Clean Eating Indian Healthy Saag Recipe - My Natural Family (2024)

Rebecca Baron 18 Comments

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This Clean Eating Indian healthy saag recipe gets my children and me to eat more veggies. My family has seriously been on an Indian food craze. We love it so much. It is a meal that we can all eat together and enjoy! Not to mention Indian food has so much flavor and taste - it leaves you wanting more and more.

Since it can be expensive to go eat out for Indian food, I have been on a mission to get some great recipes to have on our frequent list of meals for dinners. I like how the spinach is so transformed, you can't even tell it's spinach. Well, other than the color. Because of that, my kids will eat it and they don't even know it's healthy.

Our family first tried Indian food a few years ago when we were adding on to our house. It was a HUGE addition and took four months (during the winter with several weeks of the outside wall partially missing, totally missing or with an uninsulated room. We used the garage to set up a temporary kitchen complete with an oven and fridge. No dishwasher though.

Clean Eating Indian Healthy Saag Recipe - My Natural Family (1)

Our garage is an old converted carport and you can see daylight through the walls in many places. It was VERY cold. I could see my breath out there every morning. I often resorted to turning on the oven and opening the door cause the portable heaters we used were pretty much useless.

Let's just say, it seemed like forever, and I used every excuse I could think of to go out to eat a lot. Well, after a while of that, we were sick of our regular restaurants and pretty much sick of eating out in general. My husband would often stay at home since he has so many food allergies he can only eat at a handful of restaurants.

Either that, or he was eating something real quick and then cleaning up the construction dust so we could come in the house. So one night I told the kids we were going to try something new and they had to try it, whether they wanted to or not, and they couldn't complain and they had to try it.

But I wanted to pick the place to eat for once and they could have leftovers if they didn't like dinner. Well, guess what? They LOVED it. They especially loved the tikka masala.

We ended up going to the same Indian restaurant so many times that the workers there knew us. My children are mostly stuck on tikka masala and like it enough that they see no reason to try anything else. I like tikka masala fine, but I don't like how it's made with chicken breasts.

I preferan Indian saag recipe with chicken thighs because they are much moister and have a deeper flavor. Although, we do try to eat vegetarian on occasion, so that's why I made it with Paneer cheese this time.

Here are some tips, tricks, and suggestions for this Indian saag recipe:

  • Check out myYeast-Free, Quick Naan Breadrecipe that goes perfectly with this recipe.
  • Indian saag is traditionally made with paneer cheese and I made my own paneer cheese for these photos. It's incredibly easy to make and only involves milk and lemon juice. Paneer cheese bought in the store works wonderfully as well, of course. The Saag can also be made with chicken or lamb if you prefer having a protein in your dish and that will make it Paleo.
  • Try it with some steamed, mashed cauliflower or cauliflower rice for a Paleo and Whole30 option or with rice for a gluten-free diet. For a Clean Eating diet, try short grain brown rice * or quinoa *.
  • The coconut milk may be subbed with cream, milk, almond milk, etc. It's such a small amount of it, that it doesn't matter all that much. I like it with coconut milk, but I often don't feel like opening a can of coconut milk and taking out such a small amount, so I often just use heavy cream 'cause I LOVE heavy cream.

This Paneer is simple to make and full of nutritious ingredients. I would love to know if you try it and any variations you make with it and who you make it for.

Clean Eating Indian Healthy Saag Recipe - My Natural Family (2)

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Recipe

Clean Eating Indian Healthy Saag Recipe - My Natural Family (3)

Clean Eating Indian Healthy Saag Recipe

★★★★★5 from 11 reviews

  • Author: Rebecca Baron
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Clean Eating
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Description

I love Indian food and have tried lots, but indian saag is my favorite by far. I always order it at my favorite Indian restaurant, but I actually like this recipe better than the restaurant and it's not even very hard to make! {Clean Eating, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian)

Ingredients

Scale

  • 16 oz Fresh Spinach (1 pound)
  • ¾ Cup Water
  • 4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 Large Yellow Onion (diced)
  • 2 Garlic (Minced)
  • ½ tsp Ground Ginger
  • 1 ½ tsp Garam Marsala
  • 1 tsp Ground Cumin
  • 2 tsp Real Salt *
  • 2 Fresh Tomatoes (pureed)
  • 6 oz Paneer Cheese (cubed) - or could sub favorite meat of choice, such as cooked chicken or lamb
  • 2 Tbsp Coconut Milk *

Instructions

  1. Place spinach leaves and water in a saucepan and cover with a lid. Bring to a simmer and cook until leaves are tender. Transfer spinach and remaining water to a blender. Puree spinach until smooth and set aside in a small bowl.
  2. Puree the fresh tomato until smooth. Set aside in a small bowl.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin, and salt, and saute for another minute.
  4. Pour in the tomato puree and cook for 1 minute.
  5. Add in the spinach puree, paneer, and coconut, stir gently, and cook for another 5 minutes on medium heat. Check seasonings and add more salt, if desired.

Keywords: Indian, Vegan, Clean

Clean Eating Indian Healthy Saag Recipe - My Natural Family (4)

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sand

    Used tofu and salsa instead of tomatoes

    Reply

  2. Jackie

    Added some more coconut milk, and used chicken broth which I think made it very salty. Also shrimp was great with it.

    Clean Eating Indian Healthy Saag Recipe - My Natural Family (9)

    Reply

    • Rebecca Baron

      For the best results, you should follow the recipe. I'm sure the chicken broth did make it salty.

      Reply

  3. Yvonne D

    Homemade paneer, super tasty. Apparently not supposed to serve with idly but still good. Waited till the sauce thickened up.

    Clean Eating Indian Healthy Saag Recipe - My Natural Family (10)

    Reply

  4. Rachel L

    Honestly pretty bland. I like it in general, but I will definitely pump up the spices next time

    Clean Eating Indian Healthy Saag Recipe - My Natural Family (11)

    Reply

    • Rebecca Baron

      If you prefer it more spicey that's okay with me. Try it next time and I hope you'll like it more. It's impossible to make a spicy recipe so everyone will like it.

      Reply

  5. Jocelyn Stire

    This turned out great!!! I agree with other comments, about adding some extra coconut milk to make it more creamy. I might also try red pepper flakes too.

    Reply

  6. Kelly

    Yum! But next time would increase garam masala and cumin, decrease salt, and add some cayenne. Maybe more coconut milk too and simmer longer.

    Reply

  7. H T

    I have made this multiple times. It is delicious!

    Reply

  8. NAtalie

    THIs looks amazing! What’s Paneer? Is it whole 30 approved? Thank you!

    Reply

    • Rebecca

      It's a special kind of fresh Indian cheese, definitely not Whole30 approved. To make this dish Whole30, I just sub the cheese for some chicken breast. Easy and works great.

      Reply

  9. Babs

    Was so good! Hubby said best paneer he’s ever had better than any restaurant. I made a couple modifications only because I’m not vegan or paleo. I didn’t have coconut milk (used plain yogurt) and used tofu not paneer. Can’t wait to make it again!

    Reply

    • Rebecca

      I'm so glad you like it and that you weren't afraid to try it and make some modifications. It really is good and really so much easier than I thought it would be. I'm glad you tried it. Thanks for commenting!

      Reply

  10. Candy

    Delicious!

    Reply

  11. Jessica Gronich

    This was delicious, thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

    • Rebecca

      You're welcome! I'm so glad you like it.

      Reply

  12. Sheri

    This looks so good, I want to add some chicken to it and eat it for lunch.

    Reply

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Clean Eating Indian Healthy Saag Recipe - My Natural Family (2024)

FAQs

How healthy is saag? ›

Bone Health: Mustard leaves are rich in calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, essential for maintaining strong and healthy bones. Heart Health: The fibre, potassium, and folate in sarso ka saag contribute to heart health by supporting healthy blood pressure levels and reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

What does saag mean in Indian food? ›

Saag refers to an Indian vegetable dish in which spinach or other dark greens are stewed with ginger, garlic, fresh chiles and spices until meltingly soft. As the name suggests, saag paneer includes paneer, a mild Indian cheese that is firm enough to cook without melting.

What is the difference between saag paneer and Palak paneer? ›

What is the difference between saag paneer and palak paneer? Saag refers to different kinds of greens like mustard greens, spinach, fenugreek, amaranth and a few others. Saag paneer can be made with any of these greens but palak paneer is made with palak (spinach) alone.

What do you eat saag with? ›

Saag dishes are mostly mild with a medium amount of gravy. They go really well with bread like chapatis (a flatbread also known as roti) and naans (leavened flatbread baked in a tandoor or oven). Daals (lentils) are the perfect side dish to order with a saag entree.

Can I eat saag everyday? ›

Is it OK to eat spinach every day? For most people it is perfectly OK to eat spinach every day. Keep reading for what can happen if you eat too much spinach or have specific health conditions such as kidney disease or are on blood thinners.

Is saag good for you to Lose Weight? ›

Sarson ka Saag contains fiber and a variety of nutrients that contribute to better blood sugar regulation. By preventing spikes and crashes in blood sugar, this dish helps control cravings and supports a more balanced and sustainable approach to weight loss.

What is the English name of saag? ›

Saags (Leafy greens) are an important part of the Garhwali, Kumaoni and Jaunsari cuisines of Uttarakhand. The abundance of leafy greens in the state are because of fertile land and forested land.

Does saag cause gas? ›

It is believed that too much consumption of saag can lead to gas, acidity and bloating. Eating saag creates Ama(toxin) in the body which affects the digestion as well as the liver, skin, respiratory system and often triggers joint pains.

What is the difference between saag and spinach? ›

Saag is the Hindi word for green leaves, and you can make this dish with mustard greens (the most common choice, especially in the Indian state of Punjab where mustard is grown) or spinach (the Hindi word for spinach is palak), but you can use any type of green leaves.

Should palak and paneer be eaten together? ›

According to the expert, spinach or palak is rich in iron and paneer is rich in calcium. “When these two food items are eaten together, calcium inhibits the nutrient absorption of iron. So, for maximum iron utilisation, have palak-aloo or palak-corn,” she suggested.

Is Palak Paneer really healthy? ›

He added, “Palak Paneer as a dish is rich in protein, B vitamins, folates, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin A, magnesium, phosphorous, and dietary fiber – that it can be a great addition to your wholesome diet. In fact, it's a delicious way of adding some greens and high quality protein to your daily food.

What is a substitute for paneer in saag? ›

Feta cheese, halloumi cheese, queso panela (queso blanco), cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, tofu, and various cow's milk cheeses can all be used as excellent alternatives to paneer.

Why not to eat saag at night? ›

There is no scientific basis for the claim that you should not eat spinach at night. Spinach is a nutritious vegetable that can be enjoyed at any time of day. Eating foods that are mostly digested in the intestines at night can lead to gas and stinky wastes.

What bread to eat with saag? ›

Saag is a flavorful popular Punjabi-Indian dish famous for its rich nutrients and links to green leafy vegetables such as spinach, mustard leaves, dill, and fenugreek. This dish tastes best with Indian bread like roti, naan, paratha, or flavored rice.

Is saag anti inflammatory? ›

Sarso ka Saag is said to fight cancer due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics. It may be beneficial in avoiding cancers of the bladder, colon, breast, lungs, prostate, and ovary.

Can we eat saag in diet? ›

It is perfectly okay to eat saag daily, but make sure you are mindful of the quantity. There are different saag kinds that are rich in antioxidants and low in calories. They support digestion by adding fibre to the body that promotes proper bowel movements.

What is the healthiest Indian dish? ›

Best 5 Lowest Calorie Indian Food You'll Love
  1. Tandoori Chicken. A classic Indian dish, tandoori chicken is both low in calories and bursting with flavour. ...
  2. Vegetable Biriyani. Vegetable biriyani is a delicious and healthy Indian dish with flavour and low calories. ...
  3. Chana masala. ...
  4. Raita. ...
  5. Aloo gobi.

Is saag good for the stomach? ›

Scientifically known as Enhydra Fluctuans, which helps in reducing acidity, heartburn, inflammation, indigestion and improves gut health. Apart from that, consuming this saag recipe is also good for relaxing the muscles, inducing sleep and its antimicrobial properties cure infections and diarrhea.

What is the healthiest Indian curry? ›

Any Indian curries that are tomato-based, like tandoori, madras, jalfrezi, rogan and bhuna, are the lowest in calories. They average around 200-300 calories. If you want an even healthier option, consider a sauce-free dish like fish tikka (which is only 180 calories).

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