Saag is a regular in our house. Even more so, since we got the instant pot and I started making it as a quick one-pot recipe. It is so quick and easy to make in the instant pot or stovetop pressure cooker. Want to find other easy Instant Pot Indian Recipes? Here are 29 Best Instant Pot Vegetarian Recipes for you to try!
What is Saag Aloo?
Saag aloo (also called Sag Aloo or Alu Saag) is a healthy curry made from potatoes cooked in a spinach sauce. Saag means a curry made with greens, and Aloo means potatoes. This is a popular dish in Punjabi cuisine, just like aloo palak. Saag Aloo and Palak Aloo Curry are used interchangeably many times. However, “palak” means spinach, and “saag” traditionally is made with a mix of greens such as winter mustard leaves, bathua (there is no good English name for this), fenugreek leaves & spinach leaves. Mustard leaves have a very interesting taste. They are slightly bitter but still very pleasing to the palate. That is one of the main reasons to cook them with spinach. I like to prepare saag with both mustard leaves and spinach; it gives a more authentic taste. If you don’t have mustard leaves at hand, you can prepare it with only spinach as well. But I warn you, it tastes so much better with mustard leaves. Enjoy Saag Aloo, a delicious mix of spinach and potatoes, perfect if you like Aloo Gobi. I like to make many variations of this Indian spinach recipe – Sarson ka Saag, Saag Paneer, Palak Tofu, Chana Saag, and Saag Chicken! You can also add cooked chickpeas to the saag. Another great option is to add sweet potatoes to this recipe in place of potatoes.
Is Saag Aloo healthy?
This Saag Aloo is made with lots of greens. I use spinach and mustard leaves in this recipe. Hence it is a very healthy and nutritious choice for your meal. If you are trying to reduce carbs, skip potatoes or replace them with tofu, paneer, or chickpeas.
How to make Saag Aloo in Instant Pot?
Traditionally Saag Aloo is made as a multi-step recipe – Blanching spinach, then pureeing it. Steaming potatoes. Then tempering is prepared with onions, ginger, garlic, and spices. And the pureed spinach and potatoes mixed in the tempering. As you can see, it seems quite a process. However, now I have simplified this recipe by making it an easy one-pot dish. Isn’t that great? We will first make the tempering, add spinach, and steam the potatoes all at the same time in the pressure cooker. If you are new to the instant pot, check out this quick setup guide. Learn more about the instant pot pot-in-pot method with this comprehensive guide! Let’s see the step-by-step recipe for this easy Saag Aloo.
Start with heating oil in the instant pot. Then add cumin seeds and green chili. Then add onions, ginger, garlic and saute for a few minutes until the onions turn golden brown. Now add the spices and stir in with the onions Add the spinach & mustard greens. Stir them a bit with the onions. Now place cubed potatoes in a steamer basket and place the basket on top of the spinach. You might have to push down the greens to fit the steamer basket. I used russet potatoes which were peeled and cubed in this recipe. Cut the potatoes in 1-1.5 inch size. Don’t cut the potatoes too small, else they can overcook. Baby potatoes will work in this recipe too.
Pressure cook for 4 minutes. When the cooking time is done, do a 5-minute NPR. This means letting the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes and then manually releasing it. The potatoes should be perfectly cooked. Remove the steamer basket. Puree the cooked greens using an immersion blender or a regular blender. Make sure you let the greens cool a bit before blending. You can leave the greens coarse or make a smooth sauce, depending on your preference. Then add the potatoes to the pureed sauce and sauté for a minute.
I did not add any cream to this recipe, but you can always add cream if you like. Optional tempering – This is not required, however, you can make tempering to add on top of the Saag as garnish. To prepare the tempering, heat ghee or oil in a small pan. Add cumin seeds and hing (asafoetida) to the oil. Once the seeds start crackling, remove it off heat. Add red chili powder (I used mild Kashmiri chili powder; adjust quantity to taste). When serving, using a spoon garnish the Saag Aloo with the tempering.
How to make Saag Aloo in Stovetop Pressure Cooker?
To follow the recipe exactly in a stovetop pressure cooker, you will need a large one that can fit the steamer basket. Otherwise, you can always boil the potatoes separately. Follow the same steps as for the instant pot. Pressure cook for 1 whistle on a medium-high flame and let the pressure release naturally.
Can I use frozen spinach and mustard greens in this Saag Aloo?
Yes, frozen greens will work well in this recipe.
Pro tips for perfect Saag Aloo
The texture of the Saag is a personal preference, so when pureeing you can leave it coarse or make it a smooth sauce. If you prefer to not puree, add finely chopped leaves when making the saag. When serving, top with a dollop of butter or the optional tempering for added flavor. Serve aloo saag with any bread of your choice. We love it with makki(corn meal) ki roti, whole wheat roti, or paratha.
Hope you enjoy this Saag Aloo!
