Easy Dal Makhani (Black Lentil Recipe)

There’s nothing more comforting than a warm bowl of dal makhani and rice. This restaurant-style dal makhani recipe is not only rich & creamy but also incredibly easy to make for beginners. This black lentil recipe is made entirely in the Instant Pot, with no need for hours of simmering on the stove.

Why I Love this Dal Makhani Recipe

• No Pressure Cooker Needed. There’s two things I absolutely hate doing in the kitchen & it’s pressure cooking or frying.
  • Anytime I can revert to the Instant Pot, it’s a win in my book. I use the 3 quart Instant Pot for all my cooking. 
• One Pot Dinner. Less dishes, less multitasking, less chaos.
• My Most Reliable Dal Recipe. As long as you stick to the recipe, you’ll always end up with restaurant style creamy lentils without having to slow cook or use tons of butter and cream.

What Lentil is Dal Makhani Made Of?

Dal makhani is a rich Punjabi dish made with whole black urad dal (black gram) and typically also kidney beans. In my version, I leave out the kidney beans because it tastes the same without our. Dal Makhani is usually slow-cooked or pressure-cooked until creamy, then simmered in a tomato base.  However, in this recipe, we do things the opposite way & start by making the tomato base and then simmer the lentils directly in it.

“Makhani” literally means buttery so this dish is all about that velvety smooth, buttery texture. Chances are, if you’ve been to any Indian restaurant, you’ve have dal makhani since it’s one of those classic Punjabi dishes you’ll find everywhere. The reason I love this easy dal makhani recipe is it brings that same depth of flavor to your kitchen in under an hour.

Ingredients for this Black Lentil Recipe

• 1 Cup Black Urad Dal (whole black lentils)
• Ghee (or Butter!)
• Ginger & Garlic 
• 1 tbsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek)
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• Ground Spices : cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, turmeric, red chili powder
• Whole Spices : 1 cinnamon stick, 2 bay leaves
• Optional: 2-3 tbsp heavy cream, chopped cilantro for garnish

How to Make Dal Makhani in the Instant Pot

1. Soak the dal: Rinse and soak 1 cup urad dal overnight (at least 8 hours). If you don’t have that much time, just pour the dal into an airtight container with hot water for 3-4 hours.
2. Sauté the base: On “Sauté – High” mode, add ghee, garlic, ginger, red chili powder, and kasoori methi. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes and spices: Stir in tomatoes, salt, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and garam masala. Cook until the tomatoes break down.
4. Add soaked dal: Strain the urad dal and add to the pot with water, bay leaves, and cinnamon.
5. Pressure cook: Turn off sauté, seal the lid, and pressure cook on high for 40 minutes.
6. Mash and adjust: Let the steam release naturally for 5 minutes, then vent. Open, mash the dal, and sauté more if it’s too watery. Add water if too thick.
7. Creamy finish: Stir in heavy cream for that signature makhani dal finish. Top with cilantro.

Tips to Make Restaurant Style Dal Makhani

• Don’t skip the soak! Soaking the urad dal overnight helps cook the lentils evenly and gives that signature creamy texture. Any time you’re dealing with thicker lentils or beans, remembering to soak it ahead makes the difference.
• Don’t skip the kasoori methi. It gives that signature smoky, restaurant-style dal makhani flavor.
• Don’t speed up the step where we bloom the spices. Sautéing the spices in some ghee at the beginning really blooms all the spices and give the dal a deeper flavor profile. I’ve tried this exact recipe for dal makhani without doing that and the end result was so different.

How Do I Serve Dal Makhani?

Pour your dal makhani over some hot steamed basmati rice or pair it with this roti recipe!  Dal Makhani doesn’t need to be super complicated, just keep it simple and let the dal do the talking. It also pairs beautifully with a side of pickled onions and raita if you wanna serve it like Indian food at restaurants.

FAQs

Which dal is used in dal makhani?

Dal makhani is traditionally made with whole urad dal (black lentils) and sometimes includes rajma (kidney beans) for extra heartiness.

How many calories are in dal makhani?

Homemade dal makhani typically has around 200-300 calories per serving, depending on the amount of cream and ghee used.

Can I make dal makhani without a pressure cooker or instant pot?

Yes, but it will take a lot longer. Just use a large pot and simmer the lentils in a pot for 2–3 hours until very soft.

Can I make dal makhani at home without cream?

Absolutely! You can skip either fully skip the cream or swap it with some milk or make it vegan with some thick coconut milk.

Where do I get these ingredients?

The Indian grocery store is always the best place to grab ingredients for any Indian dish cause it’s cheaper and typically fresher. If you don’t have one near you, Amazon is surprisingly useful for getting urad dal (back gram) and kasoori methi. The rest of the ingredients outside of the lentils and beans are pretty easy to find anywhere these days. 

What Instant Pot I You Use?

Any instant pot works perfectly for this recipe! I use this three quart Instant Pot Duo  for all my Instant pot needs.

Is this similar to the Dishoom black dal recipe?

Yep! The black dal recipe at Dishoom is punjabi dal makhani. The technique they use to cook the dal and the amount of cream, ghee and butter varies of course. I find that this makes for a much more realistic, light weeknight black lentil recipe. You can even eat this like a black lentil soup!

More Easy Indian Recipes

I’ve got loads of free, beginner friendly Indian recipes on my food blog @eatsbyramya! Here’s some of my favourites if you’re not sure where to start.

• Easy Paneer Bhurji for One
• Spicy Indian Ground Chicken Burgers
• How to Make Chai

Dal Makhani Recipe Card

Easy Dal Makhani (Black Lentil Recipe)

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★★★★★

5 from 5 reviews

• Author: eatsbyramya
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 4

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Description

There’s nothing more comforting than a warm bowl of dal makhani and rice. This restaurant-style dal makhani recipe is not only rich & creamy but also incredibly easy to make for beginners. This black lentil recipe is made entirely in the Instant Pot, with no need for hours of simmering on the stove.

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Ingredients

Scale

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• 1 cup whole black urad dal (soaked overnight)
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 3 green chilies, finely chopped (optional)
• 4–5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-inch piece ginger, minced
• 1 tbsp red chili powder
• 1 tbsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 cups water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 2–3 tbsp heavy cream
• Chopped cilantro (for garnish)

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Instructions

1. Prep: Soak 1 cup of black urad dal in water overnight. Drain before cooking.

2. Saute Spices: Turn on Sauté mode (High) on your Instant Pot. Add ghee, garlic, ginger, red chili powder, finely chopped green chilies, the cinnamon stick, and bay leaves. and kasoori methi. Sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

3. Add Tomatoes & Spices: Add chopped tomatoes, salt, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and turmeric. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes until the tomatoes break down.

4. Add Dal & Water: Add the soaked, drained urad dal to the pot along with 2 cups of water.

5. Pressure Cook: Cancel Sauté mode. Seal the lid and switch to Pressure Cook (High) for 40 minutes. Make sure the vent is closed.

6. Release Pressure:
   Once done, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then do a quick release.

7. Mash & Adjust: Open the lid and mash the dal gently with a ladle for a creamy texture.If the dal is too watery, turn on Sauté mode and cook until it thickens. If it’s too thick, add a bit of water and stir until you reach your desired consistency.

8. Finish & Serve: Stir in heavy cream. Garnish with chopped cilantro before serving.

Notes

• Instant Pot I use is the 7-in-1 Duo that’s 3 quart.

• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Cuisine: Indian