Saag Gosht (Punjabi Beef and Spinach Curry)
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
This delicious curry from the northwest region of India can be made with beef or lamb. The rich, complex flavor profile of this Saag Gosht recipe portrays the very best of Indian cuisine. You’re going to love it!
Punjab, a combination of two Persian words, means “land of the five rivers.” In 1947, with the dissolution of British India, the region was divided between Pakistan and India. Punjabi cuisine is known for its diversity, including both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Some popular examples of food derived from Punjab are tandoori dishes, pakoras, naan bread, and vegetable dishes with paneer (a soft Indian cheese). Other Punjabi favorites include Butter Chicken and Chicken Tikka. Today’s dish, Saag Gosht, which can be made with either beef or lamb, is another Punjabi favorite.
Saag Gosht Recipe
Let’s get started!
Pat the beef dry and season with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil and ghee (or butter) in a Dutch oven (I use and love Lodge) or pot and brown the beef on all sides. Transfer the beef to a plate and set aside.
Cook the onions until caramelized, about 25 minutes.
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another 3 minutes.
Add all the spices, except for the bay leaf and cardamom pods, and cook for another minute.
Add the tomato paste and tomatoes and deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Cook for 5 minutes.
Stir in the yogurt.
Return the beef and add the bay leaf and cardamom pods.
Pour in the beef stock and add the salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.
Add the spinach and simmer for another 30 minutes.
Add salt to taste.
Serve with steamed Basmati rice and/or Naan and some Cucumber Raita.
For dessert nothing beats a refreshing Mango Lassi or some Fruit Chaat!
Enjoy!
More more delicious Indian food be sure to try our:
- Chicken Tikka Masala
- Butter Chicken
- Egg Curry
- Tandoori Chicken
- Eggplant Curry
- Dal Palak
- Shrimp Curry
- Dosa
- Naan
- Chicken Biryani
- Chicken Xacuti
- Masoor Dal
- Fruit Chaat
- Balti Chicken
- Pakistani Chickpea & Pistachio Fudge
- Mango Chutney
- Mango Lassi
Save This Recipe
Enter your email address and we'll send it straight to your inbox!
Saag Gosht (Punjabi Beef Spinach Curry)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds beef chuck or lamb , cut into 1/2 inch cubes, patted dry and sprinkled with salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon ghee , or butter (paleo: use grass fed or substitute more oil)
- 1 large yellow onion , thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tablespoons fresh ginger , minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala , click link for our homemade blend
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 roma tomatoes , chopped
- 2 tablespoons plain whole fat yogurt
- 2 cups beef stock
- 5 green cardamom pods
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach , thawed and thoroughly drained
Instructions
- Heat the oil and butter in a heavy pot or Dutch oven. Fry the beef until nicely browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Saute the onions for 25 minutes until caramelized. Add the garlic and ginger and saute for 3 minutes. Add the spices, except for the bay leaf and cardamom pods, and saute for another minutes. Add the tomato paste and the tomatoes and deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping up any of the browned bits. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the yogurt.Add the beef cubes, beef broth, bay leaf, cardamom pods and salt. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add the spinach and cook for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.Add salt to taste. Serve with steamed Basmati rice and/or naan.
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
This is a really good recipe. I substituted a 15oz can of diced tomatoes and fresh spinach. Turned out great. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much, Brandon, I’m happy you enjoyed it and appreciate the feedback!
Made this for my family here in Spain as our nearest Indian restaurant is 90 minutes away. The only thing i changed was to use fresh spinach and one green chilli to add a bit of heat. They loved it! I loved it especially with my homemade naan bread. Thank you. It will become a regular on my curry list.
I’m so happy it was a hit, Stephen, thank you for the feedback!
This was absolutely delicious, I cut the yogurt and substituted fresh spinach and coriander instead of frozen and ground and it was one of the tastiest curries I have made.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Wonderful, Abbie, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
Too much stock and not enough spinach. Otherwise the flavors are very good.
Thank you for this. It was easy to follow and the taste was great! Can’t wait to try more.
I’m so glad you liked it, Danica, thank you!