Dinner/Mains

February 20, 2022

Coconut Curry Beets and Paneer

Coconut Curry Beets and Paneer is warm and comforting, and full of bright flavors and colors to get us through the last stretch of cold winter days. 

This dish comes together reasonably quickly thanks to the convenience of pre-cooked beets. I love beets, but I don’t love cooking them (so much time! so much staining!), so I keep store-bought packages of cooked beets on hand almost always. This recipe calls for 12 ounces of cooked beets, which for the brand I purchased was two packages. I love that pre-cooked beets are tender, don’t require any peeling, and are ready to go any time!

As I thought about and developed this recipe, my process was something like: paneer is cheese…beets go with cheese…curry goes with paneer…and beets…why not put it all together? Sure enough, there were recipes out there for curried beets and paneer, but I couldn’t find one that quite fit the flavor profile I was going for. (Which is often how my recipes take shape! I can’t find what I want, so I make it myself!)

This resulting Coconut Curry Beets and Paneer is a one-pot, weeknight meal. While you’re making the curry, make a pot of white or brown rice for serving, and it will be ready about the time that the curry is. My preference for this meal is brown rice because I find the nutty flavor and chewier texture of brown rice compliments the flavors and textures of the beets and paneer best. Plus, it’s a little extra protein to round out this meal and make it even more satisfying. 

While there’s still a chill in the air and winter is dark and gray, make this Coconut Curry Beets and Paneer to brighten up your plate!

Ingredients assembled for Coconut Curry Beets and Paneer
Assemble your ingredients.

Cubes of paneer frying in a skillet
Start by frying the cubes of paneer until golden on each side.

Stages of cooking the curry
Build the curry in the same skillet that you fried the paneer. Saute the onions, then the garlic and ginger, then the spices, and finally add the beets and coconut milk. Once heated through, add the reserved cubes of fried paneer.

Finished Coconut Curry Beets and Paneer in a deep-sided skillet with a spoon for serving
Your Coconut Curry Beets and Paneer will be a beautiful deep shade of pink!

A small bowl of Coconut Curry Beets and Paneer served over brown rice
Serve the curry hot, over cooked rice, and enjoy!

Coconut Curry Beets and Paneer

Coconut Curry Beets and Paneer is warm and comforting, and full of bright flavors and colors to get us through the last stretch of cold winter days.

Author:

Kira Freed - The Joyful Plateful

Prep:

10

min

cook:

30

min

total:

40

min

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. coconut oil

12 oz. paneer, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 medium yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled, minced

1-inch fresh ginger, peeled, minced

1 tsp. garam masala

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground turmeric

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1 14-oz. can full-fat coconut milk

12 oz. cooked red beets, cut into 1-inch dice, liquid from the packages reserved


Cooked white or brown rice, for serving

Instructions

  1. Start by frying the paneer cubes. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the coconut oil. Fry the paneer cubes in two batches, about 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden. Set aside.
  2. In the same skillet, saute the onion in the remaining coconut oil for 7-8 minutes, until soft. Add the minced garlic and ginger, and saute an additional minute. 
  3. Add the garam masala, coriander, turmeric, salt, and pepper, and saute the spices until fragrant, about one minute. 
  4. Add the cooked, diced beets to the vegetable and spice mixture, along with any reserved liquid from the packages of beets.
  5. Add the coconut milk, and stir until the vegetables and spices are incorporated, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any bits stuck to the pan. 
  6. Simmer about 5 minutes, or until beets are heated through and liquid reduces slightly. 
  7. Add the fried paneer cubes to the pan, and stir to combine. Let simmer an additional minute to heat paneer through. Remove from heat. 
  8. Serve hot over cooked white or brown rice. 
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