Vegan Dal Palak (Instant Pot Green Lentil & Spinach Curry)

Quick one-pot green lentils and spinach curry! My vegan take on the classic dal palak made in the Instant Pot with green lentils. Serve this with rice or jeera pulao for a comforting meal. Check out the delicious vegan dal palak recipe, with a detailed video.

This dal palak has been on my blog since 2014, and for good reason — it’s one of those recipes I keep coming back to. Quick, filling, and made entirely in the Instant Pot, this vegan version comes together in under 30 minutes with minimal cleanup. Green lentils are my go-to here—they hold their shape beautifully and don’t turn mushy after pressure-cooking. And the best part? No onion, no garlic, making it perfect for Jain cooking, fasting days, or anyone looking for a lighter sattvic meal.

Note: most store-bought curry powders contain onion and garlic powder — if you’re making this strictly without alliums, use the homemade spice blend in the “Alternatives for Curry Powder” section below.

What Is Dal Palak?

Dal palak is a Hindi term — dal means lentils and palak means spinach. Dal is the ultimate Indian comfort food, and you can find a wide variety of dal recipes across the Indian subcontinent. This blog needs no introduction about my love affair with beans and lentils! I have over 35 lentil recipes from across India, and my love for them continues with this green lentil and spinach curry. The subtle flavors of ginger and spices make it a perfect accompaniment to pulao too. More than with roti, I love this dal with plain rice or jeera rice.

Why You Will Love This Vegan Dal Palak

• Effortless to make. This is a sauté-and-dump recipe that comes together with minimal prep.
• Nutritious and filling. It’s loaded with the goodness of green lentils and spinach. Each serving contains 7g of plant-based protein and 8g of fiber.
• Easily customizable. Skip the curry powder and use garam masala or the homemade blend below for a complete no-onion-no-garlic version — perfect for fasting days and Navratri.
• Great for meal prep. You can cook brown rice alongside the dal palak (just as I do with my kadhi), and both will be ready at the same time, making weeknight dinners effortless.

Why No Onion No Garlic?

This recipe skips onion and garlic entirely, making it suitable for Jain cooking, Ekadashi and Navratri fasting, and sattvic meals. Ginger and cumin do all the heavy lifting on flavor — you genuinely won’t miss them. If you’re checking labels, be aware that most commercial curry powders contain onion or garlic powder. For a truly allium-free dal palak, use the homemade spice blend in the section below.

Why Green Lentils?

There are different varieties of dal palak, and you can prepare them with yellow moong dal, toor dal, green mung beans, chana dal, masoor dal, or even brown masoor dal. I like the texture of green lentils—they don’t turn mushy like some other varieties, and they stay soft yet firm even after pressure-cooking. Since we traditionally make spinach kootu with moong dal at home, I thought of trying dal palak with green lentils for a change. They’re also among the most readily available lentils at any US grocery store, making them a practical choice.

Ingredients Required

Green lentils — I have used whole green lentils, which are readily available online or at any grocery store.

To temper — I have used coconut oil, which adds a lovely flavor, but you can swap it for your preferred cooking oil. You’ll also need cumin seeds and fresh ginger.

Tomato — Just one Roma tomato for a pop of color and flavor. You can skip it and add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice while serving instead.

Spinach — I have used 4 cups of chopped spinach. You can swap in other greens like Swiss chard, baby kale, or Indian varieties like amaranthus, or use a mix.

Spice powders — I have used turmeric powder, freshly ground black pepper, and curry powder. When cooking with spinach, I always add turmeric and pepper—they enhance the flavor and follow the traditional practice of helping neutralize bacteria in leafy greens. It’s something we’ve always done at home.

You’ll also need salt and water. See the recipe card below for exact measurements.

Alternatives for Curry Powder

I know what you’re thinking — curry powder isn’t traditional Indian cooking. You’re right, but it’s a convenient spice blend available at any grocery store, and I’ve used it in quite a few recipes on this blog, like my red lentil and barley soup, soybean curry, beet curry, and tofu curry. I often reach for it alongside garam masala.

The catch: most commercial curry powders contain onion and garlic powder. So if you’re making this recipe strictly without any alliums, use this homemade spice blend instead:

• ½ tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• ¼ tsp garam masala (check the brand — most are onion and garlic free)
• ¼ tsp red chili powder or paprika

This gives you the same warmth and depth without the hidden alliums.

Sambar powder — You can also use sambar powder along with ¼ to ½ tsp of garam masala. This is actually the most authentically South Indian direction, and it gives the dal a beautiful, aromatic depth.

Dietary Specifications

This vegan dal palak is vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free, making it suitable for a wide range of dietary needs.

Serving Suggestions and Storage

Serve this vegan dal palak with any grain of your choice — brown rice, white rice, millets, or quinoa all work beautifully. Pair it with onion raita, a sweet-and-spicy lemon pickle, or a creamy beet-and-corn salad to round out the meal.

This dal makes an excellent meal prep. It refrigerates well for 3 to 4 days and freezes beautifully. Portion it into freezer-safe containers, and when needed, thaw to room temperature and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. If needed, add ¼ cup of water to thin it down.

How to Make Vegan Dal Palak in the Instant Pot

1. Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode. When the display shows “HOT,” add the coconut oil.
2. After 30 seconds, add the cumin seeds and finely chopped ginger and sauté for 30 to 45 seconds.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and stir. Then add the chopped spinach and cook for a minute.
4. Add the salt, turmeric powder, curry powder (or your chosen spice blend), and ground pepper. Cook for 3 minutes until the spinach wilts.
5. Add the green lentils and two cups of water. Mix thoroughly and press Cancel.
6. Close the Instant Pot lid and make sure the vent is in the sealing position.
7. Press Manual (or Pressure Cook) and set the time to 20 minutes on high pressure. After cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally.
8. Open the lid and mash the lentils using a potato masher. Mix and serve hot with rice or any flatbread.

Stove-top pressure cooker version: Temper as above in a pressure pan or cooker. After adding the lentils, use 3 cups of water instead of 2 and cook for four whistles. Green lentils take a little longer than other varieties, so don’t rush the pressure release.

Recipe Notes

• Instead of curry powder, you can use sambar powder or garam masala.
• I did not include green chili, opting for ground pepper instead. Feel free to add green chili if you prefer more heat.
• You can use any lentils — red, brown, yellow, toor dal, or moong dal all work well.
• Adjust salt and spices to your preference.
• Skip the curry powder and increase the pepper powder to make this a suitable Sattvic meal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Watch Me Make Vegan Dal Palak

More Dal Recipes

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Vegan Dal Palak (Instant Pot Green Lentil & Spinach Curry)

Quick, filling, and made entirely in the Instant Pot, this vegan dal palak comes together in under 30 minutes. No onion, no garlic — perfect for Jain cooking, fasting days, or a light sattvic meal.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 4

Calories: 112kcal

Author: Srividhya G

Equipment

• Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

Measurement Details: 1 cup = 240ml; 1 tbsp = 15ml; 1 tsp = 5ml;

• ▢ ½ cup green lentils rinsed and drained
• ▢ 2 tsps coconut oil
• ▢ 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ▢ 2 tsp finely chopped ginger
• ▢ 1 Roma tomato
• ▢ 4 cups spinach one bunch, approx 4 cups, when chopped
• ▢ 1 ½ tsp pink salt
• ▢ ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ▢ 1 ½ tsp curry powder
• ▢ ½ tsp ground pepper
• ▢ 2 cups water

Instructions

• Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode. When the display shows “HOT,” add the coconut oil.
• After 30 seconds, add the cumin seeds and finely chopped ginger and sauté for 30 to 45 seconds.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and stir. Then add the chopped spinach and cook for a minute.
• Add the salt, turmeric powder, curry powder (or your chosen spice blend), and ground pepper. Cook for 3 minutes until the spinach wilts.
• Add the green lentils and two cups of water. Mix thoroughly and press Cancel.
• Close the Instant Pot lid and make sure the vent is in the sealing position.
• Press Manual (or Pressure Cook) and set the time to 20 minutes on high pressure. After cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally.
• Open the lid and mash the lentils using a potato masher. Mix and serve hot with rice or any flatbread.

Video

Notes

• Instead of curry powder, you can use sambar powder or garam masala.
• I did not include green chili, opting for ground pepper instead. Feel free to add green chili if you prefer more heat.
• You can use any lentils — red, brown, yellow, toor dal, or moong dal all work well.
• Adjust salt and spices to your preference.
• Skip the curry powder and increase the pepper powder to make this a suitable Sattvic meal.

Stove-top pressure cooker version: Temper as above in a pressure pan or cooker. After adding the lentils, use 3 cups of water instead of 2 and cook for four whistles. Green lentils take a little longer than other varieties, so don’t rush the pressure release.

Nutrition

Calories: 112kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 905mg | Potassium: 450mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2966IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 3mg

I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.

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Update Notes: This recipe was originally posted in 2014 but now updated with Instant Pot version and with new photos and video.