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    Home » Instant Pot » instant pot vegan indian recipes

    Vegan Dal Makhani – Creamy Buttery Black Gram lentils and Kidney Beans. Glutenfree Recipe

    Published: Aug 28, 2013 · Modified: Mar 27, 2019 by Richa 120 Comments

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe
    How to make restaurant style non-dairy Dal Makhani. Vegan gluten-free Soy-free Indian Recipe. Instant Pot Option. 
    Jump to Recipe   
    Vegan Dal Makhani - Black Gram and Kidney Beans in Creamy Buttery Gravy

     

    Hi you all. I am also sharing this yummylicious restaurant style Dal at Vedged Out today! I discovered Somer via Kristy and have been hooked to Vedged Out since. All the positive energy, amazing food, her personality, keep me visting her for more and more. Wish you a consistent and good recovery Somer. Thank you for opening up your space to us.
     
    Beans and lentils, are what we eat pretty much everyday as a part of Indian meals. They end up on the plate usually in a Dal preparation. Some other days in Burgers, pizzas, and more too. Dals are my comfort food, as well as something I would serve as a part of an Indian meal at an event. Amp up the earthy lentils with some specific spices, non dairy milk/butter, different methods of Tadka/Tempering and there you have a delicious hearty bowl of goodness. 
     
    Today, I am bringing you my Mom’s Dal Makhani. The lentils used are Whole black gram and Kidney beans. Makhani means creamy and buttery. The non vegan version of this Dal contains a good load of cream, ghee(clarified butter) and butter. Mom is now quite adept at vegan-izing things. So when I asked her what she was going to do about the Makhani part, she said just wait and watch and added some almond milk and cashew milk for a similar taste and it worked perfectly. I served the Dal with a teaspoon of Earth balance on top per bowl. And you should have seen the bliss on my Dad’s face:)  My omni brother also guzzled down bowls and bowls full of the Dal.
     
    If you cant find the lentils used for this Dal, use any similar sized lentil or bean as a substitute from your local store such as black caviar lentils, green or brown lentils, green moong beans. Substitute black beans for kidney beans or just add more lentils. 
     

    Lots more Dals, Bean/Lentil Stews here

    Black gram/ Urad Whole (Black Matpe Bean)


    Black gram is different than black lentils. Black gram looks like a black mung bean, fat and cylindrical, while black lentils(beluga) are black colored flat lentils. You can use black lentils or other lentils in this recipe if you don’t have black gram. I have only seen it in Indian stores and online, so it can be difficult to come by.
    Whole Urad Lentils in a bowl for our Vegan Dal Makhani Recipe #veganricha #vegandalmakhani #instanpotdalmakhani


    Red Kidney Beans


    Dry red kidney beans in a bowl for our Vegan Dal Makhani Recipe #veganricha #vegandalmakhani #instanpotdalmakhani


    Whole Urad lentils, Vigna mungo, black gram or black lentil are these pretty lentils which look like black Mung beans. The beans are available as whole or split or split+skinned like most whole lentils in India.

    Urad lentils are also extensively used in South Indian culinary preparations, such as dosa crepes, idli – steamed lentil cakes, vada – savory doughnuts, and Papad/Papadum (Ground into flour or soaked and fermented etc).

    Step by step photos:

    Tempering/Tadka Ingredients.

    Ingredients for our Vegan Dal Makhani Recipe #veganricha #vegandalmakhani #instanpotdalmakhani


    Heat oil. Add cumin seeds and cook until fragrant.

    Add garlic, ginger, chili and cook until golden.

    Onion and garlic getting cooked in a skillet for our Vegan Dal Makhani Recipe #veganricha #vegandalmakhani #instanpotdalmakhani


    Add onions and cook until translucent.


    Onion and garlic getting cooked in a skillet for ourVegan Dal Makhani Recipe #veganricha #vegandalmakhani #instanpotdalmakhani


    Add tomatoes, asafetida, garam masala and cook until tomatoes are tender.


    Onion, tomato getting cooked in a skillet for ourVegan Dal Makhani Recipe #veganricha #vegandalmakhani #instanpotdalmakhani


    Add tempering to cooked beans. Add milks, mix well.

    Cook until the beans are mushy.

    Urad lentils cooked for our Vegan Dal Makhani Recipe #veganricha #vegandalmakhani #instanpotdalmakhani


    Serve hot topped with a dollop of vegan butter or olive oil. The pictured Dal is cooked in a pressure cooker that breaks the beans down really well. If using slow cooker or crockpot to cook the dal, mash some of the dal with a spatula. 


    Vegan Dal Makhani Recipe #veganricha #vegandalmakhani #instanpotdalmakhani


    See below for Instant Pot instructions in the Recipe notes. 

    How to make restaurant style non-dairy Dal Makhani. gluten-free Soy-free Indian Recipe #glutenfree #veganricha #vegan
    Print Recipe
    5 from 13 votes

    Vegan Dal Makhani - Black lentils and Beans in creamy buttery gravy

    How to make restaurant style non-dairy Dal Makhani. gluten-free Soy-free Indian Recipe. Instant Pot Option in notes
    Prep Time1 hr
    Cook Time1 hr
    Total Time2 hrs
    Course: dal
    Cuisine: Glutenfree, Indian, Vegan
    Keyword: butter lentils, dal makhani recipe, pumjabi dalmakhani, vegan dal makhani
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 233kcal
    Author: Vegan Richa

    Ingredients

    For the Lentils:

    • 1 cup (200 g) whole black gram , Urad Whole or use black lentils(see first paragraph for sub options)
    • 1/2 cup (88.5 g) kidney beans , Rajma
    • 3.5 cups (875 ml) water
    • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
    • 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) red chili powder or cayenne or to taste

    For the Tempering:

    • 2 tsp oil
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 2-3 (2 ) green chilis finely chopped I use Serrano chili pepper
    • 1 inch ginger finely chopped
    • 5-6 (5 ) garlic cloves finely chopped
    • 1 medium size onion chopped
    • 1/8 teaspoon (0.13 teaspoon) asafoetida hing
    • 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) turmeric powder
    • 2 medium size tomatoes chopped
    • 1 teaspoon garam masala regular or punjabi
    • 1 Tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves Kasoori methi, or Use a 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek/methi seeds-Optional
    • 2 Tablespoons Almond milk
    • 1/3 cup (78.9 ml) Cashew milk Blend 3 tbsp cashews in 1/3 cup water until smooth.
    • Vegan butter such as Earth Balance as needed

    Instructions

    • Soak the lentils and beans overnight.
    • Pressure cook black gram and Kidney beans in 3.5 cups of water with salt and chili powder for 3-4 whistles (25 minutes at high pressure once pressure has reached).
    • Or use a slow cooker to cook urad beans and keep ready. Kidney beans cannot be cooked in a slow cooker from raw state, so use 1 cup cooked canned beans.
    • In a large pan, add oil and heat on medium-high heat.
    • Add cumin seeds and cook till they start to change color.
    • Add ginger, garlic and green chili and saute until golden.
    • Add onion, asafetida and cook until translucent.
    • Add the tomato and turmeric and cook until tomatoes are mushy. (13-15 minutes till this step).
    • Add the cooked black gram, kidney beans and the water they were cooked in.
    • Add garam masala, fenugreek and the milks. Mix, taste and adjust salt.
    • Add more water if the mixture is too thick.
    • Simmer on low heat till the dals/beans are totally soft. Mash some of the lentils with the spatula. 30 minutes.
    • Or Pressure cook for 5 minutes at high pressure once the pressure has reached. (1 whistle + simmer for 5)
    • Top with a small dollop of vegan butter or olive oil and cilantro.
    • Serve with Roti/Naan flatbread or Rice Pilaf or other cooked grains like Quinoa, millet.

    Notes

    Instant Pot: 
    1. Soak the lentils and beans overnight.
    2. Pressure cook black gram and Kidney beans in 3.5 cups of water with salt and chili powder for 30 minutes at high pressure. Let the pressure release naturally. 
    3. In a large pan or a cleaned out instant pot, add oil and heat on medium-high heat or saute mode in the IP.
    4. Add cumin seeds and cook till they start to change color.
    5. Add ginger, garlic and green chili and saute until golden.
    6. Add onion, asafetida and cook until translucent.
    7. Add the tomato and turmeric and cook until tomatoes are mushy. (13-15 minutes till this step). Deglaze with 2 tbsp of water if needed.
    8. Add the cooked black gram, kidney beans and the water they were cooked in.
    9. Add garam masala, fenugreek and the milks. Mix really well to pick up any stuck bits, taste and adjust salt.
    10. Add more water if the mixture is too thick.
    11. Pressure cook for 5 to 10 mins, Or simmer on saute for 30 minutes.(depends on your preferred consistency of the beans). Mash some of the lentils with the spatula. 
    12. Top with a small dollop of vegan butter or olive oil and cilantro.
     
    There are several types of pressure cookers. Some have different pressure settings. The one I use has a whistle top which acts as the pressure regulator(this model ). And it only has setting for high pressure. When the pressure inside builds up to high pressure, the pressure regulator automatically releases a little pressure at intervals to keep it maintained at a safe high pressure. That release sounds like a whistle because of the sudden steam release, which is counted to time the cooking as I have learnt from mom :).
    Nutritional values based on one serving

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Dal Makhani - Black lentils and Beans in creamy buttery gravy
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 233 Calories from Fat 27
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 3g5%
    Sodium 606mg26%
    Potassium 267mg8%
    Carbohydrates 37g12%
    Fiber 13g54%
    Sugar 4g4%
    Protein 14g28%
    Vitamin A 585IU12%
    Vitamin C 16.4mg20%
    Calcium 76mg8%
    Iron 4.8mg27%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
     

    Vegan Dal Makhani Recipe #veganricha #vegandalmakhani #instanpotdalmakhani

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    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you Love the Recipe, Please consider rating it using stars in comments! It helps readers and helps more people find the recipe online! I love hearing from you all! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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    1. David Bundy

      October 19, 2022 at 4:01 am

      5 stars
      Great recipe really enjoyed making it for friends.
      Could you give me the non vegetarian version.

      Reply
    2. @spiceupyourplants

      October 16, 2022 at 1:00 pm

      5 stars
      as most of your recipes, this one is a keeper too. thank you!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        October 18, 2022 at 11:07 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
    3. Kara

      May 28, 2022 at 12:43 pm

      5 stars
      We ordered this from a local restaurant and it was pretty good. Of course you already had the recipe. I just made it and it is better than the restaurants. I did not have the asafoetida but from what I researched I am not missing anything. Again, thank you for another great recipe!!!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        May 29, 2022 at 7:04 pm

        oh, you’re too kind

        Reply
    4. Kathy

      May 11, 2021 at 9:55 am

      5 stars
      A winner in our house! Even my kids love it!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        May 11, 2021 at 5:25 pm

        thanks for popping in ♡

        Reply
    5. Kerri

      May 03, 2021 at 6:37 am

      Wow. Made this tonight. Omg it was amazing. It goes to the top of my do again recipes. Thank you for this wonderful recipe.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        May 04, 2021 at 11:42 am

        hooray! top shelf compliment

        Reply
    6. Michelle Harris Abramson

      April 11, 2021 at 4:19 pm

      5 stars
      We made this along with your pan roasted Brussels sprouts. Both were fabulous! Thank you for your wonderful recipes.

      Reply
    7. Diane

      December 28, 2020 at 8:44 am

      Can this be made on the stovetop?

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        December 30, 2020 at 1:59 pm

        sure just cook the beans in a saucepan with additional 1 cup of water until they are tender to preference. They might take an hour or longer

        Reply
        • Valerie

          March 04, 2021 at 6:02 am

          Oh I see your reply here now so I’ll do that.

          Reply
    8. Sandra

      October 11, 2020 at 7:21 am

      I love your recipes and this is one of my favorite Indian dishes. Can I get a recipe for this on a stove top? I don’t have an IP.

      Thanks.

      Reply
      • Richa

        October 11, 2020 at 7:39 am

        You can cook the beans in a saucepan with additional 1 cup of water until they are tender to preference. They might take an hour or longer

        Reply
        • Sandra

          October 13, 2020 at 6:25 am

          5 stars
          OK. So I made this yesterday on my stove top and it was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!! I don’t think I’ll ever order this out again. Thank you, thank you, , thank you.

          Sandra

          Reply
    9. Carry Shamblin

      October 05, 2020 at 4:35 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you so much!!!
      One of the best things I’ve ever HAD!!! You are brilliant and I BOW to you!!!

      Reply
      • Richa

        October 05, 2020 at 7:48 pm

        ❤️❤️

        Reply
      • Valerie

        March 04, 2021 at 5:49 am

        I don’t have an Instant Pot or pressure cooker or slow cooker yet. How would you adjust to make this just on the stove?

        Reply
        • Vegan Richa Support

          March 08, 2021 at 11:35 am

          You can cook the beans in a saucepan with additional 1 cup of water until they are tender to preference. They might take an hour or longer

          Reply
    10. E.

      June 22, 2020 at 9:01 pm

      PS. Would you soak the split urad overnight? Thanks much.

      Reply
    11. E.

      June 22, 2020 at 8:57 pm

      Can I use the split urad (chilka)? Also, I can’t find asafoetida anywhere: can I skip it without sacrificing flavor? And i also have frozen fenugreek leaves: can I substitute 1:1 for the dried leaves? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Richa

        June 22, 2020 at 9:30 pm

        Yes you can use it. Cook time would reduce by 10 mins. Omit asafetida. And yes soak it for atleast an hour

        Reply
    12. Shalena

      March 02, 2020 at 4:31 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely love this recipe. Simple to make and delicious!

      Reply
    13. Suzanne

      November 18, 2019 at 12:25 pm

      5 stars
      This dal makhani is so delicious, thank you! I love your recipes, and so does my non-vegan Indian-food-loving husband!

      Reply
    14. Lilia

      November 01, 2019 at 5:57 pm

      I made it without chili – my preference – and I simply cooked the beans in the instant pot with the sauteed onions and spices instead of boiling them ahead of time. It’s absolutely delicious.

      Reply
      • Richa

        November 01, 2019 at 7:07 pm

        Awesome!

        Reply
    15. Genevieve

      October 26, 2019 at 7:05 am

      Do you cook the beans and lentis together in the instantpot?

      Reply
      • Richa

        November 12, 2019 at 11:47 am

        yes, i refer to the lentils as lentils or black gram interchangeably. I’ll update it to use lentils for whereveer they are referred

        Reply
    16. talli

      October 11, 2019 at 11:27 am

      hi richa, i would like to make this dish using your instant pot instructions but i have one question with step 11.
      i pressure cook 5-10 min and then mash. then it simply says 30 min. 30 min what? pressure cook again or wait ?
      thank you in advance, i absolutely love allo of your recipes

      Reply
      • Chad

        November 19, 2019 at 7:13 pm

        Did you get an answer to this? I had the same question

        Reply
      • Richa

        November 19, 2019 at 8:57 pm

        ah the simmer instruction got missed, its either pressure cook for the5-10 mins or simmer for 30 mins. just like the stove top instructions above.

        Reply
        • Rekha

          February 03, 2020 at 7:27 am

          Hi! Sorry, I’m just not getting it! I tried cooking black lentils before and it came out hard as rocks!

          Do you set manual pressure cooking mode on instapot to 10 minutes??

          Thanks!
          Rekha

          Reply
          • Richa

            February 03, 2020 at 11:29 am

            They are cooked twice. First time — Pressure cook black gram and Kidney beans in 3.5 cups of water with salt and chili powder for 30 minutes at high pressure. Let the pressure release naturally. And then second time with the spices for 5 minutes.

            Reply
          • Rekha

            February 03, 2020 at 5:10 pm

            Thank you!!!

            Love you and all your recipes, Btw!!

            Reply
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