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Instant Pot Dal is an easy, healthy, and delicious weeknight dinner! Made with diced tomatoes, moong dal, a few hidden veggies, and Indian spices, it's a nutritious dish with only 25 minutes of hands-on time. A one-pot family-friendly meal!
I absolutely love my Instant Pot! I use it at least once a week and it has made making healthy meals for dinner so much easier! We eat Indian food fairly often, and one meal that's classic is dal with sabji, or sautéed vegetables. I'm always working on new Instant Pot recipes that don't take as much time so I created this dal recipe in the pressure cooker with a few hidden veggies for a one pot meal!
This healthy vegetarian Indian recipe was a hit with my whole family! You can make this easy dal fry recipe without an Instant Pot, but it's just so much easier with one when you don't have to sit there watching your lentils cook on the stove.
This yummy Indian dal "stew" is nutritious and delicious, vegetarian, vegan, and freezes really well too, making it the perfect recipe for meal prep and batch cooking! I love serving it with naan bread or brown or white rice for an extra-filling meal.
Indian dal in the Instant Pot is packed with protein, gluten-free, vegan friendly, keeps you full forever, and tastes so good you won't even realize it's good for you!
🙋🏽♀️ What Is Dal?
Dal (or daal, dahl, dhal), is both an ingredient and a dish. As an ingredient, it is any split legume. There are numerous kinds of dal, and the type of dal used in Indian recipes largely depends on the region of India. Toor dal also known as split pigeon peas, and moong dal are common in South India and Chana dal is common in the North. At the store you may find brown lentils, black lentils, or other shades of yellow, orange, or red.
As a recipe, dal is a creamy dish that includes the legume as the main ingredient, along with spices, and often with added vegetables. The dish is prepared in different ways with many varieties of lentils including yellow dal, red lentil dahl (masoor dal), yellow dal tadka, and dal makhani. Dal is a staple in Indian cooking and is often served for dinner with a variety of sides and vegetables.
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👩🏽🍳 Why You'll Love This Instant Pot Dal
- Vegetarian And Vegan: This Indian dal recipe is made with plant-based ingredients, no butter, and lots of satisfying and nutrient-dense vegetables for a dish that is vegetarian, vegan, and ready to be served to any guest!
- Gluten-Free: This hearty dish uses all naturally gluten-free ingredients so zero substitutions are needed.
- Sneak In Any Vegetable: I made this recipe with some of the extra vegetables I had on hand including carrots, cauliflower, and peppers, but you can utilize any vegetable you have! I love finishing this recipe by adding some fresh spinach or kale or using diced tomatoes, onion, or broccoli that I have left over from another recipe. You can also omit the veggies if you like, this Instant Pot dhal will still turn out great!
- Filling And Creamy: Dal is packed with plant-based protein from the lentils for a meal that will keep you full and is warm, comforting, and creamy.
- Under 30 Minutes Of Prep Time: You can prepare all the ingredients and have this easy recipe in the Instant Pot in under 25 minutes.
- Kid-Friendly: This delicious recipe is kid-friendly because it is light and mildly spiced, with hidden veggies! It's full of flavor but not too hot for little palates. When making this for kids, I typically omit the cayenne pepper and serve it with rice.
🥘 Ingredients
This easy dal recipe in the Instant Pot requires just a few basic ingredients! See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
- Tomatoes: Canned or fresh tomatoes diced into small pieces work best and add color to this Instant Pot dal recipe.
- Carrots: Adds color and additional nutrients. Cut any-sized carrot into bite-sized pieces.
- Cauliflower: A cruciferous vegetable adds so much to this dish and holds up well when pressure cooked.
- Onion: I used a small red onion, diced.
- Bell Pepper: Colorful bell peppers add a variety of texture and flavor.
- Spices: Ginger, garlic, hing, turmeric powder, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry powder, cayenne pepper, and salt add lots of flavor to this dal Instant Pot recipe. Hing can be found at an international grocery store or purchased online. I absolutely love Simply Organic's Curry Powder because it has the perfect balance of heat and warm spices and gives the dal complexity of flavor.
- Split Lentils: I use Moong dal yellow lentils for this recipe because it cooks down really well and becomes super creamy. Moong dal is a split legume that is yellow in color and is commonly used in Indian cuisine.
- Water: Serves as the liquid to cook the lentils and make this dal fry recipe stew-like.
- Coconut Oil: This light and neutral oil is used to saute the spices and onions before sealing the Instant Pot.
🍲 Ingredient Substitutions
- Oil: Use any neutral oil such as olive oil or avocado oil in place of the coconut oil to saute the spices and onions.
- Other Lentil Varieties: There are so many types of lentils you can use to make this everyday dal. Use chana dal or yellow split peas to make instant pot toor dal.
- Spices: Substitute garam masala, nutmeg, coriander seeds, cloves, red chili powder, curry leaves, or other personal favorite spices.
- Ginger Garlic Paste: Available at Indian grocery stores, premade ginger garlic paste will save you some prep time when substituted for fresh ginger and garlic.
- Vegetables: The first time I made this Instant Pot Indian dal, I used what I had on hand which included peppers, cauliflower, and tomatoes, but this dish can be made with almost any vegetable you have on hand - broccoli, greens, or squashes will all work well. When making for kids, you can include some of your family's favorite veggies. You can also omit the veggies altogether for a more traditional Instant Pot dal tadka recipe.
- Vegetable Stock: You can use vegetable stock in place of the water if you prefer some extra flavor.
🔪 How To Make Instant Pot Dal
Follow these step-by-step photos to make the perfect Instant Pot dal every time!
Sauté Vegetables: Turn your instant pot to sauté mode on high. Heat oil, then add cumin seeds and mustard seeds and cook for 30 seconds until they pop. Add 1 more teaspoon of coconut oil, and then add in onion, tomatoes, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion is cooked through and translucent.
Add Rest Of The Ingredients: Add the moong dal, 3 cups of water, cauliflower, carrots, bell pepper, and all of the remaining spices. Press the "Cancel" button on the Instant Pot to end the sauté setting. Stir all ingredients to combine.
Cook Dal: Close the Instant Pot with the lid, and make sure the pressure valve is in the locked or closed position. Pressure cook on the high pressure setting with the cooking time set to 15 minutes. Allow the electric pressure cooker to release the remaining pressure before opening. Stir and add water until the consistency of dal suits your preferences!
Serve: Add chopped fresh cilantro to the top of the cooked dal, if desired, and serve with plain rice.
How To Make Stovetop Dal
You can make this recipe without an Instant Pot, the cooking time is just a little longer. To prepare this dal on the stove top follow the same instructions in the recipe and use a large pot instead of the Instant Pot.
Sauté the cumin and mustard seeds in coconut oil over high heat until they pop, about 30 seconds.
Add the onions, garlic, and tomatoes and reduce to medium heat. Sauté until translucent.
Add the dal, spices, vegetables and water. Cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour, until the consistency of the dal is thick and creamy. Stir occasionally to prevent the dal from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
💭 Expert Tips
- Begin by cooking the spices: Start off by sautéing some of the oil with the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Allowing the whole spices time to heat and break open to release the most flavor. Adjust the temperature of the saute setting as needed to avoid burning the spices or vegetables. If you're cooking at a lower temperature or on the stovetop it may take a couple of minutes for the spices to break open.
- Use vegetables you have on hand: I love adding in a few extra vegetables that are leftover from other recipes to prevent food waste, so you can vary the vegetables the next time you make this recipe depending on what you have on hand.
- Natural pressure release the Instant Pot: Allow time for the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure after cooking instead of using the quick-release function. How long this takes will depend on your specific instant pot but plan to allow at least 15-20 minutes for this step. This healthy dal recipe will continue to cook and soften during this time, so be careful not to let the pot sit for a long time before opening or your dal will overcook.
- Look for dal sold under a variety of names: If you're shopping at an international grocery store, there will be a large selection of split legumes to choose from. In other grocery stores, dal may be sold under a variety of names including toor dal, arhar dal, yellow split pigeon pea, or split legumes.
📖 Variations
- Spicy: Increase the amount of cayenne pepper and add a diced jalapeno pepper or diced green chili when sauteeing the vegetables.
- Thinner Dal: If you like your dal to have more of a lentil soup consistency instead of a stew-like consistency, add 1 cup of additional water before cooking. You can also stir in water after cooking to thin out the dal.
- Mix-Ins: Add a can of kidney beans, white beans, green chilies, or additional spices before pressure cooking. Or add diced tomatoes, bell peppers, Greek yogurt, or chopped fresh herbs as a garnish to cooked dal.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
Traditionally, dal is served with a bowl of basmati rice or vegan naan flatbread. For more whole grains, I recommend serving this easy Instant Pot dal recipe with warm sprouted wheat tortillas, quinoa, or brown rice. For kids, serve this pressure cooker dal over basmati or jeera rice (cumin rice) or with almond flour tortillas on the side. You can also add a bit of cashews for more texture!
If you enjoy your dal with toppings, serve with fresh cilantro or coriander leaves, a squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of coconut milk yogurt, or a dollop of plain Greek yogurt for some extra protein.
🫙 Storage Directions
- Storing: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Cool the dal to room temperature before transferring to the container.
- Reheating: Reheat leftover dal in the microwave on medium heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring between heating, until it is heated through. Use a microwave-safe container and lightly cover it. When reheating from frozen, defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
- Freezing: Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Allow the dal to cool completely before transferring to a freezer-safe container.
❓Recipe FAQs
How long does it take to cook lentils in the instant pot?
Depending on the type of lentil you are using, the time it will take will vary. Smaller lentils, such as moong dal, or red lentils will only need about 4 minutes of cooking time. Whereas brown lentils, black lentils, or green lentils will take about 6 minutes.
Which lentils are best for making dal in the Instant Pot?
Really any type of lentil will work well for making dal in the Instant Pot! Common lentils include split red lentils (masoor dal), split yellow lentils (moong dal), and split pigeon peas (toor/arhar dal). You can choose the variety you prefer, but adjust cooking times accordingly.
Should I soak lentils before cooking them in the Instant Pot?
Generally, you do not need to soak lentils before cooking them in the Instant Pot. They cook quickly without soaking. However, rinsing them thoroughly is essential to remove excess starch.
