Dal palak recipe or spinach dal with stovetop & instant pot instructions. Dal refers to lentils and palak to spinach. Dal palak is nothing but lentils cooked with spinach & tempered with basic Indian spices. It is a healthy, delicious and one of the most made palak recipes in Indian homes. This simple protein rich dish is served with plain rice, chapati/ roti or different kinds of bhakri (flatbreads).
It is made in almost all regions of India with slight variations. Each home has their own recipe to make it. Apart from spinach, various ingredients like onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and whole spices are used based on their choice.
My recipe to make spinach dal uses minimal ingredients yet it turns out super delicious with full of flavors. This recipe is kids’ friendly if you cut down or skip the chilies.
I always feel dal palak tastes best when made with basic ingredients otherwise the buttery taste & flavor of palak is lost.
Step-by-step photos
Preparation
You can find the instant pot instructions in the recipe card below.
1. Add half cup dal to a pot or pressure cooker and rinse it well a few times or until the water runs clear. I use toor dal and moong dal in equal proportions. You can use any kind of dal you prefer.
The taste of dal palak enhances with the use of moong dal, so even a little is enough for that great taste. You can optionally chop a large tomato and add it to the dal.
If you do not own a cooker, you can soak the dal for about 15 mins to 1 hour to quicken the process.
2. Pour 1¼ cups water to the cooker and secure the lid. Pressure cook on a medium heat for 2 whistles. If cooking in a pot, keep adding more water and cook until the dal turns soft.
3. While the lentils cook, clean spinach and rinse it well a few times. I usually spray some vinegar and sprinkle salt over the leaves first. Leave them for 5 to 10 mins. Then rinse them off in a large pot a few times. This gets rid of all the pesticide residue and any bugs.
Drain the leaves to a colander. When the water drains, chop them. Also chop 1 to 2 green chilies and some ginger garlic. We need 1 tsp of the same.
4. When the pressure releases naturally, open the cooker and mash the dal slightly. You can skip mashing if you like to retain the same texture. It must be soft cooked and not remain al dente.
Tempering
5. Heat 1½ to 2 tablespoons ghee in a kadai/ pan. To keep the recipe vegan, you can use oil. When the ghee turns hot, add ¾ teaspoon cumin seeds and 1 to 2 broken dried red chilies (optional).
6. When the seeds begin to crackle, add 1 teaspoon chopped ginger garlic and 1 to 2 chopped green chilies. We are not using red chilli powder in this recipe so use enough green chilies for the heat. Saute just for a minute and add 1/8 teaspoon hing.
7. Add 2 cups chopped spinach/ palak. You can use more or less to suit your taste.
8. Saute for 3 to 4 mins on a medium heat. Spinach will wilt and begin to sweat.
How to make dal palak
9. Add the cooked dal, 1/8 teaspoon turmeric and half teaspoon salt. Mix well.
10. Pour water as needed to bring the dal palak to a consistency and cook until the spinach wilts completely. Palak doesn’t require long cooking, so a few minutes will be good enough. If you like to use amchur you can add it at this stage. I prefer lemon juice so I don’t add it.
11. When it reaches the desired consistency, turn off the stove. Taste test and add more salt. When the dal palak cools down slightly, squeeze in lemon juice if you have not used amchur. Do not squeeze the lemon over boiling hot dal. If you have used oil for tempering, add a tbsp of ghee now.
Serve dal palak with rice or roti or naan.
More Dal recipes
Moong dal recipe
Chana dal
Masoor dal
Dal makhani
Dal fry recipe
Khichdi
Tips to make
To make dal palak, I have used toor dal also known as split pigeon peas and moong dal also known as split skinned mung beans. You can use any lentils that you prefer.
Spices: Cumin and dried red chilies are the only 2 whole spices I have used. You may add a pinch of mustard seeds if you like.
Ground spices: I have not used any ground spices here. If you prefer you may add a pinch of garam masala along with turmeric. But in my opinion, this spinach dal does not need it at all.
Tempering it in desi ghee or butter enhances the flavor and aroma of the dish. If you are a vegan, just use any cooking oil.
Preparing palak for any palak recipe: Fill a large pot with water. Pluck each palak leaf and check for infestations etc. Add them to the pot. Allow them to rest for 3 to 5 mins. Repeat the rinse. I usually spray vinegar & salt over palak & leave for a while before rinsing them.
For more palak recipes, do check
Palak paneer
Spinach curry
Easy palak paratha
Hara bhara kabab
Palak rice
Recipe
Simple dal palak recipe
Dal palak recipe | Spinach dal | How to make dal palak
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
Ingredients for dal palak
- ½ cup dal ( lentils) ( I use ¼ cup toor dal & ¼ cup moong dal)
- 1¼ cup water or as needed (1¾ cups for IP)
For tempering
- 1 medium tomato (chopped (optional))
- 2 cups palak (100 grams spinach fine chopped) (use as desired)
- 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons ghee or butter
- ¾ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 dried red chilli (broken, optional)
- 1 teaspoon ginger (or 1 clove garlic or both chopped)
- 1 to 2 green chilies chopped (substitute ½ tsp chilli powder)
- 1 pinch hing (asafoetida) (optional)
- ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoon kasuri methi (optional, dried fenugreek leaves)
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice (or 1 tsp amchur / dry mango powder)
Instructions
Preparation
- Add dal to a bowl or pot. Rinse it very well a few times until water runs clear.
- If using tomato, chop it and add to the dal.
- Pour 1¼ cups water and cook in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles on a medium heat. You can also cook the dal in a pot adding more water as needed until they soften.
- If using instant pot, place the bowl and pressure cook for 8 to 9 mins.
- When the pressure releases naturally, remove the dal and mash it to suit your liking.
How to make dal palak
- Heat a pot with ghee or butter. Add cumin and dried red chilies.
- When the cumin begins to splutter add ginger, garlic and green chilies. Saute well for a min. Add hing.
- Transfer chopped palak or spinach. Saute for 3 to 4 mins on a medium heat until the leaves wilt.
- Add cooked dal, salt and turmeric. Mix and check the consistency. If needed pour some water.
- Next mix well and cook on a medium heat until palak softens. Add kasuri methi (optional) and switch off when spinach dal reaches the desired consistency.
- When the spinach dal cools down slightly, add lemon juice and mix. Serve dal palak with rice or roti.
Instant pot spinach dal
- Press SAUTE button on the Instant pot and pour ghee to the steel insert.
- Add cumin, dried red chilies and green chilies. When the cumin seeds splutter, add tomatoes (optional) and saute for 1 minute.
- Then add dal, turmeric and salt. If you prefer to use chilli powder as a substitute to green chilies, add it now.
- Press CANCEL button. Pour 1¾ cups water and deglaze with a wooden spatula to release any bits of food stuck at the bottom.
- Optionally you can also place a trivet and keep your rice bowl over it & cover.
- Secure the Instant pot with the lid. Press PRESSURE COOK button (high pressure) and set the timer to 10 mins.
- When the dal palak is done, IP will beep. Wait for the natural pressure release for at least 15 mins. Release the rest manually. Remove the rice bowl.
- Add the chopped spinach to the dal and give a good mix. Press SAUTE button and cook for 2 mins. Palak will just take 2 mins to cook. If needed you may add another ¼ cup hot water to adjust the consistency.
- Press CANCEL and sprinkle kasuri methi (optional). Cover the IP until you serve. This helps spinach to cook completely with the residual heat in the IP.
- Taste test and add more salt if needed. When the spinach dal cools a bit, add lemon juice. Serve with rice or roti.
Video
Video of dal palak recipe
NUTRITION (estimation only)
Notes
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Hannah says
Hey!! I made your dal makhani recipe and it turned out soooo good! Thank you!
Do you think I could make this recipe with frozen spinach?
swasthi says
Hi Hannah,
Glad to know! Yes you can but frozen spinach won’t taste the same
Nirmala says
Tried this recipe today. The whole family loved it! Definitely a recipe I would repeat many times. Thank you for thisngreat recipe, Swasthi.
swasthi says
Welcome Nirmala
Glad to know! Thank you!
Mona says
Hi. Recipe looks great. If I am using only moong dal and spinach, how much dal should I use? I want more spinach than dal.
swasthi says
Thanks Mona,
You can use little less than 1/2 cup
B_G says
Tried the recipe and it turned out so good! Even my mother who is an expert at cooking praised a lot! Thanks for sharing. 🙂 🙂
swasthi says
You are welcome! Glad to know!
Thank you
Tessa says
This was good! I made it without the green & red chilis so my 19 month old would eat it too. It’s mild yet flavorful and healthy. I loved it. Immediately copied down to recipe card without tweaks, which is kind of rare these days. Thank you for the great recipe!
swasthi says
Hello Tessa,
You are welcome! Glad to know the recipe helped
Jenny says
My first time making this dish and I enjoyed it very much. I used amchur but next time will try lemon juice since others have said so many good things about it. This is true comfort food, so easy to make, and is now one of my favorite dals. Thanks Swasthi!
swasthi says
Hi Jenny,
You are welcome! Glad you liked it. Yes you have to try this with lemon juice! Thank you!
Selina says
I made this today in my instant pot and it turned out delicious! The lemon adds a nice flavor I was not expecting! Super easy and tasty! Thank you!
swasthi says
Hi Selina,
You are welcome! Glad you liked it. Thank you!
Avishek Dan says
Very satisfying taste. 🙂
swasthi says
Thank you!
Archana says
Authentic Taste.. Thank you..
swasthi says
You are welcome Archana!
T L says
My grandson had seconds of dal palak at a restaurant, so we wanted to make it at home. Not sure he tasted it, but we enjoyed it very much. Next time I will double the recipe!
Thanks!
swasthi says
Hi T L
You are welcome. Glad you liked it!
Thank You!
Geeta says
Hey the dal palak recipe is super duper thank you so much
swasthi says
Welcome Geeta!
Glad you liked it
Sanjana says
My girls avoid palak but in this form was very tasty and most important quite simple to make. the lemon really added to the taste. Thanks!
swasthi says
Welcome Sanjana,
Glad your girls liked the dal palak. Yes lemon enhances the taste. Thanks for trying.
🙂
Aradhana misra says
Its the best palak dal recipe I ever found. Makes a delicious meal for the whole family.
swasthi says
Hi Aradhana
Thanks for the comment. Very glad you liked it.
🙂
Eric Berg says
Great recipe! Spinaches are rich in iron and magnesium while tomatoes are a great source of vitamin C, potassium, folate and vitamin K. This dish can substitute any snack without spiking insulin levels or increasing blood sugars.
Saranya says
Hi,
First of all I would like to Thankyou for sharing the wonderful delicious recipe’s. As a newly married I use to get scared of cooking but after trying with Your recipe’s, I lost fear about cooking and I have tried many of your recipe’s and it turns out yummy 😋 .
In this palak dal, You mean to add tomato along with dal in the pressure cooker???
swasthi says
Hi Saranya
You are welcome. Very happy to know the recipes have been helpful. Thanks for the comment. Yes you can add tomato along with dal and pressure cook.
Saranya says
Hi,
Thankyou for the quick response. Can you tell me how to cook it in a pressure cooker? I mean along with daal can we add all ingredients including palak to the cooker???
swasthi says
Hi,
Yes you can add palak, tomato, dal, tamarind, green chilies to the cooker and pressure cook. Then just temper the dal using ghee, curry leaves, mustard, red chilli, cumin and hing.
monika says
Hi ! I m Monika from Ahmedabad .
i didnt knew that lemon or amchur powder enhance the taste .through ur receipe i came to know .thank u .i follow ur receipes .its simple easy and great .keep posting .best wishes and once again thank u for all ur receipes because i just loved it .
swasthi says
Hi Monika,
You are welcome. Glad you liked the recipes. Thank you so much for the wishes!
🙂
Poorvi Desai says
Dear Swasthi,
Tried your Daal palak recipe for lunch today. It was absolutely delicious…. Thank you for sharing such lovely recipes. God bless you!!!!!!!!!
My father has gone on a diet as he is suffering from what we call as “pitt” in local language. He is not eating anything that has masala or oil. Could you please suggest some recipes that I can make for him??
Thanks in advance.
swasthi says
welcome poorvi
Thanks a lot for the wishes.
As such any recipe can be made without garam masala. Just skip them from the recipe. Cook the dish in low flame so that they taste good. Regarding oil,if permitted then you can use desi cow’s ghee. Or just steam the veggies and season them lightly. Hope this helps
Ritika Gagandeep sankhla says
I made it today with little twist in Ur recipe….It was yummy…My hubby likes it alot…Thanks for sharing such nice and healthy recipes….
neha says
Thank you Swasthi for this yummy,, healthy recipe. We all enjoyed it. I added tomatoes as well.
swasthi says
Welcome Neha
Glad to know you liked it. Yes you can also use tomatoes.
Thanks for the comment
Stefania says
HI!
My family and I enjoyed the palak daal! Thank you for the great idea!
swasthi says
Welcome Stefania
Happy to know you all enjoyed it
🙂
Rose says
Hi, you missed adding the part about adding the palak in the how to make the recipe section.
Only when I scrolled down and saw the images i found out when to add the palak
swasthi says
Hi Rose
Thanks a lot, will update it.
Shilpa says
Hi swasthi can you please tell which 1 would taste good- just the garlic or just the ginger or both??? I wanted to prepare this dal. And want to know which 1 to add.
swasthi says
Hi Shilpa
It’s a matter of personal choice. According to me finely chopped garlic goes well.
Ben says
Hi Swasthi,
Thanks for sharing your recipe – I hope to try it.
How much garlic and / or ginger would you suggest?
Thanks.