Dal Makhani is a rich and creamy north-Indian curry made with black lentils, kidney beans, aromatic herbs, and toasted spices. Here's a restaurant-quality recipe for this flavor-packed vegetarian lentil curry, made easy using the Instant Pot.
Enjoy these creamy lentils with naan, roti, or cumin rice. Optionally, elevate this dish with the charcoal-smoked method called Dhungar!
Dal Makhani is one of the most popular lentil curries from the Punjab region in northern India.
To make this delicious lentil curry, black lentils (whole urad/ black gram) and red kidney beans are cooked in butter, with ginger, garlic, onion, tomato, herbs, and spices, till they get soft and creamy.
Its flavor is enhanced by simmering it low and slow with a touch of heavy cream. The end result is pure creamy deliciousness. Due to its rich and luxurious taste, you will always find it on restaurant menus.
In this easy dal makhani recipe, I'm sharing how to make a restaurant-quality dish using an Instant Pot. You'll be amazed at the results! Let's get started!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's an easy lentils recipe that tastes like it has been cooking for hours, thanks to the pressure cooker, which cuts the cooking time dramatically.
- Soak your beans if you have the time or take a shortcut with unsoaked beans - the choice is up to you!
- It's naturally vegetarian and gluten-free, with an easy option to make it dairy-free and vegan!
- I've included tips to serve it straight away or make it in advance for entertaining and dinner parties.
How to Make Dal Makhani
This recipe is good for cooking an authentic Dal Makhani in an Instant Pot, or any other electric pressure cooker. Let's take a look at the ingredients.
Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
For ease of preparation, the dal makhani ingredients are broken up into a few parts - lentils and beans, curry, spices, and finishing.
Black Lentils: Also known as whole urad or black gram, these are whole black lentils easily found in the global section of supermarkets. They are also easily available at specialty Indian markets or on Amazon.
Red Kidney Beans: Dried kidney beans are easy to spot in the bulk section of Whole Foods or in the beans aisle of any major supermarket. Directions are given for both soaked and unsoaked beans, as well as their canned variety.
Fat: Butter is more traditional, but olive oil keeps it light and healthy. Avocado or coconut oil are also great options.
Cumin Seeds: Add the cumin seeds to the hot fat and saute just until they pop for a burst of savory flavor.
Onion: One medium-size yellow onion offers just the right amount of aromatic flavor.
Green Chiles, Ginger + Garlic: For spice, depth, and savory goodness. Use ginger garlic paste if you are short on time.
Tomatoes: Seek out Roma tomatoes for the best flavor and ease. If you can only find beefsteak tomatoes, halve and remove the seeds before pureeing.
Spices: A simple yet flavorful mix of salt, turmeric, garam masala, coriander and Kashmiri red chili powder provides the right balance of bitterness, warmth, citrus and spice. Replace the red chili powder with paprika for a mild heat level.
Water: A little water goes a long way in cooking the legumes to a creamy consistency.
Finishing Flavors: A touch more garam masala, butter, heavy cream, and cilantro give it that extra special finishing touch.
Ingredients for Optional Dhungar Method: All it takes is a small piece of charcoal and a mere teaspoon of oil to achieve another level of smokey flavor. Additional equipment includes a trivet, a small bowl, and tongs.
Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Dal Makhani in Instant Pot
I offer cooking times and instructions for both, soaked and unsoaked, lentils and beans. Pick whatever is most convenient to you, however, I highly recommend soaking them overnight.
Soak 8 Hours (or Overnight)
Wash and soak black gram and red kidney beans in water for 8 hours to overnight. Once ready, strain and rinse the lentils well. Keep aside.
Pressure Cook
- Turn on saute mode and heat butter (or oil). Add cumin seeds and wait for them to sizzle.
- Now add onions and saute for 3 minutes, until translucent. Add green chiles, ginger and garlic paste and saute another minute. Now add pureed tomato and deglaze the pot by scrapping off any brown bits at the bottom of the pot (Pics 1 & 2).
- Add all the salt and spices, followed by strained lentils and water (Pics 3 & 4).
- Close the lid and set vent to sealing position. Pressure cook for 30 mins on Bean/Chili or Manual mode, at high pressure. After the cooking time is up, let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid after the pin drops.
Finish & Serve
- Select Saute and adjust it to 'low'. Using a potato masher, mash a few beans to make the curry naturally creamy. Sprinkle garam masala, add heavy cream and butter, and let the dal simmer for 10 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes (Pics 5-7).
- If the dal starts thickening, add a few tablespoons of warm water. Dal makhani is ready when it turns deep red in color. At this point garnish with cilantro and serve (Pic 8)! If you want a restaurant-style 'slow-cooked' taste, stir in ¼-⅓ cup warm water and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Optional: Dhungar Method for Dhaba-Style 'Smoky' Taste
- Place a trivet in the Instant Pot over the dal. Place a small steel bowl over it. Now, using tongs, heat a small piece of charcoal on the stove directly over the flame until it becomes hot. Keep turning the charcoal so it heats evenly.
- Place the hot charcoal in the small bowl and pour ½ teaspoon of oil on it. It will start smoking. Cover the pot with the lid and let the smoke get infused in the dal makhani for about a minute. After that, remove the bowl, stir the dal and enjoy!
Try a Variation: Vegan Dal Makhani
In this recipe, substitute the butter with avocado, coconut, or olive oil. Instead of adding heavy cream for that rich taste, you can add any of the following:
- Cashew paste: Soak 2-3 tablespoons of raw cashews in ½ cup warm water for 10 minutes. Grind them to a fine paste with a small blender, add after pressure cooking and simmer for 10 minutes. Alternatively, add 2 tablespoons of cashew meal instead.
- Coconut Milk: Open a can of full-fat coconut milk without shaking it. Carefully skim the fat layer off the top, reserving the liquid in the bottom for another recipe. Stir that in after pressure cooking, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
An authentic dal makhani will often always appear on Indian restaurant menus and there are a few traditional sides that complement its flavors. Here are a few popular pairing options:
Restaurant-Style Meal: Serve it as your favorite Indian restaurant alongside naan, aloo gobi, and cucumber raita.
Homestyle Meal: Celebrate the comfort of home with paratha, bhindi masala, and boondi raita.
Lower Carb Pairing Suggestion: Keep it clean and low-carb with India cauli rice - a favorite of hubby and me!
How to Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
This is one of those dishes that gets tastier the longer it sits. Believe it or not, Dal Makhani is way tastier the day after. It also gets creamier and thicker the longer it sits, which intensifies the flavor even more.
If the dal appears too thick, stir in a few tablespoons of water before warming it.
How to Make Ahead for Dinner Parties and Entertaining
This Instant Pot Dal Makhani makes a showstopping entree for any occasion. When I have to serve this for entertaining in the evening, I prepare the dal in the morning or the night before. To do so, simply:
- Pressure cook the dal, cool, transfer to an oven safe dish, cover and store in the fridge. I save the "finishing" step for later.
- An hour before dinner, remove the dal from the fridge, uncover and add the garam masala, heavy cream and butter to the dish. Stir and stick it in a preheated low oven at 225°F for 30-45 minutes.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- No-Soak Method: If you want to skip the soaking process, rinse and drain the lentils and add them as per the recipe. Adjust the pressure cooking time to 45 minutes, followed by natural release of pressure.
- Slow-Cooked Taste: For a restaurant-style 'slow-cooked' taste, follow the extra step to simmer the lentils after pressure cooking.
- Dhungar Method: This optional step adds a smoky taste to the lentils, giving them an authentic dhaba-style taste. Since you only need a small piece of coal, ask a friend or neighbor who has a charcoal BBQ. Make sure that the coal is not treated with lighter fluid though.
- Canned Lentils & Beans: If using canned lentils and kidney beans, reduce the pressure cooking time to 5 minutes, followed by a 5 minute natural pressure release.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dal Makhani is an Indian lentil and bean curry, made with black gram, kidney beans, aromatics, and warm Indian spices. It is known for its iconic rich and creamy taste which comes from simmering it with heavy cream.
The ingredients for dal makhani include black gram (whole urad), red kidney beans (rajma), butter, aromatics including onion, ginger and garlic, toasted Indian spices, cilantro, and heavy cream for that special finishing touch.
Black lentils, oftentimes labeled whole urad or black gram, are the lentils traditionally used for dal makhani. Look for them in the global section of supermarkets, Indian specialty markets, or online.
The main difference between the two is the addition of kidney beans in Dal Makhani. Dal Bukhara is made primarily with black lentils.
My local Costco and Trader Joe's carry a 'Madras Lentils' curry, which is very similar in texture and flavor to Dal Makhani. Both use a black gram lentil and kidney bean combination. However, there are additional spices in Dal Makhani, like ground coriander and garam masala, that give it a more earthy and intense flavor.
More Indian Lentil Curry Recipes
If you liked this recipe, you might enjoy some more Indian Vegetarian Recipes:
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📖 Recipe
Dal Makhani
Equipment
Ingredients
Wash & Soak in 3 cups water for 8 hours - overnight
- ½ cup black gram (Whole Urad) see notes for unsoaked instructions
- ¼ cup red kidney beans (Rajma) see notes for unsoaked instructions
For Curry
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 cup chopped onion about 1 medium onion
- 1-2 green chiles stems removed
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste 1 inch piece grated or blended
- 3 cloves garlic minced or finely chopped
- 1 cup pureed tomatoes 2 medium roma tomatoes
Spices
- ¾-1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1½ teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder (or paprika)
- 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 1 teaspoon kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves - optional)
- 2 cups water
For Finishing
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon butter (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Instructions
Soak 8 Hours (or Overnight)
- Wash and soak black gram and red kidney beans in water for 8 hours, or up to overnight.
Pressure Cook
- Turn on saute mode. Add butter (or oil) and let it heat up. Add cumin seeds and wait for them to sizzle.
- Add onions and saute for 3 minutes, until translucent. Add green chiles, ginger, and garlic paste and saute another minute. Now add pureed tomato, spices, cilantro, kasoori methi, and stir well.
- Add the strained lentils and water, and deglaze the pot by scrapping off any brown bits at the bottom of the pot.
- Close the lid and set vent to sealing position. Pressure cook for 30 mins on Bean/Chili or Manual mode, at high pressure. After the cooking time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, followed by a quick pressure release. Open the lid after the pin drops.
Mash & Simmer
- Select Saute and adjust it to 'low'. Using a potato masher, mash a few beans to make the curry naturally creamy. Sprinkle garam masala, add heavy cream and butter, and let the dal simmer for 10 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes.
- If the dal starts thickening, add a few tablespoons of warm water. Dal makhani is ready when it turns deep red in color. At this point garnish with cilantro and serve!If you want a restaurant-style 'slow-cooked' taste, stir in ¼-⅓ cup warm water and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Optional: Dhungar Method for Dhaba-Style 'Smoky' Taste
- Place a trivet in the Instant Pot over the dal. Place a small steel bowl over it. Now, using tongs, heat a small piece of charcoal on the stove directly over the flame until it becomes hot. Keep turning the charcoal so it heats evenly.
- Place the hot charcoal in the small bowl and pour ½ teaspoon of oil on it. It will start smoking. Cover the pot with the lid and let the smoke get infused in the dal makhani for about a minute. After that, remove the bowl, stir the dal and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- No-Soak Method: If you want to skip the soaking process, rinse and drain the lentils and add them as per the recipe. Adjust the pressure cooking time to 45 minutes, followed by a natural release of pressure.
- Slow-Cooked Taste: For a restaurant-style 'slow-cooked' taste, follow the extra step to simmer the lentils after pressure cooking.
- Dhungar Method: This optional step adds a smoky taste to the lentils, giving them an authentic Dhaba-style taste. Since you only need a small piece of coal, ask a friend or neighbor who has a charcoal BBQ. Make sure that the coal is not treated with lighter fluid though.
- Canned Lentils & Beans: If using canned lentils and kidney beans, reduce the pressure cooking time to 5 minutes, followed by a 5 minute natural pressure release.
Vanessa says
This looks so good - Can I make it in an instant pot mini?
(I made your aloo gobi recipe in the instant pot mini and it was awesome!)
Aneesha says
Hi Vanessa, Yes, you can make it in the Mini. I hope you enjoy it.
Nancy McCann says
I’m trying your recipe for Dal Makhani. What type of pepper are you using in your recipe?
Aneesha says
Hi Nancy, you can use serrano, Thai chili or even half a jalapeno. Hope you enjoy it!
George says
So, I don't see 1) what type of green chile to use and, 2) when in the recipe to add. Thanks
Aneesha says
HI George, You can use serrano or Thai green chili and add it along with chopped onions. Thanks for pointing it out. I'll fix the instructions. Enjoy!
Dave O says
This was great I will now add this to my rotation of meals. So easy to make and the flavor! Great directions.
Aneesha says
Thank you Dave, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to rate the recipe 🙏
Sohana says
When do you add the spices and butter under the curry header vs the spices under the spices header of your ingredients list? Do you then add butter twice to the dish?
Aneesha says
Hi Sohana, please add the spices listed under "Spices' for pressure cooking, then add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon garam masala and butter for simmering after pressure cooking. I have updated the instructions to clarify further. Hope this helps. Please let me know if you have more questions.
Matthew says
The urad whole I bought is more of a light brown color?
Aneesha says
Hi Matthew, that doesn't sound like Urad.. perhaps Moth beans, in which case the pressure cooking time reduces to 20 minutes.
Leslie says
Cooking this as we speak but question: instant pot has pressure cooker settings of low, medium, and high. Which do you use? I’m using high tonight but would like guidance (new to instant pot AND pressure cooker cooking). Thanks. Smells amazing so far.
Aneesha says
Hi Leslie, I hope it turned out awesome. It's high pressure. I'll check the recipe and update it to make it clear. Thanks!
Brenna says
I tried making this with red lentils and kidney beans, and it still turned out amazing. When I can find urad dal (nearly impossible where I live) I will try make it again, I am sure it will be even tastier. Nice and spicy! Thank you for this recipe.
Aneesha says
Hi Brenna, you're most welcome and I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe! You can even try it with brown lentils- more closer in taste to black lentils.
Melissa says
Hello! I see the green chilies in the ingredient list, but I didn't see in the explanation where I added them in. It also says "tops chopped" and I'm not sure what you mean by that. All the same, I found a green chili and added it with the onions. The lentils were a little spicier than I expected, I think it was a hotter green chili than I intended! Thanks for a great recipe, but I would like a little clarification. Thanks!
Aneesha says
Hi Melissa, Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed it. If you get a chance, please rate the recipe as it helps other readers. And thanks for pointing out about green chilies, that needs some clarification. I'll edit that post tonight for sure. Thanks for your feedback!
Ruchi says
Amazing! Definitely making it again.
Aneesha says
Yay! Thanks Ruchi, I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. I would recommend to try the chana masala sometime if you haven't already, it's a favorite with my readers. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experience!
A says
Can I use chopped roma tomatoes instead of purée?
Aneesha says
Hi there! Yes you can. I would recommend chopping them fine. Enjoy!
Samantha says
One word for you girl- AMAZING! I ended up making brown rice with it too, loved it! Definitely making it again!
Aneesha says
Hi Samantha, That's great! I'm super glad you enjoyed it! It's one of my favorites 🙂 Thanks for trying and rating my recipe!
Ash says
Can this recipe be doubled? Making it right now as written but would love to be able to make a bigger batch.
Aneesha says
Hi Ash, yes this recipe can be doubled in a 6qt or 8 qt. Pressure Cooking time remains the same. Hope you enjoy it!
Kaur says
If you double the recipe does that mean you double all spices? Also does that mean you add 4 cups of water instead of two? Thank you in advance.
Aneesha says
Hi there! Yes, if you double the recipe, please double all ingredients. Pressure-Cooking time stays the same though. Enjoy!
Gillian says
Hi I’m unclear how much water. Lentils and beans with their water AND two cups later?
Aneesha says
Hi Gillian, The lentils and beans have to be rinsed and drained before adding to the pot. Then you add 2 cups water for cooking. Hope that clears things up. Enjoy!
Michelle says
I’d it absolutely necessary to soak the lentils? Would just pressure cooking longer do the job? I usually don’t soak beans or lentil with the IP.
Aneesha says
Hi Michelle,
I prefer to soak the beans and lentils as it makes this curry creamier naturally. But if you want to use dry unsoaked beans, you can increase the pressure cooing time to 55-60 minutes.
Ellie Jepson says
Hey Annesha,
Wanting to make this tonight for dinner, I can see in the method that it mentions lentils but in the ingredients I can’t find it at all. I have no idea how much.
Thanks in advance
Elle
Aneesha says
Hi Ellie, if you scroll down to the printable recipe card, all quantities are mentioned there. It's a combination of two kind of lentils: 1/2 cup black gram (Whole Urad) +1/4 cup red kidney beans (Rajma). I hope you enjoy it!
Anu says
I only have canned Rajma beans. Should I put those in at the end and simmer before adding the garam masala, heavy cream and butter.
Aneesha says
Hi Anu, yes, and simmer the canned beans for 8-10 mins just so they can soak up the flavors of the dal. Enjoy!
Judy says
Can I substitute red lentils for this recipe?
aneeshasg says
Hi Judy, red lentils cook super fast are not as robust in flavor and texture, so won't be a good fit for this recipe. Madras lentils are the ideal lentils, but if you can't find them, you can use Brown lentils and reduce the pressure cooking time to 8 minutes. And use canned kidney beans instead of dry beans, since the cooking time won't match otherwise. Let me know how it works out if your try it!