Easy Weeknight Palak Paneer
Quick, easy iron and fiber rich meal
This quick and easy Palak Paneer recipe is perfect for a weeknight meal and gives you all the flavor of takeout without the takeout. It is incredibly forgiving, simple to throw together, and makes for a fantastic freezer meal, just double the recipe and freeze half for a busy day. This was actually a freezer meal I prepped for my family while I recovered from foot surgery and was off my feet for 6 weeks. I froze it in Ziploc freezer bags, and my husband would defrost, reheat, and serve it with rice or frozen parathas. Dinner was served!
My kids absolutely love it. The spice level is just right for them, and I usually serve them a higher ratio of paneer to gravy. It is also a great meal to get kids involved in the kitchen. My older daughter (6) uses her kidsafe knife to cut the paneer for me, and since this recipe doesnt require fine chopping, they can even help chop the onions or tomatoes. In my experience, when kids help cook, they are much more likely to explore and try the meal.
My husband swears it is better than restaurants, so we never order it out anymore. It has become a go to weeknight dinner because it comes together in just 30 minutes. You can throw the paneer in the airfryer if you want them crispy, but also not necessary, I have thrown them in just cut up when I was in a pinch. It is truly a versatile meal, when we did not have paneer on hand I used chicken or chickpeas.
If you prefer more heat, adjusting the spice level is easy—simply add extra green chilies to the blended mixture. In the end, you get a flavorful meal that everyone can enjoy, and I promise it will quickly become a regular in your weeknight rotation.
2 Tbsp Oil
1 Whole Star Anise
3 Whole Cloves
3 Whole Black Peppercorns
1/3 Stick Cinnamon
1 Medium Onion
4 Garlic Cloves
1 Inch Ginger
2 Tomatoes
1 Tbsp Chole Chana Masala
1 tsp Amchur Powder (Dried Mango Powder)
1 tsp Chaat Masala
2 tsp Dhaana Jeeru (Coriander-Cumin Powder)
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Salt
1 Jalapeno
1/2 Cup Cashews
1 Bag Spinach
2 1/2 cups water (divided)
16oz Paneer
Ingredients:
Prep Ingredients
Roughly chop onions (large pieces)
Grate garlic and ginger
Roughly chop tomatoes (large pieces)
Roughly cut jalapeño
Set out whole spices, break the cinnamon stick and star anise in half
Set out the cashews
Add all the ground spices into a bowl for easy access
Cut paneer into half-inch cubes
Best ways to enjoy it:
Frozen parathas
White basmati rice (rice cooker)
Tofu Rotlis
Naan
Servings/Nutrition:
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Serves: 8
Calories: ~272
Carbohydrates: ~10g
Protein: ~18g
Fat: ~19g
Directions:
In a deep pot, heat two tablespoons of oil and add in whole spices once the oil is heated. Let these bloom for about one minute, then add your onions and cook until they are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add grated garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant (30 seconds) add in the ground spices and stir and scrape the bottom of the pan to ensure no spices are sticking to the pan and let cook for about another minute, deglaze with 1/4 cup water.
Add in tomatoes and jalapeño, stirring continuously, for about 5 minutes or until the tomatoes have softened.
Add 1/4 cup of water, scrape the bottom of the pan and add in the cashews; cover and let cook for 5 minutes.
Add in the spinach in batches by wilting down each batch. Once all the spinach is added, pour in the remaining 2 cups of water and use the immersion blender to puree everything smooth.
You can add in paneer cubes as is and let them heat through for two to three minutes, or you can air fry the paneer for ten minutes at 320 degrees, mixing them halfway. ***Tip: put foil on the air fryer basket or tray for easy cleaning.
Kitchen tools needed:
Immersion Blender
Measuring Cups