Instant Pot Dal Makhani
This Instant Pot Dal Makhani is creamy, rich, and flavorful. Now you can easily make this popular Indian restaurant dish at home—no more takeouts needed! I love making it in bulk and freezing portions for quick and convenient meals later.
What is Dal Makhani?
Dal Makhani is a classic North Indian dish, known for its creamy texture and rich flavors. Traditionally, it’s made with whole black lentils (urad dal) and kidney beans (rajma) that are slow-cooked with spices, butter, and cream, creating a deeply satisfying dish. It’s one of the most popular items on Indian restaurant menus, celebrated for its comforting, indulgent flavors.
My Recipe Of Instant Pot Dal Makhani
Traditionally, making dal makhani the authentic way, as done in Indian dhabas, is a long, slow-cooked process that takes hours of simmering on the stovetop. This slow cooking deepens the flavors, giving the dal a rich, smoky taste. But in today’s busy world, finding that kind of time isn’t always practical.
With my recipe, you can make this dish much faster without sacrificing flavor. With this Instant Pot method, you get all the creamy, rich goodness of traditional dal makhani in a fraction of the time, so you can enjoy it even on a weeknight.
For a smoky flavor in dal makhani, try smoked paprika. This is my secret ingredient here. It’s an easy way to add that authentic taste without extra steps. Traditionally, dhungar (smoking with charcoal) is used, but smoked paprika gives a similar result in less time.
Perfect for Meal Prep and Freezing
Dal Makhani is an ideal recipe for meal prep. Using instant pot, you can make a double, triple batch in almost same amount of time. Plus, it tastes even better the next day as the flavors deepen, so you can cook a large batch and store it in the fridge or freezer. This makes it perfect for quick weeknight dinners or easy lunches. More details about freezing and defrosting mentioned below.
Ingredient Notes
Here is a pic of the ingredients you’ll need to make Instant Pot Dal Makhani Recipe.
Step By Step Photo Instructions (With Tips)
NOTE: I am making double batch here, So I doubled all the ingredients mentioned below in the recipe card. So I can freeze leftovers for later busy weekdays.
- Soak Lentils Overnight
- Wash/Rinse: Place the whole urad dal and rajma in a colander and rinse them under cold running water. Gently massage the lentils with your fingers while rinsing. Alternatively, you can rinse them in a bowl 2-3 times until the water runs clear.
- Soak: Soak them in enough water (about 2 inches above the lentils) for at least 8 hours or overnight. They will double in size.
- Drain: Once soaked, drain the lentils and discard the soaking water.
TIP: Soaking lentils for at least 8 hours is recommended. When properly soaked lentils are cooked they get a creamy, soft texture. So the quick soaking method won’t work here.
- Cook Onion, Ginger, Garlic:
- Turn on the instant pot with saute mode. Add oil. Once the oil is hot, add the whole spices: bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, and black cardamoms. Sauté for about a minute, or until the spices release their aroma.
- Add the chopped onion and sprinkle a little salt to speed up the cooking process. Sauté the onion until it softens and turns light pink or translucent.
- Add the crushed ginger, garlic, and green chili. Sauté for another minute, or until the raw smell of the ginger and garlic disappears.
TIP: Always add whole spices to hot oil to release their essential oils. This helps to bring out the maximum flavor and aroma in your dal makhani.
- Cook Tomatoes, Add Chili Powder:
- Add the tomato puree to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add red chili powder and the remaining salt, and mix.
- Add Lentils & Pressure Cook:
- Add the drained lentils and fresh water to the pot. Stir everything to combine.
- Press Cancel to turn off the sauté mode. Cover the Instant Pot with the lid, ensuring the valve is in the sealing position.
- Set the Instant Pot to Manual (High Pressure) and cook for 25 minutes. Once the cooking time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally before opening the lid.
- Add Butter, Cream & Final Seasonings:
- Once the pressure is released and the pin drops, open the Instant Pot lid. The lentils should be soft and almost mushy.
- Add butter and smoked paprika. Stir well.
- Turn the sauté mode back on and let the dal makhani simmer for 5-7 minutes. It will thicken and develop a rich flavor during this time.
- Add crushed kasoori methi and garam masala. Mix.
- Lastly, pour in the heavy whipping cream and stir until well combined.
TIP: The amount of butter and cream in this recipe is ideal for guests or special occasions. For everyday meals, feel free to reduce the quantities to suit your preference.
Serving Ideas
- Garnish the dal makhani with a pat of butter or a drizzle of heavy cream. Sprinkle some freshly chopped cilantro.
- Serve with jeera rice, plain basmati rice or brown rice with a side of Indian onion salad.
- It can be served with garlic naan or paratha.
Freezing, Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator: Dal Makhani stays fresh for 4-5 days when stored in an airtight container. When reheating, add a little splash of water if needed as it may thicken after cooling.
- Freeze: Allow Dal Makhani to cool completely. Store in a freezer-safe container (portion-sized for your family) and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw & Reheat: Remove the container from the freezer ahead of time and let it thaw on the counter for 3-4 hours or in the fridge overnight. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until fully heated.
Check Out Other Instant Pot Recipes
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a review in the comment section below. If you’re sharing it on your Instagram then don’t forget to tag me @spice.up.the.curry
Instant Pot Dal Makhani Recipe
US measuring cups are used (1 cup = 240 ml)
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Whole Urad dal (Black lentils)
- ¼ cup Rajma (Red kidney beans)
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1 Bay leaf
- 3 Cloves
- ½ inch Cinnamon stick
- 2 Black cardamoms
- ½ cup Red onion, finely chopped
- ½ inch Ginger
- 3 Cloves Garlic
- 1 Green chili, Crush ginger, garlic, green chili together into paste
- 1 medium Tomato, Pureed (~ 1 cup)
- Salt, to taste
- 2 ½ cups Water, for pressure cooking
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- ½ teaspoon Smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala
- 1 teaspoon Kasoori methi (Dried fenugreek leaves)
- ¼ cup Heavy whipping cream or fresh cream or malai
Instructions
- Wash or rinse whole urad dal and rajma together in a bowl for 2 times or until water is not cloudy anymore.
- Soak them in enough water (about 2 inches above the lentils) for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- Once soaked, drain the lentils and discard the soaking water.
- Turn on the instant pot with saute mode. Add oil. Once the oil is hot, add the whole spices: bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, and black cardamoms. Sauté for about a minute, or until the spices release their aroma.
- Add the chopped onion and sprinkle a little salt to speed up the cooking process. Sauté the onion until it softens and turns light pink or translucent.
- Add the crushed ginger, garlic, and green chili. Sauté for another minute, or until the raw smell of the ginger and garlic disappears.
- Add the tomato puree to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add red chili powder and the remaining salt, and mix.
- Add the drained lentils and fresh water to the pot. Stir everything to combine.
- Press Cancel to turn off the sauté mode. Cover the Instant Pot with the lid, ensuring the valve is in the sealing position.
- Set the Instant Pot to Manual (High Pressure) and cook for 25 minutes. Once the cooking time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Open the Instant Pot lid. The lentils should be soft and almost mushy.
- Add butter and smoked paprika. Stir well.
- Turn the sauté mode back on and let the dal makhani simmer for 5-7 minutes.
- Add crushed kasoori methi and garam masala. Mix.
- Lastly, pour in the heavy whipping cream and stir well.
Video
Notes
- Soaking lentils for at least 8 hours is recommended. When properly soaked lentils are cooked they get a creamy, soft texture. So the quick soaking method won’t work here.
- The amount of butter and cream in this recipe is ideal for guests or special occasions. For everyday meals, feel free to reduce the quantities to suit your preference.
- I highly recommend adding smoked paprika to get that signature smokey flavor and aroma. Alternatively, you can use the Dhungar method using charcoal.
what is your small mixi brand is? where do u buy from
It’s from amazon
https://linktw.in/inGAZN
How much water to put in instant pot ?
Already mentioned in the recipe 3 cups of water.