This Quinoa Khichdi is wholesome comfort food that will fulfill your hunger within minutes. Made with quinoa, lentils, veggies, and spices, this quinoa dal khichdi is a one-pot nutritious meal that can be made in less than 30 minutes.
This one-bowl vegetable Quinoa khichdi is one of the best Indian quinoa recipes. It is also called masala quinoa khichdi. One-pot meals are a staple in my home. It is easier to make and there is no pile of dishes to clean after.
Being an Indian, khichdi was a comfort food growing up. It is was the best food to eat when we fell sick or when my mother wanted to fix us a quick but wholesome meal.
It is also a great choice for my girls as it is easy to eat and is packed with veggies. You can either mash the veggies or let them be as is while feeding little kids.
I have previously shared two khichdi recipes made with rice – The basic moong dal Khichdi and Lentil Vegetable Masala Khichdi. So this time, I am varying the recipe by using quinoa in place of rice to make the khichdi even more protein-rich.
Why you will love this Quinoa Khichdi
- A one-pot comfort meal ready in 30 minutes
- Healthy and wholesome
- Vegetarian, gluten and nut-free
- Packed with the nutrition of all healthy ingredients
Ingredients
Here is the list of ingredients I have used in this quinoa khichdi recipe.
- Quinoa: Also known as superfood, quinoa has a high protein and fiber content and good source of antioxidants. It is also gluten-free.
- Moong Dal: It is rich in nutrients, and also very light and easy to digest. You can use other split lentils such as split green lentils or toor dal in this recipe too.
- Aromatics & Spices: I have used very basic spices – ginger, cumin, turmeric powder, red chilli powder (optional).
- Veggies: I have used the popular veggies like onion, carrots, green beans and green peas. You can use other veggies that you might have on hand as well.
- Ghee/oil: I highly recommend using ghee in this khichdi. You can make ghee in your instant pot using the recipe here. For a vegan version, skip the ghee and use your favorite plant based oil.
How to make?
The method to make this khichdi is very similar to my Masala Khichdi recipe made with rice.
Rinse the dal and quinoa in a colander. You can also soak them for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
Heat ghee/oil in the instant pot and add cumin seeds, let them splutter.
Then add asafoetida along with chopped onions and grated ginger. Cook them well till the onions turn translucent.
Add the chopped veggies and spices. Then add the lentils, quinoa and water and mix them well with the veggies
Close the lid and set the instant pot to pressure cook.
Once the instant pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and then open the lid.
Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and add a dollop of ghee before serving it. I also like to add a little lime juice for some tanginess in this khichdi.
Stovetop version
Follow the same steps as above to prep the khichdi. Then pressure cook for about 3 whistles and let the pressure naturally.
How to serve?
Enjoy Khichdi with mango pickle and yogurt on the side. Papad and buttermilk (masala chaas) also pair well along with khichdi.
Khichdi tastes best when it is warm.
Common Questions
Yes, you can store leftovers for up to 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Let the khichdi cool down, then store in an airtight container.
Khichdi soaked all the liquid and gets dry when stored. So add a few tablespoons of water per serving before heating to the bowl. Then microwave for 1-2 minutes (varies by quantity). You can also reheat in a pan on stovetop.
This khichdi has all healthy ingredients – quinoa, lentils & vegetables. So it is very healthy and great to nourish the body. Eat the right amount to get the best results.
More quinoa recipes:
If you like this khichdi, try some more quinoa recipes:
Quinoa Khichdi
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Quinoa, washed
- 1/2 cup Split Yellow Lentils (Moong Dal), or red lentils, washed
- 1 tablespoon Ghee or Oil
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 1/4 teaspoon Asafoetida (Hing)
- 1/2 cup Yellow onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Ginger , grated
- 3 1/2 cups Water
- Cilantro , to garnish
Vegetables
- 1/2 cup Green Beans, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup Carrot, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup Green peas , I used frozen
Spices
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Turmeric (Haldi powder)
- 1/2 teaspoon Red Chili powder (Mirchi powder), I used mild kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Add quinoa and moong dal to a colander and rinse with water until the water runs clear.
- Start the instant pot on Sauté mode and heat ghee in it. Add cumin seeds and let them cook for 30 seconds. Then add asafoetida. Then add onions and ginger. Let them cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add all the vegetables and spices. Stir them well.
- Add the lentils, quinoa and water. Stir them well with the veggies.
- Close the instant pot lid, and change the setting to manual or pressure cook mode for 4 minutes at high pressure with vent in 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. Khichdi is ready to serve. Serve in bowls topped with a dollop of ghee, along with a side of papad and pickle.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method
- Follow the same steps as above and cook for 3 whistles on medium flame. Let the pressure release naturally.
Video
I love your website and your recipes! I especially liked this dish. Is there a secret to adding the asafoetida to this and other recipes like Radha? Whenever I add it to the Instant Pot in sauté mode, no matter how fast I stir, it begins to stick to the bottom of the pot. Thank you.
Hi Kirk – Glad to hear you enjoyed the khichdi. No secret, I just make sure to add it in the pot where there is ghee or oil (mostly the edges of the pot), and it does not need much time before you add the next ingredient. I hope that helps!
Seeing your reel for this recipe on Instagram inspired me to cook after a long day. I’m so glad I did! I did use some substitutes as my kitchen is rather basic; 2 garlic cloves instead of asafoetida (have yet to find in a store), regular chili powder, powdered ginger instead of fresh. Also added a bunch of cayenne to taste at the end because my house loves spice. And we loved it! Thank you for this delightful easy weekday comfort food, I’ll definitely be making it again. Unsure how anyone could be unhappy eating this.
Hi Kait – So happy that you enjoyed the quinoa khichdi. Thanks for sharing the substitutions you made.
This dish is so tasty and delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Hi Sharon – So happy to hear that. Thank you for sharing it back 🙂
I made the double recipe version and it was runnier than a soup. I also used about 1/2 cup less water than called for (7 cups). I’m not sure what went wrong. Is it because I soaked the dal/quinoa for an hour so maybe even less water was needed?
Hi Betsy – I agree that could be the reason. When they are soaked, they do absorb some liquids and will need lesser liquid to cook. Please do try with reducing the liquid even more next time.
Meeta, have you tried it on rice setting? cause i make regular khichdi on rice and it comes out good.
Hi Pratima – This could work well on rice setting too. I just prefer this as the total cooking time (pressure cook + pressure release time) is lesser.
Extremely delicious, comforting and nourishing. A perfect dish.
Hi Jahnavi – So happy to hear you enjoyed the quinoa khichdi.
I loved this, easy and very tasty. Thank you vij
Hi Vij – Happy to hear you enjoyed the khichdi. Thanks for sharing back your review!
We loved it. We’ll be having it often. It’s healthy, easy, and warming on a cold day. I used red lentils, golden beets, red pepper, and carrots. Thank you for all your excellent recipes and for supporting vegan eating.
Hi Sonja – Glad to hear you enjoyed the khichdi. Thanks for sharing back your review!
This is an easy meal with lovely results. I can see why it is comfort food. I added a small amount of red pepper flakes to my dish and my husband enjoyed his without the additional heat. A win-win!
Hello – That makes me really happy. Thank you for sharing it back. 🙂
Very good recipe and very healthy too.
Hi – So glad to hear that. 🙂