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Sarson Ka Saag with a dollop of butter on a plate with spoons and makai ki roti on the side

Easy Sarson Ka Saag (Stovetop & Instant Pot)

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This post will teach you how to make authentic Punjabi-style Sarson Ka Saag (Mustard Greens & Spinach Curry) at home. This recipe includes stovetop and Instant Pot cooking instructions, plus substitutions if you can’t find mustard greens. Ready in under 1-hour, this recipe is the easiest path to a nostalgic vegetarian curry. Tested to perfection!
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Indian, Pakistani, Punjabi
Diet Gluten Free, Halal, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword Easy Sarson Ka Saag, Instant Pot Saag, Instant Pot Sarson Ka Saag, Sarson Ka Saag
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 237
Author Izzah Cheema

Ingredients

Saag

  • 2 cups water for Stovetop
  • 2 bunches mustard greens* washed, hard stems removed, and roughly chopped
  • 1 bunch spinach washed, hard stems removed, and roughly chopped - sub baby spinach or 5-6 oz frozen spinach
  • 3-4 small Thai/bird's eye green chili peppers stemmed and roughly chopped
  • 4-5 garlic cloves leave whole - will be crushed later
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup yellow corn flour or fine ground cornmeal or sub chickpea flour (besan) or masa harina
  • 1 1/2 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (methi)

Tadka (Tempering)

  • 1/4 cup neutral oil
  • 3 tbsp ghee or butter or sub more oil
  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp minced ginger
  • 2-3 tbsp cilantro leaves chopped
  • pat of butter for serving
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Stovetop

  • Heat a (preferably nonstick) 5 qt Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the mustard greens, spinach, green chili peppers, garlic, turmeric, and salt along with 2 cups of water. No need to mix. Cover and allow to simmer for 1 hour.
  • Turn off the heat. Uncover and stir the saag, crushing garlic cloves as you mix. Use an immersion blender or transfer to a food processor to blend into a rough purée. If you see any tough stems, remove them.
  • Turn the heat back on to medium-high. Add corn flour and cook for 3-5 minutes to remove the floury taste. Add the dried fenugreek leaves (methi) and stir to mix. Taste and add salt, if needed.
  • Reduce the heat to low-medium, add 1 cup (preferably boiling) water, and allow to simmer while you proceed to the tarka. Stir occasionally. If needed, add another 1/2 cup of water to thin it out.
  • Tarka: Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, ghee, and onion. Sauté until the onions are deep golden (~6-8 min). Add ginger and sauté for another minute. Stir this tadka into the saag and mix to combine. Garnish with cilantro and give it a stir. Top with a pat of butter. Serve with makai (corn) or regular roti, corn tortilla, naan, or other bread.

Instant Pot

  • Add water to Instant Pot, followed by the mustard greens, spinach, green chili peppers, garlic, turmeric, and salt. No need to mix. Secure the lid, seal the vent, and pressure-cook on High Pressure for 20 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release for at least 5 minutes, and then manually release remaining pressure. Press Cancel to turn off the Instant Pot.
    Instant Pot filled with mustard greens and spinach, garlic, green chili pepper and turmeric ready to be cooked to make Sarson Ka Saag and cooked Sarson Ka Saag in an Instant Pot
  • Open the lid and stir the saag, crushing garlic cloves as you mix. Use an immersion blender or transfer to a food processor to blend into a rough purée. If you see any tough stems, remove them.
    Blending Sarson Ka Saag
  • Select Sauté and set the temperature to High. Add corn flour and cook for 3-5 minutes to remove the floury taste. Add the dried fenugreek leaves (methi) and stir to mix.
    Sauteing corn flour to make Instant Pot Sarson Ka Saag and adding dried fenugreek leaves (methi) to the Instant Pot for Sarson Ka Saag
  • Add 1 cup (preferably boiling) water and stir until the water absorbs in the Saag. Taste and add salt, if needed. If it thickens too much, add another 1/2 cup of water to thin it out. Select Cancel to turn off the Instant Pot.**
  • Tarka: Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, ghee, and onion. Sauté until the onions are deep golden (~6-8 min). Add ginger and sauté for another minute. Stir this tadka into the saag and mix to combine. Garnish with cilantro and give it a stir. Top with a pat of butter. Serve with makai (corn) or regular roti, corn tortilla, naan, or other bread.
    Tadka or browned onions and minced ginger in a medium skillet ready to be mixed in with Sarson Ka Saag and tadka added to instant pot Sarson Ka Saag along with chopped cilantro

Video

Notes

*See post for mustard greens substitutions.
**If you'd like, you can turn the Instant Pot on Saute - Less while the onions are browning so the saag stays hot. Any bits on the bottom of the Instant Pot will be deglazed when the tadka is added.

Nutrition

Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 876mg | Potassium: 119mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg