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Indian

Palak Shorba (Spinach Soup)

Palak shorba blends spinach into a smooth green soup with garlic and onion.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 7 September 2026Updated

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Palak Shorba (Spinach Soup)

25 mintotal

Prep 10 min · Cook 15 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Easy
Spice
Mild
Add to your week

Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

Twenty-five minutes. The spinach wants only a couple of minutes before it is blended — that brevity is what keeps the shorba green.

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a pot. Add the cumin seeds and let them splutter.

  2. Add the garlic, ginger, and onion. Sauté until the onion turns translucent.

  3. Add the gram flour (besan) and roast on low heat for 1 minute until fragrant.

    1 min

  4. Add the chopped spinach leaves and sauté for 2 minutes until they wilt completely.

    2 min

  5. Add the water, salt, and crushed black peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.

    5 min

  6. Turn off the heat and let it cool slightly. Blend the mixture into a perfectly smooth puree using a hand blender.

  7. Return the pureed shorba to the stove and gently reheat it.

  8. Stir in the lemon juice just before serving.

  9. Serve hot in bowls.

How to tell it's done

Vibrantly green, smooth, and naturally thickened broth with a strong garlicky and peppery kick.

Nutrition

Per serving, from 2 servings.

105kcal

Where the calories come from

  • Protein2.4 g9%
  • Carbohydrate8.5 g31%
  • Fat7.5 g60%
Sugars
1.8 g
Saturated fat
1.1 g
Fibre
1.9 g
Sodium
909 mg
Potassium
295 mg
Calcium
89 mg
Iron
1.9 mg

Estimated by calculation from the ingredient list, using USDA FoodData Central. Not a laboratory analysis.

Getting it right

Tip

Besan (gram flour) provides a beautifully rustic, nutty flavor and a silky texture that prevents the spinach water from separating.

What to serve it with

Excellent winter warmer. Serve with roasted papad or a dollop of coconut cream.

Common mistakes

The shorba is dull khaki rather than green.
Blend it as soon as it comes off the heat and reheat only gently afterwards. Spinach loses its colour to prolonged heat, and a shorba boiled after blending goes grey.
It tastes of raw flour.
Roast the besan for the full minute before the spinach goes in. Gram flour needs dry heat to lose its chalky edge, and it will not get any once liquid is added.

Substitutions

  • A spoonful of cream or coconut milk at the end makes a richer shorba without changing the method.
  • Cornflour can replace the besan as the thickener if you want it gluten-free.

Storing and reheating

Keeps two days in the fridge, though the colour dulls. Reheat gently without boiling. It freezes for a month; add the lemon fresh after thawing, since it flattens in the freezer.