My Mixed Lentils & Vegetables Khichdi is the ultimate cozy one-pot meal! A wholesome mix of lentils, rice, and veggies gently spiced with turmeric and red chili powder, then finished with a drizzle of ghee - it's warm, comforting, and full of flavor every single time.
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Weeknight bowls of khichdi were my childhood, soft and lightly spiced, crowned with homemade ghee and endlessly comforting. My mom had a version for every mood, and even now, the aroma of ghee and turmeric feels like home. Most of our weekday meals were vegetarian, and many evenings ended with a light pot of khichdi; sometimes khichdi with a ginger and garlic tadka, sometimes palak khichdi, and often just a simple bowl of plain khichdi that felt like the warmest hug.
When I moved to the US and began cooking for my own family, I leaned on quick one-pot meals. I kept shaping my version of khichdi, gently adjusting the vegetables and spices so the flavors stayed soothing and balanced. I also started adding more veggies to make it a complete meal, the kind you can serve on busy nights and still feel nourished.
And so... my children grew up eating this khichdi that I am about to share, and the best part is that now my parents love it too. It is a true kid and adult-approved Indian meal. After years of little tweaks, this is the version I adore and proudly call my signature dish. And if you are looking for the perfect side, do not miss my mouthwatering homemade Mango Pickle recipe, the bright and zesty partner that makes every bite sing.
Ingredient Notes
- Rice - I prefer short-grain white rice for that soft, cozy texture that cooks quickly and melds beautifully with the lentils. Ambe Mor or Kali Jeera are my top picks, and you can usually find them at Indian grocery stores. If you only have basmati, that works too.
- Lentils - A mix of moong, masoor, toor, and chana dal gives the best balance of flavor, nutrition, and texture. Moong brings creaminess, masoor cooks fast and adds body, toor adds that classic taste, and a spoon or two of chana dal keeps a light bite, so the khichdi is not mushy. Rinse well, and if you want a softer, baby-friendly texture, soak the lentils for 15 to 20 minutes. If you are short on pantry staples, even moong dal alone will still make a lovely khichdi.
- Vegetables - I treat khichdi like a fridge clean-out meal and load it up. Cauliflower, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, green peas, green beans, and spinach are all wonderful. Dice everything small so it cooks at the same pace as the rice and lentils.
- Spices - Turmeric, red chili powder, and cumin seeds are the soul of this dish. I bloom the cumin in hot ghee or neutral oil first to release a nutty aroma, then add turmeric and chili powder on low heat so they do not scorch. For gentle heat that suits the whole family, use Kashmiri chili powder.
How to Make Mixed Lentil Khichdi
Serving
Serve hot khichdi with yogurt, pickle, and roasted papad. I also recommend adding a spoonful of ghee while serving.
Storing
Although Khichdi tastes best when served fresh, it can also be easily refrigerated for up to 5 days. As the khichdi cools down, it will get thicker and a bit dry as the rice and dal continue to absorb the moisture. To reheat, simply microwave the khichdi and serve with ghee.
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Recipe
Instant Pot Mixed Lentils and Vegetables Khichdi
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 carrot peeled and sliced
- ¼ cup green beans chopped
- ¼ cup frozen green peas
- 1 red potato cubed
- 1 tomato diced
- 1 cup cauliflower chopped
- 1 cup cabbage chopped
- 1 cup spinach chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup white rice short grain ambe mor or kali jeera
- 1 cup mixed lentils moong, masoor, toor and chana daal
- 6 cups water
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to Saute Mode and heat ghee. Add cumin seeds and ginger.
- Cook for 30 seconds. Add all the vegetables - carrots, beans, peas, tomato, potato, cauliflower, cabbage, and spinach.
- Add turmeric, red chili powder, and salt. Mix well.
- Next add the rice and mixed lentils. Add 6 cups of water. Give a quick stir and close the Instant Pot lid with the pressure valve to Sealing.
- Press the rice button (12 mins) followed by natural pressure release. Open the Instant Pot and garnish with cilantro. Serve hot with roasted papad and pickle.
Notes
- Substitute the 4 different lentils I used with any lentils you may have on hand. It could be just 1 cup of moong daal or ½ cup of moong daal and ½ cup of chana daal. Just make sure you take 1 cup of lentils.
- You can use any combination of vegetables. Just make sure to add about 4 cups of chopped veggies. Frozen mixed vegetables also work well in this recipe.
- To make this khichdi with brown rice, simply increase the pressure cook time to 20 minutes.
- To make this recipe vegan, simply substitute ghee with cooking oil.
- The water ratio in this recipe is three times the combined amount of rice and lentils, which creates a soft, porridge-like consistency for the final dish. To make dry-ish khichdi, reduce the water to 4 cups.
Nutrition
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Elli says
Can this recipe be cut in half?
Archana Mundhe says
Yes! Simply reduce the servings on the recipe card. Pressure cook time will be the same.