Indian Creamed Spinach
This Indian Creamed Spinach is reminiscent of the popular spinach dish (Saag/Palak) served at Indian restaurants. This version is incredibly fresh, easy, and scrumptious!
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup half & half cream
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- ½ onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- teaspoon chili powder, more or less, depending on desired level of heat
- 16 oz fresh baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
- kosher salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 tomato, medium, seeded and diced
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the half & half cream with flour until well combined; set aside.
- In a heavy, deep saucepan, melt butter over medium low heat. Add the onion and cook 2-3 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and ginger and cook until softened, stirring frequently, 3-5 minutes.
- Add the cumin, coriander, and chili powder and cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds. Add the spinach and cook over medium-low heat until soft and most of the excess liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally, 3-5 minutes. If the spinach starts to get dry, add a little bit of water.
- Add back the cream/flour mixture and fold in with spinach until well combined and thickened to desired consistency (it will continue to thicken as it cools.)
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently fold in diced tomatoes. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use fresh baby spinach for the best flavor and texture. If using mature spinach, remove the stems and chop it finely so it cooks evenly.
- Whisk the flour and half & half until completely smooth before adding it to the pan. This prevents lumps and gives the sauce a silky finish.
- Cook the spices briefly before adding the spinach. This step helps release their aroma and deepens the flavor.
- Don’t overcook the spinach. Once it’s wilted and most of the liquid has evaporated, it’s ready for the cream mixture.
- If the sauce thickens too much as it cools, stir in a splash of milk or broth to loosen it up.
- Add the diced tomatoes at the end to keep their color and freshness.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving. A pinch of salt or squeeze of lemon can brighten the flavors.
- For a lighter version, swap half & half with whole milk or coconut milk.
- Make it ahead and reheat gently over low heat, stirring often to keep the sauce smooth.
- This recipe is part of our Indian Recipes Collection.
- Serve it warm with Garlic Naan or Instant Pot Jasmine Rice so the creamy sauce can soak in perfectly.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 189mg | Potassium: 567mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 7631IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 143mg | Iron: 3mg