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Instant Pot Saag Paneer
4.9 from 189 votes

Instant Pot Saag Paneer

Instant Pot Saag Paneer uses mustard greens and spinach cooked with cumin seeds, green chilies, ginger, garlic, and spices to create a smooth, richly spiced green vegetable base. Cornmeal thickens the dish, and cubed paneer is gently cooked within the pot, providing mild, creamy cheese contrast. This method offers a flavorful, creamy Indian-style saag dish with tender greens and soft paneer.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 319 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon ghee or oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds aka Jeera
  • 2 green chili pepper optional, adjust to taste*
  • 1" inch ginger chopped
  • 10 cloves garlic chopped
  • 2 onion medium sized. Cut into large pieces
  • 1 bunch mustard leaves chopped. About 8oz, aka Sarson
  • 1 bunch spinach chopped. About 8oz, aka Palak
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 10 ounces paneer cut into small pieces, or cottage cheese
  • 2 tablespoon cornmeal fine ground, aka Makai ka aata
Spices
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder ground, aka Haldi powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or red chili powder
  • 2 teaspoon coriander powder dhaniya powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat ghee in the instant pot in saute mode. Add jeera, green chili, ginger and garlic.
  2. Once the ginger and garlic turns golden brown, add the chopped onions. Saute for 3 minutes.
  3. Add the spices to the instant pot. Then add the mustard greens, spinach and water.
  4. Change the instant pot setting to manual or pressure cook mode for 4 minutes. When the instant pot beeps, do a 5 minute NPR, which means release the pressure manually after 5 mins. Turn off the instant pot.
  5. Add in the corn flour. Use an immersion blender to blend the saag to a smooth paste.
  6. Turn on the instant pot in saute mode. Add in the paneer and cook for about 3 minutes.
  7. Saag Paneer is ready to be served.

Notes

  • To make this vegan, replace paneer with tofu or omit it entirely.
  • Adjust green chili quantity according to your preferred spice level, using varieties like Thai, Birdeye, or Serrano.
  • Including vegetables like radishes, broccoli, or cauliflower can add body and thickness to the saag.
  • If mustard greens are unavailable, use twice the amount of spinach instead.
  • This recipe was developed for a 6-quart Instant Pot DUO60 model but can be adapted for similar pressure cookers.

Nutrition Information

Calories 319kcal (16%) Carbohydrates 18g (6%) Protein 14g (28%) Fat 22g (34%) Saturated Fat 13g (65%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 1g (5%) Cholesterol 56mg (19%) Sodium 750mg (31%) Potassium 625mg (13%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 8058IU (161%) Vitamin C 34mg (38%) Calcium 455mg (46%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 319

% Daily Value*

Calories 319kcal 16%
Carbohydrates 18g 6%
Protein 14g 28%
Fat 22g 34%
Saturated Fat 13g 65%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 56mg 19%
Sodium 750mg 31%
Potassium 625mg 13%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 8058IU 161%
Vitamin C 34mg 38%
Calcium 455mg 46%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.