Dal Palak (Spinach Dal) is a very simple yet delicious Indian dal recipe made with yellow lentils and fresh spinach. This comforting dal palak curry is a quick and flavorsome recipe that the whole family will devour.

45 degree angle shot of dal palak served in a white serving pot - 1

If you are on the lookout for quick, easy, tasty, and light weekday meal recipes, then this dal palak recipe won’t disappoint.

Dal palak is one of the many variations of Indian dal recipes. It is the type of dish that keeps your tummy and soul satisfied.

The dal or lentil used here is toor dal also known as pigeon pea lentils and spinach is known as palak in Hindi. Hence it is also called spinach dal!

This spinach dal goes down well with toddlers too. I keep it minimally spiced as my kids often enjoy a bowl of rice and dal. It is one of their favorite meals.

Dal is so versatile! Either make it for an everyday meal, which in fact is so common in Indian households, or you can also make a party-worthy dal dish like lasooni dal tadka, dal makhani, dal maharani, dal fry, etc. to name a few.

Overhead shot of spinach dal served in a white serving pot placed over a rustic wooden tray - 2
  • Why you will love this recipe?
  • Ingredients needed for dal palak recipe
  • How to make dal palak – Step-by-step instructions
  • Serving suggestions
  • Storage instructions
  • Tips to make the best dal palak
  • Variations of this recipe
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
  • You may also enjoy these dal recipes
  • Dal Palak Recipe | Spinach Dal (Stovetop & Instant Pot)

Why you will love this recipe?

You will love this Punjabi palak dal tadka as it;

  • Is wholesome and delicious
  • Is one of the easiest ways to include greens in your diet
  • Makes for a pretty inexpensive meal
  • Is kid-friendly
  • Comes together quickly making it perfect for lunch on busy weekdays
  • Can also be enjoyed as a light soup for dinner
  • Can be adapted to make it vegan
  • Is nut-free and soy-free

Ingredients needed for dal palak recipe

For this dal and spinach curry, you will need;

  • Lentils: I’ve used toor dal also known as tuvar dal or arhar dal, a yellow lentil (pigeon pea lentil) but you can use any kind of lentil for this recipe.
  • Spinach/palak greens: I’ve used regular spinach in this recipe, but you could use baby spinach as well. Add them as such without chopping if you like to reduce some prep time.
  • Aromatics: Finely chopped onions, freshly minced ginger, and garlic. I highly recommend using fresh ginger and garlic here since this recipe is so minimally spiced and hence using fresh ingredients will make a remarkable difference.
  • Fresh tomatoes : I like to add tomatoes to this dal but feel free to skip it if you like.
  • Seasonings: I’ve seasoned this spinach dal with basic Indian spices like cumin seeds, hing, turmeric, red chili or cayenne pepper, fresh green chilies, and dried red chilies. This dal is light on the spices so as not to overpower the flavor of the lentils and the spinach.
  • Cooking fat: I’ve used a combination of oil and ghee to make this dal. But you can use just oil too. (Ghee is not pictured below).
  • Lemon juice: The acidity of the lemon juice adds a bright flavor to the dal.
Ingredients needed to make dal palak - 3

How to make dal palak – Step-by-step instructions

Stove top pressure cooker method

Step 1: Soak and pressure cook the dal

Rinse 1/2 cup of toor dal well under running water until the water runs clear, then soak it in sufficient water for about 20 to 30 minutes. ( Photos 1 to 4 )

Toor dal rinsed and soaked for 30 minutes - 4

How to cook toor dal? Transfer the drained dal to a pressure cooker. Add 1 & 1/2 cups of water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon oil, and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric. (Adding oil prevents frothing and spilling from the pressure cooker). Mix well. ( Photos 5 to 10 )

Water, salt, oil, and turmeric added to drained toor dal - 5

Pressure cook the dal for 3 whistles on high heat. Then lower the heat and simmer for another 5 minutes. Switch off the heat and set the cooker aside. ( Photos 11 and 12 )

Once the cooker depressurizes, open the lid and mash the dal with a wired whisk or spoon for a smooth consistency. You may leave it as it is if you prefer it that way. ( Photos 13 and 14 )

Pressure cooked toor dal - 6

Step 2: First tempering

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy-bottomed pot, and add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds. Once it crackles add a pinch of hing, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1/2 tablespoon minced ginger, 2 to 3 slit green chilies, and 1 to 2 dried red chilies. ( Photos 15 to 20 )

Stir-fry, until fragrant. ( Photo 21 )

Cumin seeds, hing, minced garlic, ginger, and chilies added to hot oil - 7

Add 1 cup finely chopped onions, and sauté until it turns a light golden brown. ( Photos 22 and 23)

Add 1/4 teaspoon turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper, and sauté for another 30 seconds. ( Photos 24 to 26 )

Next, add finely chopped tomatoes (about 1 medium tomato) along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and sauté until it turns mushy and you see oil oozing from the sides. ( Photos 27 to 30 )

Diced onion, turmeric, red chili powder, tomatoes, and salt added to tempering - 8

Add 3 cups of chopped spinach, and stir-fry until it wilts, about 1 to 2 minutes. ( Photos 31 and 32 )

Palak added to onion-tomato masala - 9

Step 3: Add the cooked dal

Now, add the cooked dal, and give everything a good mix. ( Photos 33 and 34 )

Add about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water (I rinsed the cooker with the water and added to the kadai) or as per your desired consistency, bring to a boil. Check for seasonings and adjust accordingly. Simmer for another 5 minutes. ( Photos 35 and 36 )

Cooked arhar dal added to the first tempering - 10

Drizzle some lemon juice and mix well. ( Photos 37 and 38 )

Dash of lemon juice added to dal palak and mixed well - 11

Prepare the second tempering by heating 1 tablespoon ghee in a small pan, add 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, and when it crackles, add 1 dried chili. ( Photos 39 to 41 )

Fry for a few seconds until the chili changes color. ( Photo 42 )

Switch off the heat, and add 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder. Mix well and pour it over the dal immediately. Mix it well with the dal, and serve hot with rice or any other flatbread. ( Photos 43 and 44 )

Preparation of second tempering - 12

Instant Pot Method

Follow the same process above for rinsing and soaking the yellow lentils. If you skip soaking, refer to the pressure cooking time mentioned below.

Step 1: Saute aromatics, spices, and tomatoes

Press the ‘SAUTE’ button, and set it to ‘NORMAL’. Once it displays, ‘HOT’, add 2 tablespoons of oil. Let the oil heat up a bit, then add cumin seeds, add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds. ( Photos 45 and 46 )

Once it crackles, add a pinch of hing, 1/2 tablespoon minced ginger, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 2 to 3 slit green chilies, and 1 to 2 dried red chilies. ( Photos 47 and 48 )

Cook, stirring, until fragrant. ( Photo 49 )

Cumin seeds, hing, minced garlic, ginger, and chilies added to hot oil into the steel insert of the IP - 13

Add 1 cup chopped onions, and saute until it turns a light golden brown. ( Photos 50 and 51 )

Add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon of red chili powder or cayenne pepper, and sauté for another 30 seconds. ( Photos 52 to 54 )

Diced onion, turmeric, red chili powder added to the tempering - 14

Add 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes and 1 teaspoon salt, and sauté until it turns mushy. ( Photos 55 to 57 )

Diced tomatoes and salt added to the onion mixture - 15

Step 2: Add dal, water, and pressure cook

Add the drained yellow lentils, and mix well with the onion-tomato masala. Add 1 & 1/2 cups of water and mix well. ( Photos 58 to 60 )

Press ‘CANCEL’ to switch off the “SAUTE’ mode. Close the lid of the Instant Pot. Set the valve to ‘SEALING’.

Pressure cook on ‘HIGH’ for 5 minutes. It will take some time for the pressure to build up (about 10 minutes), after which the timer will begin. ( Photo 61)

For unsoaked toor dal, pressure cook on ‘HIGH’ for 8 to 10 minutes.

Toor dal and water added to the steel insert of the IP and pressure cooked - 16

Step 3: Natural pressure release followed by adding the rest of the ingredients

Once the cooking cycle is complete, let the pot depressurize naturally. It took me about 14 minutes. You could let it depressurize for at least 10 minutes. ( Photo 62 )

Once the silver pin drops, turn the knob to ‘VENTING’ and open the lid away from you.

Whisk the dal using a wired whisk or a spatula until it is smooth. ( Photos 63 and 64 )

Turn on the ‘SAUTE’ mode, add about 1/2 cup of water or as per desired consistency, mix well and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. ( Photos 65 and 66 )

Natural pressure release and consistency of dal adjusted by adding more water - 17

Add 3 cups chopped spinach and cook until the leaves wilt. Check for seasonings and adjust accordingly. ( Photos 67 and 68 )

Switch off the IP. Add a dash of lemon juice and mix well. ( Photos 69 and 70 )

Chopped spinach added to the cooked toor dal, and cooked until it wilts - 18

Prepare the second tempering as shown above and pour it over the dal if desired.

Serving suggestions

This comforting and hearty spinach dal is best paired with plain steamed rice, brown rice, or jeera rice. It pairs well with quinoa too.

You can also serve it with a flatbread like roti, paratha, phulka, or chapati.

Serve it as a part of thali along with some sabzi like aloo methi , aloo bhindi, aloo gobhi, etc., rice, flatbread, yogurt or raita, pickle, and papad!

You may also enjoy it as a lentil soup or stew for a light meal.

Close-up shot of palak ki dal with tempering drizzled on top - 19

Storage instructions

  • Refrigerate: Store leftover spinach in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 to 3 days.
  • Freeze: You may also freeze spinach dal in freezer-safe bags or containers for up to 3 months.
  • Reheat: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and reheat in the microwave or over the stovetop. Add a splash of water since dal thickens considerably as it sits.

Tips to make the best dal palak

  • Lentils: Make sure your lentils are fresh. Older lentils take longer to cook. If they are not cooked within the time specified in the recipe, add some more water and pressure cook until cooked through.
  • Spinach: Avoid using the thick, fibrous, and stringy stems of spinach. They can be difficult to chew. Do trim them off before using them in the recipe.
  • Quantity of spinach: You do not need to stick to 125 grams of chopped spinach for this recipe. You can add as much as you want. Though, I find this ratio of dal to spinach works well.
  • Heat: This recipe is a bit spicy because of the use of spicy green chilies and red chili powder. Adjust the spice levels by using mild, light green chilies. You may also reduce or skip the red chili powder.
  • Additional spices: I don’t like to add a ton of spices to this dal because they can overpower the overall flavor. However, you can add some garam masala if you like. You may also add other spices like coriander powder, cumin powder, kasuri methi, etc.
  • Consistency: This dal is semi-thick, which thickens even more as it sits. You can always adjust the consistency to your liking.

Variations of this recipe

You can add interesting variations to this spinach dal recipe.

  • Dry version (sabzi): If you want to eat spinach dal as a sabzi (a semi-dry veggie preparation), then skip adding water. Add a little if needed to adjust the consistency. Drizzle lemon juice, mix, and serve it as is.
  • South Indian version: The dal is also known as Palakura pappu in Andhra Pradesh and paruppu keerai masiyal in Tamil Nadu. Dal is known as pappu and spinach is known as palakura in the Telugu language. You can follow the same recipe and add a tempering made of 1 tablespoon ghee, 1/2 teaspoon each of mustard seeds, urad dal, 1/8 teaspoon asafoetida, 3 to 4 sliced garlic cloves, 1-2 dry red chilies, and a sprig of curry leaves.
  • Prefer a garlicky dal? Add 2-3 thinly sliced garlic cloves in the second tempering.
  • Pumpkin: A cup or two of diced pumpkin cubes can be added to make pumpkin and spinach dhal. Cook the pumpkin along with the dal in the pressure cooker.
  • Palak chana dal: Chana dal needs to be soaked for 3 to 4 hours. Pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles on medium heat.
  • Other lentils: You can also use other lentils like split moong dal which are petite yellow lentils to make palak moong dal or red lentils (split masoor dal) to make palak masoor dal recipe, etc. They all work great. You can also mix and match a combination of lentils. There’s no hard and fast rule here.
  • Other greens: You can also swap out the spinach with other greens like fenugreek, kale, collard greens, moringa leaves, turnip greens, beetroot greens, etc.
Scooping some dal palak - 20

Can I make this dal without a pressure cooker?

If you do not have a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, cook the lentils in a regular pot with sufficient water, at least 2 inches above the lentils.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until the lentils are soft and mushy, stirring occasionally in between.

You may need to add more water if it gets too thick. This will take about 20 to 30 minutes.

I strongly suggest soaking the lentils if you plan on cooking them in a pot to cut back on the cooking time.

Is this palak ki dal gluten-free?

Since hing (asafoetida) is used here, it is not a gluten-free recipe. While in its pure form asafoetida is naturally gluten-free, but most commercially available form is compounded hing often mixed with flour or rice flour. Check the label of the container to make sure you are using pure, gluten-free asafoetida.

Can I make a vegan version?

Yes, of course, you can! This recipe can be easily adapted to suit a vegan diet. Simply swap the ghee with your preferred plant-based oil.

Can I cook the rice along with the dal in the Instant Pot using the Pot-in-pot (PIP) method?

Yes, you can! Since the dal and white rice have similar cooking times, you can use this time-saving method.

To do that, simply place a tall trivet over the dal. Add 1 cup rinsed rice, 1 cup water (1 & 1/4 cups for softer texture), a pinch of salt or to taste, and 1 teaspoon oil or ghee to a stainless steel container. Place the container over the trivet, no need to cover it. Follow the rest of the pressure cooking instructions as mentioned.

Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh?

Yes, you can! Defrost the spinach, squeeze out excess water, and then use it in the recipe.

You may also enjoy these dal recipes

Toor dal recipe (Stovetop + Instant Pot)

Instant pot brown lentil curry

Editor’s note: This recipe was first published on October 10, 2018. It has been updated and republished on July 29, 2022, with new images, detailed stepwise pictorials, video, and additional information. The recipe is the same as the one originally published, except for the use of ghee instead of oil in the second tempering.

Dal palak served drizzled with tempering, served in a white pot - 21

Dal Palak Recipe | Spinach Dal (Stovetop & Instant Pot)

Ingredients1x2x3x

  • 1/2 cup lentils of choice, I’ve used toor dal
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, divided
  • 2 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • Pinch of hing (asafoetida)
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 tablespoon minced ginger
  • 2 to 3 green chillies, slit lengthwise
  • 2 to 3 dried red chillies, broken into half
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 1 medium tomato, finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
  • 3 cups loosely packed chopped spinach, 125 grams
  • Dash of lemon juice

For the second tempering (optional)

  • 1 tablespoon oil/ghee
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 dried red chili
  • 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder

Instructions

Stove top pressure cooker method

  • Rinse toor dal well under running water until the water runs clear, then soak it in sufficient water for about 30 minutes.
  • Transfer the drained dal to a pressure cooker. Add 1 & 1/2 cups of water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon oil, and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric. (Adding oil prevents frothing and spilling from the pressure cooker). Mix well.
  • Pressure cook the dal for 3 whistles on high heat. Then lower the heat and simmer for another 5 minutes. Switch off the heat and set the cooker aside.
  • Once the cooker depressurizes, open the lid and mash the dal with a wired whisk or spoon for a smooth consistency. You may leave it as it is if you prefer it that way.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy-bottomed pot, add cumin seeds. Once it crackles, add a pinch of hing, minced garlic, minced ginger, slit green chillies, and dried red chillies.
  • Stir-fry, until fragrant.
  • Add finely chopped onions, sauté until it turns a light golden brown.
  • Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon turmeric and red chilli powder or cayenne pepper, sauté for another 30 seconds.
  • Next, add finely chopped tomatoes along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and sauté until it turns mushy and you see oil oozing from the sides.
  • Add chopped spinach, and stir-fry until it wilts, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Now, add the cooked dal, and give everything a good mix.
  • Add about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water or as per your desired consistency, bring to a boil. Check for seasonings and adjust accordingly. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
  • Drizzle some lemon juice and mix well.
  • Prepare the second tempering by heating ghee in a small pan, add cumin seeds, when it crackles, add 1 dred chili.
  • Fry for a few seconds until the chili changes color.
  • Switch off the heat, add Kashmiri chilli powder. Mix well and pour it over the dal immediately. Mix it well with the dal, and serve hot with rice or any other flatbread.

Instant Pot Method

  • Follow the same process above for rinsing and soaking the yellow lentils. If you skip soaking, refer to the pressure cooking time mentioned below.
  • Press the ‘SAUTE’ button, and set it to ‘NORMAL’. Once it displays, ‘HOT’, add oil. Let the oil heat up a bit, then add cumin seeds.
  • Once it crackles, add a pinch of hing, minced ginger, minced garlic, slit green chilies, and dried red chilies
  • Cook, stirring, until fragrant.
  • Add chopped onions, and saute until it turns a light golden brown.
  • Add 1/2 teaspoon each of turmeric and red chilli powder or cayenne pepper, sauté for another 30 seconds.
  • Add chopped tomatoes and 1 teaspoon salt, sauté until it turns mushy.
  • Add the drained yellow lentils, and mix well with the onion-tomato masala. Add 1 & 1/2 cups of water and mix well.
  • Press ‘CANCEL’ to switch off the “SAUTE’ mode. Close the lid of the Instant Pot. Set the valve to ‘SEALING’.
  • Pressure cook on ‘HIGH’ for 5 minutes. It will take some time for the pressure to build up (about 10 minutes), after which the timer will begin.
  • For unsoaked toor dal, pressure cook on ‘HIGH’ for 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Once the cooking cycle is complete, let the pot depressurize naturally. It took me about 14 minutes. You could let it depressurize for at least 10 minutes.
  • Once the silver pin drops, turn the knob to ‘VENTING’ and open the lid away from you.
  • Whisk the dal using a wired whisk or a spatula until it is smooth.
  • Turn on the ‘SAUTE’ mode, add about 1/2 cup of water or as per desired consistency, mix well and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add chopped spinach and cook until the leaves wilt. Check for seasonings and adjust accordingly.
  • Switch off the IP. Add a dash of lemon juice and mix well.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

Dal palak served drizzled with tempering, served in a white pot - 22

Dal Palak Recipe | Spinach Dal (Stovetop & Instant Pot)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup lentils of choice, I’ve used toor dal
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, divided
  • 2 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • Pinch of hing (asafoetida)
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 tablespoon minced ginger
  • 2 to 3 green chillies, slit lengthwise
  • 2 to 3 dried red chillies, broken into half
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 1 medium tomato, finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
  • 3 cups loosely packed chopped spinach, 125 grams
  • Dash of lemon juice

For the second tempering (optional)

  • 1 tablespoon oil/ghee
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 dried red chili
  • 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder

Instructions

Stove top pressure cooker method

  • Rinse toor dal well under running water until the water runs clear, then soak it in sufficient water for about 30 minutes.
  • Transfer the drained dal to a pressure cooker. Add 1 & 1/2 cups of water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon oil, and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric. (Adding oil prevents frothing and spilling from the pressure cooker). Mix well.
  • Pressure cook the dal for 3 whistles on high heat. Then lower the heat and simmer for another 5 minutes. Switch off the heat and set the cooker aside.
  • Once the cooker depressurizes, open the lid and mash the dal with a wired whisk or spoon for a smooth consistency. You may leave it as it is if you prefer it that way.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy-bottomed pot, add cumin seeds. Once it crackles, add a pinch of hing, minced garlic, minced ginger, slit green chillies, and dried red chillies.
  • Stir-fry, until fragrant.
  • Add finely chopped onions, sauté until it turns a light golden brown.
  • Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon turmeric and red chilli powder or cayenne pepper, sauté for another 30 seconds.
  • Next, add finely chopped tomatoes along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and sauté until it turns mushy and you see oil oozing from the sides.
  • Add chopped spinach, and stir-fry until it wilts, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Now, add the cooked dal, and give everything a good mix.
  • Add about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water or as per your desired consistency, bring to a boil. Check for seasonings and adjust accordingly. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
  • Drizzle some lemon juice and mix well.
  • Prepare the second tempering by heating ghee in a small pan, add cumin seeds, when it crackles, add 1 dred chili.
  • Fry for a few seconds until the chili changes color.
  • Switch off the heat, add Kashmiri chilli powder. Mix well and pour it over the dal immediately. Mix it well with the dal, and serve hot with rice or any other flatbread.

Instant Pot Method

  • Follow the same process above for rinsing and soaking the yellow lentils. If you skip soaking, refer to the pressure cooking time mentioned below.
  • Press the ‘SAUTE’ button, and set it to ‘NORMAL’. Once it displays, ‘HOT’, add oil. Let the oil heat up a bit, then add cumin seeds.
  • Once it crackles, add a pinch of hing, minced ginger, minced garlic, slit green chilies, and dried red chilies
  • Cook, stirring, until fragrant.
  • Add chopped onions, and saute until it turns a light golden brown.
  • Add 1/2 teaspoon each of turmeric and red chilli powder or cayenne pepper, sauté for another 30 seconds.
  • Add chopped tomatoes and 1 teaspoon salt, sauté until it turns mushy.
  • Add the drained yellow lentils, and mix well with the onion-tomato masala. Add 1 & 1/2 cups of water and mix well.
  • Press ‘CANCEL’ to switch off the “SAUTE’ mode. Close the lid of the Instant Pot. Set the valve to ‘SEALING’.
  • Pressure cook on ‘HIGH’ for 5 minutes. It will take some time for the pressure to build up (about 10 minutes), after which the timer will begin.
  • For unsoaked toor dal, pressure cook on ‘HIGH’ for 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Once the cooking cycle is complete, let the pot depressurize naturally. It took me about 14 minutes. You could let it depressurize for at least 10 minutes.
  • Once the silver pin drops, turn the knob to ‘VENTING’ and open the lid away from you.
  • Whisk the dal using a wired whisk or a spatula until it is smooth.
  • Turn on the ‘SAUTE’ mode, add about 1/2 cup of water or as per desired consistency, mix well and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add chopped spinach and cook until the leaves wilt. Check for seasonings and adjust accordingly.
  • Switch off the IP. Add a dash of lemon juice and mix well.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

Easy paneer puff with a crisp, flaky, and golden crust stuffed with a delicious paneer filling. These paneer puffs come together quickly using store-bought puff pastry!

Paneer puff served in a black galvanized tray along with ketchup and green chutney - 23
  • What is paneer puff?
  • Why you will love this recipe?
  • Ingredients needed
  • How to make paneer puff at home – Step-by-step process
  • Serving suggestions
  • Storage instructions
  • Recipe Tips
  • Variations
  • Paneer Puff (Oven & Air Fryer)

What is paneer puff?

Paneer puffs are delicious Indian savory turnovers made with puff pastry dough wrapped around a delicious paneer stuffing.

Puff patties are really popular in Indian bakeries. You will find a variety of them from veg, egg to meat puffs!

We love to indulge in these paneer puff turnovers on the weekends, usually on Sundays! A cup of coffee along with some warm puff, and that’s breakfast sorted!

Today, I’m sharing these vegetarian paneer puffs because they are equally delicious as the ones made with eggs and meat. Besides, anything with paneer just ought to be! Right?

Nothing beats homemade puff pastry, but it can be quite time-consuming with all that rolling, folding, and refrigeration time.

I hope to try my hands at making puff pastry from scratch someday from my Mom’s old recipe book. I will definitely share a post on it when I do!

Six paneer puffs on a black baking tray served with ketchup and cilantro-mint chutney - 24

Why you will love this recipe?

This paneer puff;

☑ Is a cinch to make with readymade puff pasty sheets or squares

☑ Is the perfect finger food to serve for parties, potlucks, etc

☑ Can be made ahead by filling the pastry sheets and refrigerating for up to 2 days

☑ Is a perfect accompaniment to your evening tea and some chitter chatter :p

☑ Is very adaptable

Ingredients needed

For the paneer filling, you will need;

Paneer: I’ve diced the paneer (Indian cottage cheese) into small cubes coz that is how we prefer it in these puffs.

Aromatics: Onions, freshly minced ginger, and garlic. You could use readymade ginger garlic paste too.

Seasoning: I’ve seasoned this filling with basic spices like cumin seeds, Kashmiri chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric, garam masala, salt, and pepper. You could add other spices like chaat masala, kasuri methi, etc!

Tomatoes and ketchup : I’ve used one medium-sized tomato. You can skip the tomato if you like. I’ve added ketchup just to add a little tang and sweetness, which is not that noticeable. You may skip it or add more if you like. Hot and sweet ketchup also works great here.

Herbs: Some finely chopped coriander leaves.

Cooking fat: I’ve used sunflower oil. Feel free to use your preferred cooking oil.

Puff pastry squares or sheets: You will need about 12 puff pastry squares or two sheets. Feel free to use homemade!

Other ingredients: You will also need some cream to brush the tops of the pastry and some sesame seeds which are optional. I’ve used a mix of white and black sesame seeds. You could also use kalonji (nigella seeds)! Both cream and sesame seeds are not pictured below.

Ingredients needed to prepare paneer puff pastry - 25

How to make paneer puff at home – Step-by-step process

Step 1: Paneer filling

Thaw the frozen puff pastry squares or sheets in the refrigerator. I prefer to thaw it overnight if I’m making these puffs for breakfast.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet on medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds and allow them to crackle. ( Photos 1 and 2 )

Next, add 2 cups of sliced onions, and saute on medium to medium-low heat until golden brown. ( Photos 3 and 4 )

Cumin seeds and onions sauteed in oil - 26

Add 1 tablespoon of coarsely crushed ginger-garlic, and stir-fry until fragrant. ( Photos 5 and 6 )

Minced ginger and garlic added to sauteed onions - 27

Add diced tomatoes (1 medium tomato) along with ¾ teaspoon of table salt, mix, cover, and cook on medium-low heat for 1 to 2 minutes. ( Photos 7 to 10 )

Remove the lid, and saute until tomatoes are mushy. ( Photo 11 )

Diced tomatoes and salt added to onion mixture and cooked until it turns mushy - 28

Next, add 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili, 1 teaspoon coriander, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon turmeric, and ½ teaspoon garam masala powders, mix well and saute for another 30 seconds. ( Photos 12 to 17 )

Spices added to onion-tomato mixture - 29

Add 1 tablespoon of tomato ketchup and mix well. ( Photos 18 and 19 )

Add ⅓ cup of water and mix well. ( Photos 20 and 2 1)

Ketchup and water added to the spiced onion tomato mixture - 30

When the mixture starts to bubble, add 200 grams of cubed paneer, mix gently, and cook for another 2 minutes on medium-low heat. ( Photos 22 and 2 3)

Switch off the heat and add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, and ¼ cup of finely chopped coriander leaves. ( Photos 24 to 26)

Mix gently and set aside to cool down completely. This makes about 2¼ cups of paneer filling.

Paneer added to onion-tomato masala and mixed well. Lemon juice and coriander leaves added to the paneer filling. - 31

Step 2: Assemble the puffs

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 220° C (430° F) for about 10 minutes. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Place about 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of the puff pastry square. Do not overfill. ( Photo 27)

Fold the pastry to form a triangle and press down the edges using your fingers. Seal the edges with a fork as shown in the pics below. ( Photo 28 and 29)

Place it on the prepared baking tray. Repeat the same procedure with the rest of the filling and puff pastry squares. Make sure to space the pastries at least 1-inch apart since they will expand as they bake. ( Photo 30)

Assembling of paneer puff - 32

Step 3: Bake

Brush the tops with cream or milk using a pastry brush and sprinkle some sesame seeds. ( Photo 31 and 32)

In the oven

Bake at 220° C (430° F) for 20 minutes or until golden brown. ( Photo 33 and 34)

Filled puff pastries brushed with cream, sprinkled with sesame seeds and baked to golden perfection - 33

In the air fryer

Place 3 assembled puff pastries in the air fryer basket and air fry at 180° C/350° F for 9 to 10 minutes. ( Photo 35 and 36)

Transfer the puffs to a serving platter, and serve warm!

Paneer puffs baked in the air fryer - 34

Serving suggestions

Serve warm paneer puff patties with some ketchup or sweet chili sauce or green chutney.

These are really good with a hot cup of tea or coffee!

Storage instructions

These puffs are best enjoyed the day they are baked. They will lose their crispiness if left to sit for too long.

Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Freeze: You can also freeze assembled and unbaked paneer puffs for up to 3 months. Just pop it in the oven when you feel like having some, or when you have to entertain unexpected guests!

Skip the cream wash and sprinkling of the seeds. Follow these steps to freeze;

  • Place the assembled puffs on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
  • Freeze until hard, about 2 hours.
  • Wrap each frozen puff in cling film and place them in a freezer-safe bag. Label the bag with the contents and date.
  • When you are ready to serve, brush them with the cream and sprinkle some sesame seeds, bake them straight from frozen. Add about 5 to 6 minutes more to the cooking time, keep an eye out!

Reheat: Reheat puff from the fridge in the oven at 180° C (350° F) for 8 to 10 minutes or until heated through. You could also reheat them in the air fryer at 180° C/350° F for 2 to 3 minutes. Avoid reheating in the microwave as it will make the puff soggy.

Overhead shot of paneer puffs served on a round metal tray - 35

Recipe Tips

Avoid caramelizing onions on high heat: Caramelized onions form the base of this filling. Make sure to cook on medium to medium-low heat. Cooking on high heat will lend a bitter taste and ruin the flavor of the filling.

Make sure the puff pastry is cold: If puff pastry dough becomes too soft after assembling them, chill in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes so that they firm up a bit. This allows the fat to re-solidify in the dough. Puff pastry dough should be cold when it hits the oven in order to rise and get crispy, flaky puffs!

Avoid opening the oven door: Do not open the oven door for the first 15 minutes. Opening the oven door prematurely will cause the steam to escape which is important for the rise of the puffs. It will cause the puffs to deflate and you will end up with a flat pastry.

Baking temperature: Puff pastry needs to be baked at a high temperature to create sufficient steam for the dough to rise. However, with the air fryer, avoid using high heat because it can cause the puffs to burn or brown quickly while the insides remain uncooked. The temperature specified in the instructions works perfectly. You can always check what works for you by testing a single puff rather than ruining the entire batch.

Use the air fryer for a few puffs: If you just need to make 2 to 3 puffs, I suggest using the air fryer. That way, you can avoid preheating the oven and your kitchen!

Cream/milk wash: Brushing the puffs with cream gives them a nice shine and an even color as compared to just using milk. So, I suggest you use cream! You can also use oil, melted butter, or melted ghee. If you consume eggs, then brush these puffs with egg wash.

Don’t have puff pastry? Then use this paneer filling to make sandwiches, bread rolls, paratha, wraps, pizza pockets, as a topping for pizza, or quesadillas! All these are great options for your kid’s lunch box.

Variations

Paneer bhurji filling: You could use scrambled paneer instead of small paneer cubes.

Add vegetables: You can add some vegetables like finely chopped carrots, green peas, bell peppers, corn, mushrooms, or leafy greens like palak, etc to this paneer filling.

Cheese: You add some grated cheese over the filling.

Tofu: Vegans can swap the paneer with tofu and vegan puff pastry sheets.

Close-up shot of cross section of paneer puff - 36

Have you made this recipe?

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Paneer puffs placed on a serving tray lined with parchment paper. Served along with green chutney and ketchup. - 37

Paneer Puff (Oven & Air Fryer)

Ingredients1x2x3x

  • 12 (5 inch) puff pastry squares or 2 sheets of puff pastry, 660 grams

For the paneer filling

  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 cup sliced onions, 200 grams
  • 1 tablespoon coarsely crushed ginger garlic, 15 grams
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon of coriander powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 large tomato finely chopped, about 85 grams
  • ¾ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup optional
  • ⅓ cup water
  • 200 grams diced paneer cubes approx 1¾ cups
  • 2 teaspoons of lemon juice
  • ¼ cup finely chopped coriander leaves

Other ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon cream
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, I used a mix of white and black sesame seeds

Instructions

Paneer filling

  • Heat oil in a skillet on medium heat.
  • Thaw the puff pastry squares or sheets in the refrigerator.
  • Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and allow them to crackle.
  • Next, add sliced onions, and saute on medium to medium-low heat until golden brown.
  • Add coarsely crushed ginger-garlic, and stir-fry until fragrant.
  • Add diced tomatoes along with salt, mix, cover, and cook on medium-low heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Remove the lid, and saute until tomatoes turn mushy.
  • Next, add Kashmiri chili, coriander, black pepper, turmeric, and garam masala powders, mix well and saute for another 30 seconds.
  • Add tomato ketchup and mix well.
  • Add water and mix well.
  • When the mixture starts to bubble, add cubed paneer, mix gently, and cook for another 2 minutes on medium-low heat.
  • Switch off the heat and add lemon juice, and finely chopped coriander leaves. Mix gently and set aside to cool down completely. This makes about 2¼ cups of paneer filling.

Assemble the puffs

  • Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 220° C (430° F) for about 10 minutes. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  • Place about 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of the puff pastry square. Do not overfill.
  • Fold the pastry to form a triangle and press down the edges using your fingers. Seal the edges with a fork.
  • Place it on the prepared baking tray. Repeat the same procedure with the rest of the filling and puff pastry squares. Make sure to space the pastries at least 1-inch apart since they will expand as they bake.
  • Note: If the pastry gets too warm,soft, and sticky, refrigerate it for 20-30 minutes to firm up.

Bake

  • Brush the tops with cream or milk using a pastry brush and sprinkle some sesame seeds.

In the oven

  • Bake at 220° C (430° F) for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

In the air fryer

  • Place 3 assembled puff pastries in the air fryer basket and air fry at 180° C (350° F) for 9 to 10 minutes.
  • Transfer the puffs to a serving platter, and serve warm!

Video

Notes

Nutrition