Palak Paneer
Golden cubes of paneer in a silky, gently spiced spinach sauce with ginger, garlic, cumin and a swirl of cream — a restaurant favorite that is naturally low in carbs.
Nutrition per serving
about 1¼ cups- Net carbs
- 9.8g
- Calories
- 443kcal
- Protein
- 27g
- Fat
- 34g
- Total carbs
- 15 g
- Fiber
- 4.7 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Vegan (tofu): Pan-fried extra-firm tofu stands in for the paneer, with oil instead of ghee and coconut cream for richness.
- Press the tofu for 20 minutes, then fry it in 1 tablespoon oil until golden. Stir the coconut cream into the sauce at the end in place of the cream.
Saag chicken: Boneless chicken thighs simmered in the spiced spinach sauce — the curry-house saag chicken.
- Brown the chicken in the ghee for 5–6 minutes instead of frying paneer, then simmer it in the spinach sauce for 10 minutes, until it reaches 165°F (74°C), before stirring in the cream.
Estimated cost $14.97 for 4 servings ($3.74 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spinach and blanch 1 minute, just until wilted and bright green, then drain and plunge into ice water. Squeeze out about half the water and blend the spinach to a smooth purée.
-
Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the paneer cubes 4–5 minutes, turning, until golden on most sides. Transfer to a plate.
-
Add the remaining ghee and the cumin seeds to the pan and let them sizzle for 30 seconds. Add the onion and cook 6–8 minutes, until golden. Stir in the garlic, ginger and chile and cook 1 minute.
-
Add the tomato, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, cayenne and salt and cook 4–5 minutes, mashing the tomato, until it breaks down and the ghee starts to separate at the edges.
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Stir in the spinach purée and the water and simmer gently 5 minutes. Stir in the cream, fold in the paneer and simmer 2–3 minutes more, until heated through. Taste for salt and serve.
Tips for success
-
Blanching briefly and shocking the spinach in ice water keeps the sauce vivid green; cooking it longer turns it olive-drab. - Paneer is a fresh, mild cheese that softens but doesn't melt. If you can't find it, halloumi works the same way — it is saltier, so cut the salt to ¼ teaspoon.
- Serve with cauliflower rice in place of basmati, with a spoonful of plain yogurt on the side.
Nice to have, not needed
- A high-speed blender makes the silkiest, greenest sauce — an immersion blender gives a slightly coarser one.
- Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) crumbled in at the end adds a restaurant-style aroma — fine without.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 3 days in the fridge
- Freezes up to 2 months
Reheat: Warm gently in a saucepan with a splash of water, stirring, or microwave 1½–2 minutes.
Prep tip: Freeze the spinach sauce on its own and add freshly fried paneer when you reheat — the cheese stays softer.
Refrigerate up to 3 days and reheat gently with a splash of water. Freezes up to 2 months, though the paneer firms up a little.
Variations
2 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosVegan (tofu)
DietPan-fried extra-firm tofu stands in for the paneer, with oil instead of ghee and coconut cream for richness.
- paneer (or halloumi) → extra-firm tofu
- ghee → avocado oil
- heavy cream → coconut cream
7.5 g net · 315 kcal · 23 g protein · 22 g fat · ≈$2.81 per serving (−2.3 g net carbs vs the original)
Saag chicken
ProteinBoneless chicken thighs simmered in the spiced spinach sauce — the curry-house saag chicken.
- paneer (or halloumi) → boneless, skinless chicken thighs
6.7 g net · 376 kcal · 39 g protein · 20 g fat · ≈$3.73 per serving (−3.1 g net carbs vs the original)
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