Baked Spinach and Paneer Balls in gravy
Summers are here finally and the temperatures have started shooting up. I love this time of the year when it is neither cold nor hot.Kids can play outside and they don’t need to stay indoors because of cold or snow, the naked trees are now filled with bright greens and you can see beautiful flowers , so full of colors and charm everywhere.
I love to do gardening and this year also I have planted so many vegetables and flowers. It is such a wonderful feeling when you see the tiny seeds sprouting and turning into seedlings and plants, as if you’re seeing your own baby growing.
I planted Spinach few weeks ago and see how beautiful and green these babies have become. 
I was overwhelmed with joy when I saw my hard work that I put in nourishing them, paying off in the form of these lovely greens. I Plucked few of these leaves and quickly thought of making something for dinner. 
I decided to make Spinach and Paneer baked Koftas this time.
These Koftas are so healthy and delicious as they are baked and the curry is made in very less amount of oil. To make koftas first you need to blanch the spinach, ginger and green chilies together.
Preheat your oven to 400F or 165 C
Once blanched, drain out the entire water and keep it safely for the gravy.In a big bowl mix blanched Spinach grated Paneer, besan, coriander powder, salt and make a dough.
Grated Paneer
Koftas ready to be baked
Make small equal sized balls or koftas ( you can grease your hands little bit). Now grease your baking tray with oil and place the koftas on the tray. Spray some oil over the koftas too. Bake them in the oven for 20-25 minutes flipping them in between.
Baked Koftas
Meanwhile , prepare the gravy for koftas.
Heat 2-3 tsp of oil in a pan and saute chopped onions. Cook the onions till they are light brown in color and then add chopped garlic and ginger. saute them for a minute too and then add cashews. fry the cashews for few minutes and then add turmeric powder.
Then add chopped tomatoes, red chili powder and salt. Pour some water and cook the mixture till the tomatoes become soft. Once the tomatoes get soft, turn off the flame and let the mixture cool down.On cooling blend the mixture in a blender to make a smooth paste.
Again heat 1 tsp of oil in the same pan, add cumin seeds let them crackle , and add bay leaf and then pour the onion tomato paste into the pan. Add the saved water into this mixture as much as you want the consistency of gravy.
You can add more salt at this time according to taste. Once the gravy starts boiling ,add the baked koftas and cover the pan with a lid. Let the koftas cook in gravy for about 7-8 minutes and then open the lid.
Add 1 tbsp of hung curd in the gravy and cook for another 5 minutes.
Switch off the flame and garnish these delicious koftas with fresh cilantro or coriander leaves and serve hot with chappatis or rice and enjoy.
- 1.5 cups packed spinach leaves
- 1 cup grated Paneer
- 1/2 cup gram flour or besan
- 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp red Chili powder( depending on choice)
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3-4 garlic cloves chopped
- 1/2 inch + 1/2 inch ginger chopped
- 1 green chili chopped
- 6 cashews chopped
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- 1 tbsp hung curd or yogurt.
- 4 tsp of oil + few drops to grease the baking tray.
- Preheat your oven to 400F or 165 C
- Boil 4-5 glasses of water in a large pot and add a pinch of salt to the water. When water starts boiling, add spinach leaves, chopped ginger and chopped green chili and let them boil for 1 minute. Then immediately drain the water using a steel strainer and put the spinach leaves. ginger and green chili in cold water.
- Once blanched, drain out the entire water and keep it safe for the gravy.In a big bowl mix blanched Spinach grated Paneer, besan, coriander powder, salt and make a dough.
- Make small equal sized balls or koftas. grease your baking tray with oil and place the koftas on the tray. Bake them in the oven for 20-25 minutes flipping them in between.
- Meanwhile, prepare the gravy for koftas. Heat 2-3 tsp of oil in a pan and saute chopped onions. Cook the onions till they are light brown in color and then add chopped garlic and ginger. saute them for a minute too and then add cashews. fry the cashews for few minutes and then add turmeric powder.
- Then add chopped tomatoes, red chili powder, and salt. Pour some water and cook the mixture until the tomatoes become soft.
- One the tomatoes get soft, turn off the flame and let the mixture cool down.On cooling blend the mixture in a blender to make a smooth paste.
- Again heat 1 tsp of oil in the same pan, add cumin seeds let them crackle, and add bay leaf and then pour the onion tomato paste into the pan.
- Add water to this mixture as much as you want the consistency of gravy. You can add more salt at this time according to taste. Once the gravy starts boiling, add the baked koftas and cover the pan with a lid.
- Let the koftas cook in gravy for about 7-8 minutes and then open the lid. Add 1 tbsp of hung curd in the gravy and cook for another 5 minutes. Switch off the flame and garnish these delicious koftas with fresh cilantro or coriander leaves and serve hot with chappatis or rice and enjoy.
- You can also make deep fried Koftas using the same kofta recipe.
- The taste and texture of baked ones are little different than fried ones, but they definitely healthier.
- If don’t have an oven , you can also make these koftas in appe pan or Paniyaram pan.
I really liked your recipe,baking the kofta is a very smart move 😃
I loved the recipe for the following reasons (1) Nothing like baked koftas over the fried versions. (2) Homegrown Spinach combined with a lovely gravy. I can only imagine how delish this must have tasted with some parathas or phulkas. I love such wholesome combos cooked keeping in mind the health factor. Great share Swati!
fabulous job in preparing these baked version of palak paneer koftas. They look perfect in shape, soaked in gravy nicely and so mouthwatering and tempting. I bookmarked it as had been searching for different way to cook them. My deep fry koftas came out badly….Perfect recipe.
I’m all for baking wherever it can replace deep frying, love these baked koftas, they look perfect. And this curry looks delicious, Swati! Love the pics:)
Such a lovely recipe Swati! Redo it with new pictures! I can see this will be a great hit!! 😍
Thanks, Sonal this a great suggestion.
The curry looks awesome..and the kofta you baked is genius way..
Superb recipe dear.. thank you so much for sharing . Beautiful pictures, tempting too .
Baking the koftas are indeed a very good change from deep frying without much change in taste! The spinach from your garden seems to have added freshness into the end dish… Looks delicious…
Tasty curry, loved that you baked it and the addition of yoghurt in the end. Nice share Swati
Baked koftas realy makes it super healthy..
What a fabulous and healthy curry recipe without compromising on the taste. Lovely detailed recipe would go perfect with hot phulka.
Bookmaking this. Wanted to try baked one’s. Lovely pics dear 😊
Thanks Avin !
Baked palak kofta curry looks so delicious and very tempting too.
Ohhh yum yum yum! I want them now! Looks so tempting ! And that fresh spinach in your garden looks so pretty!! To grow our own food, gives a happy Happy feeling !