Masala Khichdi | Vegetable Khichdi

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Vegetable Masala khichdi recipe with step by step photos. This is a spiced and tasty vegetable khichdi made with mixed vegetables, mung lentils, rice, onions, tomatoes, herbs and spices. It’s an excellent one-pot recipe when you’re too tired to cook! This masala khichdi makes for a comforting, delicious and healthy lunch or dinner paired with curd, papad and pickle.

masala khichdi recipe

This vegetable khichdi is a delicious variation of a khichdi that is slightly spicy and includes mix veggies. Warm, comforting and nutritious.

I started cooking this particular masala khichdi many years back and still do. It is one of our favorite rice-lentils based one-pot recipe. Any khichdi variety is quick to prepare in a pressure cooker and so is this vegetable khichdi. Thus a better cooking option after a tiring day.

Tips for making masala khichdi

  • You can add veggies you like or the ones you want to use up quickly. The veggies that can be added are potatoes, cauliflower, green peas, carrots, french beans, brinjal, capsicum (bell pepper), cabbage, broccoli and zucchini.
  • Usually, the veggies that I add in this masala khichdi are the usual mix of carrots, capsicum, cauliflower, peas, potatoes and french beans. However, I also add one more veggie and that is brinjal or aubergines. So whenever there are brinjals in the fridge, I add them to the masala khichdi. In the recipe post, I have not added brinjals. But if you do have them, then do add. They give a very nice taste in the masala khichdi.
  • Depending on the amount of water added, you can make a porridge-like consistency or keep a pulao like consistency in the masala khichdi. So choose whatever you prefer.
  • The entire recipe has been made in a pressure cooker. Though you can also make it in a pan adding water as needed. Just soak the rice+mung lentils in water for 30 minutes before cooking.

Serve vegetable khichdi hot or warm with a side salad, pickle, roasted papads or curd.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Masala Khichdi

1. Take ⅓ cup broken rice or any regular rice and ⅓ cup moong dal (husked split mung lentils) in a bowl. Rinse with water a couple of times. Drain the water and keep the broken rice and lentils aside. Also chop the veggies and keep them aside.

moong dal for masala khichdi

2. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee or oil in a pressure cooker. Add the following garam masala or whole spices:

  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 small to medium tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
  • ½ inch cinnamon
  • 2 cloves
  • 2 green cardamom.

Saute till the spices crackle and become fragrant.

masala for masala khichdi

3. Then add ⅓ cup chopped onion.

onions for masala khichdi

4. Saute till the onions turn translucent stirring often.

sauteing onions for masala khichdi

5. Add 1 teaspoon of ginger garlic paste.

ginger for veg masala khichdi recipe

6. Stir and saute for a few seconds or till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.

ginger for masala khichdi

7. Add ¼ to ⅓ cup chopped tomatoes and 1 to 2 green chilies (chopped).

tomatoes for masala khichdi

8. Saute for a minute or two.

sauteing tomatoes for making masala khichdi

9. Then add 1 to 1.25 cups mixed chopped veggies along with ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon red chili powder and a pinch of asafoetida (hing).

For a more spicy masala khichdi, add ½ teaspoon red chili powder. Saute for a minute.

spices for veg masala khichdi recipe

10. Add the rice and moong dal.

adding rice and mung lentils

11. Mix the rice and moong dal with the rest of the ingredients.

mixing masala khichdi mixture

Cooking vegetable khichdi

12. Add 2 cups of water. This much amount of water gives a vegetable khichdi which has a consistency not like a porridge, but not even dry like a Pulao.

For a more liquid consistency in the khichdi, you can increase the amount of water to 2.5 to 3 cups.

adding water for masala khichdi

13. Season with salt as per your taste.

adding salt for masala khichdi recipe

14. Pressure cook for 14 to 15 minutes or for 7 to 8 whistles. When the pressure falls down on its own, then only remove the lid.

cooking vegetable khichdi

15. Serve vegetable khichdi hot drizzled with a teaspoon of ghee, if you prefer. Accompany a side veggie salad, raita, pickle or plain curd by the side. You can also garnish it with a few coriander leaves.

masala khichdi, vegetable khichdi


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masala khichdi recipe, vegetable khichdi recipe

Masala Khichdi | Vegetable Khichdi

Spiced and tasty masala khichdi made with mung lentils, rice, mixed veggies, onions, tomatoes, herbs and spices.
4.97 from 29 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Cuisine North Indian
Course Main Course
Diet Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 2
Units

Ingredients

  • cup broken rice or any regular rice
  • cup moong dal (mung lentils)
  • 1 tablespoon Ghee
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 small to medium tej patta (indian bay leaf)
  • ½ inch cinnamon
  • 2 cloves
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 1 medium onion chopped or ⅓ cup chopped onion
  • 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste or 3 to 4 medium garlic and ½ inch ginger – crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle
  • 1 small to medium tomato or ¼ to ⅓ cup chopped tomatoes
  • 1 or 2 green chilies – chopped
  • 1 to 1.25 cups mixed chopped veggies
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
  • 2 cups water
  • a few chopped coriander leaves for garnish optional
  • salt as required

Instructions
 

preparation

  • Take rice and moong dal in a bowl. Rinse with water for a couple of times. Drain and keep aside. 
  • Also chop the veggies and keep aside.

making masala vegetable khichdi

  • Heat 1 tbsp ghee or oil in a pressure cooker.
  • Add the following garam masala or whole spices – 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1 small to medium tej patta, 1/2 inch cinnamon, 2 cloves, 2 green cardamoms. Saute till the spices crackle and become fragrant.
  • Add 1/3 cup chopped onion and saute them till they turn translucent.
  • Add 1 tsp ginger garlic paste. Stir and saute till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
  • Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup chopped tomatoes and 1 to 2 green chilies (chopped). Saute for a minute or two.
  • Then add 1 to 1.25 cups mixed chopped veggies along with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp red chili powder and a pinch of asafoetida. For a more spicy khichdi, add 1/2 tsp red chili powder. Saute for a minute.
  • Add the rice and moong dal. Mix the rice and moong dal with the rest of the ingredients.
  • Add 2 cups water. This much amount of water gives a masala khichdi which has a consistency not like a porridge, but not even dry like a pulao. For a more liquid consistency, you can increase the amount of water to 2.5 to 3 cups.
  • Season with salt. Pressure cook for 14 to 15 minutes or for 7 to 8 whistles. When the pressure falls down on its own, remove the lid.
  • Serve vegetable khichdi hot drizzled with a teaspoon of ghee if you prefer. Accompany a side veggie salad, raita, pickle or plain curd by the side. 
  • You can also garnish it with a few chopped coriander leaves if you want.

Notes

  • You can add veggies of your choice.
  • You can vary the amount of spices as per your taste buds.

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Masala Khichdi | Vegetable Khichdi
Amount Per Serving
Calories 332 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 16mg5%
Sodium 31mg1%
Potassium 691mg20%
Carbohydrates 55g18%
Fiber 8g33%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 855IU17%
Vitamin C 14.2mg17%
Calcium 81mg8%
Iron 3.5mg19%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This Masala Khichdi post from the blog archives first published on February 2016 has been updated and republished on January 2023.

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Meet Dassana

Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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35 Comments

  1. I have followed your recipes off and on for quite a few years now and I can safely say that your recipes do what they say they do. If you say add half tsp more of chilly powder to make it spicy, then that’s exactly what happens.

    And I LOVE that I can blindly trust your recipes like that.
    To that end, I followed your khichidi recipe and finally made the perfectly spicy khichidi.
    I’m loving it.

    Thank you.
    You’ve made life a whole lot simpler and more delicious for me and my family.5 stars

    1. Thanks a lot Rohini for the trust. So glad that you can follow the recipes as is. Thanks again for this lovely comment and also for the rating on the recipe. Happy Cooking!