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Saag Aloo

Saag Aloo

The only Saag Aloo recipe you’ll ever need. This comforting Indian vegetarian dish combines vibrant spinach, tender potatoes and warming spices like garam masala, ginger and garlic.

This recipe is…

  • Vegetarian
  • Comforting
  • Quick and easy
  • Gluten free (see ingredients for note on asafoetida)
How to make saag aloo

I serve Saag Aloo with roti but it’s also great with naan, paratha or rice. Give it a try next curry night!

What is Saag Aloo?

In the Hindi language, Saag refers to leafy greens and aloo means potatoes.

What does saag refer to in Indian food?

Serve this indian vegetarian dish with roti
Serve this popular Indian vegetarian dish with roti

Saag Aloo is typically a dish of any leafy greens cooked with potatoes, although in most cases (certainly in the UK), the green vegetable of choice is spinach. This is usually the most widely available and inexpensive option.

You may also see spinach in dishes on western Indian restaurant menus referred to as palak. This is a more specific word for spinach in Hindi which, for some reason is only used for dishes like Palak Paneer and not Saag Aloo (which is also made exclusively with spinach). Go figure.

For this dish you can use leaf spinach, baby spinach leaves, frozen spinach, or even tinned (canned) spinach. All produce slightly different results but offer the flexibility any busy home cook will value.

How do you pronounce Saag Aloo?

Saag Aloo should be pronounced like ‘saahg ah-loo’. Elongate the ‘a’ sound when saying saag and ‘ah’ when saying the first part of aloo. Whatever you do, don’t say ‘sag’, as in ‘saggy’.

A traditional and authentic Saag Aloo recipe?

… doesn’t exist! Saag Aloo is a staple dish in both Indian homes and Indian restaurants around the world.

The diversity in preparation is vast since spinach, potatoes and spices are the only common denominator among all the recipes out there.

Some cooks keep things mild and simple, and others give the dish fiery heat. Indeed, some like their Saag Aloo with a sauce, while others prefer a dry-style sautéed finish.

The spinach can be smooth, or coarse. The potatoes can be small or chunky. You can add cream or keep things light. You don’t have to add tomatoes or even onions, although may cooks choose to.

There are a hundred different ways to make Saag Aloo and this is just one of them.

My preference is a light, dry curry with meltingly tender potatoes and a medium aromatic spice level. This simple version starts with a fresh green curry paste made with a handful of ingredients.

Experiment and see what you like best!

Don’t waste the potato peels!

I wash my potatoes thoroughly before drying and peeling them. For a zero-waste garnish, deep fry the potato peels. They’re so crispy and taste wonderful on the curry.

How to make Saag Aloo (Spinach and Potato Curry)

1. Peel and chop the potatoes

Wash and peel the potatoes and cut into rough chunks, about 2.5cm. Reserve the peelings (see notes).

2. Boil the potatoes

Place the potatoes in a large pot of water and bring to the boil. Add the salt and turmeric. Cover and cook over a medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost cooked, but not all the way. Drain and set aside in a colander.

3. Prepare the spice paste

make a coarse spice paste with garlic ginger and green pepper
Make a coarse spice paste with green pepper!

In a pestle and mortar, bash together the chillies, pepper, garlic, ginger and salt until they form a coarse paste. Set aside.

4. Cook the spice paste with onions and tomatoes

Heat the oil or ghee over. medium heat in a large saucepan or deep cooking pot. Add the cumin seeds and asafoetida. Allow to sizzle for a few seconds before tipping the pounded masala paste.

Sauté over a medium heat, stirring continuously for a minute. Add the onion, tomato, smoked paprika and turmeric. Stir well.

5. Add the spinach and blend

Turn the heat down slightly and add the spinach. Stir well. Once the spinach has wilted, turn the heat off and use an immersion blender to blitz the spinach mixture to a coarse paste.

You can blend it more or less depending on your taste. I find that blending helps the spinach coat the potatoes. Skip this step if you prefer.

6. Add the potatoes, heat through and serve

Add the potatoes and garam masala to the spinach masala. Continue cooking (uncovered) for a further 5-10 minutes over a low heat, stirring occasionally.

Saag Aloo recipe | How to make Indian Spinach and Potato Curry

Yield: Serves 4

Saag Aloo

How to make saag aloo

The only Saag Aloo recipe you'll ever need. This comforting Indian vegetarian dish combines spinach, potatoes and warming spices like garam masala, ginger and garlic. I serve Saag Aloo with roti but it's also great with naan, paratha or rice. Give it a try next curry night!

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 800g potatoes, peeled and roughly cut into 2.5cm chunks
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 3 medium-hot green chillies
  • 1 small green pepper, finely diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2cm piece ginger, minced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 300g spinach, coarsely blitzed in a food processor
  • 2 tbsp oil or ghee
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/4 tsp asafoetida (check for gluten free or omit)
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 large tomato, roughly diced
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp garam masala

Instructions

  1. Wash and peel the potatoes and cut into rough chunks, about 2.5cm. Reserve the peelings (see notes).best potatoes for curry maris piper
  2. Place the potatoes in a large pot of water and bring to the boil. Add the salt and turmeric. Cover and cook over a medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost cooked, but not all the way. Drain and set aside in a colander.The potatoes aloo should be golden and tender
  3. In a pestle and mortar, bash together the chillies, pepper, garlic, ginger and salt until they form a coarse paste. Set aside.make a coarse spice paste with garlic ginger and green pepper
  4. Heat the oil or ghee over. medium heat in a large saucepan or deep cooking pot. Add the cumin seeds and asafoetida. Allow to sizzle for a few seconds before tipping the pounded masala paste. Sauté over a medium heat, stirring continuously for a minute.A vibrant green base for your curry
  5. Add the onion, tomato, smoked paprika and turmeric. Stir well. Turn the heat down slightly and add the spinach. Stir well. tomatoes and turmeric add colour
  6. Once the spinach has wilted, turn the heat off and use an immersion blender to blitz the spinach mixture to a coarse paste. You can blend it more or less depending on your taste. I find that blending helps the spinach coat the potatoes. Skip this step if you prefer.Blend the spinach for a smoother Saag Aloo
  7. Add the potatoes and garam masala to the spinach masala. Continue cooking (uncovered) for a further 5-10 minutes over a low heat, stirring occasionally.Saag aloo is ready

Notes

  • Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days. Heat thoroughly before serving.
  • Reserve the potato peelings and deep fry to use as a crispy potato chip garnish (optional).

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 337Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 951mgCarbohydrates: 55gFiber: 8gSugar: 6gProtein: 9g

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If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Palak Paneer

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