Palak paneer in Instant Pot step-by-step recipe with video and photos.
Jump to:
About this recipe
Palak paneer is a popular Punjabi dish made with spinach and Indian cottage cheese. Silky and velvety spinach gravy with soft and tender paneer cubes makes this dish absolutely delicious. Making it using frozen spinach in the Instant Pot is the easiest way to enjoy this nutritious and healthy vegetarian dish. My easy recipe uses frozen spinach instead of fresh to make this dish.
Traditionally, fresh spinach is used to make this dish but using frozen spinach is very convenient. It takes out all the hassles of cleaning, blanching, and pureeing the spinach. In this recipe, you can use frozen spinach straight from the freezer, without the need to defrost it.
This dish is ready in under 30 minutes and is gluten-free and keto-friendly. I am using basic pantry ingredients and minimal spices to make this one-pot dish. It can be paired with jeera rice, roti, and basmati rice.
Read on for ingredients, useful tips, and step-by-step instructions to make this easy and delicious palak paneer in Instapot.
Ingredients
Palak (spinach): I am using frozen spinach in this dish.
Paneer: Paneer is fresh Indian cottage cheese. You can use either store-bought paneer or make fresh paneer at home.
Butter: Use unsalted butter for the best-tasting spinach curry.
Onion and tomato: They are used to make the base gravy of the dish.
Spices: I use are garam masala, ground turmeric, and chili powder.
Other ingredients: Ginger, garlic, green chili, and lemon/lime.
Step-by-step instructions
Heat butter and add onion, ginger, garlic, and green chili. Saute for 3-4 minutes, until the onions soften (step 1).
Add tomatoes, turmeric powder, chili powder, and salt. Mix well and saute for 2 minutes (steps 2,3).
Add the frozen spinach and one cup of water (step 4).
Mix well and deglaze the pot. Secure the IP lid and set it to pressure cook mode for 5 minutes (steps 5,6).
Open the IP lid and blend the spinach gravy using an immersion blender - see video (steps 7,8).
Set the Instant Pot back to saute mode. Add the paneer cubes, garam masala, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Mix well and saute for 2-3 minutes (steps 9,10).
Useful tips
Traditionally, fresh spinach is used to make this dish but using frozen spinach is very convenient. Frozen spinach can be used without defrosting whereas if you use fresh spinach, you need to clean, blanch, and grind it before using.
You can use either store-bought or homemade paneer. Making paneer at home is easier than you think using this Instant Pot paneer recipe.
If you want to use fresh spinach, you will need around 3 cups of cleaned and chopped spinach. In that case, reduce the pressure cooking time to 2-3 minutes.
Combine mustard greens, spinach, kale, and arugula to make saag paneer using this recipe. The cooking times will remain the same as long as all the greens are frozen.
Also, check this recipe to make easy matar paneer in Instant Pot.
FAQs
Yes. In this recipe, I am using frozen spinach straight out of the freezer.
To make this dish vegan, substitute paneer with extra firm tofu, and butter with any cooking oil of your choice.
This is very similar to saag paneer. Saag means green leafy vegetables and a mix of different greens are used in saag paneer. For example, spinach, mustard greens, kale, etc. are used to make saag paneer.
Bonus
This recipe is:
- an easy take on the traditional recipe,
- hassle-free as we use frozen spinach,
- tried and tested to give you perfect taste and texture.
Recipe card
Palak Paneer in Instant Pot (using frozen spinach)
Ingredients
- 2 packets frozen spinach
- 2 cups paneer
- 3 tablespoon butter divided
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 inch ginger chopped
- 1-2 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 large tomatoes chopped
- 1-2 green chili or serrano pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili powder or cayenne
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- Salt to taste
- ½ lemon or lime
- 1½ cups water
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot in saute mode and add 2 tablespoons of butter.
- Once it melts, add onion, ginger, garlic, and green chili. Saute for 3-4 minutes, until the onions soften.
- Add tomatoes, turmeric powder, chili powder, and salt. Mix well and saute for 2 minutes.
- Add the frozen spinach and 1½ cups of water. Mix well and deglaze the pot.
- Cancel the saute mode. Secure the IP lid and set it to pressure cook mode for 5 minutes.
- Do a natural release of pressure for 5 minutes, then do a quick release.
- Open the IP lid and blend the spinach gravy using an immersion blender.
- Set the Instant Pot back to saute mode.
- Add the paneer cubes, garam masala, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Mix well and saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Turn off the Instant Pot and add lemon/lime juice.
- Serve hot with roti or jeera rice.
Rosanna says
This was delicious! I love paneer and always wonder what to make with it and using frozen spinach was so easy
Shelby says
Oh my gosh this is SO much easier than making an actual curry! I love that it's whipped up in 30 minutes for an easy vegetarian dinner!
Gen says
This is absolutely one of my favorite dishes and being able to make it with frozen spinach makes it so easy! Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
Donna says
The kids came back for seconds despite it being green, shows its a winner!
Sherrie says
This was a new dish for me and I am hooked! I love how fast it was to make and how flavorful it is, too!
Kris says
This was so easy and had the perfect balance of flavors. It was delicious served over basmati. Thank you for another winner! 🙂