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.
Servings: 4
Calories: 112kcal
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