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    Home > Indian Vegan Recipes

    Instant Pot Khichdi with Mung Bean Sprouts

    Posted: Jul 11, 2019 ยท Updated: Apr 26, 2022

    Jump to Recipe

    A simple, flavorful Instant Pot Khichdi with Mung Bean Sprouts is just what you need to comfort you on a rushed weeknight. A vegan, soy-free, nut-free and gluten-free recipe.

    A copper serving tray filled with an Instant Pot Khichdi with Mung Bean Sprouts and a bowl with a red potato curry sits inside the server. Slices of lemon are to the side.

    I share with you quick and easy but also healthy and flavorful recipes because as a working mom they are my lifeline, and I know there are many of you, like me, who want to feed their families in a rush without compromising on nutrition and taste. But when possible, I try to recruit you into taking small steps that will pay long dividends, like making a sourdough starter or learning to sprout beans.

    As old-fashioned as some of these techniques may sound, they are making a comeback in our modern kitchens today because they are so good for you. It takes less than five minutes to get started with each of these, and a minimal amount of time in following days for upkeep. No matter how busy you are, there's really no excuse for not making this investment in your family's health.

    Sprouting beans is an easy task in your summer kitchen. You can sprout all kinds of legumes and grains, and some take longer than others, but if you're new to sprouting, mung beans are what you want to start with.

    Mung beans sprout easily -- a day and a half in a summer kitchen is more than enough -- and the simple, hands-off process sends this already healthy legume's healthfulness into the stratosphere. Among many benefits, sprouting beans can increase their protein content and antioxidant ratios. They can also keep blood sugar under control and improve heart health and digestion. All of this for so little work.

    I will not give you a lesson on sprouting because I've already done it before in this post on my Sprouted Mung Bean Salad. While there are all sorts of contraptions you can buy to sprout beans, you really need nothing more than what you probably already have on hand -- a bowl, a colander and a kitchen towel.

    Putting sprouts into khichdi is a great idea, because it amps up up the nutritional value of a dish that's already, quintessentially, healthy.

    A khichdi is the ultimate Indian comfort food. Variously called a khitchri, khichuri, and even kedgeree (a British spin-off), it is basically a dish that combines, in one pot, a protein and a grain. In India that's a legume and rice (although the British had to spoil a good thing by adding fish to it).

    While a khichdi often gets cooked when someone's sick, or down, or just doesn't feel like cooking, don't let that color your judgment about the deliciousness of this dish. It's a tasty and easy meal for anytime, and a lifesaver for me on days when I need to get a healthy meal on the table without much time. It travels well, so it makes a delicious and wholesome lunchbox meal as well, for you or for the little one.

    There are as many versions of khichdi as there are cooks, and at its most basic a khichdi can be made of just rice, lentils and salt, period. But this recipe I have for you today is more flavorful with spices. You can also try my Masala Khichdi, which is a much more dressed up and delicious version of your plain, everyday khichdi.

    So let's get on now with this Instant Pot Khichdi with Mung Bean Sprouts. It goes from scratch to done in under 30 minutes, and you'll be making it over and over, I promise.

    Moong sprouts khichdi in a copper tray with a spicy potato curry against a black background.

    Ingredients for Instant Pot Khichdi with Mung Bean Sprouts:

    • Mung beans, dry. You will need to sprout them before use.
    • Rice. A long grain like Basmati is perfect here.
    • Cinnamon sticks
    • Green cardamom
    • Cloves
    • Cumin
    • Turmeric
    • Vegetable oil

    You'll also need salt and ground black pepper to taste.

    Side view of instant pot moong sprouts khichdi in a copper serving tray with slices of lemon and a spicy curry garnished with cilantro.

    How to make an Instant Pot Khichdi:

    • Start a day and a half before by soaking 1 cup of dry mung beans and sprouting them. If you're new to sprouting, follow the instructions for sprouting in this recipe.
    • Before you start cooking the khichdi, soak 1 ยฝ cups of rice in a bowl, covered with at least an inch of water, for 30 minutes. This is not absolutely necessary, but it ensures that the rice grains are long and separate after they cook.
    • ย Heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in the Instant Pot set to the "saute" function. Add 1 teaspoon of cumin and as it starts to darken, add a 1-inch piece of cinnamon, 4 green cardamom pods (whole), six cloves and ยฝ teaspoon of turmeric to the pot. Stir-fry for a few seconds, then add the rice (drained) and the mung bean sprouts.
    • Add salt and ground black pepper to taste.
    • Add 4 cups of water and give everything a good mix. Turn off the saute function, cover the instant pot with the lid, and set to cook on the "rice" function.
    • Once cooking is done, you can release the Instant Pot manually after 10 minutes, or wait for it to release naturally. Once you open the lid, use a fork to fluff the rice grains. Serve hot.

    What do you serve with Khichdi?

    • Because a khichdi by itself is something of a blank slate, flavor-wise, you need to serve it with something that's spicy. A potato curry is a classic, and this Easy, Spicy Potato Curry is a perfect pairing for the khichdi. The curry takes no more than 10 minutes to put together and under 30 minutes to cook, so you could be making it while your khichdi cooks in the Instant Pot.
    • You can also serve the khichdi with a spicy vegetable curry, like this Vegetable Korma I shared with you recently.
    • If you have absolutely no time, do what most Indians do and serve the khichdi with an Indian pickle and poppadum. It'll be delicious.

    Looking for more easy rice recipes?

    • Masala Khichdi
    • Vegetable Biryani
    • Tawa Pulao
    • Chickpea Rice
    • Parsi Brown Rice

    Instant Pot Khichdi with Mung Bean Sprouts Recipe:

    Instant Pot Khichdi with Mung Bean Sprouts and spicy potato curry with a green napkin in the background.

    Instant Pot Khichdi with Mung Bean Sprouts

    Instant Pot Khichdi with Sprouted Mung Beans

    A simple, flavorful Instant Pot Khichdi with Mung Bean Sprouts is just what you need to comfort you on a rushed weeknight. A vegan, soy-free, nut-free and gluten-free recipe.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Review Recipe
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Indian, nut-free, Soy-free
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: Instant pot khichdi, Moong sprouts khichdi
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Cook Time: 20 mins
    Total Time: 30 mins
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 228kcal
    Author: Vaishali ยท Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot

    Ingredients 

    • 1 cup mung beans (soaked and sprouted. You will need to start this at least a day in advance).
    • 1 ยฝ cups basmati rice (or another long-grain rice like jamine)
    • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
    • 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 4 pods green cardamom pods
    • 6 cloves
    • 1 ยฝ inch piece cinnamon
    • ยฝ teaspoon turmeric
    • Salt and ground black pepper to taste
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Before you start cooking the khichdi, soak 1 ยฝ cups of rice in a bowl, covered with at least an inch of water, for 30 minutes. This is not absolutely necessary, but it ensures that the rice grains are long and separate after they cook.

    • Heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in the Instant Pot set to the "saute" function. Add 2 teaspoon of cumin and as it starts to darken, add a 1-inch piece of cinnamon, 4 green cardamom pods (whole), six cloves and ยฝ teaspoon of turmeric to the pot.
    • ย Stir-fry for a few seconds, then add the rice (drained) and the mung bean sprouts.Add salt and ground black pepper to taste. Add 4 cups of water and give everything a good mix.
    • Turn off the saute function, cover the instant pot with the lid, and press the "rice" button. Once cooking is done, you can release the Instant Pot manually after 10 minutes, or wait for it to release naturally.
    • Once you open the lid, use a fork to fluff the rice grains. Serve hot.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 383mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 35IU | Vitamin C: 1.5mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2.6mg
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    About Vaishali


    I cook and eat simple, tasty and nutritious plant-based food in my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. Read more about me here.

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    Comments

    1. Julie

      August 28, 2019 at 12:21 pm

      Hi Vaishali!
      My sprouted beans came out to WAY more than one cup. Should I use the whole amount? I am very excited to try this.
      Julie

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        August 28, 2019 at 1:17 pm

        Yes, they are meant to come out more than 1 cup, since you're starting with 1 cup dry and they increase in volume as they soak and sprout. Go ahead and use all of it. Cheers.

        Reply
    2. kj

      July 15, 2019 at 4:28 pm

      I followed your recipe to a tee. Used my instant pot like you did. The taste was great but it was too mushy like it was cooked in too much water and for too long. I would try it again on the stove top. But I normally have very good results with all your recipes.

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        July 15, 2019 at 5:22 pm

        Hi KJ, did you drain the rice thoroughly?And did you set it to the "rice" function. I am not sure what could have happened because these proportions work great for me. But try using 1 cup less water the next time and see if you have better results.

        Reply
    3. Jenny

      July 14, 2019 at 10:08 am

      5 stars
      Another awesome recipe from you. I made this last night for a quick lunch with your potato curry. Yummy. Will be making this again and again.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

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    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

    More about me โ†’

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