Our Dhaba Style Palak Paneer (Indian Spinach & Paneer Curry) brings you the authentic taste of this dish like the road side Dhabas. Imagine vibrant green (sharing the secret for this) curry with soft melt-in-the-mouth paneer. Super easy to make on the stove top and packed with bold rustic flavors. Sharing the step by step recipe along with common mistakes to avoid and my son's favorite way to take it for his school lunch.
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Background : A Taste of Home
Growing up, dhaba visits were a thing on our road trips from Delhi to further up north. I always enjoyed the smoky flavors and the vibrant green color with a splash of cream and tadka. Every time I make Palak Paneer I go down the memory lane. My kiddo loves this version, often requests it for dinner. Read along to check out how he likes to take a variation of for his school lunch.
What is Dhaba Style Palak Paneer?
Dhaba Style Palak Paneer is a hearty North Indian dish featuring paneer (Indian cottage cheese) simmered in a spiced spinach gravy.
Unlike the smoother restaurant versions, this dhaba-style recipe boasts a rustic texture and bold flavors, making it a favorite among travelers and food enthusiasts alike. In this post, you'll learn how to recreate this authentic dish at home, capturing the essence of roadside eateries.
Ingredient Notes
- Paneer - Homemade or store bought, any Paneer is fine. You can either make your own paneer from scratch follow our Homemade Instant Pot Paneer recipe, I highly recommend it. Store bought paneer, is available in the frozen section of most Indian grocery stores. I prefer Homemade, simply because it's soft and not chewier than store bought. However if for some reason I need to use store bought paneer, I get frozen Malai Paneer (available in several brands), which usually softer and less chewier. Some brands already have it cubed for you, that is what I am using for this recipe.
- Spinach - For fresh flavors and the vibrant green color, I recommend using fresh Spinach instead of frozen. Also blanching it correctly is important so pay attention to the instructions while blanching.
- Flavor Essentials - Fresh ginger, garlic, cilantro and green chilies (adjust the heat to your preference). Keep aside some garlic for tempering.
- Oil , Butter & Cream - Cooking with butter is a hallmark of Dhaba Style food, that is meant to be homey, hearty and generous. You can skip it all together but it definitely enhances the flavors. We add the oil so the butter doesn't burn. and Cream for the garnish towards the end. To make this vegan, you can just cook in oil and use a plant based cream like cashew cream in the end.
- Spices - Nothing fancy the Indian essentials - turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, dry kasuri methi, dried whole red chillies.
- Onions and Tomatoes - for the gravy base. For that rustic texture chop them as finely as you can. Dhaba style gravies are not entirely smooth and silky, but they are rustic and creamy.
Instructions
- If using frozen paneer, thaw it and soak it in warm water for 10-15 mins. Throw away the water and keep cubes aside. skip this step if using fresh paneer.
- Meanwhile, blanch the spinach by bring a pot of water to boil and adding the spinach. Briefly blanch it for a couple minutes and immediately transfer it to a bowl with ice cold water. this will stop the spinach from further cooking and help retain the vibrant green color. Allow the spinach to cool.
- Next to a blender add the spinach, cilantro, green chillies, ginger and 3 garlic pods and a 2 tablespoon of water and blend until smooth. add more water if required, but gradually.
- In a wok or pan, add the oil followed by butter. Once melted add the cumin seeds and sliced garlic. Cook until aromatic and add turmeric, red chili powder and coriander powder, followed by dry crushed kasuri methi. Crush kasuri methi by rolling it between your palms. Cook the spices for 30 seconds.
- Then add chopped onions and saute untill golden brown. Next add chopped tomatoes and cook along with onions, until the oil starts to separate.
- Add the pureed spinach blend, followed by a cup of water and cook until the gravy starts bubbling.
- Next add the Paneer cubes and garam masala, and coat them with the gravy gently making sure the pieces don't crumble. Transfer in a serving bowl.
- Drizzle the cream on the paneer and prepare the tadka or tempering,
- In a sauce pan, heat some ghee, once hot add the asafoetida, cumin seeds, whole red chillies, sliced garlic and red chili powder. Cook for a minute and then drizzle it on the palak paneer.
- Enjoy it warm with naan or paratha.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
| Common Mistake | Result | Anvita's Expert Tip |
| Overcooking spinach | Bitter flavor and dull color | Blanch spinach briefly. Switch off the heat once you add spinach and cool immediately in ice water to retain color and reduce bitterness. |
| Vigorous stirring after adding Paneer | Paneer crumbles and disintegrates into smaller pieces | You can either lightly fry paneer cubes to enhance texture and flavor. However I like to avoid frying where I can and add Paneer in the end and gently stir to incorporate the Paneer in the gravy. |
| Skipping onion and tomato sautéing | Gravy will taste raw | Make sure to saute the onions until golden brown and the tomatoes until the oil separates |
| Adding cream early | Cream curdles | Always add cream towards the end of cooking and mix gently to prevent it from curdling. |
Serving Ideas and Pairing suggestions
- For authentic dhaba vibes, serve it with Naan or Paratha. Pair it along with lassi and some pickled onions.
- To keep things simple on a weeknight, I pair it with Roti, Dal Tadka, Jeera Rice, and Raita.
- To make a full meal if you are entertaining, you can pair it with Gobi Aloo, Dal Makhani, Raita, Kheer or Gulab Jamuns.
You can also check out the everyday Instant Pot version of this recipe on the blog!
Final Thoughts
This Dhaba Style Palak Paneer is a delicious way to make the most of fresh and tender spinach. I often make extra gravy and keep it side for my son to take it to school the next day. He likes pasta added to his gravy. Truth be told this Palak Paneer is perfect for two or even if you are making it for a special occasion. It’s always yum.
When you try this Dhaba Style Palak Paneer recipe, tell us about it in the comments below! And remember, if you like what you see, follow along for more.
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Palak Paneer:
Dhaba Style Palak Paneer (Indian Spinach & Paneer Curry)
Our Dhaba Style Palak Paneer (Indian Spinach & Paneer Curry) brings you the authentic taste of this dish like the road side Dhabas. Imagine vibrant green (sharing the secret for this) curry with soft melt-in-the-mouth paneer. Super easy to make on the stove top and packed with bold rustic flavors. Sharing the step by step recipe along with common mistakes to avoid and my son's favorite way to take it for his school lunch.
Ingredients
- 8 oz. paneer cubed
- 2 lbs spinach or 3 bundles
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 6 garlic pods (slice 3 of them)
- 1 inch ginger chopped
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 tablespoon crushed kasuri methi
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 5 to 6 green chillies
- 1 finely chopped big onion
- 2 finely chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon cream
For Tempering
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 2 dry whole red chillies
- ½ teaspoon asafoetida
- 3 garlic pods sliced
Instructions
- If using frozen paneer, thaw it and soak it in warm water for 10-15 mins. Throw away the water and keep cubes aside. skip this step if using fresh paneer.
- Meanwhile, blanch the spinach by bring a pot of water to boil and adding the spinach. Briefly blanch it for a couple minutes and immediately transfer it to a bowl with ice cold water. this will stop the spinach from further cooking and help retain the vibrant green color. Allow the spinach to cool.
- Next to a blender add the spinach, cilantro, green chillies, ginger and 3 garlic pods and a 2 tablespoon of water and blend until smooth. add more water if required, but gradually.
- In a wok or pan, add the oil followed by butter. Once melted add the cumin seeds and sliced garlic. Cook until aromatic and add turmeric, red chili powder and coriander powder, followed by dry crushed kasuri methi. Crush kasuri methi by rolling it between your palms. Cook the spices for 30 seconds.
- Then add chopped onions and saute untill golden brown. Next add chopped tomatoes and cook along with onions, until the oil starts to separate.
- Add the pureed spinach blend, followed by a cup of water and cook until the gravy starts bubbling.
- Next add the Paneer cubes and garam masala, and coat them with the gravy gently making sure the pieces don't crumble. Transfer in a serving bowl.
- Drizzle the cream on the paneer and prepare the tadka or tempering,
- In a sauce pan, heat some ghee, once hot add the asafoetida, cumin seeds, whole red chillies, sliced garlic and red chili powder. Cook for a minute and then drizzle it on the palak paneer.
- Enjoy it warm with naan or paratha.
Notes
Refer to the tabular colum of common mistakes to avoid, and my expert tips.
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