Saag Aloo | Vegan Spinach And Potato Curry
Saag Aloo or Spinach and Potato curry is a simple and flavorful Indian Curry recipe that is Vegan and Gluten Free.
Saag Aloo is a mild and very flavorful side dish that pairs well with roti or rice. This spinach and potato curry is a very popular and commonly found recipe on Indian restaurant menus. We almost find this dish every time in the lunch buffet.
Sometimes it is just the spinach and the potato, but sometimes they also use some eggplant alongside it. We usually skip it or just take a little bit of it as I find it loaded with oil at the restaurant.
I am a part of a Facebook group called the Food Blogger Recipe Swap, where we are paired with other food bloggers and get to recreate their recipes. This helps us learn new recipes from bloggers in a different part of the world and also help us make some friends.
This group has been taken over and run by my dear friend and fellow blogger Mireille. This month I am paired with Jagruti from Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey and I will be this Saag Aloo Recipe from her space.
Right when I saw that I was cooking from Jagruti's space, I was excited as I am a big fan of photography. Every time I see her posts on social media. it takes me a minute to look past her pictures, into the recipe.
What is Saag Aloo?
Potato is such an integral part of my cooking and everyone in my family loves it. The other best thing is that my boys love spinach and like any recipe that has spinach in it. When choosing what to cook from Jagruti's blog, this recipe caught my attention. I had all the ingredients needed to make the recipe and I got right into making it for dinner.
I have made a few changes to the recipe and cooked it as my family would like it. It is such a blessing to have frozen spinach in hand and cooking is a breeze with it. The rest of the spices are pretty basic and they pair so well with the potato and the spinach. Also, this is a vegan and gluten-free recipe.
Preparation time - 10 Minutes
Cooking time - 30 Minutes
Difficulty level - Easy
Ingredients to make Saag Aloo - Serves 6
- Spinach - 12 oz or about 4 to 5 cups of fresh spinach (I used frozen spinach)
- Potato - 4 (boiled, peeled and cubed)
- Onion - 1 large (chopped)
- Tomatoes - 3 Large (chopped)
- Ginger and Garlic paste - 2 tsp
- Kasoori methi / Dried fenugreek leaves - 2 TBSP
- Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
- Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
- Red chili powder - 2 teaspoon (adjust based on your taste)
- Dhania Jeera Powder / Cumin coriander powder - 1 tsp
- Garam Masala - 1 tsp
- Salt - to taste
- Sugar - 1 tsp
- Oil - 2 TBSP
Step-by-step process
- Boil the potatoes until fork tender and peel them. Cube them into 1-inch pieces and keep them ready.
- Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. When the seeds crackle, add the chopped onions and saute them until translucent.
- Now add the ginger and garlic paste and fry for a minute more.
- Add the chopped tomatoes along with the spice powders, salt, and sugar, and cook until the tomatoes are cooked and mushy.
- Crush the kasoori methi and add it to the onion-tomato mixture.
- Add the frozen spinach at this point and mix well. Add about half a cup of water and cook for about 10 minutes on low heat. If using fresh spinach, clean the leaves, chop them, and add.
- Add the cubed potatoes and mix well, taking care not to break the potatoes. Add more water if needed and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Serve hot with rice or roti!
How to serve Aloo Saag?
Warm the dish - Saag aloo is best served hot or warm, so reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop before serving.
Garnish it - Add some sliced onions or chopped green chilies on top of the dish for added flavor and visual appeal.
Serve with rice or bread - Saag aloo pairs well with Jeera rice or Indian bread like naan, roti, or paratha. Choose your preferred carb and serve it alongside the saag aloo.
Add yogurt or raita - Indian homemade yogurt or raita is a cooling side dish that compliments the spiciness of saag aloo. Serve a small bowl of yogurt or raita on the side.
Serve with other Indian dishes - Saag aloo is a versatile dish that goes well with other Indian dishes like dal or other subzis. Consider serving a variety of Indian dishes to create a complete meal.
Expert Tips
- Use fresh spinach leaves for the saag aloo recipe as they have a better texture and flavor compared to frozen spinach.
- Parboil the potatoes before adding them to the aloo saag recipe. This helps to cook the potatoes evenly and prevent them from becoming mushy.
- Add ginger, garlic, and green chilies to the saag aloo recipe for added flavor and aroma.
- Ghee is a clarified butter that adds a rich and nutty flavor to saag aloo. Use ghee instead of oil to get a different flavor.
- Cook the saag aloo on low heat for a longer time to develop the flavors and allow the spinach and potatoes to absorb the spices.
- Add a splash of cream or coconut milk to the saag aloo for a rich and creamy texture.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, saag aloo is a vegan dish as long as it is made with oil or vegan ghee instead of butter or regular ghee.
While saag aloo is made with spinach and potatoes, palak paneer is made with spinach and Indian cheese called paneer. Both dishes are seasoned with similar Indian spices, but the texture and flavor of the dishes differ.
Yes, aloo saag can be frozen for up to three months. Let it cool down completely before storing it in an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw the saag aloo in the refrigerator overnight before reheating it on the stovetop or in the microwave.
More potato curry recipes
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Recipe
Saag Aloo | Spinach and Potato Curry
Ingredients
- 12 oz Spinach I used frozen spinach (about 5 cups of spinach if using fresh)
- 4 Potato boiled, peeled and cubed
- 1 Onion chopped
- 3 Tomatoes chopped
- 2 teaspoon Ginger and Garlic paste
- 2 tablespoon Kasoori methi / Dried fenugreek leaves
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon Red chili powder adjust based on your taste
- 1 teaspoon Dhania Jeera Powder / Cumin coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
- To taste Salt
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 2 tablespoon Oil
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes until fork tender and peel them. Cube them into 1 inch pieces and keep it ready.
- Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. When the seeds crackle, add the chopped onions and saute them until translucent.
- Now add the ginger and garlic paste and fry for a minute more.
- Add the chopped tomatoes along with the spice powders, salt and sugar and cook until the tomatoes are cooked and mushy. Crush the kasoori methi and add it to the onion-tomato mixture.
- Add the frozen spinach at this point and mix well. Add about half a cup of water and cook for about 10 minutes in low heat. If using fresh spinach, clean the leaves, chop them and add it.
- Add the cubed potatoes and mix well, taking care not to break the potatoes. Add more water if needed and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Serve hot with rice or roti!
Notes
Expert Tips
- Use fresh spinach leaves for the saag aloo recipe as they have a better texture and flavor compared to frozen spinach.
- Parboil the potatoes before adding them to the aloo saag recipe. This helps to cook the potatoes evenly and prevent them from becoming mushy.
- Add ginger, garlic, and green chilies to the saag aloo recipe for added flavor and aroma.
- Ghee is a clarified butter that adds a rich and nutty flavor to saag aloo. Use ghee instead of oil to get a different flavor.
- Cook the saag aloo on low heat for a longer time to develop the flavors and allow the spinach and potatoes to absorb the spices.
- Add a splash of cream or coconut milk to the saag aloo for a rich and creamy texture.
Great recipe. Well balanced spice/sweet/umami flavours- delicious. I added some tomato purée for personal taste but lovely either way. Thanks
Thank you so much for trying and glad you liked the recipe.
The sugar was a little too generous for my taste buds but otherwise with a bit more salt kasuri methi and chilli the dish was very comforting and satisfying
Thank you.
This is such a delicious recipe - thank you
Thanks a lot!
This was amazing!!! Thank you for creating it.
Thanks!
this is such a cost efficient recipe with basic ingredients but yet still so full of flavor because of all the spices. Would love to try this out soon!
One of our favourite way to have spinach ..Perfect for winters with fresh hot chapatis.. so easy and quick to prepare..
We make a dry version of this and I just loved it. I never added kasuri methi though to this, would have enhanced the flavour. It looks delicious
Delicious! I will definitely use this recipe- thank you
I simply cannot believe that till I saw your recipe, I've never thought of making aloo and spinach together. Such a healthy looking saag aloo. Flavorful and am sure would be great with hot rotis.
This looks so good. I love every variety of leafy greens and they are one of the many reasons of why I love winters. The photos of your saag aloo have made me very hungry. Will make it soon.
So delicious. Used tinned tomatoes , so good
Hello there! Saag Aloo is one of my favourite dishes, and your recipe looks really delicious, thank you for sharing !! I was wondering how many grams of potatoes are required (4 big potatoes are much heavier than 4 regular potatoes)?
Hi Amy, I would say about 500 gms of potato.
Spinach and potato curry is so inviting and a very new recipe to try. Perfect Curry to go with plain rice or roti.
My favorite sabzi. I can eat this as it is straight up. Looks yum
Such an easy and delicious curry. Perfect with phulkas
Saag aloo looks delicious Sandhya, I will try to make it for chapthi some day.
I always go for this one every time I go to an Indian buffet restaurant and enjoy the combination. I'm adding this to my must-make recipe list. Must be tasty with eggplants in it.
Linda, Thanks! These are delicious and yes I enjoy these with the eggplants in them as well.
Ahaaa !!! I am just drooling 🙂 You have so nicely prepared the dish dear, I can have this with some hot phulka 😉 Love the vegan version..
Saag aloo is a popular Indian British curry and available in every Asian restaurant, glad you chose this recipe. Perfect with roti or paratha.
Saag aloo looks delicious. Can have rotis or pulao with this curry. Bookmarking this to make later
This simple curry looks so delicious Love the use of spices especially kasuri methi which is one of my faves!
This looks so good! I love any recipe with potato in it - I might make this for my lunch next week!
Saag aloo looks very tempting. I make spinach aloo without tomato or tomato aloo. Next time will make it with all three vegetables. It will pair so well with roti as saag has some gravy as well. We prefer some gravy with roti..
At home, we are all fans of potato-based curries. This one sounds right up our alley! 🙂
I love how the recipe integrates spinach with everyone's favourite aloo. Should try this out soon.