Slow cooker dal makhani is so much easier that cooking it your stove.
If you’re looking for a fuss-free way to make dal makhani, you’ve found it. In fact, this is the only way I make it at home now because it’s so much easier.
About this recipe
This recipe was inspired by my Authentic Dal Makhani that you slowly cook for hours on your stovetop. Slow cooker dal makhani is a lot easier though, because you don’t need to watch it as it cooks. You will achieve the same amazing flavour but without the need to stand over your pot and stir.
Dal Makhani pairs well with many curries but is also delicious on its own or served simply over white Basmati rice.
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Ingredients
There aren’t a lot of ingredients for this famous dal. You will find a list of ingredients under the photo below with quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- black urad dhal, soaked overnight in cold water
- boiling water plus more if needed
- rapeseed (canola) oil
- onions, finely chopped
- garlic and ginger paste
- tomatoes, diced
- Kashmiri chilli powder
- ground turmeric
- masala salt
- paprika
- salt
- butter
- single (light) cream
- chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves, to serve
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Use this section for process shots, alternating between the step and image showing the step. Users don’t like seeing process shots cluttering up the recipe card, so include your process shots here.
- Step 1: Cover the lentils with the water and slow cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Add a little more water if it is looking dry.
- Step 2: When the lentils are soft, smash or blend them to your preferred consistency.
- Step 3: In your slow cooker or pan on the stove, fry the chopped onions for about 7 minutes or until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and ginger paste and fry for an additional 30 seconds.
- Step 4: Stir in the chopped tomatoes.
- Step 5: Add the ground spices and stir them in.
- Step 6: Fry for a couple of minutes.
- Step 7: Add the onion mixture to the dal and stir it in. Continue slow cooking.
- Step 8: Stir in the cream. You can use as much as in the recipe card below or add as much as you like.
- Step 9: Add the butter and let it melt into the dal.
- Step 2: To serve, pour it all into a serving bowl and garnish with more butter, cream and chopped coriander (cilantro).
Substitutions
Dal Makhani is a delicious vegetarian dal. If you want to make a vegan version, you can using the substitutes below:
- Butter – Instead of using butter, use a vegan substitute or dairy free ghee.
- Cream – Use a dairy free cream instead of real cream. It works just fine.
I have personally made a vegan version of dal makhani several times and it tastes like the real thing. Go for it!
Variations
You really want to make this dal makhani the way you want it. With this recipe, you can do just that. Taste the finished dal and adjust as you see fit.
- Spicy – You can add chilli powder to taste. If you want your dal makhani to be spicy, just add more. If you aren’t sure, you should add less and then stir in more chilli powder to taste at the end of cooking. If you do this, just let the chilli powder stew in the slow cooker in the dal for a while to cook out the raw flavour.
- Deluxe – Dal Makhani is all about the butter and cream. That is what makes the dal so rich. Add butter and cream to taste. You can use less of each but for that deluxe, restaurant style flavour, you will want to add at least as much as in my recipe in the recipe card below.
- Kid friendly – Of course most kids don’t like spicy food. Leave the chilli powder out or only add a little. The dal will still be very good and you can always add more chilli powder for the adults.
Equipment
This dal makhani is easiest to prepare using a slow cooker that has a sauté/searing function as it can then all be made in one pot in your slow cooker.
If you do not have a slow cooker with sauté/searing function, no problem! You can do the frying in a pan over a medium high heat on your stove.
Storage
You can store your Dal Makhani in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and it also freezes well for up to six months.
If you decide to freeze it, I recommend not adding the cream. You can add that when you reheat the dal. Freeze in convenient sized air-tight containers and be sure to label and date them.
To reheat, defrost the dal and reheat over a medium heat in a pan on your stove of simply place it in the microwave.
Top Tip
Don’t rush this recipe. Dal Makhani benefits from a long, slow cook. Slow cookers do vary and cook at different heats so if you find that the dal is not soft enough after 8 to 10 hours, let it continue to cook for another hour or so until perfect.
FAQ
No but I highly recommend soaking the black lentils for at least 8 hours, it’s highly recommended to soak the black urad dal and kidney beans for at least 8 hours or overnight. This helps in faster cooking and better digestion. Soaking also ensures the beans become soft and creamy when slow-cooked.
Just cook them a little longer. They will get soft and slow cooker temperatures do vary. If you are in a rush, you could always take off the lid and set to sauté mode or pour it all into a pot and simmer it on your stove. Just watch it carefully if doing this and add more water as needed.
Some recipes call for kidney beans in addition to urad dal but you do need the urad dal to make a dal makhani. I do have other dal recipes on the site if you want to use a dal you have on hand.
Although this dal is delicious served simply with rice, you might like to try a good curry with it. Try these:
Pairing
These are my favourite side dishes to serve with dal makhani:
Yield: 4
Slow cooker dal makhani
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
10 hours
Total Time
10 hours 10 minutes
Ingredients
300g (10.5 oz) black urad dhal, soaked overnight in cold water
750ml (3 cups) boiling water plus more if needed
5 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste (see
page 172)
2 tomatoes, diced
2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp peppers
2 tsp salt, or to taste
3 tbsp butter, or to taste
250ml (1 cup) single (light) cream
4 tbsp chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves, to serve
Instructions
- For best results, rinse and then soak the urad lentils for 8 hours. Rinsing is required but you could get away with not soaking them. It might just take longer for them to cook.
- Place the lentils in your slow cooker, pour in the water and cook on low for 8 hours. Sometime during the day when it is convenient, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the chopped onions.
- Fry for 10 minutes or until the onions are soft, translucent and lightly browned and then add the garlic and ginger paste and fry for a further minute.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the tomatoes, chilli powder, ground turmeric, garam masala and paprika. Stir for a minute into the hot oil and set aside.
- Check the lentils after 8 hours to ensure they are fall apart soft. If not continue cooking. Once soft, mash them with a potato masher or if you like you could use a hand-held blender to blend.
- Pour in the prepared onion and spice mixture. You want the dal makhani to be good and hot so if serving later, you could reheat them using the searing mode of your slow cooker or in a pot on your stove.
- Just before serving, stir in most of the cream and season with salt to taste. Top with the butter which will melt into the dal. I usually swirl a little cream on top at the end before garnishing with the chopped coriander (cilantro).
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 208Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 1518mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 6gSugar: 5gProtein: 6g
