• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Indian Veggie Delight logo

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Kids Lunch Box
    • Instant Pot
    • Air Fryer
    • Rice & Grains
    • Lentil & Beans
    • Millet
    • Vegan
    • Keto/Low Carb Recipes
  • Instant Pot
  • Kids Lunch Box
  • Subscribe
  • About
    • About Me
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Instant Pot
  • Kids Lunch Box
  • About
×

Home » Recipes » Rice & Grains

Palak Khichdi Recipe

Dec 18, 2022. by Bhavana Patil. 4 Comments | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Jump to Recipe

Palak Khichdi Recipe is one-pot ultimate comfort food prepared with rice, dal/lentils, spinach, and some basic spices in instant pot pressure cooker or stovetop. This is Vegan, Gluten-free. This is a great recipe for infants, toddlers, and adults.

palak khichdi in a bowl with pickle on the side
palak khichdi

This Spinach Khichdi recipe is a perfect balance of carbohydrates and protein. I first ate this dish in Dubai, since my cousin recommended trying this dish at a restaurant. I loved it and wanted to try it as soon I reached back home. Since then I have been making this dish at home because my toddler daughter loves it and it's healthy.

This palak/spinach khichdi recipe can be prepared in both Instant Pot and Stove Top Pressure cooker. I have explained step by step procedure for both methods.

Other healthy Khichdi recipes to try from my blog are Vegetable Khichdi, Bajra/Pearl millet Khichdi, Pongal.

This Instant Pot Spinach Khichdi

  • is healthy, nutritious, one-pot meal
  • gets done under 30 minutes
  • packed with protein
  • Easy to digest, which makes it a great meal for babies and the elderly
  • vegan and gluten-free

How to make Palak Khichdi in Instant Pot

Add the spinach leaves and water to the blender and blend them to make the palak puree.

step to puree spinach in a blender collage

Press SAUTE mode(Normal) on Instant Pot. Add ghee or oil into the POT.
Note: Tastes better with Ghee.

Once POT is hot add in the spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, Cumin(Jeera), minced ginger-garlic, green chilies. Saute for 20 secs.

step to saute ginger in a pot collage

Then add onions and saute until they are light brown in color.

step to saute onions till soft collage

Add tomatoes and cook till they are soft.

step to cook tomatoes till soft collage

Add palak puree, washed moong dal, rice along with salt, garam masala and water. Mix well.

step to add spinach puree rice and dal collage

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 the prepared tadka to the palak khichdi and mix well.

**Note: If rice is not mushy or too dry then select saute mode and add an additional ½ cup of water and cook for another minute.

step to add tempering to spinach khichdi collage

Delicious Dal Palak khichdi is ready to be served.

palak khichdi in a bowl with pickle on the side
palak khichdi

Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method

  • Add the spinach leaves and water to the blender and blend them to make the palak puree.
  • Heat ghee in a pressure cooker, add in the spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin (jeera), minced ginger garlic, green chilies. Saute for 20 secs.
  • Then add onions and saute until they are light brown in color.
  • Add tomatoes and cook till they are soft.
  • Add palak puree and bring it to boil.
  • Lastly add washed moong dal, rice along with salt, garam masala, and water. Mix well.
  • Pressure cook for 3 whistles and let the pressure release naturally.
  • Once the pressure has been released, open the lid, add the prepared tadka to the palak khichdi and mix well. Note: If rice is not mushy or too dry, then turn on the gas and add an additional ½ cup of water and cook for another minute.
  • Delicious palak khichdi is ready to be served.

How to serve Palak Khichdi

Serve this spinach khichdi with yogurt, or eat it is. I prefer eating with kadhi. Also, some pickle and papad on the side too! 

Palak Khichdi Video Recipe

Variations & Substitutes

  • I have used split moong dal without skin. You can use it with skin moong dal.
  • I have used 2-3 cups of spinach (palak), you can add more according to your preference.
  • If you don't want to make spinach puree, you can add finely chopped spinach too.
  • The water ratio in this recipe is 3 times the rice and lentils together, which makes a soft, porridge-like consistency for the final dish.
  • You can also add vegetables of your choice, like sweet potato, pumpkin, and potato. Frozen mixed vegetables also work well in this recipe.
  • Add an extra ½ to 1 cup of water for a more khichdi-like consistency.
  • If you are using brown rice, increase pressure cook time to 20-22 minutes.
  • Substitute white rice with quinoa or millets, same pressure cooking time, i.e., 8 Minutes High Pressure.
  • To make this recipe vegan, simply substitute ghee with vegetable cooking oil.
  • If you cook this for elderly people or infants/toddlers, adjust spices and vegetables accordingly.

More Spinach Recipes

  • Palak Paratha
  • Spinach Dal
  • Creamy Spinach pasta
  • Spinach Raita
  • Spinach Corn Sandwich
  • Chana Saag (Chickpea Spinach Curry)

More Instant Pot Rice Recipes

  • Bisibelebath/Hot Lentil Rice
  • Potato/Aloo Biryani
  • Green Peas Pulao
  • Vegetable Biryani
  • Spinach Rice
  • Chickpea/Chole Biryani
Tried this recipe?Don’t forget to give a ★ rating below
palak khichdi in a bowl with pickle on the side

Palak Khichdi Recipe

Bhavana Patil
Palak Khichdi Recipe is one-pot ultimate comfort food prepared with rice, dal/lentils, spinach and some basic spices
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings: 3
Calories : 367
Course: Breakfast, Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Method: Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker, Stovetop
Prep Time : 10 minutes
Cook Time : 15 minutes
Total Time : 25 minutes

Equipment

  • Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker

Ingredients
  

  • Measuring cup used 1 cup = 250ml
  • 2-3 cups spinach (palak) rough chopped
  • ½ cup long grained rice (basmati) or any rice
  • ½ cup yellow moong dal (split yellow gram)
  • 1 tablespoon ghee(clarified butter)
  • 2 teaspoon garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger paste
  • ½ cup onions finely chopped
  • ½ cup tomatoes finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon green chillies finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 small stick cinnamon (dalchini)
  • 2 cloves laung (lavang)
  • 1 cardamom (elaichi)
  • 2.5 cups water
  • salt to taste

Tempering:

  • 2 teaspoon ghee
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
  • 1 stalk curry leaves
  • 4-5 whole dry Kashmiri red chilli broken into pieces
  • 1 teaspoon garlic (lehsun) finely chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon hing (asafoetida)

Instructions
 

Instant Pot Method:

  • Add the spinach leaves and water to the blender and blend them to make the palak puree.
  • Press SAUTE mode (Normal) on Instant Pot. Add ghee or oil in to the POT.
    Note: Tastes better with Ghee.
  • Once POT is hot add in the spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin (jeera), minced ginger-garlic, green chilies. Saute for 20 secs.
  • Then add onions and saute until they are light brown in color.
  • Add tomatoes and cook till they are soft.
  • Add palak puree, washed moong dal, rice along with salt, garam masala and water. 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 the prepared tadka to the palak khichdi and mix well.
    **Note: If rice is not mushy or too dry then select saute mode and add an additional ½ cup of water and cook for another minute.
  • Delicious palak khichdi is ready to be served.

Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method:

  • Add the spinach leaves and water to the blender and blend them to make the palak puree.
  • Heat ghee in a pressure cooker, add in the spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin (jeera), minced ginger garlic, green chilies. Saute for 20 secs.
  • Then add onions and saute until they are light brown in color.
  • Add tomatoes and cook till they are soft.
  • Add palak puree and bring it to boil.
  • Lastly add washed moong dal, rice along with salt, garam masala and water. Mix well.
  • Pressure cook for 3 whistles and let the pressure release naturally.
  • Once the pressure has released, open the lid, add the prepared tadka to the palak khichdi and mix well. Note: If rice is not mushy or too dry then turn on the gas and add additional ½ cup of water and cook for another minute.
  • Delicious palak khichdi is ready to be served.

Notes

Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
 

Variations & Substitutes

  • I have used split moong dal without skin. You can use it with skin moong dal.
  • I have used 2-3 cups of spinach (palak), you can add more according to your preference.
  • If you don't want to make spinach puree you can add finely chopped spinach too.
  • The water ratio in this recipe is 3 times the rice and lentils together which makes a soft, porridge-like consistency for the final dish.
  • You can also add vegetables of your choice like Sweet potato, pumpkin, and potato. Frozen mixed vegetables also work well in this recipe.
  • Add an extra ½ to 1 cup of water for a more khichdi-like consistency.
  • If you are using brown rice, increase pressure cook time to 20-22 minutes.
  • Substitute white rice with quinoa or millets, same pressure cooking time i.e., 8 Minutes High Pressure.
  • To make this recipe vegan, simply substitute ghee with vegetable cooking oil.
  • If you are cooking this for elderly people or infants/toddlers adjust spices and vegetables accordingly.

Nutrition

Calories: 367kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 14gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 66mgPotassium: 477mgFiber: 7gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2756IUVitamin C: 112mgCalcium: 87mgIron: 3mg
Keyword healthy, instant pot, lentil recipes, palak khichdi, pressure cooker recipes, spinach khichdi, under 30 minutes
Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @indianveggiedelight or #indianveggiedelight

♥ We LOVE to hear from you If you make this recipe, please share your food photo with hashtag #indianveggiedelight on Facebook or Instagram, so we can see it and others can enjoy it too! Thank you ♥

More 50+ Easy Rice Recipes

  • Curd Rice Recipe (Restaurant Style)
  • Burnt Garlic Fried Rice
  • Instant Pot Coconut Rice
  • Instant Pot Calrose Rice
39 shares

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Behealthiers says

    March 08, 2020 at 8:03 pm

    Drain well, combine the rice, dal, turmeric powder, salt and 1? cups of water in a pressure cooker, mix well and pressure cook for 3 whistles.

    Reply
    • bhavana says

      March 08, 2020 at 11:16 pm

      Thanks for finding an error i missed to add water quantity.it should be 2.5 to 3 cups of water.Have updated now.

      Reply
  2. Pooja says

    November 11, 2020 at 2:44 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe worked so well and the resulting dish is so delicious! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • bhavana says

      November 12, 2020 at 10:18 pm

      You're welcome Pooja 🙂 I am so glad to see your excitement, that makes me super happy 🙂 Have a great day 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hi There! Welcome to my blog! I’m Bhavana. Here you’ll find easy recipes for your Instant Pot, Kids Lunch Box ideas, Keto/LowCarb, Air-fryer recipes plus more wholesome, easy Vegetarian/Vegan Indian recipes that your family will love. More about me →

Popular Posts

  • Instant Pot Bisibelebath
  • The Best Avocado Pasta
  • Barbeque Nation Style Cajun Potatoes
  • Healthy Kids Lunch Box Recipes
  • Dominos Style Stuffed Cheesy Garlic Bread (Stuffed Garlic Bread Recipe)
  • Lauki Ki Sabzi (Bottle Gourd Curry)

Don’t miss a new recipe

  • About Me
  • PRIVACY POLICY

Copyright © 2023 Indian Veggie Delight on the Seasoned Pro Theme