Saag Paneer

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Servings

1 lb frozen spinach, thawed
¼ cup water
4-6 tbsp ghee or butter**
2 tsp ground cumin
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2- inch knob ginger, cut into thin strips (see video)
2 medium tomatoes (about 12 oz), chopped (about 1 ½-2 cups)
1 tsp kosher salt, divided
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground turmeric
¼-½ tsp red pepper flakes
10-12 oz paneer, cut into ½-inch cubes (about 2-2 ½ cups)***
Flatbread or cooked rice, for serving****
*We’re using frozen spinach to keep it easy. If you want to use fresh greens (spinach, kale and/or mustard greens) you’ll need about 1.5-2 lbs worth and you will have to cook them first before blending them up.
**One of the reasons why this dish tastes so good at a restaurant is because they use a lot of ghee and/or stir in heavy cream at the end. Do not skimp on the ghee or butter!
***I get paneer at Costco. If you can’t find paneer, you can substitute with halloumi, extra firm tofu, or cubes of feta cheese (about 2 cups worth). The feta will melt more and be more delicate. Alternatively, you could substitute with cubed chicken breast (about 1 lb) to make chicken saag.
****Saag paneer is traditionally served with an Indian flatbread called roti and that’s my favorite way to eat this. You could order it from any Indian restaurant if you can’t find it in the store. An easy alternative is to use a whole wheat tortilla or thin pita bread (warm them up in a skillet first).

Add the thawed spinach and 1/4 cup water to a blender and blend until relatively smooth.
In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt the ghee or butter. Add cumin, garlic, and ginger and cook/sizzle in the butter for about 3-5 minutes or until very fragrant and softened, stirring often.
Add tomatoes and ½ teaspoon salt. Increase the heat to medium and cook for 5 more minutes or until tomatoes soften, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat back down to low and stir in the coriander, turmeric, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the spinach and remaining ½ teaspoon salt until combined. Gently stir in the paneer to coat in the sauce. Give the pan a shake to evenly distribute everything, then cover and simmer over low or medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, giving the pan a shake halfway through. Taste and add more salt, if needed.
Serve with warm flatbread or rice. If using flatbread, tear off a piece and scoop the saag paneer into the flatbread. It’s the perfect vehicle for this dish!

Substitutions:

To make vegan, use a vegan butter and sub the paneer with cubed extra firm tofu.
To make gluten-free, serve with rice or a GF tortilla.
Use 1 lb of frozen kale in place of spinach (or any other frozen leafy green).

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

Warm up leftovers in the microwave until warmed through, stirring every 30-60 seconds. Serve with warm flatbread or rice.
Option to top with Greek yogurt for some creamy tang.