Every Punjabi household has its own version of rajma, and nothing says comfort food like this Instant Pot Rajma Recipe. It's what you cook on a day you're tired, couldn't be bothered to cook too much, and are pretty much out of ideas anyway.
INSTANT POT INDIAN RAJMA KIDNEY BEANS
This Pressure Cooker Indian Rajam Kidney Beans recipe is a classic Indian comfort food. Hearty, filling and delicious, this simple kidney beans recipe truly can't be beat.
Add in the ease of making it in your Instant Pot or pressure cooker and you have the perfect dinner dish. This Rajma Chawal dish is made considerably easier if you already have the Onion Masala on hand, but I've written this recipe in a way that you don't have to have it.
We're going to make the masala and the beans simultaneously by using Pot-In-Pot cooking, as we did when we did the PIP Chana and Rice cooking. This allows you to make a complete Rajma Masala recipe all in a single Instant Pot, saving you time and dirtying less dishes, because #ruthlesseffefficiency. Now let's get to cooking...
How To Make This Easy Rajma Recipe
- Add masala ingredients. Place all ingredients for the onion masala into the inner liner of the Instant Pot.
- Add Trivet. Place a trivet on top of this masala.
- Add beans. In a heat-safe bowl, combine the red kidney beans and water. Cover the bowl with foil. Place the covered bowl on top of the trivet and seal the Instant Pot.
- Cook. Press the BEAN button to cook and let it naturally release pressure.
- Remove beans. Open the Instant Pot and remove the red kidney beans and the trivet. Slightly mash half the rajma with your spoon.
- Saute and mix. Turn the pot onto saute. Pour the rajma and any remaining water in with the onion masala and mix well. Let it come to a boil to meld all the flavors well.
- Serve. Serve over rice.
Is Rajma Good For Weight Loss?
Though this vegan kidney bean recipe is far from low carb and I wouldn't necessarily recommend it for anybody living a keto lifestyle, some suggest that it can be used to assist in weight loss. Because of the high protein and fiber content, it can keep you full longer while aiding in digestive health, which in turn can help you eat less during the day.
Is Rajma And Red Kidney Beans The Same Thing?
Rajma (sometimes spelled as "Rajmah") quite literally means kidney beans. However, when one refers to Rajmah they are referring to this Indian kidney bean recipe that consists of kidney beans and a thick tomato-based gravy mixed with Indian spices. It's a classic Punjabi comfort food that's oh so delicious!
Tips And Tricks For Making This Red Kidney Beans Recipe
- Serve this with some homemade Greek yogurt!
- Want to make this Pressure Cooker Rajma Recipe with canned kidney beans? First, make the onion masala. Then add 3/4 cup masala, 4 cups cooked kidney beans, and 1 cup water to the Instant Pot. Cook for 5 minutes under pressure, NPR for 10 minutes then release all the remaining pressure and serve.
More Delicious Indian Recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala - Make an authentic Tikka Masala recipe in your Instant Pot.
- Chicken Vindaloo - It's easy to make, keto and gluten-free.
- Baingan Bharta Eggplant Dip - Get a wonderful smoky flavor without spending time to roast and char the eggplant.
- Simple Chickpea Salad - The perfect vegan salad that can be made in 30 minutes
- Simple Lentil Soup Recipe - Delicious and authentic tasting with just a few basic ingredients.
- Easy Chicken Korma Recipe - So easy that you can make it on a weeknight in less than an hour.
- Easy Indian Curry Recipe - So easy, yet so authentic.
- Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken - Super simple, no fuss, and deliciously authentic.
Whether you plan on serving this as a side dish or a main course, you're sure to delight in this simple and comforting Rajma recipe. Make sure to share this recipe with your friends on Pinterest and Facebook so they can enjoy it as well!
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Onion Masala
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1.5 cups Onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon Minced Ginger, minced
- 1 tablespoon Garlic, minced
- 1 cup Canned Tomatoes, with liquid
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander
- 1/3 cup Water
For the Kidney Beans
- 1 cup Dried Red Kidney Beans, soaked in hot water for an hour
- 2 cups Water, (to cook the beans)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients for the onion masala into the inner liner of the Instant Pot.
- Place a trivet on top of this masala.
- In a heat-safe bowl, place the red kidney beans and 2 cups of water. Cover the bowl with foil.
- Place the covered bowl on top of the trivet. Seal the Instant Pot.
- Press the BEAN button to cook for 30 minutes and let it naturally release pressure for 10 minutes.
- Open the Instant Pot and remove the red kidney beans and the trivet. Slightly mash about half the rajma with the back of your spoon.
- Turn the pot onto SAUTÉ (high). Pour the rajma and any remaining water in with the onion masala and mix well. Let the contents come to a boil to meld all the flavors well.
- Serve with rice.
Tips And Tricks For Making This Red Kidney Beans Recipe
- Serve this with some homemade Greek yogurt!
- Want to make this Pressure Cooker Rajma Recipe with canned kidney beans? First, make the onion masala. Then add 3/4 cup masala, 4 cups cooked kidney beans, and 1 cup water to the Instant Pot. Cook for 5 minutes under pressure, NPR for 10 minutes then release all the remaining pressure and serve.
C
Amazing as always! Your recipes never steer me wrong. This was so tasty, especially topped with Greek yogurt. Served it with basmati rice and a side of bell peppers sautéed with onions.
Steve
Made last night and DELISH. Forgot the pre-soak, so followed another recipe and made 1-Lb (2-Cups) of beans. Used about 4 cups of the cooked beans and a “Frozen Glob” (about 1 Cup) of onion Masala. Tried to do PIP Jasmine rice. The problem is mashing the beans led to burnt food alarm, so the Rajma was actually good, but the rice a bit under done. Alternately, I would have done soaked beans and Glob and PIP Black rice... or added the glob after the beans had cooked. I had also added 5 minutes for altitude, but could have left that out for the 2nd cooking of 5 minutes. THANK YOU!
Maya Kapoor
Hi, If I want to use fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes, how can I do that?
URVASHI PITRE
So use the same amount but add 1/3-1/2 cup of water to compensate for the lack of liquid.
Maya Kapoor
2-3 tomatoes should good enough?
AM
How much pre-made onion tomato masala should I use for 1 cup of dried kidney beans?
URVASHI PITRE
About 3/4 cup of masala or so
Maggie
What is the reason for cooking the beans inside a separate dish? Any reason to not just dump them in with the onion masala during the pressure cook?
URVASHI PITRE
The reason I didn’t was that I had wanted to masala to cook with vefh little water to encourage it to caramelize a little more. But yes you could that also. Check out my instant pot red beans recipe for a guide
Debbie
And, if I already have the onion masala made and in my freezer? Do I just thaw and mix the cooked beans in or put the beans in with the frozen glob of masala?
URVASHI PITRE
Frozen glob! The Ip will take care of it
Nicole Oandasan
How watery is this supposed to be? I used this recipe instead of the one in the book since the book didn't mention the soaking of the beans. I like my beans a bit thicker so I cooked it 5-10 minutes on sauté (like the book said) so that it thickened up, but then the beans were a little mushy. I thought it was supposed to be the thickness of dal but it looks like maybe it's more liquid-y? I think next time I'll soak the beans for 45 minutes instead of an hour.
I had made the butter chicken recipe and wanted to up the spices. I upped the spices here and I should have left them as-is because it was over-spiced! Will try again with different soak time and correct amount of spices.
URVASHI PITRE
I’ve had it both ways. Super thick to where a spoon could stand up in it and watery where you could pour it over rice and eat it. The Goldilocks version Is really a personal choice
Yeah I wouldn’t double up on my spices lol. I test heavily for flavor before I post