How to Make Vegan Palak Paneer
Six months after finishing my military service, I landed in Mumbai and walked straight into culture shock.
Nothing had prepared me for the noise, the crowds, the colors, and the smells of this enormous city.
I remember the rickshaw I took from the airport dropping me at Mumbai's massive central train station. Countless children in dirty clothes reached their hands out to me, asking, "Mister, rupee."
I hurried onto the first train out of there. A few hours later, I found myself in a tiny, quiet restaurant beside a sprawling rice field, soaking up the heavy heat and the peace and quiet—and taking forever to decide what to eat.
I didn't recognize a thing on the menu. I had no idea what Indian food even was.
At that point, my entire culinary world consisted of my mom's cooking and army food, which mostly meant ptitim (Israeli toasted pasta) or pizza.
I pointed randomly at the first line on the menu and told the waiter, "I'll have this, please."
I had no idea what was coming.
After a very, very long wait, the waiter set 2 little bowls in front of me: one filled with white rice, the other with a bright green stew dotted with white cubes.
The cubes were paneer cheese, and the brilliant green came from spinach. The dish was called palak paneer: spinach cooked with paneer.
It was my first taste of Indian food. And it was love at first bite.
This recipe is vegan, so I'm swapping the traditional paneer for cubes of seared tofu. They fit right in with that beautifully spiced spinach sauce.
I highly recommend serving it with plain white or brown rice. Let the sauce handle the seasoning.
A Few Tips for Vegan Palak Paneer
Fresh spinach is the base of this sauce.
I use mature spinach here, not baby spinach, which I usually save for salads. If you can't find fresh spinach, frozen spinach portions work, too.
The traditional spices give this dish its unmistakably Indian flavor.
I've kept the spice list as short as I can. But if you want that authentic taste of India, you'll have to roll up your sleeves, head to the market, and pick them up.
To give the sauce a little body, I finish it with a small amount of reduced-fat coconut cream (6–7% fat). Don't skip it. It adds wonderful flavor and aroma.
Want to swap out the spinach or leave out the spices? Go for it.
Just don't message me afterward saying, "What is this? It doesn't taste like palak paneer!"
Palak Paneer Nutrition
One 300 g (10.6 oz) serving of vegan palak paneer contains:
- 380 calories
- 27 g protein
- 14 g carbohydrates
- 26 g fat
An additional serving of rice (1/2 cup), weighing 120 g (4.2 oz) before cooking, contains:
- 144 calories
- 3 g protein
- 32 g carbohydrates
- 0 g fat
Still have a mountain of spinach left? How about making some tofu patties in green sauce?
Vegan Palak Paneer
A delicious vegan version of my favorite dish from India.
Ingredients
- 300 g (10.6 oz) tofu cut into small cubes
- 2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 pinch whole black peppercorns
- 250 g (8.8 oz) spinach leaves, washed stems removed
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 1 level tablespoon garam masala
- 1 level tablespoon ground turmeric
- 3–4 slices fresh hot pepper
- 3 tablespoons reduced-fat coconut cream
Instructions
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Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a skillet. Add the tofu cubes and a little salt, and pan-fry for about 6–7 minutes.
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Remove the tofu from the skillet and set aside.
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Add the spinach to the skillet and cook until wilted.
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Transfer the spinach to a blender and blend into a bright green puree.
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Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the coriander seeds and black peppercorns and fry for about 1–2 minutes.
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Add the garam masala and turmeric and fry for about 1–2 minutes.
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Add the onion and cook until translucent.
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Add the hot pepper slices.
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Add the spinach puree and stir.
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Add the tofu cubes and stir to coat in the sauce.
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Pour in the coconut cream, stir, and serve.
Recipe Video
