Low Carb Tiny Pasta with Saag Paneer and Indian Spices
Low Carb Tempestine Saag Paneer with Spinach and Indian Spices is a recipe inspired by North Indian cuisine.
Saag paneer is a dish made with spinach and paneer cheese. In this version, we don't use rice, naan, potatoes, or legumes: the Tempestine become the main part of the dish, enveloped in a spiced spinach cream.
It's a creamy, aromatic recipe, very different from classic Italian low-carb pasta dishes.
👉 For this recipe, you can use our Low Carb Tempestine.
Ingredients for 2 people
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Low Carb Tempestine | 110 g |
| Fresh spinach | 220 g |
| Paneer | 100 g |
| Garam masala | 2 g |
| Mustard seeds | 2 g |
| Turmeric | 1 g |
| Green chili | a little |
| Ghee or extra virgin olive oil | 18 g |
| Hot water | q.b. |
| Salt | q.b. |
Preparation Time
Preparation: 15 minutes
Spinach cooking: 6 minutes
Low Carb Tempestine cooking: 8 minutes
Total time: approximately 25 minutes
Servings: 2
How to prepare Low Carb Tempestine Saag Paneer
1. Prepare the spinach
Wash the spinach and drain it well.
Cook it in a pan with very little water for 3-4 minutes, just until it softens.
Squeeze it lightly and blend it with a little hot water until you get a green cream.
2. Toast the spices
Heat ghee or extra virgin olive oil in a pan.
Add the mustard seeds and toast them for a few seconds.
Add turmeric, garam masala, and a little green chili.
Keep the heat low: the spices should be fragrant, not burnt.
3. Add the spinach cream
Pour the spinach cream into the pan with the spices.
Stir and let it flavor for 2 minutes.
If the cream is too thick, add a little hot water.
4. Cook the Tempestine
Cook the Low Carb Tempestine in plenty of salted water for 8 minutes.
Drain them well.
5. Combine Tempestine and cream
Transfer the Tempestine to the pan with the spinach cream.
Mix gently to coat them with the sauce.
6. Add the paneer
Cut the paneer into cubes.
Add it to the pan and heat for 1-2 minutes.
The paneer should remain firm, not melt completely.
Low Carb Attention
Avoid potatoes, peas, basmati rice, naan, and chutney.
Check that the garam masala does not contain sugar or flour.
Use real paneer, without added starches.
Why it works
This recipe is creamy without using cream, potatoes, or flour.
Spinach provides body, spices add complexity, and paneer makes the dish more complete.
Nutritional values of the complete dish
| Average nutritional values | Per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Energy | 131 kcal / 546 kJ |
| Fats | 7.4 g |
| of which saturated fatty acids | 4.4 g |
| of which monounsaturated | 2.1 g |
| of which polyunsaturated | 0.4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 1.9 g |
| of which sugars | 0.5 g |
| of which starches | 0.8 g |
| of which polyols | 0.0 g |
| Fibers | 12.8 g |
| Proteins | 7.7 g |
| Salt | 0.17 g |
Average nutritional values estimated per 100 g of cooked dish, calculated with ghee and without considering any salt added during cooking or seasoning. Values may vary depending on the type of paneer used and the actual yield of spinach after cooking.
If you use extra virgin olive oil instead of ghee
The energy value remains approximately: 131 kcal per 100 g
But saturated fats decrease from approximately: 4.4 g to 2.9 g per 100 g
So, from a nutritional point of view, extra virgin olive oil is more favorable. From a gastronomic point of view, however, ghee is more consistent with the Indian identity of the dish.
For other Low Carb recipes, visit our Blog.
To learn more about cooking times, formats, and practical tips, read the guide: Low-carb pasta: what it is, how to cook it, and how to choose the right one.