This Instant Pot rajma comes together with soaked kidney beans, whole tomatoes, onion, and a short list of everyday spices, all pressure-cooked together in one pot.
The Instant Pot handles the long cook time that rajma usually needs on the stovetop. You get tender, well-spiced beans without watching the stove. This dump-and-go dish works well as a weeknight dinner and reheats beautifully the next day.
Quick Recipe Info
- Soak kidney beans overnight for the best texture and even cooking.
- Pressure cook on High for 20 to 25 minutes with a full natural pressure release.
- The curry is slightly runny after cooking. This is intentional, and it thickens as it cools and pairs well with rice.
Jump to:
One-Pot Rajma Masala with Soft Beans and Simple Spices
I prefer this pressure cooker rajma recipe over traditional rajma on busy weekdays. I soak the beans the previous night, add everything to the Instant Pot in the morning or evening, and let the pressure cooker do the main work.
The Instant Pot cuts that cook time without affecting the texture or flavor. Everything goes in together and no sauteing first, no separate masala step. The pressure breaks the tomatoes and onions down into the gravy naturally.
If you are new to cooking dried beans, the How to Soak Beans and Legumes post covers everything you need to know before starting this recipe. And if you are new to Instant Pot bean cooking, check out my Instant Pot Beans and Legumes guide for complete info and other easy bean recipes.
Happy Cooking!
-Sravanthi
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here are the main ingredients for this recipe, along with tried-and-tested substitutions from my kitchen.
For exact ingredient quantities, see the recipe card below.
Kidney beans: Dried kidney beans, soaked overnight, work best here. As we are cooking the beans with tomatoes and spices, soaking helps to cook the beans easily and gives a soft texture to the curry. Speckled Kidney beans (chitra rajma) work best as they become soft easily.
Tomatoes: Whole fresh tomatoes go in directly, no chopping needed. They break down under pressure and form the base of the curry. Roma or regular round tomatoes both work well.
Tomatoes: Whole fresh tomatoes go in directly, no chopping needed. They break down under pressure and form the base of the curry. Roma or regular round tomatoes both work well.
Onion : A roughly quartered onion adds body. No fine chopping required for this recipe, which saves prep time.
Ginger and garlic: Fresh ginger and garlic give the most flavor here. Garlic powder or ginger powder will also work..
Spices: Turmeric, red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, and garam masala are the core spices. Adjust red chili powder to your heat preference.
Kasuri methi: Dried fenugreek leaves added at the end give a faint earthy note that is very characteristic of restaurant-style rajma. If you do not have it, the curry still tastes good without it.
Cilantro: Fresh cilantro stirred in after cooking brightens the flavor and adds a little freshness to the finished curry.
Detailed Steps
Step 1: Rinse the kidney beans and soak them in enough water to cover overnight or for at least 8 hours. Drain and add to the Instant Pot insert.
Step 2: Add the quartered onion, halved tomatoes, sliced garlic, ginger, oil, cumin seeds, turmeric, red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and salt directly into the pot with the beans.
Step 3: Pour in 1.5 cups of water.
Step 4: Stir briefly to combine. Secure the lid and set the valve to the sealing position.
Step 5: Set the Instant Pot to Manual or Pressure Cook on High for 20 minutes for speckled kidney beans or chitra rajma and 25 minutes for red kidney beans, regular rajma. Allow a full natural pressure release.
Step 6: Open the lid carefully. Mash tomatoes and some of the beans with a ladle or potato masher to thicken the curry naturally. Stir well.
Step 7: Add the kasuri methi powder and fresh cilantro. Taste and adjust salt. Let the curry sit for 5 minutes before serving, and it thickens as it cools.
Recipe
Instant Pot Rajma Masala (Indian Kidney Beans Curry)
Rate this recipe by clicking the stars!
Ingredients
- 1 cup kidney beans soaked overnight
- 1.5 cups water
- 1 cup tomato whole tomatoes, around 2 medium-sized
- ½ cup onion roughly sliced
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ inch ginger
- 6 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon kasuri methi powder optional
- ½ teaspoon oil optional
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Soak the beans: Rinse dried kidney beans and soak them in enough water to cover overnight or for at least 8 hours. Drain and add the soaked beans to the Instant Pot insert. You will have about 2.25 cups of soaked beans.1 cup kidney beans
- Add all ingredients: Add the quartered onion, whole tomatoes, sliced garlic, ginger, and all the dry spices directly into the pot with the beans.1 cup tomato, ½ cup onion, ½ teaspoon red chili powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ inch ginger, 6 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon oil, 1 teaspoon salt
- Add water and close the lid: Pour in water. Stir briefly to combine. Secure the lid and set the valve to the sealing position.1.5 cups water
- Pressure cook: Set the Instant Pot to Manual or Pressure Cook on High for 20 minutes. Allow a full natural pressure release. Do not rush this step; it helps the beans finish cooking evenly. I prefer 25 minutes on high pressure for red kidney beans and 20 minutes for speckled kidney beans (chutra rajma)
- Finish the curry: Open the lid. Add fresh cilantro leaves and kasuri methi powder. Use the back of a ladle or a potato masher to mash tomatoes and some of the beans. This thickens the gravy naturally. Stir well and taste for salt.½ teaspoon kasuri methi powder, ¼ cup cilantro leaves
- Adjust and serve: The curry will look slightly runny right after cooking. Let it sit for 5 minutes; it thickens as it cools. If you prefer a thicker curry from the start, reduce the water by a quarter cup. Or, you can cook the curry further for 5 to 10 minutes on saute mode to thicken it more. Serve this Instant Pot Rajma with restaurant-style Indian rice for a cozy, satisfying rajma chawal meal.
Notes
Tested Tips from My Kitchen
- Soak the kidney beans overnight. Do not skip this step. Under-soaked beans can stay firm even after pressure cooking.
- One cup of dried kidney beans gives about 2¼ cups of soaked beans.
- Use whole tomatoes or halved tomatoes. Do not chop them finely. Kidney beans can take longer to cook when acidic ingredients are mixed too much into the water.
- If the beans are not soft after pressure cooking, close the lid again and pressure cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. Older beans and under-soaked beans need more cooking time.
- I add 1 teaspoon of jaggery to balance the tomato flavor. It does not make the curry sweet.
- The curry looks slightly runny right after cooking. Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes, and it thickens on its own.
- For a thicker curry from the start, use 1¼ cups water instead of 1½ cups for 1 cup dried kidney beans.
- Mash some of the cooked beans after pressure cooking. This is the key step for a thick, spoonable rajma gravy. I usually mash about one-fourth of the beans and stir everything together.
- Rajma thickens more after refrigeration. Add a small splash of water while reheating.
- Add kasuri methi powder after pressure cooking. It gives the curry a warm, earthy flavor similar to restaurant-style rajma.
- Store leftover rajma in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
- Do not use canned kidney beans for this recipe. This recipe is tested with dried soaked kidney beans, and canned beans will become too soft with this pressure cooking time.
Save This Recipe for Later
Enter your email below, and I'll send this recipe straight to your inbox. You'll also get simple Indian vegetarian recipes and practical cooking ideas from my kitchen.
Nutrition
If you find my kitchen-tested tips helpful, click the button to see more of my recipes first when you search on Google!
Serving Tips
At home, rajma usually means a warm bowl of rice with plenty of soft curry on top. I like the curry slightly loose for this reason, especially when serving it for lunch.
- Serve this rajma masala with Indian basmati rice for a classic rajma chawal meal.
- While the rajma cooks in the Instant Pot, cook basmati rice in the rice cooker for an easy, hands-free meal.
- Pair it with soft chapati for a simple dinner.
- Add a fresh side like kachumber salad or tomato onion salad to balance the warm curry.
- Serve with Indian yogurt sauce if you like a cooling side.
- Leftover rajma also pairs well with Indian curd rice the next day. The cooling curd rice works nicely with the spiced kidney bean curry.
Leftovers and meal prep: Rajma keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and freezes well for up to 3 months. It reheats easily on the stovetop with a splash of water. Leftover rajma masala also works as a filling for chapati wraps, a quick next-day lunch option. And if you are into meal prep, you will love my Indian vegetarian meal prep guide.
I hope you try this Instant Pot Rajma recipe in your kitchen. Please leave a comment and share how you served it. You can also explore more cozy ideas in these Indian vegetarian curry recipes. For easier bean-based meals, you can also try the kidney bean rice recipe or the kidney bean soup recipe.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email below to save this recipe for later. I’ll send it to your inbox, along with simple Indian vegetarian recipes to make everyday cooking easier.
Pin this Rajma Masala recipe for later use!
If you find my kitchen-tested tips helpful, click the button to see more of my recipes first when you search on Google!
Leave a Reply