Slow Cooker Dal Makhani Recipe
Buttery black lentils and kidney beans simmered low and slow for 8 hours in a creamy tomato sauce — set it and forget it comfort food.
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole black urad dal, soaked overnight
- 1/4 cup rajma (kidney beans), soaked overnight
- 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tbsp butter (plus more for finishing)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups water
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
Instructions
- 1
Drain the overnight-soaked urad dal and kidney beans. Rinse well and add to the slow cooker with 3 cups of water.
- 2
In a small pan, heat butter over medium heat. Add cumin seeds, then diced onion. Cook until golden, about 8 minutes. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook 1 minute more.
- 3
Add turmeric, chili powder, and garam masala to the pan. Stir for 30 seconds, then pour in crushed tomatoes. Cook for 3 minutes.
- 4
Transfer the onion-tomato mixture to the slow cooker. Stir to combine with the lentils.
- 5
Set slow cooker to LOW. Cook for 8 hours (or HIGH for 4-5 hours) until the dal is completely creamy and broken down.
- 6
In the last 30 minutes, stir in heavy cream, an extra tablespoon of butter, kasuri methi (crush between palms first), and adjust salt.
- 7
Serve hot, topped with a swirl of cream and a pat of butter, alongside naan or steamed rice.
Chef's Notes
Dal makhani is the ultimate Indian comfort food — black urad dal and rajma (kidney beans) cooked until they melt into a velvety, buttery sauce. The slow cooker method is actually closer to the traditional technique than stovetop, because authentic dal makhani was originally cooked overnight on dying tandoor embers.
Why Slow Cooker Wins
The low, consistent heat of a slow cooker breaks down the lentils completely, creating a creamy texture without any blending. The 8-hour cook time allows the flavors to develop depth that you simply can't achieve in a quick stovetop version. We already have a stovetop dal makhani recipe — this slow cooker version is the set-it-and-forget-it alternative.
The Butter Factor
"Makhani" literally means "buttery" — and this isn't the dish to skimp. A generous amount of butter and cream stirred in at the end transforms good dal into extraordinary dal. At Spice Room, our chefs finish theirs with a tablespoon of cultured butter for extra richness.
Meal Prep Champion
Dal makhani gets better the next day as flavors continue to meld. Make a big batch on Sunday and enjoy it all week — it freezes beautifully too. Pair with naan or jeera rice from our menu. Visit any of our Denver locations to taste the original.
SPICE ROOM Kitchen
Culinary Team
The SPICE ROOM culinary team collaborates on recipes inspired by generations of family cooking traditions from across India and Nepal. Every recipe we share is tested and refined in our Denver kitchens to bring you authentic flavors at home.
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Try Slow Cooker Dal Makhani Recipe at SPICE ROOM
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