Saag Aloo

Today we are back with another great vegetarian/vegan Indian recipe that even meat-lovers will enjoy.  None other than delicious saag aloo!  

I’m sure many of you have heard of this dish before since it’s one of the most popular dishes served in Indian restaurants around the world.  But if you haven’t it mainly consists of chunks of potatoes(Aloo) and leafy greens.  Both of which are cooked in a spicy curry sauce until tender and flavorful.  

And don’t worry if you’ve never made Indian curry at home.  As this dish is really easy to make, so it’s great for beginner cooks.

What is Saag?

Saag much like jalfrezi, vindaloo, or korma is one of the most classic and identifiable types of curry dishes found in Indian cuisine.  It is mostly associated with northern Indian regions like East Bengal, Odisha, and Punjab.  With each of those regions having its own unique way of preparing and using saag.

That being said there is one quality that every saag will have, the use of leafy greens.  

Now, the reason why I want to bring this up is that outside of India saag is almost always made out of spinach leaves.  And as someone who has lived their entire life outside of India, that’s what I’m accustomed to.  So of course I’m using spinach in today’s recipe.  

However, true saag can be made with just about any type of leafy green.  Whether it’s mustard greens, collard green, fenugreek, or even a combination.  So if you are looking for a taste that is a bit more authentic to what you would find in India then swap out some of the spinach with some other type of green.  Just keep in mind that tougher greens like mustard or collard will need much more time to cook (roughly 15 to 20 minutes).

How to Serve Saag Aloo?

Saag aloo can be served either as a side dish to a larger meal or as a vegetarian/vegan main dish.  

If it’s going to be a side dish then try pairing it with some of our other Indian curry recipes like Butter Chicken, Chilli Chicken, Chana Masala, or Vegetable Biryani.

If you do decide to serve it as a main dish then the easiest thing to pair it with would be some basmati rice.  Or you could have some flatbread like naan or chapati.  Either option would work great!

Saag Aloo Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Servings: 3 to 4

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons of oil or ghee

1 Bay leaf

½ Teaspoon of cumin seeds

½ Teaspoon of mustard seeds

1 Medium onion, sliced thin

3 to 4 Cloves of garlic, minced

½ inch piece of ginger, minced

1 to 2 Green chilis like serrano or thai, split in half

2 Tablespoons of tomato paste

1 Teaspoon of salt, or more to taste

1 Teaspoon of garam masala

1 Teaspoon of chili powder or paprika

1 Teaspoon of coriander powder

½ Teaspoon of turmeric powder

1 Lb of waxy potatoes, cut into 1-inch sized cubes

2 Cups of water, or more as needed

5 oz. of Spinach

Instructions

1. Make the base for the curry: Add the oil/ghee to a large pot or walled pan and place over medium heat.  Once hot toss in the bay leaf, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds.  Sautee these whole spices for roughly 30 seconds.  Then add the sliced onion and stir to combine with the spices.  Sautee the sliced onions for roughly 5 minutes or until they start to carmelize.  Finally add in the garlic, ginger, green chilis, tomato paste, salt, and remaining powdered spices (garam masala, chili, coriander, turmeric).  Stir to combine everything together and continue to sautee for another minute or two.

2. Add and cook the potatoes: Add the potatoes to the pot/pan and stir so that every piece is coated in the curry base.  Then pour in the 2 cups of water and stir so that the curry base mixes in and forms a nice sauce.  Let the curry sauce come to a boil, then cover the pot/pan, and reduce the heat to low.  Let the potatoes cook in the curry sauce for 20 to 30 minutes, making sure to stir them every 5 to 10 minutes.  You will know the potatoes are cooked when a fork easily pierces them.

3. Add and cook the spinach: Add the spinach to the pot and stir with the potatoes and curry until wilted and combined.  This should take roughly 3 to 5 minutes.  Finally taste the dish and add additional salt to your personal preference

4. Adjust the thickness of the sauce (optional): The saag aloo is technically done at this point.  However, you can adjust the thickness of the curry sauce depending on your personal preference.  To make it saucier/thinner simply add some additional water and stir to combine.  If you prefer it to be a thicker sauce then simply let it simmer for a couple of minutes without the lid so that it reduces.

5. Serve the saag aloo immediately and enjoy!

Print Recipe

Saag Aloo Recipe

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time35 minutes mins

Servings: 3

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons of oil or ghee
• 1 Bay leaf
• ½ Teaspoon of cumin seeds
• ½ Teaspoon of mustard seeds
• 1 Medium onion sliced thin
• 3 to 4 Cloves of garlic minced
• ½ inch piece of ginger minced
• 1 to 2 Green chilis like serrano or thai split in half
• 2 Tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 Teaspoon of salt or more to taste
• 1 Teaspoon of garam masala
• 1 Teaspoon of chili powder or paprika
• 1 Teaspoon of coriander powder
• ½ Teaspoon of turmeric powder
• 1 Lb of waxy potatoes cut into 1-inch sized cubes
• 2 Cups of water or more as needed
• 5 oz. of Spinach

Instructions

• Make the base for the curry: Add the oil/ghee to a large pot or walled pan and place over medium heat. Once hot toss in the bay leaf, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds. Sautee these whole spices for roughly 30 seconds. Then add the sliced onion and stir to combine with the spices. Sautee the sliced onions for roughly 5 minutes or until they start to carmelize. Finally add in the garlic, ginger, green chilis, tomato paste, salt, and remaining powdered spices (garam masala, chili, coriander, turmeric). Stir to combine everything together and continue to sautee for another minute or two.
• Add and cook the potatoes: Add the potatoes to the pot/pan and stir so that every piece is coated in the curry base. Then pour in the 2 cups of water and stir so that the curry base mixes in and forms a nice sauce. Let the curry sauce come to a boil, then cover the pot/pan, and reduce the heat to low. Let the potatoes cook in the curry sauce for 20 to 30 minutes, making sure to stir them every 5 to 10 minutes. You will know the potatoes are cooked when a fork easily pierces them.
• Add and cook the spinach: Add the spinach to the pot and stir with the potatoes and curry until wilted and combined. This should take roughly 3 to 5 minutes. Finally taste the dish and add additional salt to your personal preference
• Adjust the thickness of the sauce (optional): The saag aloo is technically done at this point. However, you can adjust the thickness of the curry sauce depending on your personal preference. To make it saucier/thinner simply add some additional water and stir to combine. If you prefer it to be a thicker sauce then simply let it simmer for a couple of minutes without the lid so that it reduces.
• Serve the saag aloo immediately and enjoy!