Palak paneer
Palak paneer is a classic Indian main course featuring fresh baby spinach simmered with aromatic onion, ginger and garlic, served with homemade paneer cheese. The Thermomix makes the creamy green sauce effortlessly, controlling gentle heat so the spinach keeps its vibrant colour while the spices develop deep flavour.
About this recipe
Palak paneer Thermomix TM7 is the beloved Indian spinach curry made wonderfully simple in your all-in-one kitchen machine. This recipe goes one step further than most: you start by making the paneer yourself from full cream milk and vinegar, so the cheese is meltingly fresh before it meets the vibrant green sauce. Fresh baby spinach is blitzed into a silky purée, while onion, fresh ginger, garlic and chillies form an aromatic base that the TM7 simmers gently, coaxing out deep, layered flavour without any risk of scorching. It is an ideal quick weeknight dinner when you crave something warming and meat-free, yet impressive enough for an Indian feast with friends. Searches for palak paneer recipes Thermomix often mention the struggle of balancing spice and creaminess; here, precise heat control solves it, letting the butter enrich the sauce while the paneer cubes stay intact. Serve with naan or rice for a complete vegetarian main course.
Preparation tips
- Drain the homemade paneer well in a clean tea towel before pressing, and cut it into even cubes so every piece stays firm in the spinach sauce instead of crumbling.
- Wash the baby spinach thoroughly and pat it dry; excess water dilutes the palak sauce, and dry leaves give a more intense green colour and concentrated flavour.
- For a milder family version, remove the seeds from the fresh chillies or halve the amount, and serve with a spoonful of yoghurt to soften the warmth for children.
- Gently fry the paneer cubes in a little unsalted butter before adding them; this gives golden edges and a lovely contrast to the silky spinach sauce.
Recipe variations
- Make it vegan by replacing the homemade paneer with firm tofu cubes and swapping the butter for coconut oil; the spinach sauce with ginger and garlic stays just as aromatic and the dish remains gluten-free.
- For a festive variation, add roasted cashew nuts and a pinch of garam masala on top, or stir in a little cream for a richer palak suited to an Indian dinner party.
Thermomix TM7 Benefits
- Homemade cheese - The Thermomix heats full cream milk with vinegar evenly until it curdles into fresh paneer within minutes. [Heating]. [Time Savings]
- Aromatic base - With high-speed chopping, the TM7 minces onion, ginger and chillies finely without any tears. [Chopping]. [Multi-Function]
- Silky sauce - The Thermomix blends the baby spinach into a velvety green purée with uniform colour and texture. [Mixing]. [Multi-Function]
- Gentle simmering - Precise temperature control lets the TM7 simmer the spinach sauce slowly, developing deep flavour without burning. [Heating]. [Precision Control]
- Exact ratios - The built-in scale of the Thermomix weighs the spinach and butter to the gram directly in the bowl. [Weighing]. [Precision Control]
Ingredients
- unsalted butter
- full cream milk
- white vinegar
- fresh baby spinach leaves
- sea salt flakes
- water
- red onion
- piece fresh ginger
- garlic clove
- fresh green chillies