Masala Khichdi, also known as Vegetable Khichdi, is a comforting one-pot Indian dish made with rice, lentils, and vegetables along with ghee and simple spices. It’s a staple across India and loved for its soft texture and soothing flavors. Make it in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot easily in less than 30 minutes.
I have shared my simple khichdi recipe before. But this masala khichdi is even better with veggies included. We make this khichdi almost weekly at home. It is wholesome with rice, lentils, and vegetables, all cooked in one pot. Easy to make, and my family loves it.
is also called Vaghareli Khichdi in the western Indian state of Gujarat. Khichdi is enjoyed with pickle, papad, yogurt, and lots of ghee.
Khichdi is like a porridge, hence we add more water when making khichdi. If you like rice grains separate and not all mixed up, then try this Vegetable Pulao.
Table of Contents
Why eat Khichdi?
✓ The combination of lentils, rice, and veggies makes khichdi a complete meal. Lentils provide the protein, rice provides carbs, and the veggies provide a whole lot of nutrients.
✓ Easy to digest, which makes it a great meal for babies and the elderly.
✓ It is also a perfect meal when you are under the weather and looking for something light.
✓ It is vegetarian and gluten-free. To make this recipe vegan, replace the ghee with your favorite plant-based oil.
✓ This dish is very versatile; you can use the split lentils you like and the veggies you have available, and it always turns out great. Isn’t that wonderful? A no-fail dish.
Khichuri Featured
I got really excited when I saw Khichdi or Khichuri featured on NPR recently. They called this “An Ancient Indian comfort dish with a Global Influence”. This is so true, all over India, Khichri is prepared in a variety of ways, and we find similar things in other cultures too.
According to the NPR article, the Anglo-Indian variant of Khichuri is Kedigree, but it omits the lentils. Khichri is also thought to be the ancestor of Egypt’s national dish, koshary, which is made with rice, lentils, and macaroni. Khichri is also similar to mujaddara, another Middle Eastern comfort dish with rice and lentils. It is a small world!
How to make Vegetable Khichdi in the Pressure Cooker?
Khichdi is rice and lentils cooked well or sometimes even overcooked. Unlike other rice dishes, where the grains must be separate after cooking, in Khichdi, they are supposed to be softer, maybe a little mushy. However, you can adjust the consistency to your liking by adding less or more water.
As I mentioned, there are many ways of making khichdi. Today I will be making it with split green moong lentils and veggies. I previously shared a recipe for making khichdi with yellow moong lentils, without the veggies. I also shared a recipe for quinoa khichdi.
Here are all the ingredients I used to make Masala Khichdi, minus the spices.
I did not add any whole spices or garam masala, but you can add spices such as black peppercorns and cinnamon to get their wonderful aroma to the dish, or add 1/2 teaspoon of my homemade garam masala. I used fresh vegetables this time, but you can use frozen vegetables as well.
In most recipes, you will find that khichdi is prepared with 1 part lentils and 2 parts rice. I like to increase the lentils and make the ratio 1:1, that way we can get more protein in our meal.
Start by heating ghee, then add the cumin seeds and ginger. A variation of khichdi is to not add ginger or onions. I love ginger too much to skip it 🙂
Now add in the veggies and spices. You can use any veggies you have available. I had carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, and green peas in the refrigerator. But go for your favorite veggies. I have used cauliflower, broccoli, edamame, and spinach previously.
Then add the washed split green moong lentils and rice. Add in the water, and you are done! Close the lid with the vent in the sealed position, then cook on high-pressure mode for 5 minutes. Do a 10-minute natural pressure release, and the khichdi will be ready for you to enjoy.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy khichdi with some yogurt raita, salad, or papad. Some people also like to enjoy khichdi with kadhi or chaas.
You can also top khichdi with a tempering. It can be a simple tempering of ghee with cumin seeds, hing, and, optionally, some red chili powder.
If you like it tangy, then squeeze a little lime or lemon juice on top. Oh..and don’t forget to top it off with lots of ghee.
Storing Leftovers
Masala khichdi thickens as it cools. You can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When reheating, add some hot water and heat in the microwave.
Want to find other easy Instant Pot Indian Recipes? Here are 23 Best Instant Pot Indian Recipes for you to try!
More Rice Recipes You’ll Love
Beetroot Rice Pulao (Instant Pot & Stovetop)
Vegetable Rice Pulao / Pilaf – Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Brown Rice Mushroom Pilaf
Saffron Rice with Nuts & Raisins
Indian Vegetable Khichdi (Masala Khichdi)
Video
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Split green moong lentils, washed
- 1/2 cup White Rice, washed
- 3 cups Water
- 1 tablespoon Ghee
- 1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 1/8 teaspoon Asafoetida (Hing)
- 1/2 tablespoon Ginger , paste
- 1/2 Onion, small, chopped
- 1 Tomato, chopped
- Cilantro , to garnish
Vegetables
- 1 Potato, small, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup Carrot, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup Green peas
Spices
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Turmeric (Haldi powder)
- 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne or Red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Start the Instant Pot on Sauté mode and heat ghee in it. Add cumin seeds, asafoetida, and let them bubble for 30 seconds. Then add onions and ginger. Let them cook for a minute.
- Add all the veggies and spices. Stir them well.
- Add the lentils, rice, and water. Stir them well with the veggies.
- Close the Instant Pot lid, and set it to pressure cook mode for 5 minutes at high pressure with the vent in the sealing position.
- When the Instant Pot beeps, do a 10-minute NPR. This means release the pressure manually 10 minutes after the Instant Pot beeps.
- Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot with additional ghee to top it.
Stovetop Method
- To make this khichdi on a stovetop pressure cooker, follow the same steps and let it cook for 3 whistles.
Notes
- You can add more spice with green chilies or increase the quantity of red chili powder in this khichdi. I kept it mild, so everyone in the family can enjoy it.
- You can vary the vegetables added to this khichdi.
- I used split green moong lentils for this khichdi; you can use yellow lentils too.
if i make 6 servings would I really add 6 cups of water ??
Hi Urvi – This Khichdi is like a porridge, so if you double the quantity I do suggest to double the amount of water. The water will be all absorbed by the rice and lentils to cook well. You can always reduce the amount of water to your taste.
Thank you! Nice recipe.
Enjoyed it with yummy in the tummy (:
Hey Ravi – Happy to hear you enjoyed the khichdi!
For 8 quart instant pot, do I need to modify anything in the recipe?
Hi Sarah – The recipe should work as is in 8qt instant pot too. I hope you enjoy the Khichdi!
I love this recipe. I substitute all kinds of veggies based on whatever I have or what the local farmers market has. I love using Chayote instead of potatoes. Also, I make my rice separate in the rice cooker so then I have a more saucy thing to pour over the rice! It is wonderful. Thank you so much!
I also use brown basmatic rice instead of white rice.
Hey Julie – So glad to hear you enjoy the Khichdi. Thank you for sharing back your review and the veggies you like!
I tried your recipe Meeta, & it was delicious. Only I used a mix of lentils, quinoa and wild rice. Turned out absolutely heavenly. Thanks again
Hey Meena – So glad to hear you enjoyed the Khichdi. Love the variation of using quinoa and wild rice, so much more healthier. Thank you for sharing back your review!
Can I use any other dal variety instead of split green moong?
Hey Ramya – Yes, another split dal (eg. Moong, Toor, Split Masoor) will work in this recipe. Hope you enjoy it!
Is this supposed to have Masala in it? I don’t see it listed.
Hey Suzanne – They are listed under spices, mainly turmeric, red chili powder and salt. Hope you enjoy it!
Hello, My whole family loves this recipe. Do I need to change anything if I want to double to recipe?
Hey Leika – The same recipe would work even if you double the quantity. Glad to hear you all enjoy it 🙂
Hi! I’m trying to use some ingredients that I already have on hand and was wondering if you think I could substitute Urid whole dal for Split green moong lentils? Any idea on how/if to adjust the cooking time?
Thanks!
Hey Maria – The whole urad dal takes longer to cook and may not cook well in the same time as the rice. Do you have a whole urad with the black skin on? Here is a lentil soup that you can make with that dal (you can add or skip the kidney beans) – https://pipingpotcurry.com/dal-makhani-instant-pot/
Thank you! I’ll try the lentil soup.
Would it work in a Crock Pot? dont have a pressure cooker but would love to try yojr recipes in the slow cooker.
Hey Karen – I have not tried, but this could work in a slow cooker too. I would say add a bit more liquid and start with 4 hours in the slow cooker. For stovetop in a pot, do similar to the steps in the recipe. Add 1/2 cup additional water. In place of pressure cooking, cover with a lid and cook for about 20-25 minutes on low heat. Stir in between. It should reach a porridge like consistency. Hope you enjoy it!