Palak Gosht is a hearty North Indian curry that brings together tender meat and earthy spinach in a rich, spiced sauce. The name says it all—palak means spinach, and gosht means meat. This dish has been popular for generations, especially in Punjab and parts of northern India, where combining leafy greens with lamb or goat is a classic way to make a wholesome meal.

Traditionally, it was cooked slowly over a wood fire so the meat became meltingly soft and soaked up all the flavors of the spices. Today, it’s just as satisfying cooked on the stovetop. You can make it with lamb for a deeper flavor or with chicken for a quicker, lighter version. However you prepare it, Palak Gosht is a comforting dish that pairs perfectly with warm flatbread or steamed rice.

Print Recipe

Palak Gosht (Spinach Meat Curry)

A rich North Indian curry combining tender lamb or chicken with spinach and warming spices. Slow-simmered for deep flavor. Delicious with rice or flatbread.

Prep Time15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Servings:

Calories: 730kcal

Ingredients

For the Curry

700 g lamb or chicken cut into pieces (bite-sized)
30 ml cooking oil 2 tablespoons

Whole Spices

3 g cinnamon stick 1 piece
4 g green cardamom 3 pods
2 g bay leaf 1 leaf
2 g dried red chili 1 piece

For the Base

150 g onion finely chopped (1 medium)
12 g garlic minced (3–4 cloves)
5 g fresh ginger grated (2.5 cm piece)
5 g green chili chopped (1 small)

Ground Spices

3 g turmeric 1 teaspoon
5 g ground coriander 1 teaspoon
5 g ground cumin 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste

Tomato & Dairy

200 g tomato diced (1 large)
120 g yogurt ½ cup

Liquid

500 ml water

Spinach

400 g cooked spinach chopped and drained

For Garnish

8 g fresh cilantro or parsley chopped (2 tablespoons)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Toast the Whole Spices: Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf, and dried chili. Fry for about 1 minute until fragrant, then remove them and set aside.
Brown the Meat: Add the lamb or chicken pieces to the pot. Cook 4–5 minutes, turning to brown lightly on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
Prepare the Base: Add chopped onion, garlic, green chili, and ginger. Cook about 5–6 minutes, stirring, until the onion softens.
Spice and Tomato: Sprinkle in turmeric, coriander, and cumin. Stir 30 seconds. Add diced tomato and cook 2 minutes.
Combine: Return the meat and whole spices to the pan. Stir in the yogurt and season with salt.
Simmer: Pour in about 500 ml (2 cups) water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer: Lamb: about 1½ hours Chicken: 40–50 minutes
Finish with Spinach: Add the cooked spinach. Stir well and cook uncovered 5–10 minutes until the sauce thickens and the oil starts to separate slightly.
Serve: Sprinkle with fresh cilantro or parsley and serve hot with rice or flatbread.

Notes

For the richest flavor, use bone-in lamb pieces. The bones add depth to the sauce.
If using frozen spinach, thaw and squeeze out excess water before adding.
To prevent the yogurt from curdling, stir it in over low heat and mix quickly.
The curry tastes even better the next day once the spices have blended more.
You can remove the whole spices before serving or leave them in for a rustic touch (just remind guests not to bite into the cardamom pods).

Recipe Twist Ideas

Creamier Version: Stir in a splash of cream or a little cashew paste at the end for extra richness.
Leafy Greens Mix: Swap some spinach for chopped mustard greens or fenugreek leaves for a deeper, earthy flavor.
Spicier Kick: Add more fresh green chilies or a pinch of red chili powder.
One-Pot Rice: Add soaked basmati rice in the last 20 minutes of cooking with extra water to make a pilaf-style meal.
Vegan Alternative: Replace the meat with chunks of potato and cooked chickpeas, and use coconut yogurt.

Nutrition