Vegetarian, Maghreb and Middle East
Spinach walnut pkhali with beans and pomegranate
Spinach walnut pkhali is a Georgian mezze made of crushed spinach patties with walnuts, garlic, and spices, served with red beans, pomegranate, and bread. For 4 people, it takes 35 minutes and is easy to make, at €2.20 per person. The key is squeezing the spinach completely dry so the paste holds together when shaped.
Tonight it's a Georgian mezze, little green patties of spinach crushed with walnuts, garlic, and spices, topped with pomegranate seeds.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost per person
- €2.20
- Calories per person
- 560 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
- Season
- Spring, Summer, Fall
Pkhali turns spinach into something else entirely, crushed with walnuts and raw garlic into a dense paste, sharpened with ground coriander and vinegar. The green patties are eaten cold, spread on country bread, with a few pomegranate seeds adding a sweet, tangy pop to every bite.
This is a dish for a spring or summer dinner, best shared as a mezze spread rather than plated individually. The raw garlic and dense texture make it more of an adult dish for curious guests than a meal for kids racing to finish their plates.
The ingredients
Fruits and vegetables
- Fresh spinach 800 g
- Garlic 2 cloves
- Fresh cilantro 1 bunch
- Pomegranate 1
Pantry
- Walnuts 150 g
- Wine vinegaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
- Ground corianderoften in the pantry 1 tsp
- Canned red beansoften in the pantry 400 g
- Olive oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
- Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
Bakery
- Country bread 1
Allergens Gluten, Tree nuts
The step by step recipe
-
Cook the spinach in boiling salted water for three minutes, then plunge it into cold water. 5 min
The cold water locks in the green color, so your pkhali stay bright.
-
Squeeze it in a kitchen towel to remove all the water, then chop it finely.
Squeeze it in batches, with a clean towel each time, you'll be surprised how much water comes out.
-
Blend the walnuts with the garlic, cilantro, vinegar, ground coriander, and salt until you get a thick paste, then mix it into the spinach.
Don't overblend, a bit of texture makes the pkhali more elegant.
-
Shape flattened patties with damp hands and arrange them on a plate, then chill. 30 min
A thirty minute rest in the fridge makes them firmer and more flavorful.
-
Drain the red beans, season them with olive oil, seed the pomegranate, and serve everything with slices of bread.
Tap the halved pomegranate with a wooden spoon over a bowl, the seeds fall out on their own.
Our tips to get it right
- Pick spinach that's fresh and not wilted, it releases much less water during cooking and shapes more easily afterward.
- Taste the paste before shaping the patties, this is your chance to adjust the salt or add a touch more vinegar if you like it sharper.
- Make the patties the day before, they hold together better and taste stronger after a full night in the fridge.
The variations
- Swap the walnuts for hazelnuts or almonds for a milder paste with less bitterness.
- This recipe is already vegetarian, you can make it vegan by simply checking your bread doesn't contain milk or egg.
- For a quicker version, use frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well squeezed, which saves you ten minutes of prep.
What to serve it with
- Toasted country bread
- Plain yogurt on the side
- Hot black tea
Storage
The patties keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge, in a sealed container. They don't freeze well, the texture turns watery once thawed. Serve them cold or at room temperature, they aren't meant to be reheated.
Questions about this dish
Can you use cooked garlic instead of raw to soften the flavor?
Yes, sauté the garlic cloves for two minutes in a pan before blending them in. The flavor will be milder and less sharp, but the pkhali will lose some of its traditional character.
Can you make pkhali ahead for a gathering with friends?
Yes, it's actually recommended. Shape the patties the day before and keep them in the fridge, they'll be firmer and more flavorful the next day.
Is pomegranate essential for this dish to work?
Pomegranate brings the sweet, tangy touch typical of this mezze, but you can skip it if you can't find any. A few drops of lemon juice over the patties will bring back some of that freshness.
Why squeeze the spinach so hard after cooking?
Cooked spinach holds a lot of water, and that water keeps the walnut paste from holding together. Squeezing it completely dry in a towel is what lets you shape firm patties instead of a mush.
How long does it take to make a spinach walnut pkhali, with red beans, pomegranate, and bread?
Count 35 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.
How many calories are in a spinach walnut pkhali, with red beans, pomegranate, and bread?
About 560 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.
How much does a spinach walnut pkhali, with red beans, pomegranate, and bread cost?
About €2.20 per serving, or €8.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.
What allergens does this recipe contain?
This recipe contains gluten, tree nuts. Always check the labels of the products you buy.
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