Palak Soup - Indian Spinach Soup Recipe (Dairy-Free) (2024)

Learn how to make spinach soup - Indian style. Palak soup is a staple of Indian cuisine that's nutrient-dense, sublimely savory, and perfect for chilly nights.

Why you'll love it

I've been adding recipes to my low-carb cooking blog since 2010. And in all that time, I can't believe I've only tried my hand at a few Indian dishes.

My chicken cabbage curry came out great. I may even try cooking it in the Instant Pot next time. But beyond these recipes, the closest I've come to India in my cooking is adding ghee (clarified butter) to dishes!

I want to try another Indian staple in the future that features spinach and garlic: palak paneer.

It might be a bit of an adjustment for your family to get used to all the rich spices of Indian cuisine if they're not used to it. However, over time, they'll most likely grow to like it.

If you really love how versatile spinach is, you can try my other recipes that feature it, like coconut creamed spinach with pork crackling.

Moreover, if you love ghee as much as I do, try adding it to your keto tea. You can probably even add it to chai tea.

The great thing about making Indian food is that most dishes are easy to make (once you get used to the different ingredients) and very healthy.

Ingredients

This spinach soup palak isn't just keto-friendly, it's gluten-free and sugar-free too. It's a fantastically flavorful soup to serve anyone with food intolerances. Here's what I used when I made it.

Baby spinach

Chopped spinach leaves are the base and main ingredient in this spinach soup. It's in both the original recipe and the keto-friendly version.

Coconut cream and coconut milk

In a dairy-free recipe, use coconut milk and coconut cream. I used canned coconut milk, not the carton. Canned coconut milk has cream in it.

Garlic

Fresh garlic has an incredible aroma as you saute it. Use fresh garlic cloves instead of garlic powder.

Yellow onion

Any type of chopped onion will taste amazing in this recipe. Use red onion if you want a bold flavor.

Spices

The spices in this soup give it so much flavor. I used a combination of cumin powder, ginger powder, and a bay leaf.

Ghee

To make this soup suitable for a paleo keto diet, there's no dairy used, with the exception of ghee. Ghee is the only dairy product acceptable for paleo because it has nearly all the inflammatory milk proteins removed.

Pork rinds

Although not typical in Indian spinach soup, I like to add optional pork rinds on top.

Why do I use pork rinds? It's a great substitute for breadcrumbs. In fact, I use it in several recipes, including this one for making bread with almost zero grams of carbs.

Please note:Check out the recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients used to make this low-carb recipe.

Tips

• Use an immersion blender or food processor for a smooth puree.
• Use canned coconut cream, not the coconut milk that comes in a carton. Canned has more fat.
• Yogurt can work in the soup. Substitute your favorite type of full-fat heavy cream or yogurt for the coconut cream if you can handle dairy.

Instructions

All the detailed instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here's a bit more information about how to cook this delicious soup.

Blend the garlic, onion, and spinach

Using a small blender, mince the garlic, onion, and spinach, keeping them separate. Set aside.

Saute the onions and garlic

Next, you'll want to heat a casserole dish or deep pan with oil. I prefer using ghee instead of oil for this recipe.

Saute the onions until they appear translucent (you can sort of see through them). At this point, you'll want to add the garlic and continue sauteeing.

You'll know when to stop when you can really smell the savory aroma.

Add spinach and spices

The next step is adding the spinach, cumin, and garlic powder. Saute away! Continue until the spinach wilts.

From there, over low heat, pour the coconut cream. The next step is adding the bay leaf.

Simmer with coconut milk and cream

Simmer for up to 10 minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally. Then, add the coconut milk and simmer for a couple more minutes.

It's time to now remove the bay leaf. You can use tongs if you have trouble removing it with your stirrer.

Blend and puree

The next thing you'll need to do is grab an immersion blender (aka hand blender) to puree the spinach. Continue simmering for an additional 5 minutes after it's pureed.

Serve the spinach soup

Finally, transfer the ingredients to a few serving bowls, and drizzle with the optional toppings. Then enjoy the tasty soup.

️ Serving suggestions

This is the perfect soup to serve on a cold day when you just want to warm up. Serve it with your favorite keto crusty bread. Dip it into the soup or let it dry out and crumble croutons on top.

Palak soup is perfect for serving with a keto flatbread, like low-carb naan. It will also taste delicious with some keto pork curry.

Garnish spinach soup with fresh parsley leaves.

Variations

There are a lot of different ways you can make this keto spinach soup. If you make any changes, please let me know in the comments!

• Thicken the soup. Instead of flour, add ½ a teaspoon of xanthan gum.
• Sweeten the soup. Some recipes call for sugar, so use your favorite sugar substitute to add a touch of sweetness.
• Be authentic. Instead of a typical bay leaf, use an Indian bay leaf for a richer and bolder flavor.

FAQs

Here are some questions people often ask about making low-carb spinach soup. If you don't see your question in this list, please leave it in the comments.

If you enjoyed this keto Indian spinach soup, here are moreketo lunch ideasand soup recipes you should make next. They are all perfect for any time of day.

• Keto Egg Drop Soup is an authentic Chinese recipe that is the perfect starter for any Asian meal.
• Unstuffed Cabbage Soupis a keto soup recipe that you will want to make over and over again.
• Keto French Onion Soup is extra cheesy and flavorful and tastes authentic without the extra carbs.
• Cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Soup with Sausageis a rich soup full of tasty cheese and hearty flavors!
• Instant Pot Low-Carb Taco Souptastes even better with a dollop of sour cream.

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Recipe

First published January 21, 2019. Last updated July 28, 2022, with new images and additional recipe information.