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Spinach potato sabzi (aloo palak) in a black kadai garnished with fresh coriander and lemon wedge

Spinach Potato Sabzi (Aloo Palak)

A quick, iron-rich dry Indian stir-fry of cubed potatoes and fresh spinach cooked with whole spices — naturally vegan, gluten-free, and ready in one pan in 20 minutes.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 3
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the sabzi
  • 2 medium potatoes (approx. 300g), cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 3 cups fresh baby spinach (approx. 90g), loosely packed
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil (sunflower or avocado oil)
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 dried red chili (optional)
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 green chili, slit (adjust to taste)
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • ½ tsp red chili powder (adjust to taste)
  • Salt to taste
  • Juice of half a lemon
Garnish
  • Fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Equipment

  • Wide pan or kadai

Method
 

Prep
  1. Cut the potatoes into ½-inch cubes — this size cooks evenly in about 10 minutes without the outside turning mushy before the centre is done.
  2. If using mature spinach, wash and roughly chop it. Baby spinach goes in as-is, no chopping needed.
Sauté the whole spices
  1. Heat the oil in a wide pan or kadai over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
  2. Add the cumin seeds and dried red chili and let them crackle for about 20 seconds until the cumin smells toasty.
  3. Add the garlic and green chili and sauté for 30 seconds, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn't burn.
Cook the potatoes
  1. Add the cubed potatoes and toss to coat them in the spiced oil.
  2. Add the turmeric, coriander powder, red chili powder, and salt. Stir well to combine.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pan. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, lifting the lid to stir every 3 to 4 minutes.
  4. If the potatoes start to stick, add a tablespoon of water. The potatoes are ready when a fork slides in without resistance and the edges have a little golden colour on them.
Add the spinach and finish
  1. Add the spinach directly to the pan — it will look like a lot at first.
  2. Stir the spinach through the potatoes and let it wilt for 2 to 3 minutes. Baby spinach wilts in about 2 minutes; mature spinach may take 3 to 4 minutes.
  3. Once the spinach is fully wilted and mixed through, turn off the heat.
  4. Squeeze in the lemon juice, stir once, and taste for salt.
  5. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve immediately.

Notes

Make-ahead: Boil or half-cook the potatoes the night before and refrigerate them. The next day, sauté the spices, add the pre-cooked potatoes, and finish with spinach — cuts active cooking time to about 10 minutes.
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan over low heat with a splash of water to prevent sticking. The spinach will darken slightly on reheating, but the flavour stays the same.
Freeze? Not recommended — the spinach turns watery and the potatoes get grainy after thawing.
Kid-friendly: Reduce red chili powder to ¼ tsp and skip the dried red chili entirely. The cumin and coriander still give plenty of flavour without the heat.
No-onion-garlic version: Skip the garlic and green chili. Add a small pinch of hing (asafoetida) to the hot oil just before the cumin seeds for a savory depth without alliums. This version is also Jain-friendly.
Frozen spinach: Thaw completely and squeeze out as much water as possible before adding. Reduce the final wilt time to about 1 minute since frozen spinach is already cooked.
Lemon juice: Add off the heat at the very end — it brightens the dish, helps keep the spinach colour, and increases iron absorption.
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