Georgian Pkhali (Walnut-Spinach Vegetable Pâté)

About This Recipe

Georgian Pkhali is a real, traditional Georgian dish, known as Walnut-Spinach Vegetable Pâté. Blanched spinach or other vegetables finely chopped and bound with ground walnuts, garlic and vinegar into a dense, savory spread.\n\nPkhali is a foundational Georgian appetizer, typically made from a wide variety of vegetables like spinach, beet greens or cabbage, all bound with the country's beloved ground walnut paste, traditionally garnished with pomegranate seeds.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Georgian home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 600 gfresh spinach(blanched and squeezed dry)
• 150 gground walnuts
• 4garlic cloves
• 2 tbspwhite wine vinegar
• 1 tspkhmeli suneli
• 0.5 tspchili flakes
• 1 tspfine sea salt(to taste)
• 2 tbspchopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tbsppomegranate seeds(to garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Blanch the spinach

   Blanch the spinach in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain, cool and squeeze out as much excess water as possible.

2. 2

   Chop finely

   Finely chop the well-drained spinach.

3. 3

   Make the walnut paste

   Blend or pound ground walnuts, garlic, vinegar, khmeli suneli, chili flakes and salt into a thick paste.

4. 4

   Combine

   Mix the walnut paste thoroughly with the chopped spinach and cilantro until evenly combined.

5. 5

   Chill

   Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to let the flavors meld.

6. 6

   Shape and serve

   Shape into small balls or a mound, garnish generously with pomegranate seeds, and serve cold or at room temperature with bread.

Variations

• •

  Use beet greens, cabbage or green beans instead of spinach for other classic pkhali variations, each blanched and prepared the same way.

• •

  Some households add a bit of ground coriander seed for extra warmth.

• •

  Shape into individual small balls for an elegant appetizer platter presentation.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions