Instant Pot Dal Makhani

Rich, Creamy, and Buttery, this Instant Pot Dal Makhani is nothing less than amazing. Make this restaurant-quality dish with just a few ingredients in under an hour in an Instant Pot.

Want to try more Instant Pot Recipes, then here are some of my everyday favourites to make at home – Instant Pot Tomato Soup, Instant Pot Hot Chocolate, Instant Pot Chicken Curry, Instant Pot Chicken Stew and Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup.

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• About This Recipe
• Ingredients
• How to make Instant Pot Dal Makhani?
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Serving Suggestions
• Storing Suggestions
• You might also like
• Recipe Card

About This Recipe

Dal Makhani, the creamiest and richest dal from the North part of India, is said to be everyone’s favorite. You will find this one on the menu of almost every North Indian restaurant and I am sure most of you order this Dal when you go out to the restaurants.

Dal Makhani is a super-rich and creamy dal which is loaded with lots of butter and cream, and it takes a lot of time to cook on the stove because slow cooking this Dal is the key to its taste. Whenever I cook it on the stove, I let it simmer for a longer time for the bomb flavors.

But since the day, I have started preparing Dal Makhani in an instant pot, the results are quick and fuss-free. This creamy Dal gets ready in under an hour, and thus nowadays I have started preparing it for my weekday meals too. This Punjabi Dal Makhani is so easy to make in Instant Pot, and it turns out just perfect – super creamy & rich.

Dal Makhani is also a favorite at home, so when they see a bowl full of Dal with lots of butter on top during the weekday, their faces beam with joy. Also, do not compromise on that ghee and butter, if you want to make that Restaurant quality Dal Makhani.

To add that much needed smoky flavor in the Dal, follow the Dungar method and Coal method. The smoky flavor adds to the taste a bit more.

Also if you don’t own an Instant Pot, you can make Pressure Cooker Dal Makhani. You just have to follow the same process and cook it for about 30 minutes or until it releases 3- 4 whistles. Do not shy away to add more ghee, because it makes Dal Makhani yummier.

This Instant Pot Dal Makhani is,

• Creamy + Rich + Buttery
• Quick + Fuss free + Easy
• Delicious
• Rustic
• A perfect festive dish
• Just like your restaurant version

Ingredients

Lentils – To make this delicious and buttery Dal Makhani, we will need two lentils, whole black lentils or whole urad, and Bengal gram or chana dal. Both these lentils are soaked in the water for 8 to 10 hours or overnight so that they cook faster and also become easily digestible.

Kidney Beans – Along with lentils, we will also add in some kidney beans or rajma for a nice bite in the soft and creamy Dal. These are also soaked for 8-10 hours or overnight and then cooked along with the lentils.

Ghee – I will always recommend you to prepare Dal Makhani in ghee. Ghee adds a distinct flavor/aroma and richness to the Dal.

Butter and Cream – These are must ingredients in Dal Makhani, as the name itself has ‘Makhan’ in it. So do not compromise on them.

Tomato Paste – Tomato Paste adds that perfect amount of tartness in the curry, maintaining the smooth texture of the Dal.

For better taste, I would recommend you to use the store-bought tomato paste or puree.

Kasuri Methi – This is my favorite ingredients to add, whenever I want to add that restaurant-style touch to my dal and curries. Try it, it really makes a difference.

Others – Apart from the above-mentioned ingredients, we will need cumin seeds, onion, ginger garlic paste, red chili powder, cumin powder, and salt.

How to make Instant Pot Dal Makhani?

Wash ½ cup whole black lentils, ¼ cup red kidney beans, and 1 tbsp Bengal gram and soak them in 5-6 cups of water for 8-10 hours or overnight.

Press the SAUTE button of Instant Pot. When it says HOT, add 4 tbsp of ghee to the pot.

When the ghee is hot, add 1 tsp of cumin seeds and let them crackle for a few seconds.

Now add 1 cup of grated onions and 2 tsp of ginger-garlic paste and fry until onions turn lightly browned (6-7 minutes).

Add 4 tbsp of tomato paste and saute for another 2-3 minutes.

Now drain the lentils and kidney beans and add them to the pot along with 1 tsp of red chili powder, ½ tsp of cumin powder, and salt to taste.

Add 3 cups of water in the pot.

Close the lid of the pot. Set the valve to the sealing position.

Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 30 minutes on HIGH PRESSURE. Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release the remaining pressure manually by moving the vent to the venting position. Use a kitchen cloth to move the vent to prevent steam burn off the fingers.

Open the lid of the pot and mash the lentils very well using the back of a ladle until they are creamy.

Press SAUTE. Add 2 tbsp of butter, ¼ cup of heavy cream, and 1 tbsp of Kasuri methi and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Serve hot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Serving Suggestions

Serve scrumptious Instant Pot Dal Makhani along with any Indian Bread such as Phulka, Naan, Tawa Paratha, Laccha Paratha, Garlic Naan, Tandoori Roti, etc.

This Instant Pot Black Dal tastes great even along with Steamed Rice, Jeera Rice, Matar Pulao, or any other lightly spiced Pulao.

Let me tell you this Dal Makhani is my favorite Dal to include in festive and special meals. Also, don’t forget to top Dal Makhani with extra butter while serving.

Storing Suggestions

This Instant Pot Dal Makhani tastes even better the next day, so prepare it a little more extra and enjoy it the next days too. If you are making it for your house parties or get-together, you can prepare it a day before and store it too.

This Creamy North Indian Dal will last in the fridge for 2-3 days when stored in an airtight container. Reheat it in a pan or microwave and if you feel it has become a little thick, add in a little water, mix and heat it properly.

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