Pressure Cooker Dal Makhani

Name: Pressure Cooker Dal Makhani
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 cup whole black lentils (urad dal, rinsed), rinsed; 1/2 can kidney beans (15 oz), drained and rinsed; 4 tbsp unsalted butter; 1 yellow onion, finely diced; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tsp fresh ginger, grated; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 cup crushed tomatoes (canned); 3 cups water; 1 tsp garam masala; 1/2 tsp ground cumin; 1/2 tsp ground coriander; 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper; 1 tsp kosher salt; 1/4 cup heavy cream; 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Rich, creamy black lentil dal slow-simmered with butter, cream, tomatoes, and warming spices, traditionally cooked for hours but ready in the pressure cooker in about an hour.

85 minMediumServes 4340 cal/serving

IndianDinnerPressure CookerVegetarianLow CarbGluten-FreeNut-FreeEgg-FreePork-Free

Ingredients

1 cup whole black lentils (urad dal, rinsed), rinsed
1/2 can kidney beans (15 oz), drained and rinsed
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup crushed tomatoes (canned)
3 cups water
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

1

Set the pressure cooker to Saute on medium heat. Melt half the 4 tbsp unsalted butter. Add 1 finely diced yellow onion and cook, stirring, for 6 to 8 minutes until golden. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and 2 tsp grated fresh ginger and cook for 1 minute more.
2

Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp ground coriander, and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
3

Add 1 cup rinsed whole black lentils (urad dal, rinsed), 1/2 can drained and rinsed kidney beans (15 oz), 1 cup crushed tomatoes (canned), 3 cups water, and 1 tsp kosher salt. Stir to combine.
4

Secure the lid and set the valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Allow a full natural pressure release (about 20 minutes).
5

Open the lid and stir. The lentils should be completely soft. Set to Saute on medium. Stir in the remaining butter and 1/4 cup heavy cream. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the dal thickens to a creamy consistency.
6

Stir in 1 tsp garam masala. Taste and adjust salt.
7

Serve topped with 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro alongside basmati rice or naan.

Questions

Can I make Pressure Cooker Dal Makhani dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in this entry is 4 tbsp unsalted butter, 1/4 cup heavy cream. Swap the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed; the cream for full-fat coconut milk or an oat cooking cream. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

How long does Pressure Cooker Dal Makhani keep?

Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and eat them within three days. Reheat gently on the stovetop. It also freezes well for up to three months.

Can I halve or double Pressure Cooker Dal Makhani?

Yes. As written it serves 4. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. Never fill a pressure cooker past its max line; the cook time itself does not change when you double.

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,512 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.