Instant Pot Saag Paneer
This Saag Paneer recipe combines the goodness of spinach and deep flavors of Indian spices with bites of luscious paneer. Made only in one pot that is Instant Pot and in a fraction of time as compared to the traditional recipe.
Servings: 4
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
- 2 green cardamom
- 2 cloves
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 1 green chili optional
- 1 medium onion chopped about 1 cup
- 1.5 teaspoon ginger minced or grated
- 1 tomato finely chopped about ½ cup
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne powder
- 16 oz fresh spinach
- 14 oz paneer cubed about 2 cups see notes
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream optional
- ½ teaspoon garam masala see notes
- 1 tablespoon kasuri methi dried fenugreek leaves
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Set your instant pot to saute on medium hot. Once hot, add avocado oil, cardamom, cloves and cumin seeds.
- As the cumin seeds start to dance around, add garlic, green chili (if using) and chopped onions. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and mix. Adding salt pulls out the moisture from the onions and help them to cook faster.
- Sauté for about 2 minutes before adding ginger, coriander powder and cayenne pepper (if using). Cook for another minute or so and add the chopped tomatoes.
- Mix and cook until the tomatoes are cooked and oil separates from the masala. This will take around 2 minutes.
- Add the spinach and lock the lid into position until you hear the jingle..:P
- Turn the Instant Pot to “Pressure Cook” setting and set the timer to “0” minutes. Add about a cup of water and lock the lid in with the pressure valve set to “sealing” position.
- It will take around 7-8 minutes for the pressure to build and the pressure disc to rise up. At this point turn the instant pot off and manually release the pressure by moving the pressure valve to “venting” position. Be careful while doing this as the steam coming out is very hot.
- Open the lid and stir around the spinach and masala. Add salt and using a hand blender, blend it to a desired consistency. I like to keep my saag/spinach a little chunky so that some leafy texture remains, but if you like it more like a smooth paste, go for it. Be very CAUTIOUS while using the hand blender since the spinach is very hot (see notes).
- Turn the instant pot to Sauté on medium heat. Add paneer and cream (if using) mix and cook for a minute.
- Finish your Instant Pot Saag Paneer with garam masala and kasoori methi. Turn the instant pot to “Keep Warm” setting.
- Give it a taste check and adjust salt, if needed.
Notes
Find the recipe of fresh, homemade paneer here.
I use homemade garam masala. You can buy it at all Indian store as well as regular grocery stores like Target, Walmart, Dillons etc. If you are buying it a regular grocery store, I would recommend buyiong only the McCormick brand.
I cannot stress it enough that you have to be very careful while using the immersion blender to blend the spinach masala. If you are not cautious the hot bubbling spinach can hurt you. You can also wait for the spinach to cool down a bit and then blend it in a regular blender or with a hand blender. This would, of course, change the total time of the recipe.
I use homemade garam masala. You can buy it at all Indian store as well as regular grocery stores like Target, Walmart, Dillons etc. If you are buying it a regular grocery store, I would recommend buyiong only the McCormick brand.
I cannot stress it enough that you have to be very careful while using the immersion blender to blend the spinach masala. If you are not cautious the hot bubbling spinach can hurt you. You can also wait for the spinach to cool down a bit and then blend it in a regular blender or with a hand blender. This would, of course, change the total time of the recipe.