Instant Pot Spinach Dal, popularly called Dal Palak in India. This is a comforting lentil soup with spinach mixed in it for extra nutrition. It is so easy to make it in the pressure cooker. Enjoy it with basmati rice or as a soup. This is a vegetarian & gluten-free recipe.
I love this lentil soup as it packs the nutrition of lentils and spinach in a single bowl. It is the perfect comforting dinner to make for the whole family.
Make this dal palak in the instant pot, along with pot-in-pot rice to make a complete meal at once. My weeknights are sorted with these easy instant pot dal recipes.
Don't forget to check out these 29 Best Instant Pot Vegetarian Recipes.
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What is Spinach Dal?
Spinach dal is nothing but, lentils cooked with spinach. In India, this dal is made in every region. However every region has its own recipe. In North India, it is called dal palak. In Andhra region of South India, it is called Palakura Pappu, and in Tamil Nadu, it is called Paruppu Keerai Masiyal.
I used split pigeon peas or Toor dal to make this Spinach Dahl. You can also vary the lentils to use masoor dal (red lentils), yellow moong dal, or a combination. Toor Dal, also called Arhar Dal, packs 20 grams of protein in 1 cup of cooked dal. Spinach provides a variety of vitamins and minerals.
Give this dal a try and I am sure you will make it again...and again!
How to make Spinach Dal in Instant Pot?
Start with gathering the ingredients for the dal.
Start with heating ghee or oil in the instant pot steel insert and add the tempering ingredients - cumin seeds, ginger, garlic and green chilies. I usually use homemade ghee when making dal, but for a vegan variation use any plant based oil.
You can also add asafoetida (or hing) at this time. Skip it for a gluten-free version of the dal.
Then add the tomatoes and spices. Then the washed lentils. Now we are ready to pressure cook for 5 minutes at high pressure.
I add spinach after the lentils are cooked. Lentils take longer to cook and I don't like my spinach overcooked, so I add it after cooking the lentils. It also helps to retain the bright green color of spinach.
When the pressure cooking is done, open the instant pot lid and add the chopped spinach, lime juice, and garam masala. Stir well and let it rest for 2-3 minutes. At this time, the spinach would have mixed well with the lentils.
The dal is perfectly cooked and ready to enjoy. Optionally, you can also add an extra boost of tempering at the end.
How to make Dal Palak in Pressure Cooker?
Traditionally, Dal was cooked with salt, then tempering was done separately in a pan. Here I suggest a one-pot method, so the dal and tempering with ginger, garlic, tomatoes cooks along with the lentils.
The main difference from the above method for instant pot is the pressure cooking time on stovetop. We will pressure cook on high flame until two whistles, then switch off the flame. Then let the pressure release naturally by itself. Everything else remains the same.
You can add some lime juice for a tangy taste. Enjoy the Spinach Dal with rice or just as a soup. I had this spinach dal with rice and then leftovers the next day as a soup.
How to serve?
This Dal Palak pair perfectly with basmati rice. You can also pair with quinoa or cauliflower rice.
Sometimes we also like to add a bit of tempering on the dal when serving. This is the red color oil (or ghee) along with sautéed garlic you see on the top of the bowl of dal in the pics.
To make the tempering, in a small pan, heat ghee or oil. Add some cumin seeds and finely diced or sliced garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds to a minute until the garlic becomes golden in color. Then take the pan off heat and add a pinch of red chili powder. I prefer Kashmiri red chili powder, as it is not spicy.
Drizzle this tempering over the dal when serving. It adds such a beautiful pop of color!
Variations
Make it Vegan: Replace ghee with your favorite plant based oil to make this recipe vegan.
Vary the Greens: You can use kale or fenugreek leaves (methi) in this recipe in place of spinach.
Palak Chana Dal: To make this recipe with Chana Dal (split chickpeas), follow the same steps but cook the dal for 15 minutes on high pressure.
Palak Moong Dal: This recipe can me made with yellow moong dal or red Masoor Dal too. The cooking time will remain the same.
Andhra Palakura Pappu: To make this recipe Andhra style, use mustard seeds along with cumin seeds. Saute ½ onions of onions for couple of minutes before adding in tomatoes. You can use tamarind in place of lime juice at the end too.
Common Questions
Leftover cooked dal can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days in an airtight container. You can also freeze the dal for up to 4 months.
Transfer to the refrigerator to defrost, and then reheat in the microwave for 1-3 minutes depending on the quantity of dal.
Yes, with the nutrition of lentils and spinach, this dal is rich in protein and fiber. Hence it is a balanced and healthy addition to your meal.
Try this Spinach Dal and let me know how it turned out. Leave a comment below.
If you like this recipe, you might like other lentil recipes -
Pressure Cooker Spinach Dal (Dal Palak Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Split Pigeon Pea (Toor dal) washed, or a combination with masoor or moong dal
- 1 tablespoon Ghee or Oil
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- ⅛ teaspoon Asafoetida (Hing) optional
- 1 Green Chili Pepper diced, optional
- 1 teaspoon Ginger grated
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- ¾ cup Tomato chopped
- 3 cups Water
- 2 cup Spinach (Palak) chopped, about 6-8oz
- 1-2 teaspoons Lime juice
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
Spices
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Ground Turmeric (Haldi powder)
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder optional
For pot-in-pot basmati rice (optional)
- 1 cup Basmati Rice
- 1 ¼ cup Water
- 1 tablespoon Ghee optional
Instructions
Instant Pot Method
- Start the instant pot in SAUTE mode and heat oil in it. Add cumin seeds, green chili, ginger and garlic.
- Saute for 30 seconds until garlic turns golden brown, then add chopped tomato, lentils, spices and water. Stir well.
- (Optional) Place the trivet. In a bowl, add all ingredients for basmati rice and place it on top of the trivet.
- Press CANCEL and close the instant pot lid with vent in sealing position. Press MANUAL or Pressure Cook mode for 5 minutes. After the instant pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then release the pressure manually (5 minute NPR). Open the lid.
- (Optional) Using tongs, carefully take out the bowl of basmati rice. Then take out the trivet.
- Add chopped spinach, lime juice and garam masala. Give it a good stir. Let the dal rest for 2-3 minutes. The spinch with soften and mix with the dal.
- Spinach dal is ready to be served. Enjoy over rice or as a soup.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method
- Heat oil in the pressure cooker on medium-high flame. Add cumin seeds, green chili, ginger and garlic.
- Saute for 30 seconds until garlic turns golden brown, then add chopped tomato, lentils, spices and water. Stir well.
- Cover the lid, turn the heat on high flame and pressure cook it until your hear two whistles. Turn off heat and let the pressure release naturally.
- Open the lid and add chopped spinach, lime juice and garam masala. Give it a good stir. Let the dal rest for 2-3 minutes. The spinch with soften and mix with the dal.
- Spinach dal is ready to be served over rice or as a soup!
Notes
Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
Hello. I tried this recipe and it came out very well. I was just wondering why there are no onions in this recipe? Thank you
Hi Jay - Glad to hear you enjoyed the Dal Palak. If you like, you can definitely add onions to this dal. Just add about 1/2 cup diced onions before adding tomatoes and saute for 2-3 minutes. Then add the tomatoes and spices.
Hi! I found that the taste was lacking, I wonder why? Had to add more salt and garam masala. Also I did find it undercooked and needed more time
Hi Lav - Sorry to hear the taste was not as you had expected. If you think the dal did not cook well, please do add couple of minutes more of pressure cooking time. The cooking time can sometimes vary based on how old was the dal. I use homemade Garam Masala in my cooking which is enough even in small quantities. If you would like to give it a try, here is the recipe - https://pipingpotcurry.com/homemade-garam-masala/. But please do adjust the recipe to your taste. Thank you for sharing back your feedback!
Hi piping pot. When do we add the spices ..haldi salt and cayenne I don't see it anywhere in the recipe pls advise tks
Hi Gillian - The spices are added along with the tomatoes in step 2. Hope you enjoy the dal!
Excellent recipe! Turned out great and super easy to make! Thank you!
I would like to make this stovetop without a pressure cook. How much water should I use for the dal and how long should I cook it?
Hi Bill - Add about 4 cups of water when cooking this dal on stovetop. Let it come to a boil, and reduce the heat to medium-low and let it cook for about 15 minutes until the dal is well cooked. Then add in the spinach. Hope you enjoy it!
Hi Meeta, few days back I used your Dal Tadka recipe (https://pipingpotcurry.com/dal-tadka-instant-pot/)
Recipe for both (Dal Tadka & Spinach Dal) uses Toor Dal, but I noticed that you have not included ONION & asafoetida in the Spinach Dal recipe whereas you have mentioned them as ingredients in Dal Tadka recipe.
Is there any specific reason for that?
i did the 3 minute pressure cook, and the dal was still not cooked?. I used toor dal
Hi Afrah - In this recipe, after 3 minutes of pressure cooking, the dal should be almost done. Then add the spinach and give a boil to cook along with the spinach. Hope that helps!
I had the same challenge. It was uncooked after 2 min of boiling so I added another 3 min pressure cook and then it was perfect. Great spice blend too. Thanks
Can I make any of the dals without tomatoes or sourness as my daughter is sensitive to it? Please suggest.
Hi Ami - Sure, you can skip tomatoes in this dal. Hope you all enjoy it!
I loved it. Such a simple recipe and I was glad I did not have to cut onions. I was wondering why you did not use 'hing' (asafoetida) in the recipe? I did add it in since my baby who will be eating this might get gassy.
This recipe was delicious and the proportions were just right. The daal consistency was perfect.
Hi Manjini - Glad you enjoyed the Spinach Dal. Many times I skip hing as according to some scholars, it is considered a negative energy ingredient. I know it is such a common ingredient used in Indian cuisine for tempering, so I do use it but sparingly. I agree it can help with digestion. Thank you for sharing back your review!
Just made this dal w/ masoor and a mix of kale & spinach. (All I had on hand.) I also added extra garlic. Turned out great! Thanks!
Hey Jules - Glad to hear you enjoyed the Dal. Kale and spinach blend works great!
Would love to make this dish, can you please give me directions to use with a crockpot as I don’t have a instant pot or pressure cooker? Thank you so much, I’m looking forward to making this dish either on the stove top or in a crockpot! Catherine [email protected]
Hi Catherine - You can do 4 hours on high to make this dal in a crockpot. Just add in all the ingredients before the pressure cooking step, and set the crockpot on high for 4 hours. Then add in the spinach and Garam Masala. Hope you enjoy it!