The best Indian Spinach Saag Recipe

This restaurant-style Saag recipe is a lighter version of traditional saag paneer, a classic Indian dish made with a ton of greens like spinach and mustard greens simmered with plenty of aromatics and spices like cumin and turmeric. To make this a saag paneer recipe, add pan-fried tofu for the perfect stand-in for paneer but with more protein and less fat. This dairy-free and gluten-free saag tastes like the ultimate vegan comfort food even when it’s loaded with a ton of healthy greens. “Saag” means “pureed greens” in Punjabi. I grew up eating mustard greens and spinach saag, which is usually loaded with ghee (clarified butter), so when I switched my diet I had to come up with a vegan version without compromising the taste or texture of my family’s recipe. My kids love my saag recipe, especially in the winter when we crave greens but don’t want to eat a cold salad. This dish is great by itself, but I like to scoop it up with my vegan naan or serve it with a side of basmati rice.

Indian Spinach Saag

How to make the best Indian spinach recipe. Mustard greens & Spinach Saag is delicious, vegan, gluten free, and my kids love it.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 lb bag frozen spinach
1 lb (4 bunches) chopped fresh mustard greens (add another pound of spinach or use 1 pound of broccoli rabe if you can’t find mustard greens)
2 cups fresh broccoli florets (roughly chopped)
2 tbsp grapeseed oil (olive oil or coconut oil works too)
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 red onion (finely chopped)
2 inches ginger (minced)
7 cloves garlic (minced)
1 cup tomatoes (chopped)
2 tsp salt
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp cornmeal
2 tbsp water
Fresh daikon or radish (grated, for garnish)

Instructions

Stovetop

Steam the spinach, mustard leaves, and broccoli florets until the greens are wilted. Let cool and puree them in a food processor and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large pot and add cumin seeds, onion, ginger, and garlic, and cook until the onions turn pink, about 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and cook them down until they are fully mashed, about 2 minutes.
Add the salt, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and garam masala powders, and sauté until the spices brown.
Add the mashed greens and mix well.
Make a paste with 1 tablespoon of cornmeal and 2 tablespoons of water and add it to the large pot to thicken the saag.
Cook, uncovered, on low heat until the saag thickens, about 20 minutes.
Garnish saag with the grated daikon or radish, and serve it hot.

Instantpot

Place the spinach, mustard leaves, and broccoli florets in the Instantpot, put the cover on, and place the pressure valve in “Sealing” mode. Press the “Steam” button and set the timer to 7 minutes. Do a quick release on the pressure by turning the pressure valve downward, open the cover, and check to see if the greens are wilted. Let cook and puree them in a food processor and set aside.
Rinse and dry the bowl of the Instantpot. Press the “Saute” button and add the oil, letting it heat up. Add the cumin seeds, onion, ginger, and garlic, and cook until the onions turn pink, about 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and cook them down until they are fully mashed, about 2 minutes.
Add the salt, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and garam masala powders, and sauté until the spices brown.
Add the mashed greens and mix well.
Make a paste with 1 tablespoon of cornmeal and 2 tablespoons of water and add it to the large pot to thicken the saag. Press the “Cancel” button on the Instantpot.
Put the cover on and place the pressure valve on “Sealing” mode. Press the “Pressure Cook” button and cook for 10 minutes so that the saag thickens. Let the pressure release naturally.
Garnish saag with the grated daikon or radish, and serve it hot.

Bon appétit!

WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS FOR VEGAN SPINACH SAAG?

For this Indian saag recipe, you’ll need:

Spinach: I use a 1 pound bag of frozen spinach for this recipe because it’s so much easier to steam compared to using fresh spinach. If you prefer fresh, use 2 pounds of fresh spinach leaves and cook them down in a pot with a splash of water so that they wilt faster.
Mustard leaves: These seasonal greens typically make their appearance in the spring and summer so if you have difficulty getting them, use more spinach or sub with broccoli rabe.
Broccoli: Use 2 cups fresh OR frozen; fresh will take a little more time to chop.
Red onion: You can also use a yellow onion but I like the red color that these impart to the saag.
Tomatoes: Choose on-the-vine tomatoes that are bright red and ripe or use diced cherry tomatoes instead.
Garlic & ginger: These aromatics add a ton of flavor. Don’t sub with their powdered forms.
Cornmeal: Saag is often made creamy and thick by adding coconut milk or plain yogurt. In this recipe, I skip the added fat and mix some water with a small amount of cornmeal to thicken the saag.
Spices: cumin seeds and powder, turmeric, coriander, garam masala
Optional add-ins: pan-fried or baked tofu cube, chickpeas, cooked potato cubes

ARE MUSTARD GREENS GOOD FOR YOU?

As their name suggests, mustard greens are the leafy part of the mustard plant. Mustard plants have been cultivated primarily for their use in making ground mustard from mustard seeds. When it comes to flavor, there really isn’t a comparison between the condiment (usually with added seasonings and sodium) that you get at the grocery store and the taste of these leafy greens. They have a peppery and bitter bite that isn’t too strong when it’s combined with other, more neutral-tasting greens such as spinach and broccoli.

Expand your leafy green repertoire and try mustard greens, not just for their taste but also for their impressive health benefits. In addition to containing loads of vitamins (K and C), minerals, and antioxidants, mustard leaves are rich in glucosinolate, a plant with sulfur-containing compounds found in cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts, among others) that have anti-cancer properties.

When shopping for mustard greens, look for firm greens with no signs of wilting. Avoid bunches that contain yellow or browned leaves, as they’re on their way to spoiling faster. As mentioned above, mustard greens are generally only found during the spring-summer season so I like to take advantage of this time and freeze my mustard greens to use for the rest of the year. I usually buy a few extra bunches, wash them well, chop and steam them until they wilt, puree them in a food processor, and freeze the puree in large ziplock bags with the date. This way, I can use them for saag or mustard green curry in the wintertime.

HOW DO YOU MAKE LEAFY GREENS TASTE BETTER?

I really love leafy greens, but that wasn’t always the case. There’s nothing more unappetizing than a plate full of soggy, bitter, browned greens. It wasn’t until I learned how to properly cook and incorporate them into my dishes that I found myself in awe of healthy greens like mustard leaves, spinach, kale, swiss chard, broccoli rabe, and arugula. Here are some of my recommendations for cooking with greens:

Saute with oil – Olive oil and avocado oil are my favorites to saute greens in. The fat in oil makes it easier to digest the greens and it also makes them taste wonderful. Don’t worry about your fat intake from these healthy oils. Carotenoids, which are fat-soluble pigments, are found in dark green vegetables and require fat for better nutrient absorption.
Season and add plenty of flavors – Adding salt brings out the flavors in naturally bland vegetables, and it also decreases the bitterness you find in leafy greens. Try other seasonings like red pepper flakes, cayenne, or cumin powder. Spinach tastes amazing when cooked with curry spices such as turmeric, cumin, and coriander. Saute your greens with chopped shallots or onions and garlic in some oil to add flavor. Experiment with adding minced ginger, lemon juice, or vinegar (champagne vinegar, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar), chili sauce or sriracha, pesto, soy sauce, maple syrup, or agave. There are so many flavor combinations to work with.
Try not to overcook – Greens are pretty much made mostly from water so once they wilt down, they go from a huge bunch to a 1 cup serving really fast. I like to lightly steam or saute my greens to break down their rough fibers, season them, and take them off the stove before they cook down too much. Cooked greens are best enjoyed right after making them as they tend to brown and get mushy if they sit in the refrigerator.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SAAG AND PALAK?

Two of the most popular Indian dishes that are often mistaken for each other are saag paneer and palak paneer. Both have originated from the Punjab region in Northern India but have one main difference. Palak is the term for spinach in Hindi and is usually just a curry made with spinach leaves only, whereas saag refers to pureed greens of any kind. Saag can be made from mustard greens, kale, spinach, broccoli, or other greens, according to wikipedia. There are several ways to eat saag: you can eat it on its own, add tofu to make vegan saag paneer, or make saag and corn pizza which is my take on traditional Makki ki Roti and Saag.

You may have also heard of aloo saag, which is a curry made from pureed mustard leaves and sometimes with other greens as well. It includes boiled or fried potatoes (aloo in Hindi) and is commonly served with naan, roti, chapati, or rice.