Aloo Palak is a wholesome and nutrient-rich Indian side dish that pairs beautifully with a variety of flatbreads like roti, paratha, or naan. This hearty preparation brings together the goodness of fresh spinach (palak) and tender potatoes (aloo), creating a dish that is both comforting and nourishing.
In this particular version, the potatoes are first pressure-cooked (I used an Instant Pot for convenience) until just soft, then lightly pan-fried in minimal oil to create a golden, crispy outer layer. This not only enhances the texture but also keeps the calorie count in check—offering a healthier alternative to the deep-fried version often found in traditional Dhaba-style dishes.
The highlight of this North Indian-style Aloo Palak lies in its vibrant green spinach gravy. Unlike many other recipes online that may skip steps or overcook the spinach—resulting in dull color or loss of nutrients—this method carefully blanches and blends the spinach, preserving its vivid color and natural flavor. The mellow, earthy tones of the spinach sauce are lifted by the gentle use of aromatic spices like cumin, garlic, ginger, and green chili, which infuse the gravy with warmth without overpowering it.
What sets this Aloo Palak apart is the balance between flavor, texture, and health. While Dhaba-style versions tend to be richer and heavier, this home-style recipe retains all the boldness in taste while being much lighter and suitable for everyday meals. Each bite offers the creaminess of spinach and the soft-crispy bite of pan-fried potatoes—a delightful combination that can elevate even a simple meal.
Serve it hot with a drizzle of ghee or lemon juice, and enjoy it alongside your favorite Indian breads. It’s a perfect way to sneak greens into your diet without compromising on taste!
❤️ You’ll Love This Aloo Palak Recipe
- This dish is wonderfully warm and comforting, making it a perfect choice for cozy weeknight dinners or wholesome lunches. Every bite brings a sense of homely satisfaction, especially when paired with roti, paratha, or steamed rice.
- It’s incredibly nutritious yet packed with flavor. With fresh spinach and potatoes as the main ingredients, you’re getting a generous dose of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber without compromising on taste.
- It gets prepared in beneath 45 minutes.
- This curry is on the lighter side — unlike richer dishes such as palak paneer or chana palak, it doesn’t include heavy cream, cashew paste, or butter. That makes it a light, everyday-friendly recipe that’s easy on the stomach and suitable for those following a low-fat or plant-based diet. Perfect for incorporating into your regular meal rotation without feeling too heavy afterward.
- Prepare in Bulk and Store for Later Use: One of the best time-saving strategies I follow is to prepare a large batch of the vibrant spinach gravy used in this aloo palak recipe. I cook the spinach sauce in advance, let it cool completely, and then pour it into silicone molds or ice cube trays for easy portioning. Once frozen solid, I transfer them into airtight freezer-safe containers or ziplock bags and store them in the freezer. This makes weeknight cooking a breeze.
- Easy Weeknight Meal Prep: When life gets busy and there’s no time for elaborate cooking, I simply defrost a portion of the pre-made spinach sauce and cook some potatoes. Within minutes, a wholesome, comforting bowl of aloo palak is ready to serve. It’s ideal for quick dinners without compromising on taste or nutrition.
- Alternately, you can utilize cooked chickpeas, tofu, cooked mushroom, or cooked blended veggies.
- This curry is actually veggie lover and gluten-free.
🧾 Ingredient Notes
- Potatoes: I incline toward to utilize Yukon gold or red skin potatoes.
- Spinach: If utilizing customary spinach (desi palak) at that point dispose of the stems. Something else, sauce will ended up sharp and metallic tasting. If utilizing infant spinach at that point no require to stress around expelling stems.
- Green chilies: This is the as it were fixing that gives the hot taste and warm to the dish. So utilize in like manner. if you like zesty include more. If you need a gentle dish at that point utilize less chilies.
- Garam masala: I have utilized my hand crafted garam masala here.
- Kasoori methi: Continuously smash the kasoori methi between your palm some time recently including to discharge its flavor and aroma.
👩🍳 How To Make Aloo Palak Gravy? (Pics)
Prep:
- Boil the potato in moment pot or pressure cooker. Do not overboil the potato something else it comes super delicate and soft. Bubble the potato until fair delicate however hold the shape.
- Let the potato cool to touch at that point peel and dispose of the skin.
- While potatoes are cooling, chop onion, ginger, garlic and tomato. Prep the rest of the ingredients.
- Cut the potato into 3d shapes once it’s cooled down totally. If you cut the warm or hot bubbled potato at that point it can break or squash effectively and you don’t get clean 3d shapes of potato.
Pan-Frying Potatoes (Optional):
1) Heat 2-3 teaspoons of oil in a non-stick pan on medium warm. Once hot include cubed potatoes and sprinkle a small salt.
2) Fry until they are delicately brilliant around the edges. Hurl them around after a few time so they get indeed browning from all the sides. Once done expel it to a plate and keep it aside.
Making Spinach Paste:
1) In the same dish, warm 1 tablespoon of oil on medium warm. Once hot include ginger, garlic and green chili. Saute for a miniature or until the crude scent of ginger garlic goes away.
2) Include chopped onion and sprinkle a small salt to speed up the cooking process.
3) Cook until the onion begins to mollify and gets to be light pink in color.
4) Include chopped spinach leaves.
5) Blend and cook for 1-2 minutes or until shriveled. Do not overcook something else spinach loses its green color.
6) Let the blend cool down somewhat and at that point crush into a smooth paste.
Making Aloo Palak:
1) Wipe down the skillet utilizing a paper towel and warm the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil in it on medium warm. Once hot include chopped tomatoes.
2) Cook until tomatoes are delicate and soft. Squash them with the back of the spatula.
3) Include cumin powder, coriander powder and remaining salt. Blend and cook for a minute.
4) Include arranged spinach puree and mix well.
5) Include around ½ cup of water to the blender jolt, whirl it around to clean up the abundance sauce and include that water to the pan, blend. Let it come to a boil.
6) As before long as it begins bubbling, include pan-fried potatoes and stir.
7) Include smashed kasoori methi and garam masala.
8) Blend well and stew for 2 minutes. Alter the sauce consistency by including water or by stewing it for a few more minutes. Aloo palak is prepared to serve.
💭 Expert Tips For Aloo Palak Recipe
- To preserve that bright and lively green hue, only cook the spinach leaves until they wilt. As soon as they collapse, remove them from heat—overcooking at this stage can dull their color.
- When incorporating the spinach puree into the dish, avoid prolonged simmering. Just bring the mixture to a quick boil and turn off the heat. This helps retain the fresh, rich green color of the gravy.
- Remember, the longer the spinach cooks after blending, the more it tends to lose its natural green vibrancy. Keep the cooking time minimal post-pureeing.
- Pan-frying the boiled potato cubes adds extra flavor and texture, but it’s entirely optional. If you’re short on time or prefer a lighter version, simply add the boiled potatoes directly to the curry.
- For a richer, restaurant-style taste, you can deep-fry the potato pieces instead—this method is often used in dhaba-style aloo palak preparations for added crispiness and indulgence.
- Adjust the quantity of green chilies to match your spice tolerance. The recommended amount delivers a medium heat level, but you can easily increase or decrease it based on your preference.
🍽 Serving Ideas
- Aloo Palak pairs beautifully with a wide variety of Indian breads and rice dishes, making it a versatile addition to any meal. You can enjoy it with traditional breads like plain roti, whole wheat phulkas, garlic naan, tandoori roti, or ajwain-flavored paratha for a fragrant twist. For a colorful and nutritious upgrade, try it with beetroot roti or methi thepla – these combinations not only enhance the visual appeal but also boost the overall health quotient of your meal.
- If you prefer rice, plain basmati rice is a classic and comforting choice. However, pairing aloo palak with jeera rice (cumin-flavored rice) adds a warm, aromatic dimension that complements the spinach and potato curry wonderfully.
- To elevate your dining experience into a well-rounded Indian thali-style meal, consider adding sides such as pyaaz lachha (Indian onion salad with lemon juice and a sprinkle of chaat masala), crispy roasted papad, and a dollop of spicy mango pickle. These condiments and accompaniments add crunch, tang, and an extra layer of flavor that beautifully balances the creamy and mildly spiced aloo palak curry
