Indian Saag Paneer with Basmati Rice
Saag Paneer with Rice
Paneer cubes simmered in a creamy, warmly spiced spinach sauce and served with fragrant basmati rice for a satisfying vegetarian dinner.
Saag paneer is a comforting North Indian-style dish built around leafy greens, gentle heat, and fresh cheese that holds its shape in the sauce. This version uses spinach for a smooth, bright green base, then rounds it out with onion, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, garam masala, and a small amount of cream.
The paneer is browned before simmering so the cubes stay tender inside while picking up golden edges. Blending the spinach with the aromatics gives the sauce body without making it heavy, and a final spoonful of yogurt adds the mild tang that balances the richness.
Basmati rice keeps the meal complete and simple. Rinsing the grains until the water runs mostly clear helps them cook up separate and fragrant, which makes a clean contrast to the creamy saag.
Serve the dish hot, spooning the spinach sauce and paneer over the rice. It works as a vegetarian main course on its own, or alongside naan, cucumber salad, pickled onions, or a quick tomato kachumber.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Combine the rinsed basmati rice, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes.
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2
Turn off the heat and let the rice stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork just before serving.
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3
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch the spinach for 45 seconds, until wilted and vivid green. Transfer it to cold water, drain well, and squeeze out excess moisture.
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4
Blend the spinach with 1/4 cup water until mostly smooth, leaving a little texture if desired.
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5
Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the paneer cubes for 2 to 3 minutes per side, then transfer them to a plate.
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6
Add the remaining ghee to the skillet. Cook the onion with a pinch of salt for 6 to 8 minutes, until soft and lightly golden.
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7
Stir in the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, and cayenne. Cook for 1 minute, until the spices smell toasted.
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8
Pour in the spinach puree and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens slightly.
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9
Lower the heat and stir in the cream, yogurt, lemon juice, and remaining salt. Add the paneer and simmer gently for 4 to 5 minutes, until the cubes are hot and coated in sauce.
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10
Serve the saag paneer over the basmati rice, spooning extra spinach sauce around the paneer.
Ingredients
- Basmati rice, rinsed:1 1/2 cups
- Water:2 1/4 cups
- Paneer, cut into 1-inch cubes:14 oz
- Fresh spinach:12 oz
- Ghee or neutral oil:2 tbsp
- Yellow onion, finely chopped:1 medium
- Garlic cloves, minced:4
- Fresh ginger, grated:1 tbsp
- Ground cumin:1 tsp
- Ground coriander:1 tsp
- Garam masala:1 tsp
- Turmeric:1/2 tsp
- Cayenne pepper:1/4 tsp
- Heavy cream:1/3 cup
- Plain whole-milk yogurt:1/4 cup
- Fresh lemon juice:1 tbsp
- Kosher salt:1 1/4 tsp
Tips & Notes
- Do not boil the sauce hard after adding yogurt, or it can separate.
- For a silkier sauce, blend the spinach and onion-spice mixture together before returning it to the pan.
- If the paneer tastes very salty, reduce the added kosher salt and season at the end.
