I call this Palak Paneer Mommy's Helper because it is a surefire way to get nutrient-rich spinach into kids without a complaint. The flash-cooking method helps preserve the flavor and rich color of the spinach. Cumin seeds add a subtle earthiness, and the creamy texture of cashews is the perfect replacement for traditional heavy cream, as it seamlessly balances the pureed sauce.
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Palak paneer is our go-to weeknight meal, ready in 15 minutes with this easy Instant Pot recipe. I love this one-pot recipe to cook the spinach and then use an immersion blender to puree the sauce, making cleanup super easy. Serve with steamed basmati rice for a gluten-free meal or with hot parathas for a wholesome vegetarian meal!
I usually swirl in some homemade cashew cream at the end for that rich, silky finish, but heavy cream or even unsweetened coconut cream works just as well!
Paneer is one of my favorite ingredients! It's soft, fresh, and so versatile, adding richness to everything from curries, parathas, to rice dishes.
You can easily make Homemade paneer with just two ingredients: milk and lemon juice (or vinegar). The milk is curdled, the whey is drained, and the curds are pressed into a soft block of cheese that can be eaten right away. Homemade paneer keeps well in the refrigerator for up to a week, or you can cut it into cubes and freeze it to extend its shelf life.
For store-bought options, I recommend Gopi brand paneer, available at Whole Foods, Costco, or Indian grocery stores. Just be sure it's free from additives.
How to make Instant Pot Palak Paneer
Blend cashews with milk or water into a smooth puree and set aside. In the Instant Pot, heat oil and sauté cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, and green chilies for a minute. Add onions and cook until translucent, then stir in spinach, water, and salt. Pressure cook for 0 minutes (fresh spinach) or 1 minute (frozen spinach).
Turn the Instant Pot off and quick-release the pressure to avoid overcooking the spinach. Add ½ cup of cold water and carefully blend the spinach using an immersion blender. You may want to tilt the pot a little to avoid splattering.
Add cashew cream, garam masala, and paneer. Mix and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on saute mode. Take out the inner pot on a hot plate to avoid overcooking. Serve hot with roti or naan, and a side of raita.
How to Keep Palak Paneer Green and Fresh
If you've ever wondered, "How do I keep palak paneer green?" You're not alone! Spinach can quickly lose its vibrant color if overcooked, but with a few simple tricks, your curry will stay bright and fresh every time:
- Quick-release pressure: As soon as the cooking cycle ends, release pressure immediately to avoid extra cooking.
- Turn off "Keep Warm": Leaving it on can continue cooking the spinach and dull the color.
- Puree off heat: Switch off the Instant Pot, remove the inner pot, and tilt it slightly while blending to prevent splattering.
- Finish gently: Add cashew paste, garam masala, and paneer, then sauté for just 1-2 minutes until the gravy comes to a soft boil.
- Prevent overcooking: Move the inner pot onto a hot plate instead of leaving it inside the Instant Pot.
★ Tried this recipe? I'd love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment and let me know, or snap a quick pic and upload it-I love seeing your creations. If you're on Instagram, tag @ministry_of_curry so I can check it out. Your feedback means so much to me and makes all the time I spend perfecting each recipe totally worth it. Thank you!
Recipe
Instant Pot Palak Paneer
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 15 raw cashews **
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 to 2 teaspoon hot green chili minced
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped fine
- 1 lb spinach baby spinach works the best, or use chopped frozen
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups paneer cubed
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
Instructions
- Add cashews to milk and blend together to make a smooth paste. Keep aside. Note: Double up milk and cashews if your blender blades are not low and if the paste does not turn out smooth. Making a larger portion can help with bigger blender jars and you can freeze the extra for next time.
- Turn the Instant Pot to saute mode and heat ghee. Add cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, and green chili. Saute for a minute. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes stirring a few times. Add spinach, salt, and water. Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing.
- For frozen spinach - Pressure cook on (Hi) for 1 minute
- For fresh spinach - Pressure cook on (Hi) for 0 minute
- Quick-release and turn off the Instant Pot
- Serve hot with rice or parathas. For a low carb option serve with caulilfower rice
Notes
- Quick-release as soon as the pressure cooking cycle completes
- Turn off the keep warm button as you do the quick release
- Make sure that the Instant Pot is turned off as you are pureeing with the immersion blender. Take the inside pot out on a hot plate while pureeing. As you may need to tilt the pot to avoid splattering
- Return the inner pot back to the Instant Pot housing, and add cashew paste, garam masala, and paneer. Cook on sauté for 1 to 2 minutes only or until the gravy comes to a gentle boil
- Turn off the Instant Pot and take the inner pot out and keep it on a hot plate to avoid overcooking the spinach
Nutrition
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Hans Susser says
This looks so appetizing 🙂 Both your pics and recipes are wonderful. Thank you 🙂
Archana says
Thank you Hans!
Lathiya says
Looks yummy ?
Archana says
Thank you Lathiya!
Grubbing With Jess says
Palak paneer is one of my faves!! This looks delicious!
Archana says
Thank you Jess! It is my fav indian dish too.
Laura says
Where do you get the paneer? Or do you make that?
Archana says
Hi Laura,
You can buy paneer at whole foods. I also make it home. Here is the recipe: http://ministryofcurry.com/homemade-paneerindian-cottage-cheese/
Laura says
Thank you so much! This is my favorite Indian dish and it seems so easy to make.
Archana says
Laura, easy to make. Let me know how you like it!
KR says
The presentation is incredible! Looks fantastic, and exotic, I have to try this!! 🙂
Archana says
Thank you!
fivezero says
This is one of my favorite Indian dishes! Looks fantastic, thanks for the recipe.
Archana says
Thank you!
annika says
Lovely recipe as always, Archana!
Archana says
Thank you Annika!
Thistles and Kiwis says
Looks lovely!
Archana says
Thank you!
Kalbap says
EZ to make, healthy and flavorful! Made for a sumptuous Sunday lunch. (Couldn't resist the snooze after that)!! Becoming a fan of my newly acquired instapot. EZ clean up too.
Used bag of frozen chopped spinach. I didn't have paneer so I substituted with fresh mozzarella balls.
Archana says
Thank you Kalyani! I agree with you that frozen chopped spinach makes this recipe so easy and yes I love the cleanup with IP. I am so glad to know that you are loving cooking in IP.
Karen says
If using fresh spinach, is it really 0 minutes? Thank you.
Archana says
Yes!
Sarah Laliberte says
Made this tonight for dinner in the IP. It was truly delicious! This might just break me of my palak paneer takeout addiction. I think I'm going to try freezing portions of it for quick dinners. Has any one tried that? I wonder if I should freeze without the paneer, or if it matters.
Archana says
Hi Sarah, So glad you made this and enjoyed it. So much healthier than a takeout and so simple right? I have not frozen palak paneer but I have frozen just paneer and it works well. So I think freezing palak paneer will also work. I have seen many grocery stores selling this dish as frozen. Also did you try cooking this dish using frozen chopped spinach? It really makes this dish quicker and still delicious!
muleadmirer says
Hello Ministry of Curry - Great domain name. 🙂 I made this last night, and wanted to draw your attention to a little fix you might make: The ingredients list says 'cumin' and only in the directions do you say 'cumin seeds'. I had already measured out the cumin powder and didn't catch the mistake until after - boy did this have a LOT of cumin flavor!! We all agreed it was worth making again, 'correctly', because it was really good even with LOTS of cumin. Thank you for the recipe, and the one for the paneer, which turned out great with our goats' milk. 🙂 I'll be checking out your other stuff as well. - Wendy
Archana says
Hi Wendy! Thank you for your kind words and also for pointing out the difference in my recipe. I will correct the recipe so it is clear. Thank you for trying the recipe and I am so glad you enjoyed this easy palak paneer recipe. I hope you enjoy rest of my recipes too.
muleadmirer says
Hi Archana! We are really looking forward to trying some of your other recipes. We are REALLY excited about the parathas - next rainy day! 🙂 Thank you for your hard work and dedication in doing this blog, and uploading the lovely pictures and sharing your expertise with the rest of us! 🙂
Archana says
Thank you for your kind words Wendy! Let me know how the Parathas come out!
Xerix says
Love this recipe. I used preached baby spinach leaves. It worked well same time and method. I added plain yogurt at the end as well not cashew cream.
Archana says
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed this easy palak paneer. And I love your idea of adding plain yogurt for creaminess
Rose says
I am allergic to nuts what else can I usw
Archana says
Hi Rose, Traditionally cream is used in palak paneer. You can use 1/2 cup of cream instead. Hope you enjoy this yummy dish. Let me know if you have any questions
Rose says
Oh I will try this thanks for replying!
Lee Ann says
This looks wonderful! I have paneer in the freezer, and I'm looking forward to trying this recipe. Can I use other greens besides spinach, and would the cooking time be different?
Archana says
Hi Lee Ann, Yes you can use any greens thats you like. As long as they are de-stemmed (like kale, chard) they should work with the same cook time. Let me know how you like it!
Vishal says
This was the best palak paneeer I’ve eaten! Why do you add Garam Masala at the end?
Archana says
Thank you! My garam masala is already roasted and sprinkling in the end adds more fresh aromas
Mauli says
Thank you for this recipe. I made this last night for dinner and turned out really yummy and very easy. Thanks much!
Archana says
You are welcome! Thank you for the feedback
Nilanjana says
Hi Archana
For fresh spinach I manual cook for 0 mins? So just a few seconds? Also after that I need to take out the palak mixture and blend? How long do I cook the paneer in the mixture ?
Thanks
Archana says
Yes manual zero for fresh. We are just blanching. I use hand blender in the instant pot. And after you add paneer just bring the curry to gentle boil.
Adam T says
I made this exactly as listed. It was easy and everyone loved it. Will definitely make again. Thanks for the recipe!
Archana says
Thank you for the feedback Adam.