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    Home » Curry

    Vegan Saag Aloo (Spinach & Potato Curry)

    Published: Nov 15, 2020 · Modified: Jan 22, 2024 by Louise-Claire Cayzer · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 5 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    This delicious vegan Saag Aloo (Spinach and Potato Curry) is utterly delicious. Saag means spinach and Aloo means potato, so combined they are Aloo Saag, or Saag Aloo! This classic dish is hearty, flavourful and perfect for anyone who loves curry but doesn't love loads of spice.

    A large pan of saag aloo curry ready to eat. this recipe

    This vegan Saag Aloo is easy to make as well as being utterly delicious. We often make it as part of our 'fakeaway' dinners for when we crave something Indian but also want the benefits of home cooking. Traditional Saal Aloo would have ghee or clarified butter in it, however, we keep this simple and vegan by using some neutral oil. I like to serve it with my favourite Creamy Tomato Dal or with a heartier creamy curry like this Creamy Tofu Korma from my friends over at The Vegan Punks, or a tomato based chickpea curry such as this Courgette Curry with Chickpeas.

    Jump to:
    • 🥔Key Ingredients
    • 👩‍🍳How-To instructions
    • ❓FAQ
    • 🌿 Variations
    • 🍛 Serving Ideas
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    🥔Key Ingredients

    Spinach: The spinach (saag) in this vegan saag aloo is probably the trickiest thing in the whole dish to make, but don't be alarmed! It just takes LOADS of spinach to create the dish, because as we all know, spinach just disappears when cooked. If you can find mature spinach instead of baby spinach, it won't wilt down so dramatically. You could also use frozen spinach, as this is already pre-cooked it just needs defrosting in a hot pan for a while to use.

    Potatoes: In terms of the variety of potato (aloo) that you need, a floury style potato is great, as they disintegrate and soften into the whole curry, thickening it and becoming infused with the spices. However, you could also easily use waxy potatoes, just chop them up a little more so they absorb the flavours.

    Spices: Mustard Seed, Cumin, Garam Masala and Nigella (kalonji/black mustard seed)

    The key to really great flavour with this curry, and indeed with all curries, is to use the freshest spices you can find.Spices really do lose their flavour after lying around in a cupboard for years. I like to shop at small Indian or other ethnic greengrocers. Not only are the spices better quality, but they are also SO much cheaper, so you can use them generously in your cooking.  We also love (and use) the spices from my favourite spice merchants Steenbergs

    Ingredients for the Saag aloo curry laid out.

    👩‍🍳How-To instructions

    See below for a step by step of how to make the vegan Saag Aloo Curry.

    1. Start by peeling and cooking the potatoes.
    2. Add oil to a large pan, and gently cook your onion & garlic until it is translucent. Add the ground spices and toast until fragrant.
    3. Now tip in the spinach. Keep adding it as it wilts!
    4. Now add in the cooked potatoes and let cook for a little while.
    A pan of potatoes ready to boil.
    A pan of spinach, gently wilting down.

    1) Peel and gently boil the potatoes

    2)In a large frying pan sweat down the spinach. Put aside.

    Fry off the onion, garlic and ginger. Add the spices and toast so they become fragrant.
    A pan with the spinach and potatoes in it. The curry spices are underneath.

    3) Fry off the onion, garlic and ginger. Add the spices and toast so they become fragrant.

    4) Add the potatoes and spinach to the spices and gently cook.

    A pan of spices being gently warmed so the spices release their aroma.
    A finished pan of the saag aloo, with the tempered spices added to it.

    5. Temper extra spices in a pan with vegetable oil to release their oils and flavour.

    6 Add the oil and tempered spices to the finished Saag Aloo and serve.

    HINT: The element that really elevates this vegan curry is the tempered spices that are added at the end. Tempering simply means to gently fry, which releases the fragrances of the spices into the oil. It really does create an extra layer of flavour that this mild potato and spinach curry just loves.

    ❓FAQ

    Can you make this ahead of time?

    This curry just gets better the longer it is cooked and is even more delicious if made the day before. Perfect for leftover lovers!

    How long will this curry store for?

    You can keep this curry for up to a week in the fridge. It also freezes well. I sometimes add extra spinach to mine if it has been frozen to 'brighten' up the flavour and colour.

    What are the best potatoes to use?

    I like floury potatoes in this Saag Aloo. But I have also made it with smaller new potatoes and it turned out delicious.

    Can I use frozen spinach instead of the fresh?

    Absolutely. Just defrost the spinach and add into the pan. It's really great to have extra frozen spinach in the freezer to add into curries and soups for an easy way to add nutrients to your food!

    Can I use tinned or canned potatoes or spinach?

    Absolutely if that is what you have to hand. The outcome will be slightly different, however the spices will really help make the dish delicious.

    Why do you specify fresh spices?

    Fresh spices will make this curry more delicious. They have more fragrant oils that deteriorate as they age. Try your local ethnic/world food stores for the best value spices.

    Is this a spicy curry?

    This is a mild curry that goes well with spicier curries. It does contain garam masala which can be a little bit spicy, so use less of that if you are concerned about the spice level. If you like your food spicier, add a whole chilli in when tempering the spices!

    Is this Saag Aloo recipe healthy?

    This simple potato and spinach curry has loads of nutrients from the spinach and good starch from the potato. It's cheap and healthy as part of a balanced meal.

    A pan of Saag Aloo with a spoon in it.

    🌿 Variations

    This Vegan Saag Aloo recipe is great as it can easily be made into other variations!

    For Saag Aloo Gobi: add a cup of fresh or frozen peas (gobi are peas)

    For a vegan twist on Aloo Paneer, add in cubes of my homemade tofu halloumi. Add as much as you like. You might want to increase the spinach element if making this.

    🍛 Serving Ideas

    The ideal accompaniment to this easy Spinach and Potato Curry are some flatbreads and some daal, plus maybe some pakora. Take a look at some of our favourite recipes that you might like to complement this!

    Easy Creamy Tomato Dal

    Creamy Butternut Squash Daal

    Easy Vegan Chickpea Flour Flatbreads.

    Leek and Celeriac Pakoras with Vegan Raita

    Close up of the curry with the tempered spices on it.

    If you love this recipe, please share this post with your friends on Pinterest or Facebook, or tag me on Insta! Don't forget to also please comment and star ⭐this recipe too!

    Love & Vegan Yummies, Louise xx (P.S. Follow me on Insta and Tik Tok!)

    📖 Recipe

    authentic vegan saag aloo curry in a dish with a wooden spoon.

    Vegan Saag Aloo (Spinach and Potato Curry)

    Louise-Claire Cayzer
    A delicious vegan spinach and potato curry that is perfect to serve with an Indian inspired feast!
    5 from 5 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
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    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 45 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Indian, Vegan
    Servings 6
    Calories 283 kcal

    Ingredients Note:

    For accuracy, I measure all ingredients in metric as standard, then convert and test the recipe for American cup measurements etc.

    (Heads up Aussie and UK readers- your measurements in cups are sometimes different, so please use metric or check you have the correct cup and spoon type!!)

    Ingredients

    For the main curry

    • 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) potatoes (Floury about 2 pounds weight)
    • 800 g (1 ¾ lb) spinach (25 cups fresh or 500g frozen )
    • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (a good thumbsized knob)
    • 1 small onion
    • 1 small chilli (leave out if you want a milder curry)
    • 1 tablespoon garam masala
    • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
    • 1 tbap mustard seed
    • 5 cloves garlic
    • 2 tablespoon rapeseed oil
    • salt and pepper to taste

    For the tempered spices

    • 1 tablespoon mustard seed
    • 1 tablespoon nigella seeds (also known as kalonji or black onion seed)
    • 2 tablespoon rapeseed oil

    Instructions

    For the curry

    • First peel and boil the potatoes in salted water
      1 kg potatoes
    • Now chop the onion and garlic finely, and grate the ginger
      1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger, 1 small onion, 5 cloves garlic
    • In a large pan, start by heating the oil, then add the onion and let cook until translucent
      1 small onion
    • Add the garlic and all the other spices. Sizzle for a minute until they start to become fragrant
      1 small chilli, 1 tablespoon garam masala, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 tbap mustard seed, 5 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoon rapeseed oil, salt and pepper to taste
    • Add the spinach and wilt it down. You will probably have to add it in batches. Keep adding until all the spinach is in the pan. Add a good pinch of salt here
      800 g spinach
    • Put the lid on the pan and let it cook for at least 10 minutes, be sure not to let it burn or catch. Add a tiny bit of water if it looks like drying out. The longer you cook the spinach in the spices, the more delicious and unctious it becomes!
    • Once the potatoes are cooked, drain and add to the spinach mixture. Cook another 10 minutes. (or longer. Again, the longer you cook this, the more the potatoes soften into the dish and become even more delicious.
    • Taste for seasoning and add salt if you need it .

    For the Tempered Spices

    • In a pan, sizzle the mustard and nigella seeds in the oil until they become fragrant and 'pop' slightly.
      2 tablespoon rapeseed oil
    • Just before serving, tip the fragrant oil and spices over the curry.
      1 tablespoon nigella seeds, 1 tablespoon mustard seed

    Video

    Notes

    The longer you cook the spinach the better!  You can also use chard, amaranth greens or other green leafy veggies here too. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 283kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 9gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 119mgPotassium: 1546mgFiber: 8gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 12587IUVitamin C: 83mgCalcium: 180mgIron: 6mg
    Tried this recipe and loved it? Follow and Mention @vegan_larder or comment and ⭐ below

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 5 votes

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    1. Rachel says

      April 29, 2022 at 6:25 pm

      5 stars
      I had no idea it was so easy to make saag aloo! Definitely a new favorite recipe and will be making it often!

      Reply
    2. Emily says

      April 29, 2022 at 6:18 pm

      5 stars
      This curry was incredible! I served it with naan and butternut squash daal. Everyone loved it and I can't wait to make it again!

      Reply
    3. Beth says

      April 29, 2022 at 5:25 pm

      5 stars
      So incredibly flavorful. My family loved it. Thanks!

      Reply
    4. Holley says

      April 29, 2022 at 5:24 pm

      5 stars
      As a curry lover, this recipe is absolutely amazing! I really love this dish! YUM!

      Reply
    5. Anita says

      April 29, 2022 at 5:16 pm

      5 stars
      I love this! It's so delicious and is actually very easy to cook once I got all the spices.

      Reply

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    Hi! I'm Louise-Claire! I believe vegan and plant-based food should be easy to make, never scary and above all, absolutely delicious. Also, it's for everyone, not just for vegans!

    I'm a photographer, recipe developer and gardener. You'll find me in the kitchen, in the studio or wandering the garden, picking delicious veggies to make recipes for you! So why not stay a while, check out some of my recipes and try one or two for yourself...Find out more on my About Me page.

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