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This quick and easy Spinach & Potato (Aloo Palak) curry recipe is full of authentic Indian and Pakistani flavor. This fan-favorite recipe is tested to perfection and made with ingredients you already have! Naturally vegetarian (or vegan, if you omit the ghee)!
Spinach and Potato Curry – Aloo Palak
Aloo Palak, or Spinach and Potato Curry, is one of the most popular vegetarian Indian or Pakistani recipes. It’s typically dry, or stir-fried, so that there isn’t any ‘curry’, per se.
Aloo Palak is the perfect recipe for getting in a concentrated amount of spinach in the most delicious way. Plus, it’s an excellent way to use up wilting spinach.
I’ve tried cooking Aloo Palak in countless ways…With less onion, more onion, yes tomatoes, no tomatoes, tomato paste instead of tomatoes, butter at the end, without chopping the spinach (bad idea), adding potatoes before the spinach, less oil, more oil, covered, uncovered…andddd you’re asleep. 🙂
This method I’m sharing is the culmination of all my Aloo Palak experiments. It’s a tested, perfected, and loved recipe!
Ingredients for Aloo Palak – Spinach and Potato Curry
The best part about this recipe is there are no extra, unnecessary, or hard-to-find ingredients. You’ll need:
- Spinach – feel free to use fresh or frozen. You can also decrease the amount of spinach if you prefer it that way.
- Potatoes – two small russet potatoes would work as would 1 very large.
- Oil, onions, tomatoes, green chili peppers – essentials for almost all south Asian cooking
- Garlic & Ginger – I typically crush mine in a mortar or pestle or in a food processor. You can also use paste if that’s what you have.
- Spices! You’ll need cumin seeds along with spice powders such as coriander, cumin, red chili, and turmeric. Garam masala is optional.
How to make Aloo Palak
- Finely chop the spinach leaves using a food processor. I often use my food processor to chop the onion & tomato as well.
- Boil the potatoes with some salt. Alternately, you can leave the potatoes raw and cook them alongside the spinach.
- Sauté the onion, then add the garlic, ginger, and green chili pepper.
- Stir in the the tomatoes, spices, and salt and allow the potatoes to soften.
- Add the spinach and stir-fry to reduce down. If it’s taking its time, add a bit of water and cover to cook.
- Toss in the boiled potatoes and stir to coat. Sprinkle in a bit of lime or lemon and serve hot.
Tips for making this spinach and potato curry:
- Leaving the pan uncovered ensures that the spinach retains its vibrant green color, taste, and nutrients. If the spinach needs to cook further, lower the heat, add water, and cover to cook until it no longer has a raw taste.
- Different types of spinach will require different cook times. Baby spinach cooks faster while bunch spinach takes a bit more time.
- I like to boil the potatoes so I can start cooking the spinach alongside. If you want to skip boiling the potatoes, you can add them after cooking down the spinach. Add 1/4 cup water along with the potatoes, cover, and allow them to cook on low heat for 20-25 minutes, or until tender.
What to serve with Aloo Palak
Since Aloo Palak is a ‘dry’ curry, it’s typically eaten with roti, naan, or paratha. But it can also pair well with rice, a slice of bread, or just about anything you’d like.
More Tested & Perfected Vegetarian Curry Recipes:
Cauliflower & Potato Curry (Aloo Gobi) – with a secret ingredient
Smoked Eggplant Curry (Baingan Bharta)
Okra (Ladyfinger) Curry (Bhindi)
If you try this recipe, please let me know in the comments below! If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I love hearing from you!
Spinach and Potato Curry – Aloo Palak (Easy & Authentic)
Ingredients
- 1 pound (16-oz package) of prewashed organic baby spinach OR 2 small organic bunches of spinach (500 grams), washed, rinsed, and stems removed fresh or frozen
- 1 large (or 2 small) russet potatoes (300 grams) peeled and cubed
- 1/4 cup neutral oil such as grapeseed or avocado
- 1 tbsp ghee (or sub butter) optional
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1-2 green chili peppers slit in half
- 3-4 cloves garlic crushed
- 1/2 inch piece ginger crushed
- 1 medium to large tomato finely chopped (about 170 grams)
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/4-1/3 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp red chili powder
- ¾-1 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/4 tsp garam masala optional
- 1 tsp freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice
Instructions
- Finely chop the spinach leaves using the pulse function of a food processor*. You can do this in advance and store it, covered, in the refrigerator. Set aside.
- Boil** the cubed potato with 1 tsp salt until tender. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat oil and ghee in a large pan over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds. Give them a few seconds to sizzle. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until slightly golden, about 5-7 minutes. Add the slit green chili pepper, garlic, and ginger and cook until the raw smell disappears, about 20 seconds. Add the chopped tomato, spice powders (except garam masala), and salt. Cook until the tomato becomes soft and the oil starts to leave the sides, about 3 minutes.
- Raise the heat to high and add the spinach. Stir-fry it until it loses its moisture, about 10 minutes. Add water as needed to prevent the spinach from sticking to the bottom. If you feel that it still isn't cooked, add 1/4 cup of water, cover, and cook on low-medium heat for an additional 5 minutes. When the spinach is cooked, add the boiled potatoes and stir to coat the potatoes with the spinach. Add garam masala and more salt, if needed. Turn off the heat and sprinkle lime or lemon juice.
I tried this last nigh and it reminded me of my mom’s Aloo Palak! I used frozen spinach and then blended the cooked mixture in my blender with some water before adding the potatoes. It was creamy perfection! Thanks for sharing!
What an excellent tip! Very happy you liked it. Thank you so much, Aisha!!
This dish turned out absolutely delicious! I used frozen spinach and it cooked perfectly. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Fatema! Thank you for trying it and for taking the time to review!
This looks amazing, Izzah!!
Thank you, Ali! Hope you’re doing wonderful!
I’ve made most of the dishes on your 10 easy vegetarian list and this might be my favorite. The second time I made this I doubled the potatoes to make it more hearty. I also don’t know how to crush ginger so I just minced it, same with the garlic, I notice you always say crushed but I just mince it. This is really good.
Hi, Rick! I’m so, so glad to hear that. Thanks for your nice reviews and I’m very happy you enjoyed them enough to go through the list. About the ginger – I use a mortar and pestle or food processor to crush but minced is also fine if you don’t mind any small bits!
Made it and loved it..
My husband is a meat lover but recently he had a change of heart and wants more vegetarian food..my sister Shared a link of yours when I was looking for aloo anday recipe.since then I am hooked on to your recipes. You are now my go to recipe site. The other day I tried your mash daal,first time in my life and it was a success my husband was very happy with it.he is very difficult to please but your recipes are helping me win his heart over. Your recipes are Really delicious. Thank you for sharing them with us. Bless you for making our lives easy ❤️
Thank you so much, Komal! So nice of you to say that. Thanks to your sister for sharing. I hope you come back and try more! 🙂
Fantastic recipe. The spicing is just perfect. I used frozen thawed spinach and it turned out very well. I make this regularly now with a dhal and rice and am experimenting making homemade roti. What a treat! Thanks so much. I look forward to trying more of your recipes. <3
So wonderful to hear that, Leslie! Thanks for your review and for sharing the tip for using frozen thawed spinach.
This is a restaurant-quality meal! So savory and complex – thank you so much for sharing this recipe! It is absolutely delicious.
Delighted to hear that! Thanks, Kaia!!
I made this today and it was absolutely lovely, I have saved this recipe and will certainly be making this again, so easy to make and followed the recipe to the letter, very impressed.
So glad to hear that, Keith! Thanks so much for the review!
I want to make for 100 do you know roughly how much I will need pls? Doesn’t say how many this dish is for?
Rach, the recipe serves 3-4. For such a large quantity, I’d recommend using frozen spinach and cooking it down well.
Hi there I am excited to try this for dinner tomorrow night and am preparing today. I wondered how many people this recipe served ??? I am doing a dinner party so might need to increase !
Hi Monica, it serves 3-4 people. If you are serving it as a side amongst more dishes, it can probably stretch to 5. Best of luck!
This recipe deserves 10 stars : )
The spices so ridiculously delicious and rich in taste.
Thank you
Thanks so much, Riyadh!! So happy to hear that!!
Hi
i cooked this yesterday and WOW!!! it came out devine! Even my Mother in law who’s a fussy vegetarian eater and since i’m not good with Indian foods gave me a huge compliment 🙂 Thank u for sharing this recipie, i loved it!
Chani D
I”m so glad to hear that!! 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing and for the review!
Great recipe! I enjoy how nice Pakistani food I can make thanks to your recipes. ???? thank you
I’m so glad to hear that, Aisha. Thank you for your review!
This recipe is so easy to make and is DELICIOUS (and this is coming from an avid meat eater). Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
Yayy! Very happy to hear that! Thanks for sharing your review!
I loved your spinach-aloo recipe, so does my hubby. Today I will make the same recipe once again. 🙂
Thank you,
M
Thanks so much, Emm! I’m so glad to hear that!! Thank you for sharing!
When I was making it, the second the green chilli hit the oil, I was already in love with it. The aroma alone was SO satisfying. Your recipes are ones my WHOLE FAMILY loves, even my picky eater kids.
I’d be jealous if I wasn’t so grateful that you’re getting my kids to eat their vegetables!
Jazakallahukhairan, and God Bless my dear!
Your comments warm my heart. I’m very glad you all liked it. Thank you so much, Becky!
for your thorough testing of this one alone I am trying it pronto! looks so yummy!
Thank you! Please let me know how you like it!