30-Minute Aloo Palak Recipe: Spiced Spinach and Potatoes

Here’s a quick and easy Spinach & Potato (Aloo Palak) curry that will get your family to devour a pound of spinach. This fan-favorite can be ready in about 30 minutes if you boil the potatoes separately. Naturally gluten-free, vegetarian (or vegan if you omit the ghee/butter).

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Aloo Palak

Aloo Palak, or Spinach and Potato Curry, is a classic vegetarian dish from Indian and Pakistani kitchens. Unlike saucy curries, this is typically cooked as a dry, stir-fried dish so it clings to the potatoes and remains full of flavor.

After trying many variations—different onion amounts, with and without tomatoes, cooking the potatoes inside the pan versus boiling separately—I’ve settled on a reliable method that produces consistent results every time.

This recipe is:

• Extremely flavorful—so good you might keep going back for more.
• An excellent way to enjoy a concentrated serving of spinach.
• Well-tested and much-loved by home cooks.

Aloo Palak Ingredients

Simple, everyday ingredients—no specialty items required.

Other Ingredients

• Potatoes: Any variety works if boiling separately; if cooking them in the pan, choose potatoes that soften quickly (e.g., red or Yukon Gold).
• Oil, onions, tomatoes, green chilies: Basic aromatics for South Asian cooking.
• Garlic & ginger: Crush or finely chop; paste works too.
• Spices: Cumin seeds, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, turmeric; garam masala is optional.

How to make Aloo Palak

1. If using fresh spinach, wash and remove stems. Chop finely—using a food processor speeds this up.
2. Boil the cubed potatoes with a pinch of salt until tender, then drain. Alternatively, add raw cubed potatoes to the pan later and cook until soft.
3. Heat oil and optional ghee in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds.
4. Sauté the chopped onion until light golden. Add slit green chili, crushed garlic, and ginger; cook briefly until the raw smell is gone.
5. Add chopped tomatoes, spices, and salt. Cook until tomatoes soften and oil begins to separate from the mixture.
6. Increase heat and add the chopped spinach. Stir-fry to reduce moisture and preserve the bright green color. If the spinach still tastes raw, add a splash of water, cover, and cook on low until the taste disappears.
7. Gently fold in the boiled potatoes and coat them with the spinach mixture. Finish with a squeeze of lime or lemon and optional garam masala. Adjust salt to taste.
8. Serve hot.

• Be warned: it’s hard to stop eating once it’s on your plate.

Variations

• To save time, boil potatoes while you prepare the curry. If you prefer potatoes that absorb more flavor, cook cubed raw potatoes in the pan with the spinach, adding about 1/4 cup water and covering to simmer 20–25 minutes until tender.
• If you have dried fenugreek leaves (sukhi methi), add 1–2 tablespoons with the potatoes for a classic flavor note often used in spinach and mustard-green dishes.

What to serve with Aloo Palak

This dry curry pairs beautifully with roti, naan, or paratha. It also works well with steamed basmati rice, a slice of bread, or yogurt and chopped red onions on the side. Enjoy with any staple you prefer.

More Tested & Perfected Vegetarian Curry Recipes:

• Cauliflower & Potato Curry (Aloo Gobi)
• Easy Mixed Vegetable Curry
• Smoked Eggplant Curry (Baingan Bharta)
• Zucchini Curry (Toriyan)
• Okra (Bhindi) Curry

Tried this recipe? If you have a moment, please leave a comment and share how it turned out. Photos are always welcome—I love seeing your versions.

4.95 (138 ratings)

30-Minute Aloo Palak (Spinach and Potato Curry)

Yield: 3 servings

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 25 mins

Total Time: 30 mins

A quick, healthy, and flavorful Spinach & Potato curry—vegetarian and easily vegan if you skip ghee. Boiling the potatoes separately speeds up the process so you can have dinner on the table fast.

Ingredients

• 1 lb (about 2 bunches) spinach, fresh or frozen, stems removed and washed
• 1 large (≈300 g) russet potato, peeled and cubed
• 1/4 cup neutral oil (grapeseed or avocado)
• 1 tbsp ghee or butter (optional)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1–2 green chilies, slit
• 3–4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 inch piece ginger, crushed
• 1 medium tomato (~170 g), finely chopped
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/4–1/3 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp red chili powder
• 3/4–1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp garam masala (optional)
• 1 tsp freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice

Instructions

1. Finely chop the spinach using a food processor or knife. You can do this ahead and store it covered in the refrigerator.
2. Boil the cubed potato with 1 tsp salt until tender, drain, and set aside. Alternatively, cook raw cubed potatoes in the pan later (see note).
3. Heat oil and ghee in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle. Add the onion and cook until slightly golden, about 5–7 minutes.
4. Add slit green chili, garlic, and ginger; cook briefly until the raw smell disappears. Add chopped tomato, coriander, cumin, turmeric, red chili powder, and salt. Cook until the tomato softens and oil starts to separate, about 3 minutes.
5. Turn heat to high and add the chopped spinach. Stir-fry until most moisture evaporates, about 10 minutes. Add water as needed to prevent sticking. If the spinach still tastes raw, add 1/4 cup water, cover, and simmer on low-medium for 5 minutes.
6. Add the boiled potatoes and stir to coat. Sprinkle garam masala if using, adjust salt, turn off the heat, and finish with lime or lemon juice.
7. Serve hot with roti, naan, paratha, rice, or bread. Yogurt and chopped red onion make nice accompaniments.

Notes

Spinach: Two bunches (about 1 lb) or a 16‑oz package of baby spinach work well. For frozen spinach, use a 10–16 oz package and reduce added salt for smaller packages. No need to thaw, but increase sauté time to remove excess water.

Potatoes: To boil, cover potatoes with a couple inches of water, add salt, bring to a boil, then simmer until a fork slides through (about 10 minutes depending on size). If cooking raw potatoes in the pan, add 1/4 cup water, cover, and simmer 20–25 minutes until tender.

Timing: The listed 30-minute total excludes prep time (chopping spinach). Covering the spinach to finish cooking may add about 5 minutes.

Calories: 330kcal

Author: Izzah Cheema

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian, Pakistani