Inspired by Indian saag paneer, this spicy version of creamed spinach is packed with nutrients and flavors. Instead of straining plain yogurt to make the paneer cheese, you simply stir the yogurt into the spicy spinach at the very end for one easy, delightfully tasty and creamy dish.

4 servings

10 ingredients

15 min prep

Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup ginger, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 serrano pepper, minced, or to taste (see Chef Tips)
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 pound fresh baby spinach
  • ¼ cup plain yogurt

Directions
  1. Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions, ginger, garlic, and serrano and saute for 5 minutes until the mixture is aromatic. Add the garam masala, coriander, and cumin, then cook for another 5 minutes until onions are translucent but not burnt.
  2. Add the spinach and stir well, incorporating the spiced onion mixture into the spinach. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the spinach is wilted.
  3. Turn the heat off. Stir in the yogurt into the spinach until well mixed.
Chef Tips

Before mincing the serrano, if you want to cut down on the heat, deseed it and cut away the white ribs that hold the seeds. The seeds and white ribs are the spiciest parts of the pepper.

For baby spinach, 1 5-ounce bag cooks down to about 1-1¼ servings.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 121; Fat: 8g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 5g; Carbohydrates: 11g; Sugar: 3g; Fiber: 4g; Protein: 5g; Sodium: 101mg

Registered Dietitian Approved

Your recipes, articles, videos, and more content are reviewed by our Registered Dietitian Kate Ueland, MS, RD, CSO, a board-certified specialist in oncology nutrition, to ensure that each is backed with scientific evidence and follows the guidelines set by the Oncology Nutrition for Clinical Practice, 2nd Ed., published by the Oncology Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group, a professional interest group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the American Institute for Cancer Researchand the American Cancer Society.

This recipe was originally published on Cook for Your Life. It is used by permission.

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