30-Minute Aloo Palak (Spinach and Potato Curry)

Close up of Aloo Palak in a skillet with a wooden spoon.

30-Minute Aloo Palak (Spinach and Potato Curry)

This quick and easy Spinach & Potato (Aloo Palak) curry recipe is healthy, full of authentic flavor, and naturally vegetarian (or vegan, if you omit the ghee). This curry is unique in that the potatoes boil on the side while you're preparing the curry, reducing any extra time to wait on the potatoes.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian, Pakistani

Diet Gluten Free, Halal, Hindu, Kosher, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword aloo palak, spinach and potato curry

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 330

Author Izzah Cheema

Ingredients

1 lb organic spinach - fresh or frozen (See Note 1) thoroughly washed and stems removed
1 large Russet potato 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 (such as Serrano or Thai) slit in half
3-4 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 inch piece ginger crushed
1 medium to large tomato finely chopped
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

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Finely chop the spinach leaves using the pulse function of a food processor (See Note 2). You can do this in advance and store it, covered, in the refrigerator. Set aside.
Boil (See Note 3) 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. It should no longer have any raw taste.
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.
Serve hot with roti, naan, rice, or bread. You can also serve yogurt and chopped red onions on the side, if desired.

Video

Notes

Note 1: Spinach:

This is 2 bunches weighing around 500g in total before removing the stems.
You can also use a 16-oz package of pre-washed organic baby spinach.
Frozen spinach: Use a 10 to 16 oz packet of chopped, frozen spinach. No need to thaw, but you'll need increase sauté time to account for the extra water.

Note 2: I use the food processor to chop the onion, tomato, garlic, and ginger. Use the pulse setting to finely chop the onions so they don't release water.

Note 3:

To boil the potatoes: Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with a couple inches of water. Stir in salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Check the potatoes for doneness in about 10 minutes. When they are tender enough so that a fork can slide easily through the center, they're done. Drain and set aside.
Alternatively: You can also add raw cubed potatoes after cooking down the spinach (Step 5). 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.

Final Note: 30-Minute time does not include ingredient prep time (i.e. chopping spinach). If you cover & cook the spinach toward the end, it may add an extra 5 minutes.

Nutrition