Пхали из шпината (Spinach Pkhali)

Georgian Fast Without Oil Published April 10, 2026

Pkhali is one of the great techniques of Georgian cuisine: cooked vegetables bound with a dense, garlicky walnut paste, shaped into small balls or a mound, and crowned with pomegranate seeds. The spinach version is the most beloved, and for good reason — the bitterness of the greens plays perfectly against the richness of the walnuts and the punch of raw garlic.

This is traditional fasting food at its finest. The walnut base provides substantial protein and fat, making it genuinely filling rather than merely decorative. Serve it as a starter on any fasting table and watch it disappear first.

FASTING LEVEL: Strict Fast (no oil required)
SERVINGS: 6 (as appetizer)
TIME: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

- 500g fresh spinach (or 300g frozen, thawed and well-drained)
- 150g walnuts
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon blue fenugreek (utskho suneli)
- 1/4 teaspoon dried marigold petals (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- Pomegranate seeds for garnish

METHOD

1. Blanch the spinach in boiling salted water for 1-2 minutes until just wilted. Drain immediately and plunge into cold water. Squeeze out every drop of moisture — this is critical. You should be able to form it into a firm ball. If using frozen spinach, simply thaw and squeeze dry.

2. In a food processor, grind the walnuts, garlic, onion, coriander, blue fenugreek, marigold, and cayenne to a coarse paste. Do not over-process — you want texture, not walnut butter.

3. Finely chop the drained spinach by hand or pulse it briefly in the processor.

4. Combine the spinach with the walnut paste and cilantro. Mix thoroughly with your hands. Season with vinegar and salt. The mixture should be firm enough to hold its shape.

5. Form into small balls (about the size of a walnut) or press into a flat mound on a plate. Make a small indent in each ball with your thumb.

6. Place a few pomegranate seeds in each indent or scatter them over the mound. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before serving.

NOTES

- This recipe is inherently strict-fast appropriate — no oil is needed. The walnuts provide all the richness.
- Pkhali can be made with virtually any vegetable: beets, green beans, cabbage, nettles. The walnut paste base is the same.
- The mixture keeps refrigerated for 3 days. Shape the balls just before serving for the best texture.
- For a showpiece fasting spread, make three colors: spinach (green), beet (ruby), and green bean (pale green), arranged together on a platter.