Palak Paneer Stir Fry (Dry Palak Paneer Sabzi)

If you love paneer and spinach, you may already have my Palak Paneer Recipe (Spinach with Indian Cheese) on your list. That version is creamy and comforting, but when I’m craving palak paneer, I often find myself reaching for this Palak Paneer Stir Fry instead.

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• Ingredients and Substitutions for Palak Paneer Sabzi
• How to Make Palak Paneer Stir Fry
• Serving Suggestions for Palak Paneer Stir-Fry
• Kitchen Tools You’ll Need:
• More Indian Vegetarian Recipes
• Palak Paneer Stir Fry (Dry Palak Paneer Sabzi)
• Ingredients ½x1x2x
• Instructions 

I personally prefer the dry version because I love the texture. The spinach is roughly chopped rather than blended into a smooth gravy, so you get little bites of wilted spinach along with soft paneer and the flavors of tomato, garlic, green chili and masala.

I also love how increably easy it is to whip up this palak paneer sabzi. It’s simple and has just enough moisture to bring everything together without becoming a curry. Serve it hot with roti or chapati (Indian flatbread).

Ingredients and Substitutions for Palak Paneer Sabzi

Fresh spinach, paneer cubes, onion, tomato, garlic, green chili, cumin seeds, and a few everyday spices all come together in one pan for a quick Indian side dish or an easy weeknight meal.

• Fresh Spinach: I highly recommend using fresh roughly chopped spinach for this recipe. Since this is a dry-style palak paneer, fresh spinach gives the dish a much better texture than frozen spinach.
• Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese): Paneer can be easily found at most Indian grocery stores in the US. I like using firm paneer cut into bite-sized cubes. For a vegan and dairy-free version, you can substitute firm tofu for the paneer.
• Onion: I used yellow onion for this recipe because it works really well with the spinach, paneer, and tomato masala. White onion or red onion can also be used if that’s what you have on hand.
• Tomatoes: I prefer using fresh, ripe tomatoes for this recipe. When cooked until the oil starts to separate, create a flavorful base for the paneer and spinach. I haven't tested this recipe with any tomato substitutes, so I can't recommend a specific alternative. If you choose to substitute the fresh tomatoes, please keep in mind that the texture and flavor may vary.
• Garlic & Green Chili: Fresh garlic and green chili add a great aroma and a little heat to the dish.
• Cumin Seeds: Cumin seeds add a warm, earthy flavor to the stir fry. Adding them to the hot oil at the beginning allows their flavor to bloom and gives the entire dish a more aromatic base.
• Spices: I keep the spices simple with turmeric, ground cumin-coriander, and salt. They add plenty of flavor without overpowering the fresh spinach and paneer with green chili and fresh garlic.
• Oil: I use olive oil for this recipe, but you can use any high-smoke-point cooking oil of your preference. Avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or another neutral cooking oil would work well too.
• Lemon Juice: Optional but a little fresh lemon juice at the end brightens up the flavors and balances the richness of the paneer.

How to Make Palak Paneer Stir Fry

• Heat oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until it becomes soft and lightly golden.
• Add the cumin seeds, diced garlic, and chopped green chili to the sautéed onion. Stir well and cook for about 30–60 seconds.

• The cumin should become fragrant and the garlic should release its aroma without turning too dark.
• Continue sauteing the onion, garlic, cumin, and chili until the mixture is soft and fragrant. This short step builds the aromatic base for the sabzi.
• Add the chopped tomato, turmeric, ground cumin and coriander, and salt.

• Stir everything together so the spices coat the tomato and onion mixture.
• Cook the tomato mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes soften. You should see a little oil separating around the edges.
• Add the cubed paneer to the pan and gently toss to coat each piece with the tomato masala.

• Add the roughly chopped fresh spinach to the skillet. It may look like a lot at first, but the spinach will quickly wilt as it cooks.
• Gently stir everything together until the spinach is wilted and evenly mixed with the paneer and masala.

• Cook uncovered for a few minutes until most of the excess moisture has cooked away. The finished dish should be relatively dry rather than saucy.

Serving Suggestions for Palak Paneer Stir-Fry

This dry palak paneer sabzi is delicious served hot with roti or chapati as a main dish. It can also be served as a side dish to other Indian dishes like:

• Moong Dal
• Dal Tadka
• Plain Basmati Rice
• Kachumber
• Gujarati Kadhi

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need:

• A wok
• Good Kitchen Knife
• A cutting board

More Indian Vegetarian Recipes

• Kala Chana Masala
• Aloo Matar Gobi
• Indian Stuffed Eggplant Recipe
• Gujarati Bharela Ringan (Stuffed Eggplant)
• Eggplant Paneer Masala
• Bharela Marcha (Indian stuffed peppers)
• Stir-Fried Cabbage Recipe
• Aloo Palak (Spinach and Potatoes)
• Zucchini Sabzi
• Indian Spiced Brussels Sprouts
• Okra Stir Fry