Easy Instant Pot Palak Paneer - Spinach with Indian Cottage Cheese
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A traditional Punjabi dish of Indian cottage cheese and spinach - easily prepared in the Instant Pot. This Easy Instant Pot Palak Paneer uses minimal spices and really shows off the fresh ingredients which is the paneer and the spinach.
Palak paneer is easily the most popular and identifiable dish in North Indian cuisine. As you may know, I do have a recipe for the Home-Style Palak Paneer on the stove top. However, I've been having so much fun experimenting with adapting the traditional Indian recipes in the Instant Pot. It really is a life saver and now I couldn't live without it! This recipe shouldn't take much longer than ten minutes to prepare! The spinach is so creamy and the paneer absorbs the flavours of the gravy perfectly. What I love about this recipe is that it can pressure cook in 0 minutes. Yes, believe it or not, 0 minutes!
After all, we only need to cook the spinach until it wilts, and then we’re done!
The less you simmer/cook the spinach, the greener it will remain, hence the vibrant colour. Other variations of Palak Paneer may be a more darker, murkier green, which is still delicious, but not as appealing to the eye.
Like most kids growing up in India, I think this would be the only time I would willingly enjoy cupfuls of spinach. Let me know in the comments if you can relate with me on this one!
Believe it or not, the greens are actually so delicious in the gravy, so this is a great way to feed veggies to those who fuss about it.
This recipe will show you how to make the most delicious palak paneer, and with the help of the Instant Pot, you’ll see how quickly and easily it comes together! Also, this recipe will show you how to get that stunning green colour! Be sure to watch the video at the bottom of this post so you can follow along while I make it! If you’re not already, please subscribe to my YouTube channel, and hit the bell icon so you receive the notification when the video recipes go live! I find that sharing the video recipe helps give a complete picture so you’re guaranteed the best results when you give it a try! Let’s get cooking!
What is Paneer?
Paneer is fresh cheese known as “Indian cottage cheese.” It is made using whole milk or 2% milk. We bring the milk to a simmer, and then we curdle it using either lemon juice or buttermilk. My personal choice is to use buttermilk! You can check my recipe to make paneer at home here. Once the curds have formed, they are strained and then placed under pressure to remove any excess moisture. The milk solids from the paneer separate, and then we shape and compress the solids. Alas, paneer is made! Woohoo!
A major word of caution!! Although I mentioned that paneer is referred to as “Indian cottage cheese,” you CANNOT substitute the North American cottage cheese for paneer!! The most significant difference between the two is the moisture content. Paneer is drier than regular cottage cheese, so it can hold its shape in curries and sauces. On the other hand, “true” cottage cheese tends to break down and turn to mush.
Believe me, I have made that substitution once when I first came to Canada because I couldn’t find paneer at the grocery store, and it was a true disappointment in my curry - it literally disintegrated into the gravy.
How to Store Paneer
You can store homemade paneer in the fridge for up to a week, and it can be frozen for up to 6 months. On the other hand, store-bought paneer will last longer in the refrigerator if the package hasn’t been opened. However, I still like to freeze the store-bought paneer immediately if I don’t plan on using it right away, because I’ve had paneer spoil before the written expiration date. Better to be safe than sorry! When in doubt - freeze!
Where Can I Purchase Paneer?
You may find it odd that I suggest this, as I usually like to make things myself, but I actually prefer to purchase my paneer from the store rather than making it myself.
Why?
Well, you need so much milk to yield so little paneer! For me, it’s just not worth it. Yes, admittedly making homemade paneer tastes much better than the store-bought one, but for the sake of saving time in my busy life, I’ll settle for the store-bought one. I’ve had many messages asking about making homemade paneer, and I was really astonished with how rare paneer is in grocery stores in North America.
I purchase my paneer at a local Indian specialty store, and sometimes it’s available at my regular grocery store. I suppose it depends where you live and if there is an ethnic prominence. If you have an Indian or South Asian store nearby, then definitely check there. Otherwise, the homemade paneer will do the trick!
How About Vegan Palak Paneer?
I love this recipe, so I don’t want vegan readers to miss out on this fabulously satisfying spinach gravy! To make the recipe vegan, all you need to do is substitute the paneer with tofu, as well as replacing the ghee with olive oil or any other oil of choice. You may also lightly sauté the tofu with a bit of oil to give it a light sear to add extra flavour, since tofu can taste bland.
Is Palak paneer healthy?
Indeed it is! You’re probably going to be using an entire bag for this dish alone, so that’s probably a week’s worth of spinach you would normally eat (if you even eat spinach on a regular basis!). Furthermore, paneer is such an amazing vegetarian protein source. A 30-gram serving of paneer has 6 grams of protein, and it is rich in calcium.
How Do You Get Palak Paneer So Green!
You need to cook the paneer as little as possible. As soon as the spinach cooks, you need to stop cooking it any further. So as soon as the Instant Pot timer goes off, be sure to switch that pressure release to venting mode to release any pressure.
At my first attempt at making this recipe, you can see I left the lid on after the Instant Pot beeped, as I had assumed that the pressure needed to release naturally. Um, here was the result.
Don’t get me wrong, the taste was there, because the recipe ingredients were all good! But I’m a strong believer in eating with your eyes, so this was simply unacceptable for me! As you keep reading, you will see what it should really look like.
Ingredients for instant Pot Palak Paneer
The ingredient list for this Instant Pot Palak Paneer recipe won’t be too long! We’ll only use a couple of staples here and very few spices will be used. This is a simple dish for the spinach to truly shine! For the full list of ingredients and their quantities, don’t forget to scroll down for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card at the bottom of this post! The recipe card will let you save the recipe for later and you can scale it based on how much palak paneer you want to make - everything will automatically be adjusted for you!
Ghee: Used to sauté our onions and green chilies.
Cumin seeds: Sautéed with the ghee and adds a nice aroma.
Hing: Also known as asafoetida, helps with digestion and elevates our dish. A small amount goes a long way.
Green chillies: This is how we’ll get a bit of spice in our dish.
Unsalted cashews: Adds some body and creaminess to the gravy. If you have a nut allergy then you can omit them. To achieve a smooth and creamy gravy, then I would recommend koya (milk solids), or a some additional cream to taste.
Onion: Red onions are my favourite. They’ll be finely chopped here.
Spinach: It’s not palak paneer without the spinach! I’m using fresh baby spinach here, but you can use the loose spinach or use frozen spinach. If you are using frozen spinach, ensure that it is completely defrosted.
Water: Enough to boil the spinach.
Paneer: You can use homemade or store-bought paneer. For the sake of convenience, I’ve used store-bought paneer. Some recipes show you frying or grilling the paneer before adding it to the gravy, but I’ll be adding it directly in. I prefer a fluffy paneer that just melts in the sauce, but if you prefer a denser flavour and want a bit of crust, then go ahead and fry it! I’ve personally never been a fan of cooking paneer before adding it to gravy in this recipe.
salt: Always to taste!
Cream: For garnish.
How to Make Palak Paneer in the Instant Pot
Begin by selecting the Saute setting on your Instant Pot. Once the Instant Pot gets hot, add ghee. Add cumin seeds, hing/asafoetida, chopped green chilies and cashews. Cook for about 2-3 minutes.
Add the onions and a pinch of salt.
Mix well and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the onions are soft.
Add spinach and water and mix well.
Close the Instant Pot lid. Select Pressure Cook mode or Manual mode and pressure cook for 0 minutes. Ensure the lid is in Sealing mode.
Once the timer goes off, release steam using the quick release method. To do so, turn the pressure knob from Sealing to Venting mode.
Transfer spinach mixture to a food processor and blend into a smooth sauce. Alternatively you may use an immersion blender to purée the sauce.
Return the puree to the Instant Pot.
Select Sauté mode and add the cubed paneer.
Season with salt and adjust to your preference. Gently simmer for 3-5 minutes until the paneer is soft.
Finish with cream and mix well.
Serve hot and enjoy with rice or your favourite Indian bread!
Additional tips for Instant Pot Palak Paneer
As soon as the Instant Pot pressure cook timer goes off, make sure to carefully turn the valve to release all steam. Otherwise, the spinach will change colour from a bright green.
After pureeing the spinach, make swirl the food processor pitcher with a bit of water to get all the flavours back in the Instant Pot.
The paneer only needs to be warmed until soft, avoid simmering the spinach gravy for too long to maintain the colour.
What Can I Serve with Instant Pot Palak Paneer?
You can enjoy Instant Pot Palak Paneer with so many sides! I love to have both rice and bread with my palak paneer. Here are some breads that go well with palak paneer:
And I would recommend to serve these rice dishes:
Can Palak Paneer Be Made Ahead of Time?
Yes it can! The Instant Pot is awesome because you can easily scale the recipe to make more or less, depending on how many portions you’d like. There’s lots of room in there, and you won’t dirty any dishes except for the pot and the blender to puree the spinach mixture. So if you’d like to meal prep this Instant Pot Palak Paneer for yummy dinners all week, then by all means go for it!
Storing and Freezing Instant Pot Palak Paneer
You can store Instant Pot Palak Paneer in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you would like, you can freeze the paneer for up to 6 months.
To store palak paneer, add the curry into a freezer safe container.
Reheating Instant Pot Palak Paneer
If reheating after thawing in the refrigerator overnight, heat in the microwave uncovered for 2-3 minutes, stirring at one-minute intervals. To reheat over the stove, transfer the contents to a pot or pan and bring to a slight simmer on medium-low heat.
If you’re reheating the palak paneer from frozen, then reheat in the microwave uncovered for 4-5 minutes. Stir at one-minute intervals.
Other Delicious Indian Vegetarian Instant Pot Recipes!
Watch How to Make Instant Pot Palak Paneer Here:
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cookingwithanadi. Thank you!
Easy Instant Pot Palak Paneer
Ingredients
Instructions
- Select Sauté on Instant pot and once hot, heat the ghee. Add cumin seeds, hing chopped green chillies and cashews and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add onion and pinch of salt, mix well and cover instant pot with a non locking lid. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until onions are soft.
- Add spinach and mix. Add the water and close the instant pot lid. Ensure the lid is in Sealing mode.
- Select Pressure Cook or Manual and pressure cook for 0 minutes. Once the timer goes off, release steam using quick release method.
- Transfer spinach mixture to a food processor and blend into a smooth sauce. Alternatively you may use an immersion blender to purée the sauce.
- Select Sauté mode and add cubed paneer. Season with salt and adjust to seasoning preference. Gently simmer for 3-5 minutes until the paneer is soft.
- Finish with cream and mix well. Serve hot and enjoy with rice or your favourite Indian bread!
Nutrition Facts
Calories
533.41Fat (grams)
42.81Sat. Fat (grams)
24.55Carbs (grams)
16.82Fiber (grams)
5.37Net carbs
11.45Sugar (grams)
5.19Protein (grams)
23.45Sodium (milligrams)
438.2Cholesterol (grams)
105.89Nutrition info is an estimate.
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Welcome to Cooking With Anadi. This platform is all about making cooking exciting and finding new ways to bring classic flavours and recipes at your service. Join me in my personal journey in the world of cooking. Hope you have a great ride!
