Quinoa Khichdi - Instant Pot & Stovetop

This Quinoa Dal Khichdi recipe is an ultimate one-pot dish, prepared effortlessly in an Instant Pot pressure cooker or stovetop. With simple ingredients like quinoa, moong dal/lentils, vegetables, and basic Indian spices, you'll have a flavorful khichdi in less than 30 minutes! It's vegan, gluten-free, and ideal for weight loss.

Quinoa is one of the superfoods, packed with protein, dietary fiber, and has many more nutritional values compared to rice. So, I am trying to incorporate quinoa into Indian recipes by simply swapping rice with quinoa, like my lemon quinoa, and curd quinoa.

My husband, who was not a fan of eating quinoa over rice, has started liking it recently. He could not even distinguish between the classic vegetable masala khichdi made with rice and this quinoa-based khichdi, as both tasted equally delicious and similar. Another family favorite quinoa recipe is quinoa bisi bele bath made in the Instant Pot pressure cooker.

I have also added mixed vegetables like carrots, green beans, green peas to this one-pot quinoa khichdi for added nutrition.

This Quinoa masala khichdi is a very healthy and great weekday lunch or dinner option for toddlers and infants. Simply mash the vegetables in the khichdi before serving to make it suitable for their consumption.

More Khichdi Recipes, You may enjoy

• Moong Dal Khichdi
• Bajra Khichdi
• Palak Khichdi
• Dalia Khichdi

Jump to:

• Quinoa Moong Dal Khichdi Ingredients
• How to Make Quinoa Khichdi in Instant Pot
• How to Make Quinoa Khichdi on a Stovetop Pressure Cooker?
• How to Serve Vegetable Quinoa Khichdi?
• Storage Suggestions
• Variations
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Quinoa Khichdi

Quinoa Moong Dal Khichdi Ingredients

• Quinoa: Use tri-colored quinoa or white quinoa. I used white quinoa. Make sure to rinse it under cold water.
• Moong Dal: I used split yellow moong dal for this recipe. I did not soak the dal before cooking as yellow lentils cook faster.
• Green chilies: I used Thai green chilies for the heat.
• Ginger:  I used homemade ginger paste. You can also add minced ginger.
• Vegetables: I like to use onions, tomatoes, carrots, beans, and green peas. You can also swap for other vegetables like broccoli, potato, zucchini, and bell peppers.
• Oil: Use olive oil for the best flavor, but any cooking oil will work well.
• Spices: I used whole spices like cumin seeds, and bay leaf and dry spices like turmeric, coriander powder, and garam masala.
• Lemon juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice for added flavor.

How to Make Quinoa Khichdi in Instant Pot

Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Heat oil (or ghee). Add in the bay leaf and cumin (jeera) seeds. Let the cumin seeds splutter.

Add the chopped green chilies, ginger, and onions. Saute till onions turn light brown.

Then add mixed vegetables, tomatoes and cook for a minute.

After rinsing the moong dal and quinoa, add them to the pot along with turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala, water, and salt. Mix everything well. Additionally, deglaze the pot by scraping any food particles stuck to the bottom to prevent BURN alerts during cooking.

Close the lid, and turn the valve to "SEALING". Choose the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and adjust the cooking time to 5 minutes.

When the instant pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure before removing the lid.

Finally, open the lid, squeeze fresh lime juice over the khichdi, add chopped coriander leaves, and mix everything well to combine.

Note: If the khichdi is not mushy or too dry, you can select the sauté mode on your Instant Pot. Then, add ½ cup of water and cook for another minute, stirring continuously, until you achieve the desired consistency.

Enjoy your delicious quinoa and vegetable khichdi with either yogurt, raita, or kadhi.

How to Make Quinoa Khichdi on a Stovetop Pressure Cooker?

• Follow the same steps as the Instant Pot recipe.
• Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles on medium-high heat.
• Let the pressure release naturally.

Storage Suggestions

• Refrigerator: Quinoa Khichri tastes best when served fresh and piping hot. However, leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 2-3 days in an airtight container.
• Freezer: Vegetable Quinoa Khichdi freezes well. Store them in freezer-safe zip locks or containers for up to 1 month.
• Reheat: Khichdi tends to absorb all the liquid and become dry when refrigerated. For reheating, simply add a few tablespoons of water and heat it in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through.

Variations

• Water Ratio: The water ratio in this recipe is three times the amount of quinoa and lentils combined. This ensures a soft, porridge-like consistency for the final dish. You can replace water with vegetable broth to make it extra nutritious.
• Lentils: If you can’t find split yellow moong lentils, you can also use split green moong lentils, masoor dal (pink lentils), or toor dal (split pigeon peas).
• Other Grains: You can also prepare the same khichdi with other grains, such as foxtail millet, Kodo millet, dalia (bulghur wheat), and rice.
• Add vegetables: You can also use other vegetables like broccoli, potato, zucchini, and bell peppers.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you like quinoa, check out more Quinoa Indian Recipes

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