Instant Pot Vegetable Khichdi (Mix Vegetable Lentil Rice)
Vegetable Khichdi (or Masala Khichdi) recipe is one-pot ultimate comfort food prepared with rice, moong dal/lentils, mixed veggies, and some basic Indian spices in Instant Pot Pressure Cooker or Stovetop.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian, North Indian
Keyword instant pot indian khichdi, masala khichdi, mix vegetable lentil rice, veg khichdi instant pot, vegetable khichdi
Press SAUTE mode on Instant Pot. Add ghee or oil to the POT. Note: Tastes better with Ghee.
Once the pot is hot, add in the cumin (jeera), ginger, green chilies. Saute for 20 secs.
Add the chopped onions. Saute till onions turn light brown in color.
Then add mixed vegetables, spinach, cook for a minute.
Next, add the washed dal, rice, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, water, salt. Mix well.
Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 8 minutes.
Once the pot beeps, Wait for NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE (NPR).
Once the pressure has released, open the lid, add cilantro and mix khichdi well.Note: If rice is not mushy or too dry, select saute mode, add ½ cup of water, and cook for another minute.
Vegetable Khichdi recipe or Mix Vegetable Lentil Rice is ready, serve with yogurt, raita, or kadhi.
Indian Pressure Cooker Method
Follow the same steps and close the lid place a whistle and cook for 3-4 whistle on medium flame. All other steps remain the same.
Lentils: I have used Split moong dal with husk (skin). You may use split yellow moong dal or use toor dal (split pigeon peas). Just make sure you are using ½ cup.
Other vegetables: To make it extra nutritious, you can other vegetables like brinjal (eggplant), broccoli, sweet potato, cabbage, pumpkin, and potato. Frozen mixed vegetables also work well in this recipe.
Other Grains: Substitute white rice with quinoa or millets, same pressure cooking time, i.e., 8 Minutes on High Pressure.
Brown Rice: If you use brown rice, increase the pressure cook time to 20-22 minutes.
Water Ratio: The water ratio used in this recipe is three times the quantity of rice and lentils used together. This helps to make a soft, porridge-like consistency for the final dish.
Vegan: To make this vegetable masala khichdi recipe vegan, simply substitute ghee with vegetable cooking oil.
Consistency: Add an extra ½ to 1 cup of water for a more khichdi-like consistency.
Spices: If you cooking for elderly people or infants/toddlers, adjust spices and vegetables accordingly.
Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.