This Spinach Khichdi recipe is a perfect balance of carbohydrates and protein. I first ate this dish in Dubai, since my cousin recommended trying this dish at a restaurant. I loved it and wanted to try it as soon I reached back home. Since then, I have been making this dish at home because my toddler daughter loves it, and it’s healthy. This palak/spinach khichdi recipe can be prepared in an Instant Pot and Stove Top Pressure cooker. I have explained step-by-step procedures for both methods. Other healthy Khichdi recipes to try from my blog are Vegetable Khichdi, Bajra/Pearl millet Khichdi, Pongal.
How to Make Palak Khichdi Recipe in Instant Pot
Add the spinach leaves and water to the blender and blend them to make the palak puree. Press SAUTE mode(Normal) on Instant Pot. Add ghee or oil to the POT. Note: It tastes better with Ghee. Once POT is hot, add in the spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, Cumin(Jeera), minced ginger-garlic, and green chilies. Saute for 20 secs. Then add onions and saute until they are light brown in color. Add tomatoes and cook till they are soft. Add palak puree, washed moong dal, rice along with salt, garam masala and water. Mix well. Close the Instant Pot with the pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 8 minutes. Once the pot beeps, Wait for NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE (NPR). Once the pressure has been released, open the lid, add the prepared tadka to the palak khichdi, and mix well. **Note: If rice is not mushy or too dry, then select saute mode, add an additional ½ cup of water, and cook for another minute. Delicious Dal Palak khichdi is ready to be served.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method
Add the spinach leaves and water to the blender and blend them to make the palak puree. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker, add in the spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin (jeera), minced ginger garlic, green chilies. Saute for 20 secs. Then add onions and saute until they are light brown in color. Add tomatoes and cook till they are soft. Add palak puree and bring it to a boil. Lastly, add washed moong dal, rice along with salt, garam masala, and water. Mix well. Pressure cook for 3 whistles and let the pressure release naturally. Once the pressure has been released, open the lid, add the prepared tadka to the palak khichdi, and mix well. Note: If rice is not mushy or too dry, then turn on the gas and add an additional ½ cup of water, and cook for another minute. Delicious palak khichdi is ready to be served.
How to Serve Palak Khichdi
Serve this spinach khichdi with yogurt, or eat it is. I prefer eating with kadhi. Also, some pickle and papad on the side too!
Variations & Substitutes
I have used split moong dal without skin. You can use it with skin moong dal. I have used 2-3 cups of spinach (palak), you can add more according to your preference. If you don’t want to make spinach puree, you can add finely chopped spinach, too. The water ratio in this recipe is 3 times the rice and lentils together, which makes a soft, porridge-like consistency for the final dish. You can also add vegetables of your choice, like sweet potato, pumpkin, and potato. Frozen mixed vegetables also work well in this recipe. Add an extra ½ to 1 cup of water for a more khichdi-like consistency. If you are using brown rice, increase the pressure cook time to 20-22 minutes. Substitute white rice with quinoa or millets, same pressure cooking time, i.e., 8 Minutes High Pressure. To make this recipe vegan, simply substitute ghee with vegetable cooking oil. If you cook this for elderly people or infants/toddlers, adjust spices and vegetables accordingly.
More Spinach Recipes
Palak Paratha Spinach Dal Creamy Spinach pasta Spinach Raita Spinach Corn Sandwich Chana Saag (Chickpea Spinach Curry)
More Instant Pot Rice Recipes
Bisibelebath/Hot Lentil Rice Potato/Aloo Biryani Green Peas Pulao Vegetable Biryani Spinach Rice Chickpea/Chole Biryani
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