recipe for achieving that signature creamy spinach texture. Instead of transferring hot liquid to a countertop blender, I use an immersion blender directly in the pan. After the spinach has cooked for 5-10 minutes, and while the sauce is still cooking, I process it with the immersion blender. This is where you have control over the final dish. You can blend it to your desired consistency. I personally like it “semi-smooth,” where it’s creamy but still has some texture. However, if you prefer a “super-smooth” and silky restaurant-style Indian spinach recipe, you can just keep blending until you reach that consistency. It’s a simple, mess-free way to get a perfect result.

Cooking the Paneer Cheese

The final step is to assemble the Spinach Palak Paneer. I stir in 1 LB of diced paneer cheese (I cut mine into ¾ to 1” dices) directly into the blended, simmering spinach sauce. I then continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, which takes about 5 to 10 minutes. This step is important for two reasons: it allows the sauce to thicken to its final, rich consistency, and it cooks the paneer cheese. I make an important note to cook it for at least 5 minutes. This is to “bring the paneer to its best,” meaning it softens the paneer cheese and allows it to absorb all the wonderful flavors from the spinach curry. If the sauce thickens too quickly during this process, I just stir in a little water to keep it semi-runny, ensuring the paneer cheese cooks perfectly.

Recipe

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