Palak Paneer Bhurji
on Oct 08, 2021, Updated Nov 17, 2023
Palak Paneer Bhurji is a nutritious twist to your regular paneer bhurji (scrambled Indian cottage cheese) with spinach added to it. This dish is perfect to serve for your everyday meals or to pack in lunch boxes (vegetarian).
Table of Contents
About Palak Paner Bhurji
Rich in iron and protein, Palak Paneer Bhurji is nothing but your classic North Indian Paneer Bhurji (spicy Indian cottage cheese scramble) with the addition of palak (spinach).
This side dish is easy to make, healthy, and comes together in 15 minutes.
My version of this bhurji is flavored with pav bhaji masala, my secret ingredient, to elevate its taste to the next level. If you have tried my Egg Bhurji recipe, you will love this vegetarian version, too.
Serve it for breakfast with a toasted pav, as a side dish with your everyday meals, or pack in a lunch box with hot and flaky tawa parathas.
This palak paneer bhurji recipe is vegetarian and can be easily made gluten-free.
You can also scale it up if you are making it for a crowd.
Here are some more paneer recipes that you might like
- Paneer Butter Masala
- Paneer Ghee Roast
- Matar Paneer
- Paneer Tikka Masala
- Paneer Korma
- Methi Malai Paneer
- Kadai Paneer
- Paneer Kathi Roll
Ingredients
Paneer – Homemade paneer works best for this recipe as it can easily crumble.
If you want to use store-bought paneer, keep it in a bowl of warm water for 5 to 10 minutes so that it becomes soft and crumbles easily.
Spinach (Palak) – This recipe calls for chopped spinach leaves; do not puree it.
Use fresh and green spinach, not the wilted ones, for the best taste.
You can also use frozen spinach to make this dish. Thaw it and squeeze to remove any extra water. Then chop and add to the dish.
Replace the spinach with fenugreek leaves (methi) for a taste change.
Pav Bhaji Masala – This is my secret ingredient! You can use any store-bought pav bhaji masala or make your own at home. It instantly enhances the flavor of this simple bhurji.
Spice Powders – You will need a few everyday spice powders like coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, salt, roasted cumin powder, and garam masala powder.
Oil – I like to mix oil and ghee to make this sabji. You can use butter for a richer taste.
Others – You will also need cumin seeds, asafetida (hing), onions, fresh ginger, garlic, tomatoes, green chilies, freshly squeezed lime juice, and cilantro (fresh coriander leaves).
You can also add some Kasuri methi and chaat masala to this recipe.
How To Make Palak Paneer Bhurji
Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 2 tablespoon ghee in a pan over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and ¼ teaspoon asafetida and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
Add
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
and fry until onions are slightly browned (4-5 minutes). Stir frequently.
Now, add ½ cup of finely chopped tomatoes and 2 teaspoon finely chopped green chilies and cook for another minute. Mash the tomatoes with the back of the ladle while cooking.
Add
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon pav bhaji masala
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Crumble 7 oz (200 g) of paneer and add the crumbled paneer to the pan along with
- 1 cup finely chopped spinach
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Check for salt and add more if required.
Garnish with 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro and serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make paneer for this recipe, add 1 liter of whole (full-fat) milk to a heavy-bottomed pan and bring it to a gentle boil on medium heat. Once it comes to a boil, switch off the heat, add 2 tablespoon lime juice or vinegar, and give it a nice stir.
You will see that the milk begins to curdle immediately, and the solids separate from the whey. If this doesn’t happen, add some more lime juice or vinegar.
After this process, the whey will be clear and not milky. It will turn yellow or greenish.
Next, place a colander over a large bowl and layer it with a clean cheese or muslin cloth. Add the curdled milk into the colander and let the whey drain. Rinse the leftover paneer with cold water so that the smell of lime juice or vinegar disappears.
Once done, squeeze off the excess water and hang the cloth for 15 minutes to remove moisture in the solids. Crumble the paneer and use it in the recipe.
Homemade paneer is super soft and can be easily crumbled. It adds a melt-in-your-mouth texture to your bhurji. Store-bought paneer sometimes becomes liquidy or chewy.
Serving Suggestions
This dish is popularly enjoyed for breakfast with hot and flaky Plain Tawa Paratha or Lachha Paratha or served as a side dish with an everyday meal of dal and Roti.
It can also be packed in an office or school lunch box with parathas and a side of raita on the side.
I like to serve it with some toasted pav or bread for breakfast or as an evening snack with a hot cup of Masala Chai.
You can use leftovers to make kathi rolls, wraps, sandwiches, or stuffed parathas if you have leftovers.
If you use it to make a roll or sandwich, smear on some green chutney and add a few sliced raw onions.
Storage Suggestions
Paneer Bhurji will last in the refrigerator for 2-3 days in a clean, dry, air-tight container.
Reheat it in a pan or microwave until it is nice and warm to serve again.
It is not freezer-friendly!
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Palak Paneer Bhurji Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing)
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
- ½ cup finely chopped tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped green chilies
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons pav bhaji masala
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 7 ounces paneer (200 g)
- 1 cup finely chopped spinach (fresh or frozen)
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
Instructions
- Heat oil and ghee in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds and asafetida and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- Add onions, ginger, and garlic and fry until onions are slightly browned (4-5 minutes). Stir frequently.
- Now, add tomatoes and green chilies and cook for another minute. Mash the tomatoes with the back of the ladle while cooking.
- Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, pav bhaji masala and Kashmiri red chilli powder and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Crumble the paneer and add it to the pan along with spinach, salt, cumin powder, garam masala powder, and lime juice and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Check for salt and add more if required.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.
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