Saag Paneer Flatbread Pizza

Name: Saag Paneer Flatbread Pizza
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 31 min
Total time: 51 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon (14 g) ghee or neutral oil; ½ cup (80 g) yellow onion, finely chopped (about ½ medium onion); 3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 tablespoon (6 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 1 small (7 g) serrano or green chile, seeded and minced (leave seeds in for more heat) (optional); 2 teaspoons (4 g) garam masala; ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cumin; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) ground turmeric; 10 ounces (285 g) fresh baby spinach, washed and dried; large stems removed; ⅓ cup (80 ml) heavy cream, cold; ¾ teaspoon (4 g) fine salt, plus a pinch for the paneer; 2 teaspoons (10 ml) fresh lemon juice; 8 ounces (225 g) paneer, patted dry, cut into ½-inch (1.5 cm) cubes; 1 tablespoon (14 ml) neutral oil (such as avocado or canola); 4 pieces (340 g) plain naan or other flatbread, about 7 inches (18 cm), at room temperature; 1 tablespoon (14 ml) olive oil, for brushing the naan; 6 ounces (170 g) low-moisture mozzarella, coarsely shredded (about 1½ cups); ½ small (40 g) red onion, sliced paper-thin; ¼ cup (60 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, stirred smooth; 2 tablespoons (6 g) fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped; red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crisp naan topped with a creamy, garam masala-spiced spinach sauce, golden seared paneer, melty mozzarella and a cool yogurt drizzle. All the comfort of saag paneer, in a weeknight pizza that's ready in under an hour.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 31 min
Wait: 7 min
Total: 58 min
Makes: 4 individual flatbread pizzas (about 7-inch / 18 cm each)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the saag sauce
1 tablespoon (14 g) ghee or neutral oil
½ cup (80 g) yellow onion, finely chopped (about ½ medium onion)
3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon (6 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 small (7 g) serrano or green chile, seeded and minced (leave seeds in for more heat) (optional)
2 teaspoons (4 g) garam masala
½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cumin
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) ground turmeric
10 ounces (285 g) fresh baby spinach, washed and dried; large stems removed
⅓ cup (80 ml) heavy cream, cold
¾ teaspoon (4 g) fine salt, plus a pinch for the paneer
2 teaspoons (10 ml) fresh lemon juice
For the pizzas
8 ounces (225 g) paneer, patted dry, cut into ½-inch (1.5 cm) cubes
1 tablespoon (14 ml) neutral oil (such as avocado or canola)
4 pieces (340 g) plain naan or other flatbread, about 7 inches (18 cm), at room temperature
1 tablespoon (14 ml) olive oil, for brushing the naan
6 ounces (170 g) low-moisture mozzarella, coarsely shredded (about 1½ cups)
To finish
½ small (40 g) red onion, sliced paper-thin
¼ cup (60 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, stirred smooth
2 tablespoons (6 g) fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)

Equipment (7)

Large (12-inch / 30 cm) skillet or sauté pan with a lid
2 rimmed baking sheets (about 13×18-inch / 33×46 cm), lined with parchment paper
Immersion blender, or a food processor
Medium non-stick skillet (10-inch / 25 cm) for the paneer
Pastry brush
Cutting board and sharp knife
Microplane or fine grater for ginger

Steps

Before you start

Read the whole recipe first: the saag sauce, paneer and oven all run at once, so prep every ingredient before you turn on the heat.
Arrange an oven rack in the center position and preheat to 450°F (230°C) while you cook the sauce. Put the empty baking sheets in the oven only if your naan is thin; otherwise use them cold.
Pat the paneer dry with paper towels and shred the mozzarella from a block. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with starch and melts less smoothly.
Use plain, store-bought naan about 7 inches (18 cm) across. Thin pita or lavash also work, but shorten the pre-bake.

1
Prep and preheatOven 450°F / 230°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C).
- Line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Chop, mince, grate, shred and slice everything as listed in the ingredients so nothing waits while the pan is hot.
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Ready when: Oven reaches 450°F (230°C) by the time the sauce is done.
Tip: Dry the spinach and paneer well; surface water makes a soggy pizza.
2
Soften the onion
- Heat the ghee in a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium heat until it shimmers.
- Add the chopped yellow onion and a pinch of the salt.
- Cook, stirring often, for 5 to 6 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft, translucent and just beginning to turn pale gold at the edges.
Tip: If the onion browns quickly, lower the heat; dark bits will taste bitter in the sauce.
3
Bloom the spices
- Add the garlic, ginger, optional green chile, garam masala, cumin and turmeric.
- Stir constantly for 45 to 60 seconds.
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Ready when: The mixture smells strongly fragrant and looks like a thick, golden-orange paste; the garlic should not brown.
Tip: If the pan looks dry and the spices stick, splash in 1 tablespoon of water.
4
Wilt the spinach
- Add the spinach in 3 or 4 handfuls, stirring each batch into the pan until it collapses before adding the next.
- Cover for 1 minute between batches if the pile is stubborn.
- Cook 3 to 4 minutes total.
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Ready when: All the spinach is dark green, completely limp, and most of the liquid in the pan has cooked off.
5
Add cream and blend
- Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Pour in the cream, add the remaining salt, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until it thickens slightly.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
- Blend with an immersion blender (or pulse in a food processor) into a thick, slightly textured purée.
- Let it cool for 5 minutes so it thickens further.
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Ready when: The sauce holds a spoon trail for a second or two and is spreadable like thick pesto, not soupy.
Tip: If the sauce is still loose, simmer 1 to 2 minutes more, stirring, before blending.
6
Sear the paneer
- Heat the paneer oil in a 10-inch (25 cm) non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add the paneer cubes in a single layer and cook, turning only every 1 to 2 minutes, for 4 to 5 minutes total.
- Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
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Ready when: Cubes are golden brown on at least two sides and slightly crisp on the outside.
Tip: Don't crowd the pan or the paneer will steam instead of browning; work in two batches if needed.
7
Pre-bake the naanOven 450°F / 230°C
- Place the naan on the lined baking sheets, two per sheet.
- Brush the tops lightly with the olive oil.
- Bake at 450°F (230°C) for 3 minutes.
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Ready when: The naan surface looks dry and just starting to firm up, with no color yet.
Tip: If you are using thin pita or lavash, pre-bake only 1 to 2 minutes.
8
Assemble the pizzas
- Remove the sheets from the oven.
- Spread about ¼ cup (60 g) of saag sauce over each naan, leaving a ½-inch (1.5 cm) border.
- Sprinkle with the mozzarella, scatter the seared paneer over the cheese, then add the red onion slices.
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Ready when: Every naan has an even layer of sauce, cheese and toppings with a visible bare rim.
Tip: Save any extra sauce to serve alongside as a dip; overloading the naan keeps the center from crisping.
9
Bake until bubblyOven 450°F / 230°C
- Return the sheets to the oven and bake at 450°F (230°C) for 7 to 9 minutes, swapping the sheets' positions halfway if your oven is uneven.
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Ready when: The mozzarella is fully melted and bubbling with a few golden spots, and the naan rim is deep golden brown.
Tip: Watch the last 2 minutes; the thin red onion and cheese brown fast.
10
Rest and finish
- Let the pizzas rest on the sheets for 2 minutes so the cheese sets.
- Drizzle with the yogurt, then scatter the cilantro and, if you like heat, red pepper flakes.
- Slice each into wedges and serve right away.
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Ready when: The cheese no longer slides when you tilt a pizza, and the yogurt forms cool white ribbons on top.
Tip: Add the yogurt only after baking; it will split and turn grainy in the oven.

Good to know

Tips

Spread the sauce thinly and keep it thick: wet saag is the main cause of a soggy center.
Pre-baking the naan briefly is the secret to a crisp base that holds up to the toppings.
Grate the ginger and mince the garlic finely so they melt into the sauce rather than showing up as sharp bites.
For extra flavor, stir a pinch of ground fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) into the sauce with the cream.

Make ahead

"Make the saag sauce up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container; bring to room temperature or warm gently before spreading. Sear the paneer up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate. Assemble and bake just before serving for a crisp crust."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 1 hour after baking. Refrigerator: store leftover pizzas in an airtight container for up to 2 days (the crust will soften); leftover saag sauce keeps 3 days. Freezer: freeze the sauce up to 2 months; baked pizzas don't freeze well. Reheat pizza slices on a baking sheet in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 6 to 8 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and the base is crisp."

Substitutions

paneer → Firm tofu or halloumi. Press firm tofu for 15 minutes and sear until golden. Halloumi is salty, so skip the extra pinch of salt on top.
fresh baby spinach → Frozen chopped spinach (10 oz / 285 g). Thaw completely and squeeze out all the water in a clean towel; add it at the wilting step and cook just 1 minute.
heavy cream → Full-fat coconut milk. Gives a slightly sweet, dairy-free sauce; use the thick, creamy part from the top of the can.
plain naan or other flatbread, about 7 inches (18 cm) → Store-bought pizza dough rounds or pita. Pre-bake raw dough crusts about 5 minutes before topping; pita needs only 1 to 2 minutes.