Saag Paneer is a rich, creamy, and silky smooth Indian restaurant-style curry dish. It is usually made with a variety of flavorful green leaves, aromatic Indian spices, fried paneer, and topped with heavy cream. This homemade version is easy and one of the best paneer recipes and can be prepared in under 30 minutes, making it a perfect healthy choice for both lunch and dinner. It can be served with naan, roti, chapati, basmati rice, or white rice for a satisfying meal.
The recipe I have shared here includes easy, step-by-step instructions for making Saag Paneer at home. In addition, a detailed video of the recipe is included to make the cooking process clear and easy to follow.
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What is Saag Paneer?
Saag paneer is a delicious Indian curry dish made with a blend of green leaves, spices, and fried paneer, topped with heavy cream. It is one of the healthy homemade delicious paneer recipes that can be served with a variety of accompaniments such as naan, roti, chapati, basmati rice, or white rice for both lunch and dinner. The curry has a rich, creamy, and silky smooth texture.
Saag, a staple food in India, particularly in the northern regions, is typically made with a combination of green leaves such as spinach, mustard, radish, beet, and kale. However, the westernized restaurant-style version usually only includes spinach and may also include a few other greens depending on availability. In addition to the greens, heavy cream is also used to achieve a silky smooth finish.
Although Saag is a basic dish in India, it is not common to find Saag Paneer in restaurants or households. The most common dish made with saag in India is sarson ka saag, but it is also possible to be creative and add ingredients such as aloo, tofu, and chana to try different flavors.
In addition to being a tasty treat, Saag Paneer is loaded with good dietary fiber, iron, and healthy proteins. It is a perfect choice for lunch or dinner, especially for those who love paneer and Indian recipes. So without further delay, let's learn how to make Saag Paneer in the following sections.
Ingredients
To make this Saag Paneer, you will need basic Indian spices and fresh greens. These ingredients can typically be found at most Indian grocery stores. The list of ingredients is provided below.
For Saag Paste
- Greens - This saag uses spinach and fenugreek leaves, but you can also use other greens such as mustard leaves, kale, radish leaves, or beet leaves
- Aromatics - Ginger and garlic add a warm, earthy flavor to the dish and support good digestion
- Green Chili - Provides heat and a distinct flavor to the dish
- Salt and Sugar - Enhance the flavor of the greens and help maintain their color
Other Ingredients
- Whole Spices - Whole spices such as cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, and black cardamom delivers warm, spicy, and earthy flavor notes to your curry
- Spice Powders - Kashmiri Chili Powder, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and garam masala powder
- Onion and Tomato - Create the base for this curry
- Paneer - Whole milk store-brought paneer or homemade both work well for this recipe
- Fats - You can use any cooking oil of your choice, but here I have used mustard oil for frying the paneer to achieve a peppery and rusting flavor profile. A few teaspoons of melted ghee are also added at the final stage for added flavor.
- Cream (optional) - You can either use or skip it. You can also use coconut cream or cashew cream for a different flavor and taste
For a detailed ingredients list, please check out the recipe card below.
How to make Saag Paneer at home?
The recipe I am sharing is a popular and healthy Saag Paneer, a restaurant-style dish made with green leafy vegetables like spinach and fenugreek leaves, as well as basic Indian spices. Saag can be made with a variety of leafy greens, so feel free to use whatever is available to you. I have also shared some recommendations for the best greens to use in this recipe in the tips section below.
Below are the high-level instructions for this recipe, but for detailed step-by-step instructions with photos and a video, please see the recipe card below.
To prepare Saag Paste
- Add the greens and aromatics - In a large pan with a wide base, bring water to a boil and add ¼ tsp of salt, sugar, ginger, garlic, green chilies, fenugreek leaves, and spinach leaves.
- Blanch - Blanch the greens for 2-3 minutes, then remove them from the boiling water and rinse thoroughly with cold water. This helps to preserve the color and flavor of the greens
- Blend - Blend the leafy green mixture into a smooth paste using a blender and set it aside for later use
To make Saag Paneer
- Fry the paneer - Heat a pan over medium heat and add mustard oil (or any other neutral-tasting cooking oil, such as butter or ghee). Fry the paneer pieces until both sides are slightly crispy and golden in color
- Remove - Remove the paneer from the oil and set it aside for later use
- Saute - In the same pan, add an additional 2 tbsp of oil and add spices such as cumin, black cardamom, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and cloves. Sauté the spices until they are aromatic
- Soften the onion and tomatoes - Add the onion and sauté until it becomes soft. Then, add the tomatoes and sauté until they are mushy
- Stir the spices - Once the tomatoes are mushy, add the Kashmiri chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, and salt. Stir everything together until it becomes fragrant
- Mix and adjust the consistency - Add the blended saag paste and mix well. Add 1 cup of water and adjust the consistency as needed
- Boil the curry - Allow the mixture to boil for 5-7 minutes until the curry is fragrant.
- Add Paneer - Add the fried paneer cubes and mix well. At this stage, add 2 tbsp of melted butter or ghee for added flavor
- Garnish and serve - Finally, garnish the saag paneer curry with heavy cream and remove it from the heat
Difference between Palak Paneer and Saag Paneer
Palak paneer is a traditional Indian dish that combines paneer cheese with spinach and a blend of aromatic Indian spices. The word "palak" means spinach in Hindi. Saag is also a popular Indian dish, particularly in Punjab and the northern regions of the country. It is usually made with various leafy vegetables such as spinach, mustard leaves, fenugreek leaves, collard greens, and others. The version of Saag made with paneer is called Saag Paneer and is more popular in western countries than in India.
Tips
- Don't skip Blanching - Blanching the greens along with ginger, garlic, and green chilies helps to preserve the color and flavor of the leaves. Be sure to rinse the greens quickly once you remove them from the boiling water
- Best Greens For Saag - Saag typically refers to a combination of different leafy greens, so you can use spinach, mustard leaves, fenugreek leaves, kale, radish, and beet leaves for a healthier and more filling curry.
- How to puree - You can blend the blanched greens in a standalone or handheld blender for a smooth finish. However, some people prefer to finely chop the greens using a vegetable chopper or kitchen knife. If you prefer to chop the greens, you can skip the blanching step and directly sauté the greens in the onion-tomato mixture
- Healthy Fat - I have used mustard oil for frying the paneer here, but you can feel free to use the cooking oil of your choice. Adding a few tsp of melted butter or ghee at the final stage enhances the flavor of the saag
- Optional Cream - Although heavy cream is optional in homemade saag recipes, I have used it to achieve a restaurant-style saag paneer
Storage Suggestions
This Saag Paneer will stay fresh for up to 2 days in the refrigerator in a closed container. If you would like to freeze the curry, I recommend storing only the saag mixture in the freezer, in individual serving portions. It will freeze well for up to a month. To serve, simply thaw and reheat the saag mixture with some fried paneer on the stovetop.
Serving Suggestions
This tasty and healthy Saag Paneer can be served with basmati rice, white rice, roti, chapati, or naan for lunch or dinner. You can also include it as part of an Indian party spread, along with dishes like butter chicken, tandoori chicken, samosa, Mughlai chicken biryani, and raita, followed by a refreshing mango lassi for the perfect finishing touch.
Related Recipes
Looking for more recipe ideas? We've got you covered! Be sure to check out our selection of similar paneer recipes and a variety of tasty Indian and veg curry recipes in the links below.
You can also find more popular Indian curry recipes below.
- Chole
- Aloo Gobi
- Chana Masala
- Bhindi Masala
- Chicken Karahi
- Chicken Tikka Masala
- Chicken Curry
- Rogan Josh
- Lamb Vindaloo
Saag Paneer Recipe video
Below, you'll find a detailed video of the Saag Paneer recipe that I hope will help you to prepare this healthy Indian curry at home. You can also find this recipe in a story format.
📖 Recipe
Saag Paneer
Ingredients
- 4 cups Spinach, loosely packed
- ½ cup Fenugreek Leaves, loosely packed, also can use mustard leaves, kale, radish leaves, and beet leaves
- ¼ tsp Salt, + as needed for the curry
- ¼ tsp Sugar
- 1 Onion, medium size, chopped
- 6 cloves Garlic
- 1 tsp Ginger, chopped
- 4 Green Chili, reduce to 2 for moderate heat
- 1 lb Paneer, cut into cubes
- 4 Cloves
- 2 Black Cardamom, or 3 Green Cardamom
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 Cinnamon Stick, small piece
- 1 Bay Leaves
- 1 tsp Kashmiri Chili Powder
- 2 tbsp Coriander Powder
- ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
- ½ tsp Garam Masala Powder
- ½ tsp Cumin Powder
- 1 Tomato, medium size, chopped
- 3 cups Water, 1 cup for curry + 2 cups for blanching the greens
- 2 tbsp Butter, or ghee
- 2 tsp Mustard Oil, or regular oil or ghee for frying paneer
- ¼ cup Heavy Cream, optional, to garnish
Instructions
To make Saag Paste
- In a wide bottom pan, bring water to a boil and add ¼ tsp of salt and sugar, ginger, garlic, green chilies, fenugreek leaves, and spinach leaves
- Blanch the greens for 2-3 minutes, then remove them from the boiling water and rinse thoroughly with cold water. This helps to preserve the color and flavor of the greens.
- Blend the leafy greens mixture into a smooth paste in a blender and set it aside for later use
To make Saag Paneer
- In a pan over medium heat, add mustard oil (or any other neutral-tasting cooking oil, butter, or ghee) and fry the paneer pieces until both sides are slightly crispy and golden in color
- Remove the paneer from the oil and set it aside for later use
- In the same pan, add an additional 2 tbsp of oil and add spices such as cumin, black cardamom, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and cloves. Saute the spices until they are aromatic
- Add the onion and saute until it becomes soft. Then, add the tomatoes and saute until they are mushy
- Once the tomatoes are mushy, add the Kashmiri chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, and salt. Stir everything together until it becomes fragrant
- Add the blended saag paste and mix well. Add 1 cup of water and mix well, feel free to adjust the consistency as needed
- Allow the mixture to boil for 5 to 7 minutes until the curry is fragrant
- Add the fried paneer cubes and mix well. At this stage, add 2 tbsp of melted butter or ghee for added flavor
- Finally, garnish the saag paneer curry with heavy cream and remove it from the heat
To Serve
- Serve this delicious and healthy Saag Paneer with basmati rice, white rice, roti, chapati, or naan for lunch or dinner
Video
Notes
- Don't skip Blanching - Blanching the greens along with ginger, garlic, and green chilies helps to preserve the color and flavor of the leaves. Be sure to rinse the greens quickly once you remove them from the boiling water
- Best Greens For Saag - Saag typically refers to a combination of different leafy greens, so you can use spinach, mustard leaves, fenugreek leaves, kale, radish, and beet leaves for a healthier and more filling curry.
- How to puree - You can blend the blanched greens in a standalone or handheld blender for a smooth finish. However, some people prefer to finely chop the greens using a vegetable chopper or kitchen knife. If you prefer to chop the greens, you can skip the blanching step and directly sauté the greens in the onion-tomato mixture
- Healthy Fat - I have used mustard oil for frying the paneer here, but you can feel free to use the cooking oil of your choice. Adding a few tsp of melted butter or ghee at the final stage enhances the flavor of the saag
- Optional Cream - Although heavy cream is optional in homemade saag recipes, I have used it to achieve a restaurant-style saag paneer
Nutrition
FAQ
Saag paneer is a delicious Indian curry dish made with a blend of green leaves, spices, and fried paneer, topped with heavy cream. It is a healthy homemade recipe that can be served with a variety of accompaniments such as naan, roti, chapati, basmati rice, or white rice for both lunch and dinner. The curry has a rich, creamy, and silky smooth texture.
Saag Paneer is loaded with good dietary fiber, iron, and proteins and healthy choice for a filling meal.
Palak paneer is an Indian dish made with spinach and paneer, as well as a few Indian spices. The word "palak" means spinach in Hindi. Saag is also a popular Indian dish, particularly in Punjab and the northern regions of the country. It is usually made with various leafy vegetables such as spinach, mustard leaves, fenugreek leaves, collard greens, and others. The version of saag made with paneer is called saag paneer and is more popular in western countries than in India.
To create a vegan-friendly recipe, tofu is a good alternative to paneer. Instead of using butter or ghee, you can use oil. You can also replace heavy cream with coconut or cashew cream.
I hope you enjoyed the recipe I shared here and I would love to hear from you about how it turned out for you. Please let me know.
If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Happy Cooking!
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