Spinach Dal with Rice, a favorite Indian lentils soup with an easy dump and done Instant Pot recipe.
A family favorite recipe where dal is cooked creamy and soft with basic spices such as cumin, turmeric, garlic and optional veggies, served over hot fluffy rice for a wholesome comfort meal that the entire family can enjoy.
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What is Dal?
The word dal in Hindi language has 2 meanings:
- Dried split pulses such as masoor dal, toor dal, moong dal etc. and
- A soup, stew-like dish made with the tender cooked split pulses tempered with spices.
Dry Lentils Cooked Lentils
Dal and rice is part of a quintessential Indian meal with each family having several favorite recipes, some that have been passed along for generations.
There are many variations and ways to prepare dal. Starting with plain soft cooked dal with just turmeric and salt, to tempered or tadka dal where cooked the lentils are topped with a smoky tempering of spices such as cumin, turmeric and chillies, to a dal cooked with spices and assortment of vegetables.
Often served over rice, dal is also an inexpensive way to eat proteins paired with carbohydrates to makes a complete and hearty meal.
This spinach dal recipe is on my weekly menu for many years. It started with trying to incorporate greens into our diets while trying to manage a busy weeknight meals. I grew up eating my mom’s version of spinach dal that tastes incredible but I rarely have the time to make her detailed recipe which resulted into my simpler version that comes pretty close to hers with much less efforts.
My original spinach dal recipe that I had share last year involves a tempering and layering of ingredients. Using the Instant Pot to start and finish up this dish in itself is a HUGE plus. You have one pot to clean and hands free once you press the pressure cook button. A big advantage over traditional pressure cookers that you need to manually keep track of time by counting the whistles.
A year later, I keep trying to make the recipes even more simple so my children can make them independently. Making a daal seemed like a perfect candidate for a dump and done recipe and this is how this easy recipe was born.
Variation for dal with rice recipe:
- This recipe is gluten-free and can easily be made vegan by replacing ghee with oil
- Other than lentils, salt and turmeric all the other ingredients can be optional
- Skip spinach or substitute it with baby kale, frozen spinach or kale
- To make pot in pot brown rice, increase the pressure cook time to 22 minutes
No Tempering in this dal?
Yes, cumin seeds are much more forgiving than mustard seeds that need to be heated and popped in hot oil. Cumin seeds on the other hand can be added raw to dal or rice and they meld perfectly well with the other ingredients to make a well-balanced dish. Hence a perfect spice to add to your dump and ready recipes.
Here is an easy step-by-step recipe on how to make this easy spinach dal and rice:
Add all the ingredients for the dal except the spinach to the Instant Pot insert. Add rice, water and salt in the stainless steel pan and place the pan over the tall trivet and start pressure cooking (photos 1 – 4).
Allow 5 minutes of natural pressure release and then open the Instant Pot. Thin out the dal to the consistency you like by adding more water, stir in the spinach, bring the lentils to a gentle boil on Sauté mode (photos 5 – 8).
I love the convenience of pre washed boxed baby spinach. Although you can add it with the lentils and pressure cook, I like to stir it in after the pressure cooking is done so that the spinach retains the bright green color. You can add a handful (photo 9) or the entire box (photo 10).
Enjoy the hot dal served over rice and some homemade ghee. This dal can be made ahead and freezes well.
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Spinach Dal with Rice, a favorite Indian lentils soup with an easy dump and done Instant Pot recipe.
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 green chili chopped
- 4 garlic cloves or 1 tablespoon garlic chopped
- 4 curry leaves optional
- 1 plum tomato diced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup red lentils
- 4 ounces baby spinach
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1.5 cups water
- Add ghee, cumin, turmeric, green chili, garlic, curry leaves, tomatoes, lentils, salt and water. Give a quick stir.
- Place the tall trivet inside the pot. Add rice, salt and 1.5 cups of water to the stainless steel pot and place it over the trivet.
Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook(Hi) and adjust the cook time to 5 mins. Allow 5 minutes of natural pressure release and then release the remaining pressure manually. Open the Instant Pot and carefully take out the rice bowl and the trivet.
Mix the lentils with a spatula. Add more water, to bring the lentils to desired consistency. Dal will thicken as it cools. Add chopped Spinach and mix well. Cook on Sauté mode until the daal comes to gentle boil.
Enjoy hot with steamed basmati rice.
Recipe Video
- Substitute masoor daal with moong daal or toor daal.
- You can also make daal without pot in pot rice.
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Sheryl says
Thank you! I appreciate your recipes!!
Archana says
You are most welcome!
Ishani says
Where do I get a stand like that to put the pit of rice so raised?
Archana says
It is available on amazon and I have a link to it in the detailed post
Priya Patel says
Made this Daal today and will definitely be making again, so few ingredients but great taste!
Archana says
Thank you for the feedback
Danita says
Hi, The link for the tall trivet goes to a trivet set where they are same height but different diameters. The details say they are not tall enough to use for pot in pot cooking. Is the link to the one you have used in the video? I’m looking for a tall trivet for pot in pot cooking. thanks.
Archana says
I am so sorry, looks like they changed the product. Here is the new link – https://amzn.to/2Sv57Zr
Danita says
Made this in the instant pot. I didn’t have curry leaves so omitted those. It turned out great. I don’t have the high trivet and extra pot for pot in pot cooking yet but I plan to purchase those. Thanks for an easy and good recipe.
Archana says
Thank you for the feedback! I just sent you the correct link for the tall trivet. I will also update the post.
Paddy says
My first try using pot in pot by using your delicious spinach dal and rice. I absolutely love the spices you use. Although I have to admit I cannot eat cilantro. Was wondering what a good substitute for curry leaves? Also I am looking forward to taking my Instant Pot with me when I go camping. I just need a little electricity nearby.
Archana says
Hi Paddy! you can skip curry leaves as there is no substitute for that. And skip cilantro too. I promise the daal still will be very tasty!
Angelica says
Hello! Looking forward to trying this recipe. I love making tiki masala in my instant pot and this seems like it’ll be wonderful too. Do you have the link to the stainless steel pot to put inside the pressure cooker? Thank you!
Archana says
Yes! Here you go – Tall Trivet – https://amzn.to/2Sv57Zr
Stainlesstetl pot – https://amzn.to/2x5CQz1
Manjari says
Can I use toor dal (that is what I have) in this recipe? Would the timing change?
Archana says
Yes just increase pressure cooking time to 8 mins
Maitreyee says
This recipe looks like a life saver. I plan to use brown rice for pip. You mentioned to set the time to 22 mins instead of 5 min. Should i still be using the same settings and natural rice? Will it not ovecook the daal too much when increasing the time so much. If i soak the rice for 7/8 hours, how much does it take in pip method?
Archana says
I usually like my daal very mushy. So if you are ok with that then just increase teh cooktime to 22 mins. For soaked brown rice you can cook pot in pot brown rice for 12 minutes.
Louise Samson says
Absolutely delicious.
Fast and easy.
Another winner, Archana!
Thank you.
Archana says
You are welcome Louise!
Anusha says
Hi Archana,
Love your live videos on your Facebook page. I am trying out pot in pot recipes for the first time. And was trying a variation of this recipe. I am using 2 stacked pots each for rice and masoor dal. Does the quantity of water and the pressure cook time change in that case ?
Thanks in advance
Archana says
Hi Anusha, it takes longer for lentils to cook n a pot. I would increase teh cook time to 8 minutes followed by 10 min natural pressure release.
Janice Shah says
Hi, this recipe sounds delicious! How spicy does the chili make the dal? I have three kiddos and was wondering if it’d be too spicy for them..thank you!
Archana says
Depends on the type of chili, if you want reduce the chili by half or even skip it. IT will still be delicious. You can ass red chili powder in the end to taste.
Junebuggy says
Delicious – whole family loved it (though I left out the chili since my kids are little) ! I always rinse all lentils so I added the other ingredients and turned on sauté to heat the oil a bit with the other components while rinsing the lentils.
Archana says
Thank you for the feedback. Good idea to leave out the chili for kids.
Vinu says
How do you adjust the cooking time if you’re not making the PIP rice?
Archana says
Same cook tune
Praveen says
Wife travelling for work, have only 45 min to cook this eve, will try tonite. gotta take my teen to volleyball..hopefully she won’t make faces if it turns out well!
Archana says
You can do it! Just have to dump everything. I would love to know how she likes it
Josh says
New dad here- love this simple recipe! Baby loves I’m only away for leas than 20 mins making it
Archana says
Congratulations on the new baby! So glad you are able to spend all the time with the baby
Lori LeBlanc says
I made this recipe today and we loved it. We like a little more texture, so I increased the lentils. Great flavor and super easy! I am new to cooking with an instant pot, so happy when all goes well and recipe is delicious! Thank you!
Archana says
You are most welcome Lori. This recipe is in our weekly rotation
Katie Williams says
Hi Archana!
Does the cook time change if you sub moong dal for red lentils?
Archana says
Same cook time will work for moong daal as well.
Rupal says
Hi I am counting calories and I have a quick question…is this 299/per serving or 299 for the amount made…
Archana says
The 299 calories is per serving which also includes the basmati rice. My portions are usually generous, so you can always serve smaller portions.
Jennifer M says
Another fantastic recipe! Thanks!
Quick question- at times when we don’t have tomatoes and turn to a can of tomato puree, how much of puree would you recommend?
Thanks again,
Jen & Presh
Archana says
Yes you can use tomato puree. 1/4 cup will be plenty