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Indian

Palak shorba

Vegetarian

पालक शोरबा · pālak śorbā

A bright green spinach soup with onion, garlic, ginger and a little green chilli, blended smooth and finished with cumin, a pinch of garam masala and a squeeze of lemon.

Palak shorba is an Indian soup, ready in about 30 minutes and made with spinach, butter and onion. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

Start cooking
Delicious spinach soup garnished with sesame seeds and greens, served in a rustic wooden bowl.
Photo: Rahul Sonawane / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Total
30 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
70

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Melt the butter (opens in a new tab) in a saucepan (opens in a new tab), sizzle the cumin (opens in a new tab), then cook the onion (opens in a new tab), garlic (opens in a new tab), ginger and green chilli (opens in a new tab) until soft. Stir in the chickpea flour (opens in a new tab), if using, for a minute.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Add the water and salt and bring to the boil, then add the spinach (opens in a new tab) and cook just until wilted and bright green.

    • 4 min
    • high heat

    Overcooking turns the spinach olive-brown.

  3. Step 3

    Blend until completely smooth.

    Food safety: Blend hot liquids in batches with the lid vented.

  4. Step 4

    Return to the pan, add the pepper (opens in a new tab) and garam masala (opens in a new tab) and heat through without boiling. Stir in the lemon juice (opens in a new tab) and serve with a swirl of cream, if using.

    • 3 min
    • low heat
    A finished dish being plated
    How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
North India, India · Commonly attributedMore food from India
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Soups · Appetizers & starters
Cooking method
Sautéed, Simmered, Blended
Taste
earthy, fresh, garlicky, spicy (chilli heat)
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Low-fat
With the listed swaps: Vegan, Plant-based, Ovo-vegetarian, Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Everyday · Budget-friendly
Cook more with
Spinach · Butter · Onion · Garlic · Cumin · Fresh ginger
Techniques
Sautéing · Boiling · Simmering · Wet grinding · Emulsification

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom butter, heavy cream

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

70 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 309 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 17%
  • Carbohydrate 44%
  • Fat 39%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy70 kcal23 kcal
Protein3.3 g1.1 g
Carbohydrate8.6 g2.8 g
Net carbohydrate5.8 g1.9 g
Sugars1.8 g0.6 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre2.8 g0.9 g
Fat3.4 g1.1 g
Saturated fat1.9 g0.6 g
Trans fat0.1 g0 g
Cholesterol8 mg2 mg
Sodium681 mg221 mg
Salt equivalent1.7 g0.6 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
583 mg
Calcium
126 mg
Iron
2.9 mg
Magnesium
81 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
436 µg
Vitamin C
33 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
177 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: chickpea flour, heavy cream.
  • Garam masala: Curry powder (FDC 170924) used as a stand-in; both are ground blends of similar dried spices used in teaspoon amounts.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Plunge the cooked spinach mixture into a bowl set over ice before blending if you want the brightest green.

Common mistakes

  • Simmering the blended soup for a long time dulls the colour.

Serve with

  • Good with toasted bread or a few croutons fried in ghee.

Storage

  • Best on the day; keeps 2 days refrigerated, though the colour fades.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently just until hot.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2

Masalas in this recipe

Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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