Description
Palak Paneer Instant Pot is an authentic Punjabi-style North Indian dish featuring creamy, spiced spinach cooked with sautéed paneer cubes. This unblanched recipe uses fresh spinach and aromatic spices to create a rich and flavorful vegetarian main course, perfect for a comforting meal made quickly using an Instant Pot.
Ingredients
For Sautéed Paneer
- 200 grams paneer, cubed & soaked in hot water
- 1/2 tbsp oil
For Palak Paneer
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1-2 green chilies, sliced
- 1 cup red onions, finely chopped
- 1 inch piece ginger, chopped
- 5-6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 cup tomatoes, chopped
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1/4 tsp red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 tbsp water (to prevent spices from burning)
- 2 tbsp water (to deglaze tomatoes after cooking)
- 1 pound fresh spinach leaves, roughly chopped
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 cup sour cream (more if desired)
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tbsp dry fenugreek leaves
Instructions
- Prepare Masala: Press SAUTE mode on the Instant Pot. Once hot, add oil, then cumin seeds and sauté for 30 seconds. Add sliced green chilies and sauté for another 30 seconds. Add finely chopped onions with a pinch of salt and cook for 5-6 minutes until they turn lightly brown. Stir in chopped ginger and garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds. Add chopped tomatoes, season with a little salt, and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add Ground Spices: Mix in turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and Kashmiri chili powder. Stir and cook for 30 seconds. Add one tablespoon of water to prevent spices from burning, then cover the Instant Pot with the lid and cook the tomatoes down for 3-4 minutes. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water to deglaze the pan and press CANCEL.
- Add Spinach: Add the roughly chopped fresh spinach leaves and salt to taste. Gently stir without fully mixing the spinach with the masala. Press HIGH PRESSURE for 2 minutes, then allow a natural release for 10 minutes followed by manual release of the remaining steam, totaling about 20 minutes.
- Sauté Paneer: Meanwhile, heat a nonstick ceramic pan on medium heat. Add half a tablespoon of oil and sauté the drained paneer cubes until golden, about 5 minutes. Avoid overcooking to keep paneer soft. Set aside.
- Blend Spinach: Open the Instant Pot and stir the spinach with the masala. Use an immersion blender to pulse blend the spinach, preserving some texture rather than pureeing it completely.
- Add Sour Cream and Final Touches: Press SAUTE again on the Instant Pot. Add sour cream, garam masala, and dry fenugreek leaves and stir well. The spinach will lighten and become creamy. Add the sautéed paneer cubes and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Press CANCEL. Palak Paneer is ready to serve.
Notes
- Use fresh spinach leaves for best results, followed by baby spinach, and then frozen spinach if needed.
- You can use raw cubed paneer instead of sautéed paneer if you prefer.
- Instead of sour cream, substitute with 2-4 tablespoons heavy cream, 1/4 to 1/3 cup whole milk, 1/4 cup blended cashews with water, or 1/4 cup whole milk yogurt (temper milk or yogurt with spinach gravy first to prevent curdling).
- To prevent sticking or burning in the Instant Pot, add two tablespoons water to deglaze the pan after cooking the tomatoes.
- For a vegan version, replace paneer with firm tofu pressed to remove excess liquid and sautéed similarly.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Indian
