Guyanese Bhaji (Spinach in Coconut Milk)

Guyanese bhaji is spinach sautéed with onion and garlic, then cooked down in coconut milk until it’s dark, tender and silky. It’s a simple vegan side dish, ready in just 20 minutes, and it pairs really well with most curries and a side of dhal.

Updated October 2026: I’ve updated this recipe to the way my mother made it, cooked down in coconut milk.

What is Guyanese Bhaji?

Bhaji (pronounced “bahgie,” and also spelled bajee, bagee or bhagee) is what we call cooked greens in Guyana, usually spinach today. Don’t confuse it with the Indian onion bhaji fritters. The original bhaji was made with eddo leaves cooked down in coconut milk, and that’s how my mother made it when I was little. It will take you less time to cook bhaji (especially with frozen spinach) than it took me to write this post, which is why it’s in steady rotation in my house.

Why You’ll Love This Sautéed Spinach Recipe

• Quick and easy: In about 20 minutes (prep included), you have really yummy bahgie.
• Creamy without dairy: Coconut milk makes it rich and silky, the way my mother made it. It’s vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free.
• Good for you: Spinach is a great source of iron, calcium and vitamin A.
• Versatile: Enjoy bhaji as a side dish or a filling for roti. Serve it with rice, dhal, meat or seafood (sautéed spinach and shrimp is a popular combo), or as part of a seven curry spread.

Ingredients for Guyanese Bhaji

This recipe easily comes together with just a handful of simple ingredients.

• Spinach: fresh or frozen. If you use frozen, thaw it completely and squeeze out the water.
• Coconut milk: full-fat canned coconut milk gives the richest flavor.
• Onion and garlic: the flavor base.
• Coconut oil: or any cooking oil.
• Wiri wiri pepper (optional): leave it whole for gentle heat, or crush it in for more.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Fresh Spinach versus Frozen Spinach

Both work, so use whatever you have.

• Fresh spinach gives you a little more texture. Wash it well (spinach can be sandy), chop it, and add it to the pan in batches. It looks like a lot, but it cooks down to a fraction of its size.
• Frozen spinach is faster, since it’s already washed and chopped, and it’s easy to keep on hand. Thaw it completely and squeeze out as much water as you can before cooking. Otherwise the extra water keeps the coconut milk from cooking down, and the bhaji turns out watery.

How much to use: about 1 pound of fresh spinach cooks down to roughly the same amount as a 10-ounce package of frozen. For this recipe, 3 bundles of fresh spinach (about 2 pounds) equals about two 10-ounce packages of frozen.

How to make Guyanese Bhaji

Cook the aromatics. Heat the coconut oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for a minute or two, until soft, then add the grated garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Wilt the spinach. Add the spinach and salt, and stir often until it wilts. If you’re using fresh spinach, add it in batches, letting each batch wilt before adding more. If you’re using frozen, thaw it completely and squeeze out the water first.

Cook it down in coconut milk. Pour in the coconut milk and add the wiri wiri pepper, if using. Cook uncovered, stirring often, until the coconut milk cooks off and the spinach reduces down, about 10 minutes. Bhaji should be dark green, soft and silky, not bright and leafy.

Serve. Cook for another minute or two, then remove from the heat. Serve hot with dhal and rice, roti, or as part of a seven curry spread.

The line “dark green, soft and silky, not bright and leafy” tells first-timers what done looks like. That’s the part people usually get wrong.

Store leftover spinach in an airtight container in the fridge. It lasts up to 5 days. To reheat it, warm it up gently in the microwave.

Tips for the best Guyanese Bhaji

• Don’t cover the pan, or the coconut milk won’t cook off.
• Let it cook down fully. Bhaji should be dark green and soft, not bright and leafy.

Variations for Guyanese Bhaji

• Add mushrooms for a heartier dish.
• Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.
• Traditional version: use eddo leaves (see the recipe notes for how to choose and prep them).

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days, and reheat gently in the microwave or on the stove.

Frequently Asked Questions