Andhra Spinach Fry (Palakura Vepudu) is a 5-ingredient stovetop recipe ready in 15 minutes, with each 90g serving at just 83 calories. Unlike a quick oil-free saute, this version uses onions and Andhra spice podi for a more substantial side dish, and with one key technique, it freezes and reheats without turning watery.
During my gestational diabetes pregnancy, my iron and folate levels kept coming up low and my doctor wanted me eating more from food, not just supplements. Spinach was the obvious answer: one of the highest iron vegetables, with folate, fiber, and potassium in the same bite. The fix for keeping it out of the freezer as a watery mess: cook the water out completely before adding the spice powder.
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Make Once, Eat All Week
Make one batch and pull from it all week or stretch it over months in the freezer. Spinach shows up on the table without cooking it every single day, and without repeating the same dish twice.
- Batch cook in 15 minutes: 4 portions ready to go
- Keeps 4 to 5 days in the fridge with no texture loss
- Freezes for up to 3 months, rotate with other dishes so nothing gets repetitive
Key Ingredients
Baby spinach is the base. It shrinks by almost 40% during cooking, so what looks like a lot in the pan concentrates down into a flavorful, nutrient-dense side dish. Look for bags without yellowing leaves or excess moisture pooled at the bottom.
Red onion adds mild sweetness and a little texture contrast once softened. One small onion per batch is all you need, but add more if you like a stronger onion presence.
Andhra spice powder (spice podi) is what makes this Andhra and not just sauteed spinach. It is a dry powder made with roasted peanuts, chana dal, garlic, and cumin. There are several podi varieties to try, each giving the dish a completely different flavor.
Oil and salt round it out. A small amount of oil is enough to saute the onions without making the final dish greasy.
Smart Shopping Tips
- Baby spinach bags from Costco or bulk grocery stores are the best value for batch cooking
- Look for spice podi at Indian grocery stores, or make your own from the podi recipes on ThaliMethod
- Red or yellow onion both work here
- Pre-washed spinach saves a step on busy days
How to Make Andhra Spinach Fry
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are in the recipe card below. Here is a quick overview.
- Chop the onion into small pieces.
- Saute the onion in oil until softened and translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the spinach and salt, then cook until the water evaporates completely. The pan should look nearly dry before you move on. I skipped this step the first two times I made this and ended up with wet spinach in the freezer. Do not rush it.
- Add the spice powder, mix well, and turn off the heat.
Pro Tips:
- Use a wide pan so the spinach wilts evenly rather than steaming in a pile
- Medium to high heat speeds up water evaporation without burning the onions
- Add the podi only after the water is gone so it coats the spinach cleanly rather than clumping into wet patches
- Taste before adding salt if your spice powder already contains salt
How to Serve This Recipe
This recipe pairs with almost everything because it is dry and concentrated, not saucy. Serve it as part of a thali with white rice and tomato pappu, alongside roti for a quick dinner, or as a morning side with eggs if you have it prepped already.
Breakfast Thali Idea:
| Recipe Name | Serving Size | Calories | Protein (g) | Fiber (g) | Fat (g) | Carbs (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy Egg Dosa Recipe | 2 servings (2 dosa + 2 eggs each serving) | 315 | 19 | 4 | 12 | 33 |
| Authentic Erra Karam Recipe | 1 tablespoon (20 g) | 11 | 0.4 | 1 | 0.1 | 3 |
| Andhra Spinach Fry (Palakura Vepudu) | 90 g cooked | 83 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| Total | - | 409 | 24.4 | 8 | 17.1 | 44 |
Lunch Thali Idea:
| Recipe Name | Serving Size | Calories | Protein (g) | Fiber (g) | Fat (g) | Carbs (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andhra Spinach Fry (Palakura Vepudu) | 90 g cooked | 83 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| White Rice (Stovetop Method) | 1 bowl (100g) | 112 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| Tomato Pappu | 1 cup (~110 g of cooked dal) | 154 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 26 |
| Oven Baked Chicken Thighs | Indian Style | 1 bowl (~100g) | 196 | 25 | 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Total | - | 545 | 39 | 8 | 16 | 66 |
Easy Variations:
- Try it with kandi podi for a nuttier, earthier flavor
- Add a pinch of turmeric along with the spinach for extra color
- Stir in a squeeze of lemon at the end for brightness
- Prefer a cold preparation? Try the spicy Korean spinach side dish instead: blanched, tossed cold, and tastes better the next day
How to Get More Iron from This Recipe
Spinach contains non-heme iron, which your body does not absorb as efficiently as the iron from meat. A few small habits make a real difference.
- Cook it rather than eat it raw. Cooking spinach breaks down oxalates, compounds that bind to iron and block absorption. This recipe already does that: sauteing the spinach until the water evaporates gives your body better access to the iron that is actually there.
- Squeeze citrus when you eat it. Vitamin C from lime or lemon juice significantly increases non-heme iron absorption. A small squeeze at the table is all it takes.
- Pair it with meat. Eating spinach alongside chicken, lamb, or beef increases iron absorption because heme iron from meat helps your body take in more non-heme iron at the same meal. Serving this with Indian style oven baked chicken thighs is one of the best combinations nutritionally.
How to Freeze Spinach Fry
Yes, this freezes well, and the reason is the evaporation step. Most cooked spinach releases liquid as it cools, which turns into ice crystals when frozen and a watery puddle when thawed. Because the water is fully cooked out of this recipe, there is nothing left to pool or crystallize. It thaws exactly as it came off the stove.
To freeze: Cool completely, then portion into a freezer tray or freezer-safe container. Freeze flat. Stays good for up to 3 months.
How to Thaw and Reheat
No need to thaw overnight. Reheat straight from the fridge or straight from frozen in the microwave. From the fridge: about 1 to 2 minutes. From frozen: slightly longer, check in 30-second intervals. You may see a small amount of liquid after microwaving depending on how much water was cooked off during cooking. That is normal and does not affect the taste.
Fridge Storage
Keeps 4 to 5 days in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes. Same note: a little liquid may appear on reheating, which is normal.
Try It This Week
If you have been meaning to eat more spinach, this recipe removes every excuse. Make one batch and you have a side dish ready for four meals. Tag me on Instagram @thalimethod when you make it, and if you have a moment, leave a star rating on the recipe card below. Your reviews genuinely help this blog show up in Google so more people can find these recipes too.
Andhra Spinach Fry (Palakura Vepudu)
Equipment
- 1 Large skillet or pan wide enough to hold 1 lb of spinach
Ingredients
Produce:
- 1 lb (454 g) baby spinach - 454g, fresh
- 1 (100 g) onion - thinly sliced
Pantry:
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) peanut oil
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt - 6g
- 2 tablespoon (14 g) andhra spice powder - adjust to taste - recipe here
Instructions
Cook:
- Heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add 1 onion and saute for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Add 1 lb baby spinach and 1 teaspoon salt to the pan. Stir to combine. Cook on medium to high heat, stirring occasionally, until the spinach has wilted and all the water has evaporated. The spinach should look dry, not sitting in liquid. This is the key step for a freezer-friendly result.
- Add 2 tablespoon andhra spice powder, mix well to coat the spinach evenly, and turn off the heat. Serve immediately or cool and portion for the fridge or freezer.
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