If you love Indian Saag from your favorite restaurant, try making it at home using my easy spinach saag recipe. Pair this curry with restaurant-style Indian basmati rice and enjoy a delicious meal that's both comforting and nutritious.
In this post, I will show you how to cook a basic saag recipe with detailed steps. Using this as a base curry, you can make Saag Paneer, Saag Tofu, Saag Chana, and Saag Aloo.
Saag is a classic Indian dish made using different leafy green vegetables and aromatic spices. As we are making this recipe with spinach, this will be spinach saag.
Every household makes this curry differently depending on the greens available in the Indian markets. In the northern region of India, they make this curry with mustard greens, called "Sarson ka saag." This recipe is my version of saag, which uses spinach and basic Indian spices that I learned from my mom.
Ingredients & Substitutions
For exact ingredient quantities, see the recipe card below.
Spinach: I have used only fresh spinach in this recipe. But you could use any of these leafy greens - mustard leaves, radish leaves, kale, fenugreek leaves, swiss chard, collard greens, beet greens. And the final taste of saag will depend on the greens used. If you use more mustard greens, radish, and kale, saag will be pungent. You can also use fresh baby spinach leaves.
Spices: Like many Indian curries, this recipe uses dry spices like ground coriander, garam masala, ground cumin, and turmeric powder. Usually, we use green chilli for spiciness and avoid red chili powder to keep the curry's vibrant green color.
Aromatics: Onion, garlic, and ginger add so much flavor to this curry. If you don't have them handy, avoid them or use powdered versions.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Heat a large saucepan. Once it is hot, add oil, finely chopped onion, ginger, garlic, and sliced green chili (use jalapeno for a less spicy version).
Step 2: Over medium heat, cook the onion mixture till it turns translucent. I cooked for around 5 minutes.
Step 3: Add turmeric powder, ground cumin, coriander powder, and salt to this onion mixture.
Step 4: Mix everything well and make sure that it isn't burnt. If the pan is too hot, add a tablespoon of water to avoid burning the spices.
Step 5: I used spinach leaves along with their tender stalks. So I added finely chopped stalks first and cooked them for around 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 6: The finely chopped spinach goes, and cook it on high flame for about 5 to 6 minutes.
Step 7: By this time, spinach will be wilted and cooked entirely, and you will not see any water in it. Indian-style spinach saag is ready, and you can serve it with this texture.
Step 8: Restuarant-style Indian saag will be smoother in texture, so blend this cooked spinach mixture using a handheld blender or a standalone blender.
Loved this dish?
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Serving Suggestions
The classic way is to serve saag with Indian flatbreads like Roti, Naan bread, and cornbread (called makki ki roti). It also pairs well with cooked quinoa, millet, plain basmati rice, or jeera rice. If you want a quick meal, make basmati rice in a rice cooker and enjoy a restaurant-style Indian meal at home.
Use the leftover saag to flavor the hummus or as a salad dressing or a sandwich spread.
Recipe FAQs
You can use frozen spinach to make this Indian spiced spinach saag.
Yes, I also use spinach stalks in this curry. Chop them finely or roughly grind the curry to adjust its consistency.
Saag is the name of the curry that uses green leafy veggies. We can make the saag using only spinach as well.
Recipe
Easy Indian Saag Recipe (Indian Spiced Spinach Curry)
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Ingredients
- 12 ounces spinach
- ½ cup onion chopped
- 2 green chili or jalapeno
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic grated
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Cleaning and chopping
- Clean the leafy greens a couple of times. Drain the water completely from the cleaned leaves. You can dry them on a kitchen towel or a paper towel to remove the excess water.
- Now chop the greens. I also use the tender stalks.
Saute the aromatics
- Start by heating a skillet or a large frying pan over medium heat. Add oil, finely minced onions, ginger, garlic, and thinly sliced green chili (use jalapeno for a milder spice).
- Over medium heat, sauté the onion mixture until it turns golden brown. I usually saute the onions on a medium flame for about 5 minutes.
- Add spice powders and salt to this onion mixture.
- Stir everything together. If your pan seems too hot, add a tablespoon of water to prevent burning.
Add the greens
- I added finely chopped stalks first and cooked them for around 2 to 3 minutes.
- Now goes the finely chopped spinach or other leafy greens if you use them.
Simmer the curry
- Cook this green leafy mixture on high flame for 5 to 6 minutes.
- By this time, spinach greens will be wilted and cooked entirely, and you will not see any water in them.
Adjust the consistency
- Your homemade Indian-style spinach saag is now complete, and you can serve it as is with its delightful texture.
- Blend the spinach mixture if you like the restaurant-style saag with a smoother consistency. I usually use a handheld immersion blender, but a standalone blender or a food processor also works.
- Once blended, you'll have a creamy Indian saag, ready to be enjoyed on its own. Alternatively, this delicious dish can be a flavorful base for different dishes.
Notes
- You can use a potato masher to mash the saag for the desired consistency. If you chop the spinach very finely, you need not use a blender to make this saag sauce.
- Want to make it rich like Indian Restaurants? Use 2 tablespoon fresh cream to make this curry rich. You can also add 2 tablespoon cashew cream, coconut milk, or whole milk at the end and cook it for around 3 to 4 minutes on low heat.
- Want to elevate the taste of the saag? Add a teaspoon or two of lemon juice just before serving.
- Want to use this saag sauce for meal prep? Freeze this curry base in ¼ cup portions and take the required quantity when needed.
- This base curry is vegan and gluten-free. Once this saag sauce is ready, you can make saag chickpeas, vegan saag paneer with tofu, saag aloo, and saag paneer.
Naveen says
I made this today and it turned out delicious. Thank you so much for sharing this easy recipe…
Sravanthi Chanda says
Its my pleasure and I am so happy that you liked my recipe!