Spinach Daal – A staple in Indian homes, daal is a healthy lentil dish cooked in ghee with healthy and whole some ingredients like tomatoes, garlic and spinach. Best way to make it is in a pressure cooker or an Instant Pot!
A few weeks back I published a post on Indian Pulses. The lentils I used for making today’s spinach daal in Instant Pot are the ‘split and skinned green gram’. These are small yellow lentils that cook super fast. Yellow pigeon peas or split red lentils would be my other two favorite lentils to make this daal.
Growing up, I remember eating many variations of Indian daals made by my mom. Spinach daal is one of her recipe that I adapted for my busy life style with little children. This daal beautifully incorporates protein and veggies in one dish. Served with steamed rice it sure makes a wholesome and hearty meal. Over the years I have simplified my mom’s recipe and here is my version that we enjoy frequently:
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- 2 tbsp ghee
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 2 green chilies slit into half
- 2 tbsp garlic chopped
- 8 curry leaves optional
- 2 plum tomatoes diced
- 1 cup lentils split and skinned green gram or split red lentils or yellow pigeon peas
- 2 cups spinach rough chopped
- 2 tsp salt
- 4-5 cups of water
- Turn Instant Pot on. Once the "hot" sign displays, add ghee. Add cumin and cook for 30 seconds. Add turmeric, green chilies, garlic and curry leaves. Mix well.
- Add tomatoes, lentils, salt and 2 cups of water. Give a quick stir.
- Close Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Set Instant Pot to Manual(HI) for 15 mins. Allow Natural pressure release or do Quick Release, after, about 5 mins of NPR.
- Add more water, about 2 cups, to bring the lentils to desired consistency. Blend the daal using immersion blender. Add chopped Spinach and mix well. Cook on Sauté mode until the daal come to gentle boil. Turn IP off. Add more water if required. Adjust salt to taste.
- Serve hot with steamed basmati rice.
Recipe Video
Everyone has a different consistency they like for the daal. I usually put about 4-5 cups of water for 1 cup of lentils.
Cook Time for this recipe can also be reduced to 8 minutes!
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Author: Archana
Hey there! I am a techie turned recipe developer, cooking instructor, and food blogger. I love food and enjoy developing easy and healthy recipes for busy lifestyles. I live New Jersey with my husband and two sons.
Beautiful dish/presentation, great food 🙂
Thank you Hans!
I’m curious about the curry leaves. What are they and where would I like for them. I can’t wait to try this dish!
Curry leaves are usually available in Indian grocery stores. If you cannot find them you can skip them too.
So excited to make this!
Awesome! Please let me know how you like it.
Although I make a spinach curry and of course makes lots of types of dal… this one is new to me.. I will have to try it.
Thank you Annika! It incorporates spinach beautifully making the daal healthier.
Delicious! My kids weren’t too thrilled, but they loved it & asked for it in the lunch tomorrow. Thank you!
Thank you for the feedback Becky! I am glad that they wanted it for lunch. So healthy and good for them.
I made this last night with a few substitutions. I had half cup of red and half cup of green lentil – they might have been whole not split. I soaked for 20 minutes. I also added kale instead of spinach. Overall the taste was good, but texture was not perfect . Next time, I will add more water after and blend more. Thank you for recipe.
I like your idea of using kale in this recipe. I love kale and I am sure it must have tasted delicious. I have to agree that I do end up adding more water sometimes when I want a more soupy consistency. Thank you.
Ich liebe Spinat
me too!
I love this dish! I have made it three times already. I can’t to try more of your recipes. I am so glad these are written for the Instant Pot. Thank you!
Thank you!So glad to hear that you are enjoying this recipe. We make this once a week too! So healthy and the Instant Pot makes it very easy. Do try rest of my recipes!
This looks terrific. I can hardly wait to make it.
You will love it!
Archana, did you use yellow moong for this recipe?
Hi Preeti, Yellow moong daal or masoor daal work well for this recipe and cook time I have specified.
Archana! We tried this one tonight and all thought it was excellent. I don’t happen to have curry leaves (we live in the middle of nowhere) and I used beet greens from the garden instead of spinach, Tomatoes are not yet ripe, but canned did work. Actually, I couldn’t believe how insanely EASY the recipe was; I kept checking to make sure I had not messed up. THIS is happening again! Thank you again and I really appreciate the time and effort you put into this blog!
Hi Wendy! Awesome! This notes makes me SO happy. I love beet greens and its a great idea to add any greens you like, we sometimes make this with dill or chard too! This recipe is our family recipe that we make once a week. It is also a good make ahead dish. Thank you for trying the recipe and taking time for giving me the feedback. Thank you! Thank you!!
Hi Archana, do the lentils need to be soaked in water? If soaked, will it still be 15 min on manual mode?
Hi! Lentils do not need to be soaked. If you do soak them reduce the cook time to 10 mins.
You make everything look so easy! Wonderful recipe
Thank you Liz!
Do you soak your lentils or not? I’ve tried not soaking them and had tummy troubles. Advice? This recipe looks so yummy!
Hi Susan, So the split lentils like mung daal, masoor daal or toor daal do not need to be soaked. If they are whole beans I def soak them. Here is a link you might like to read on different lentils and beans – http://ministryofcurry.com/indian-pulses/
How long do you need to soak the whole lentils? Does this change the cook time also?
Hi Lenisa! If you are talking about whole brown lentils, they do not need soaking. They will cook in same time.
Hope this helps!
What about while red lentils? Thank you!
Same cook time for red lentils.
Came out really good. Was a little skeptical because there was no onions or ginger. I really enjoyed it!
Thank you!
Don’t you wash lentil before adding ?
Not the one’s I buy here in the US.
Turned out fabulous! Archana, thanks so much for the recipe!
You are welcome! Glad you enjoyed it.
Have been making this every week since I got my Instant Pot. Our favorite IP recipe from you! Thanks!
Hi Sharon! Thank you for your lovely feedback. I am so happy to read this.
Again, great recipe. Very flavourful. Next time, I will put less water at finish to get more texture and flavour. Hmmmmm…maybe more garlic and green chilies? Details. All your recipes are wonderful. Thank you, Archana!
Thank you Louise! Yes you can absolutely add more garlic and green chilies for a spicier daal. I am posting another variation of this recipe soon with pot in pot rice.
Hi! Checking out your great recipes and had a question please; what if you don’t have an immersion blender!? Can you use something else?
Yes you can try a masher or use back of a spoon