This Saag Aloo recipe combines tender potatoes and flavorful spinach gravy in a simple, one-pot Indian curry.
Naturally vegan and gluten-free, this comforting spinach potato curry is a great addition to your Indian dinner table and perfect for weeknight meals. I often make it with fresh or frozen spinach as a quick vegetable side dish to pair with soft Indian flatbread roti or steamed basmati rice.
If you enjoy wholesome Indian meals made from scratch, you're in the right place. Try my other restaurant-style, delicious, and easy recipes at home: Indian Basmati Rice, Chana Masala, and Indian Vegetable Curry.
And if you're new to cooking Indian greens, check out my guide on Indian spinach recipes, where I share different recipes and provide cooking tips.
Ingredients
Here's what I use to make this recipe at home, plus some tested swaps that have worked well for me. Scroll to the recipe card for exact measurements.
Potatoes: I used white potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1-inch cubes. Substitutions: Any variety of potato, sweet potatoes.
Spinach: I used fresh spinach puree. Substitutions: Mix of other leafy greens like kale, mustard greens, fenugreek leaves, and Swiss chard. Many times, I even use frozen spinach and it will also work well in this recipe.
Onion: I used finely chopped onions. Substitutions: ½ teaspoon of onion powder or shallots.
Green chili: A green chili pepper adds a spicy kick to the curry (use it to your heat preference). Substitutions: Use serrano or jalapeño for similar heat, or add a pinch of red chili powder or paprika if fresh chilies aren't available.
Garlic & Ginger: I used freshly grated garlic and ginger to flavor the curry. Substitutions: ¼ teaspoon each of garlic and ginger powder or ½ teaspoon of ginger garlic paste.
Spice powders: I used a blend of common Indian spices (turmeric, red chili powder, ground cumin, coriander, and garam masala) to season the dish, giving it heat, color, and rich flavor. Substitutions: Curry powder as per taste.
Detailed Steps
Step 1: Heat oil in an Instant Pot (saute mode) or stovetop pan. Add cumin seeds, garlic, and ginger. Let them sizzle.
Step 2: Add chopped onions and green chili (if using). Saute until onions are translucent.
Step 3: Now add potato cubes and mix them well.
Step 4: Add all the spice powders and salt. Stir it well so that the spices are coated well with the potatoes.
Step 5: Then goes the water.
Step 6: Now cook until potatoes are fork tender.
In Instant Pot: High pressure, 0 minutes + 10-minute natural release.
On stovetop: Medium heat for 15 minutes, adding water if needed.
Step 7: Once the potatoes are almost cooked, add spinach puree. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Step 8: Adjust seasoning and serve hot. Serve this quick vegetable side dish with soft chapati flatbread or aromatic basmati rice, and enjoy a comforting dinner at home.
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Recipe
Saag Aloo (Easy One-Pot Spinach and Potato Curry)
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Ingredients
- 1 cup potatoes cubed
- 6 oz spinach pureed
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup onion finely chopped
- 1 green chili optional
- ½ teaspoon garlic grated or finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon ginger grated or finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon salt adjust to taste
Instructions
Prep the ingredients
- Finely chop the onions, ginger, and garlic. Peel and cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes.
- Clean the spinach leaves and puree them. If using green chili, blend it with the spinach or add it later during tempering.
Saute the base
- Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and heat the oil. (Or heat oil in a stovetop pan.)1 tablespoon oil
- Add cumin seeds, garlic, and ginger. Let them sizzle for a few seconds.½ teaspoon garlic, ½ teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
- Add chopped onions and green chili (if using). Saute for 3-4 minutes until the onions turn translucent.½ cup onion, 1 green chili
- Add the potato cubes and stir well.1 cup potatoes
Add spices, water and salt
- Mix in spice powders. Stir well so the potatoes are evenly coated.¼ teaspoon red chili powder, ¼ teaspoon garam masala, ¼ teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon coriander powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- Pour in water and add salt. Stir everything well. If using an Instant Pot, deglaze the bottom to avoid a burn warning.¼ cup water, ½ teaspoon salt
Cook the potatoes
- Close the lid and set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 0 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then do a quick release.
- On the stovetop, cook covered on medium heat for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through. Add water as needed.
Add spinach
- Stir in the spinach puree and let the curry simmer for 2-3 minutes until heated through and slightly thickened.6 oz spinach
Finish and serve
- Taste and adjust the salt or spices. Serve hot with rice or your favorite flatbread.
Notes
Tested Tips from My Kitchen
- Skip the red chili powder and use green chili if you prefer a vibrant green color.
- Chop the potatoes into 1-inch cubes, so they cook evenly and quickly.
- I sometimes add a handful of mint and cilantro leaves to the spinach puree to make this curry more flavorful.
- If I make saag aloo in the Instant Pot, I always add the spinach puree after the pressure cook step to retain the spinach's color.
- You can also finely chop the spinach instead of making spinach puree. The curry will have a chunkier texture with a different consistency.
- To make the curry creamy like in restaurants, add ¼ cup of regular cream, cashew cream, or thick coconut milk at the end.
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice before serving for a fresh finish.
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