Easy Indian Saag Recipe (Indian Spiced Spinach Curry)

A bowl of vibrant green Indian spinach saag on a colorful checkered napkin.

Easy Indian Saag Recipe (Indian Spiced Spinach Curry)

4.86 from 49 votes

This Easy Indian Saag Recipe transforms fresh spinach and aromatic spices into a vibrant, creamy curry. Serve this Saag curry with roti or a side of Indian basmati rice and enjoy resturanat style dinner at home!

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Servings

Author Sravanthi Chanda

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.
Check out the Indian Spinach Recipes collection if you love to try other spinach recipes.

Nutrition