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 rice for a gluten-free meal or with hot parathas for a wholesome vegetarian meal! And if you love quick Instant Pot curries, try my Mushroom Masala and Aloo Gobi recipes for a perfect weeknight meal.
This quick Instant Pot recipe uses my mom's stovetop palak paneer recipe as a base. I stir in cashew cream, in the end, to make the curry rich and creamy. To make homemade cashew cream, simply blend cashews and warm milk (or water) to make a creamy, smooth paste.
NOTE: Heavy cream or unsweetened coconut cream can also be substituted for cashew cream.
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What is Paneer
Paneer is fresh, unsalted cheese that is similar to cottage cheese. Paneer is made by curdling milk using lemon juice or vinegar and then separating the whey. All the excess water from the curdled milk solids is pressed out and then shaped to form soft cheese. Paneer is not aged and can be consumed right away. It adds a nice texture to curries, parathas, rice dishes, and desserts. Here is a recipe that shows how to make homemade paneer.
Where can I buy Paneer?
I would recommend Gopi Brand Paneer from Whole Foods, Costco, or Indian grocery stores. When buying Paneer make sure it does not have any additives. Remember milk and an acidic ingredient such as lemon juice or vinegar are the only 2 ingredients needed to make paneer.
How to Store Paneer?
Homemade Paneer can be refrigerated for up to a week and can be frozen for extended shelf life. I usually cut the store-bought paneer into cubes and freeze any unused portions right away.
How to make Instant Pot Palak Paneer (step-by-step recipe)
Blend cashews with milk or water to make a smooth puree and reserve. Heat oil in the Instant Pot and add cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, and green chilies, and sauté for a minute. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes or until they become translucent. Add fresh or frozen spinach, water, and salt. Pressure cook for zero minutes if using fresh spinach, or pressure cook for 1 minute if using frozen spinach (photos 1 - 2).
Turn the Instant Pot off, by pressing the keep warm button. Quick release the pressure right away to avoid overcooking the spinach. Add ½ cup of water and carefully blend the spinach using an immersion blender. You may want to tilt the pot a little to avoid splattering (photos 3 - 4).
Set the Instant Pot to Saute mode. Add cashew cream/paste, garam masala, and paneer. Mix and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until the curry is just heated through. Take out the inner pot on a hot plate to avoid overcooking (photos 5 - 6).
Serving
Enjoy with parathas, roti, or naan. For a gluten-free meal serve with basmati rice, brown rice, or veg biryani. A side cucumber salad or spicy cabbage salad will complete the meal.
How to store Palak Paneer
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days. You can also freeze palak paneer for up to 2 months. To reheat simply thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat in the microwave.
Tips To Keep Palak Paneer Green and Fresh
I often get questions about how my palak paneer looks vibrant green. Here are a few tips and tricks I always follow:
- Quick-release as soon as the pressure cooking cycle completes.
- Turn off the keep warm button as you do the quick release.
- Turn off the Instant Pot as you puree with the immersion blender. Take the inside pot out on a hot plate while pureeing and tilt the pot slightly 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.
More Indian Recipes Using Spinach
- Spinach Khichri - one-pot meal cooked with rice, lentils, and lots of creamy spinach spiced with cumin, green chili, and a hint of garam masala.
- Spinach Dal - A staple in Indian homes, these creamy lentils have cumin, turmeric, garlic, and lots of fresh spinach.
- Chana Saag - chickpeas curry with spinach in a tangy onion-tomato sauce perfectly spiced with turmeric, cumin seeds, and garam masala.
- Spinach Sev - Crunchy savory snack made with gluten-free gram flour that is quick to make and utterly delicious as a snack or party starter.
To make an Indian Vegetarian Thali Meal here are my recommended recipes to make with Palak Paneer:
- Dum Aloo - curried baby potatoes in a tomato-based sauce
- Roti - thin rolled whole wheat Indian bread
- Dal & Rice - easy spinach dal with poi in pot rice cooked in the Instant Pot
- Cabbage Curry - quick and easy stir-fried cabbage
- Kothimbir Vadi - spicy cilantro cakes
- Beet Raita - cooling yogurt-based raita with cucumbers and beets
- Mango Shrikhand - dessert is a must with Indian meals and this one needs no cooking
The Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook includes many such complete meal ideas for occasions like Indian parties, movie/game nights, or kid's parties!
Did you enjoy this easy recipe? Try these vegetarian Indian Instant Pot recipes.
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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Dhanya says
Hi Archana,
Thank you for the recipe. I tried it, and it was tasty.
I don’t have an immersion blender, so after pressure cooking, I had to transfer the cooked spinach to my regular blender and then transfer it back to the IP to sauté again. Do you use your immersion blender a lot?
I will add 1/2 cup water while blending next time, as my final dish was a little drier than I expected.
Thanks again!
Archana says
Hi Dhanya, I love my immersion blender, I use it for soups, curry sauces, mango lassi. Most of the gravies do thicken up after they cool down. I am glad you loved the flavors. This recipe on repeat in my home.
Leigh says
Do you have to thaw and strain the frozen spinach before putting it in the IP?
Archana says
Hi Leigh, add it frozen, no need to thaw.
Audree says
Again, this sounds wonderful, but I don’t have an Instant Pot. What changes would I make for cooking on the stove? Thank you!!!
Archana says
Hi Audree, Instaed of pressure cooking the spinach for 1 minute you would cook it on stovetop until it comes to a full boil. Then follow remaining recipe. Add extra 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water as on stovetop water will evaporate. Do not use lid while cooking this dish so it maintains the fresh green color.
Janey says
Hi all the saag recipes I've seen always have turmeric, cayenne and coriander. Is there a reason they're not in this recipe? Can I add them?
Archana says
You can definitely add them. I love the freshness and flavors of spinach in this dish and do not like to overpower with too many spices. I like the heat in this dish from green chilies and hence no cayenne. I do not add turmeric to green curries as they can change the color of the curry but you can totally add. Also you can add coriander powder if you like.
Jennifer says
Thanks for the recipe! I didn't know palak paneer was so easy to make at home. I love that the ingredients used are all healthy and this recipe isn't loaded with cream or butter. Will definitely be making this again and again.
Archana says
Thank you Jennifer. We make this frequently for our weeknight meals. Its simple and delicious.
Ranjana Shardha says
Hi Archana,
I've been following your recipes since I've started using IP. They very easy to follow and end product comes out very yummy, so thanks alot for that.
We are going on a 17 day road trip next week. Though I'll be taking my IP with us but I was thinking if I can cook a few things and freeze them and then take them in the cooler with us, will that be okay? For example, I was thinking of making some paneer dishes, choley, rajma, dal and freeze them. We will have access to fridge to our accommodations (Hotels and AirBnBs) so we can pop them in the fridge when we check-in and can put them in the cooler with ice when driving. Do you think it's a good idea. I just want to save some cooking when vacation mode is ON. We'll take some naans and rotis too in the cooler bag and will cook rice in IP when needed.
Your advice in this regard will be highly appreciated.
Archana says
Hi Ranjana! Your road trip sounds really exciting! You can totally take cooked frozen dishes as long as they are in a cooler with ice. You can keep changing the ice as it melts. I think it is a great idea and will totally work for the dishes you mentioned. Have fun! And I can't wait to hear how it goes.
david thomas says
Could you please remove the video from the print recipe and post it in the body of your blog post. It added a third page to my printout, which I canceled.
Archana says
Hi David, I am so sorry that it took up so much space. For some reason when i do print preview I do not see the video being printed at all.
David Thomas says
The video was not being printed but the space taken up by the video was accounted for in my print preview, a large blank space spanning two pages thus making my printout 3 pages long with that blank space. I did copy & paste it into a Word document, deleted the Recipe Video spacing, and got a two page recipe.
Archana says
Thank you for letting me know. I will look into it.
Healthy Kitchen 101 says
Oh, It looks well when cooked by an instant pot. I don't have one at present but really consider it for the future! It's so useful.
- Natalie Ellis
Archana says
Thank you Natalie. I also have the stove top recipe on the blog.
Payal says
How do I measure 1 pound frozen spinach?
Archana says
Usually I buy trader joe's frozen spinach which is 1 pound. If you have the 10 ounce boxes you can use 1 and 1/2 box.
Payal says
Hi, I’m going to try your recipe tomorrow. Silly question- I have had fresh spinach that I have put into ziplock bags and put in my freezer. Would I weigh out 1lb of frozen spinach? Wouldn’t that be different then the fresh (ie 1 pound of fresh would be a lot more then 1pound of frozen)? Hopefully my question makes sense. Thank you!
Archana says
Hi Payal yes your question makes sense. You want to use 3 to 4 cups of frozen spinach.
Claire says
Are you using roasted or raw cashews?
This version looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it in my IP.
Archana says
Hi Claire, raw cashews for this recipe. Let me know how you like it.
PaliWali says
Hi I want to make this recipe but don’t want to add green chilies is it ok to use cayenne pepper? Also do I need fresh ginger or is ground ginger ok? If yes how much of each of the ingredients do I add? Thank you!
Archana says
You can add cayenne pepper to taste in the end after pressure cooking. I would recommend fresh ginger in this recipe. Dry ginger will alter the taste of the recipe. You can skip ginger if you do not have fresh ginger on hand. It will still be flavorful. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Melanie says
Hi, Can I use cumin powder instead of cumin seeds? I only have the powder. Thanks!
Archana says
Yes absolutely!!
Melanie says
Awesome thank you!
Palak Paneer says
I heard that this was an absolutely delicious dish, and I am curious. Isnt it wonderful that there are so many ways in the world to make food. Is your recipe hot? meaning you put red pepper or hot palak? This Indian dish combines fresh spinach and ricotta in a creamy palak paneer. Use paneer if you can find it! It is absolutely wonderful with basmati rice or naan.
Dhara says
I tried it last night and palak paneer was amazing. Very quick and yummy!! Love the tip for green color. Family really enjoyed it.Thank you.
Archana says
Thank you for the feedback
Deepa says
I made this and adjusted for 6 portions. It was a hit!
Archana says
Thank you for the feedback
Manisha says
Tried this today. Came out good
Thank you for the instapot recipe !!
Archana says
Thank you for the feedback!
Michelle says
Tasty
Archana says
Thank you
Vijaya says
Hi Archana, until few days back I was using IP as rice cooker 😉 one day I accidentally saw ur shrimp biryani recipe, tried it and it turned out yummy,esp kids loved it. Shared ur page to all my friends too.Really like ur simple recipes, gonna try more. Thanks for sharing ur wonderful recipes with us. Happy cooking!
Archana says
Thank you for your kind words and feedback. I hope you try lots of amazing recipes in the Instant Pot.
SR says
Hi Archana, if I double the recipe, do I still only add one cup of water? The water isn't listed in the ingredients.
Archana says
Yes that will work. Add more water after pressure cooking to bring the dish to your desired consistency