Aloo Palak (Potato and Spinach Curry)

Name: Aloo Palak / Potato and Spinach Curry
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2-3 large potatoes ((around 1 lb)); 10 oz frozen spinach ((see note 1)); 2 tbsp oil; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 2-3 dried red chilies; 3-4 cloves garlic (finely chopped); 1 medium onion (finely chopped); ½ tsp salt ((adjust as per taste)); ¼ tsp turmeric powder; ½ tsp ground coriander; ½ tsp red chili powder; ½ tsp garam masala ((use store-bought or homemade garam masala)); ¼-½ cup water ((see note 3)); 2 tbsp lemon juice

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5 from 83 votes

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Indulge in a flavorful delight with this easy-to-make aloo palak recipe. Made with a perfect blend of spinach, potatoes, and aromatic spices, this vegan and gluten-free curry is sure to satisfy your taste buds.

Using frozen spinach and an Instant Pot, this recipe takes only 20 minutes to prepare, making it one of the simplest Indian recipes you'll ever cook.

Preparing a homemade version of aloo palak sabzi is a breeze with this recipe, and it complements rice-dal, tandoori roti, gobi paratha, and naan bread perfectly. It also serves as a delectable stuffing for sandwiches and wraps.

There are many different ways to cook palak aloo, but I prefer making a dry curry. I use frozen spinach in this recipe to save time and avoid the hassle of cleaning and chopping fresh spinach. Finely chopping the spinach is essential to achieving the proper texture, and frozen spinach is ideal for this purpose.

Why you will love this recipe?

Minimal prep time: Using frozen spinach and an Instant Pot can significantly reduce the prep time, making this dry aloo palak a quick and easy recipe to prepare.
Minimal spices: The spices used are mild and balanced, making the dish suitable for all taste preferences.
Versatile: Aloo palak curry is a versatile dish that pairs well with roti and rice. This makes it an excellent option for a quick and easy meal that can be enjoyed with different types of bread and rice.

Ingredients and Substitutes

Spinach: I am using frozen spinach to make this dish. See the tips section below on how to use fresh spinach.

Potatoes: Use waxy or semi-waxy potatoes that do not fall apart when pressure-cooked.

Spices: This dish has minimal use of spices. I used dried red chili, whole cumin seeds, ground coriander, ground turmeric, chili powder, and garam masala. Use ground cumin (cumin powder) instead of whole cumin seeds.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

Use other greens like mustard greens, fenugreek leaves, collard green, or kale. You can also use a mix of greens to make saag aloo. You can use just fenugreek leaves to make aloo methi. Swap potatoes with sweet potatoes to make shakarakand palak sabzi.

You can use tomatoes to make this dish. In that case, add the tomatoes along with powdered spices and cook the tomatoes first. Then add the potatoes. The rest of the recipe remains the same.

Skip the onion and garlic to make no onion- no garlic palak aloo. Replace them with tomatoes and ginger. To make it without onion and garlic, add whole spices and ginger first. Then add tomatoes and powdered spices. Cook the tomatoes and then proceed to add potatoes. The rest of the recipe remains the same. You can use this chickpea spinach curry as a guide.

Whole baby potatoes can be used instead of regular potatoes. Adjust the pressure cooking time to 6 minutes in that case. Avoid starchy potatoes like russet potatoes.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Heat oil and add cumin seeds and dried red chili. Once the cumin seeds splutter, add garlic and saute for about one minute (image 1).

Step 2: Next, add the chopped onion and saute for 3 minutes until they soften (images 2 and 3).

Step 3: Add the cubed potatoes, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, and salt (image 4).

Step 4: Mix well and saute for 2 minutes. Add ¼ cup of water and deglaze the pot well. Make sure there are no brown bits stuck. Next, add the frozen spinach (images 5 and 6).

Step 5: Cancel the saute mode and set the Instant Pot to pressure cook mode (on Low pressure) for 3 minutes (image 7).

Step 6: Do a natural release of pressure for 5 minutes, then do a quick release. Set the Instant Pot back to saute mode and simmer until the excess moisture dries. Add garam masala powder and lemon juice (image 8).

Dry palak aloo sabzi made in the Instant Pot can be served with roti or paratha.

Expert Tips

Chop potatoes into bite-sized pieces of the same size so that they can cook quickly and evenly.

I like to make this dry curry using frozen spinach. They are very convenient to use and save the long time needed for cleaning and chopping them. However, if you use fresh spinach, add them only after pressure-cooking the potatoes.

Also, it is important to finely chop the washed spinach for this dish. Use a food processor to chop the cleaned fresh spinach. Big pieces of spinach will ruin the texture of the dish.

What to serve with aloo palak?

Aloo Palak can be served with plain roti, naan bread, or steamed basmati rice. You can also include a side of cooling yogurt raita, pickle, or a simple salad to balance the flavors.

This versatile dish complements well with flavored rice like jeera rice and saffron rice or a variety of chutneys. I also love to serve it with parathas like mooli paratha or matar paratha.

Recipe FAQs

How to replace frozen spinach with fresh spinach?

For every packet of frozen spinach (10 oz), you will need 1 lb of fresh spinach.

Is aloo palak vegan?

Yes. This dry sabzi is suitable if you are following a vegan diet.

Is palak aloo the same as saag aloo?

Saag, in general, refers to a mix of greens, like mustard greens, collard greens, spinach, kale, etc., whereas palak means spinach. Saag aloo is made using more than one variety of leafy greens, whereas palak aloo is made using spinach only.

How to store aloo palak?

Any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This dish also freezes well and can be stored in the freezer for up to three months.

Aloo palak placed in a black bowl on a grey surface.

More palak recipes using frozen spinach

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