Saag Paneer Shakshuka

It was one of those nights where we couldn’t agree what we wanted for dinner, and I didn’t feel like putting much effort into cooking. I was thinking some egg and chard scramble thing and Jelani wanted Indian food from the local restaurant.

So when I was going through the fridge, I found a block of paneer and I was going to add it into the egg and chard scramble with some garam malasa, ginger, and garlic. Then, I changed my mind and decided to make saag paneer. And because I still felt like eggs, I modified my recipe a bit and smashed it together with shakshuka (a yummy, comforting traditionally tomato and red pepper-based stew with eggs poached right in it).

Voila! Saag paneer shakshuka! A healthy, hearty dinner with no need to go get take out or get any more ingredients from the store.

I used a combination of frozen chopped spinach (thawed with as much water as possible squeezed out) and a large bunch of thinly sliced chard (include those yummy stems!). Feel free to use any combination of greens you would like.

Cut the paneer into small cubes and brown in a pan that is over medium heat with a little butter, ghee, or neutral oil. If using only butter, watch it carefully to make sure it doesn’t burn. Stir occasionally to get all sides of the paneer browned. Note: if you don’t have paneer, use tofu (use the firm or extra firm, and press and drain it first)!

While the paneer is browning, thinly slice an onion and mince a few garlic cloves. If using fresh ginger, peel and grate or mince a couple of teaspoons of it.

Remove the paneer from the pan once browned on all sides and add the onions and a little more of the fat of your choice. Let them get good and caramelized for about 10 – 15 minutes. Stir them occasionally to prevent them from burning.

Add in the minced garlic, ginger (fresh or dried), turmeric, garam masala, a touch of cayenne (optional) and a couple of pinches of salt (depending on the saltiness of your garam masala blend). If the pan is too dry, add in a small amount of ghee, butter, or neutral oil. Stir to fully coat the onions in the spices and cook for another couple of minutes.

Add the chard, spinach, and a 13.5 ounce can of coconut milk. Stir, cover, and let the greens cook down for about 5 minutes. Then uncover and stir the paneer back in.

Make 6 wells in the mixture and gently crack an egg into each. Cover and cook on medium-low heat until the white of the egg is set and the yolk is still runny, about 6 – 7 minutes.

Serve over rice or with a side of naan. Enjoy!

Print Recipe

Saag Paneer Shakshuka

A mashup of saag paneer and shakshuka, two of our favorite Indian and Middle Eastern dishes

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time35 mins

Author: Rachel at Fridge Two Table

Ingredients

• 1 lb frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 large bunch of chard
• 1 lb paneer (or 1 lb tofu, pressed and drained)
• 1 onion
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 heaping tsp ground ginger (or 2 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced or finely grated)
• 1 heaping tsp turmeric
• 3 heaping tsp garam masala
• ⅛ – ¼ tsp cayenne (optional or adjust for your spiciness preference)
• 1 13.5 oz can coconut milk
• 6 eggs
• salt
• ghee, butter, or neutral oil

Instructions

• Heat a large pan (that has a lid) over medium heat.
• Cut the paneer into small cubes, thinly slice the onion, mince the garlic, thinly slice the chard, and gather the spices.
• Add just enough ghee/butter/oil to the pan to coat the bottom. Stir occasionally to brown the paneer on all sides, about 5 minutes.
• Remove paneer, place in a bowl, and set aside.
• Add in the onions and a little more ghee/butter/oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes until the onions are golden brown.
• Add in the minced garlic, ginger, turmeric, garam masala, cayenne, and a couple of pinches of salt (depending on the salt levels in your garam masala blend). Stir to coat the onions in the spice mixture and cook for about 2 minutes.
• Stir in the chard, spinach, and coconut milk. Cover and cook the greens down for about 5 minutes.
• Remove the lid and stir back in the paneer. Make 6 wells in the mixture and gently crack an egg into each. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until the whites of the egg are just set and the yolk is still runny, about 6 – 7 minutes.
• Serve over rice or with a side of naan. Enjoy!