Healthy Indian Fried Rice, or “Khichdi”

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This Indian Fried Rice is wholesome, delicious, and packed with lentils and fresh veggies. It’s super easy to make, and is naturally gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan. Filled with lots of healthy nutrients, spiced to perfection, it’s the perfect family-friendly one-pot weeknight meal!

This healthy Indian Fried Rice is one of our favorite dishes in our household, and is a modified version of a traditional Indian recipe for Khichdi.

It’s comfort food at it’s best, and makes for easy clean up since all you need is one pot to make it!

Pairing Healthy Indian Fried Rice, or “Khichdi,” with Chana Masala creates a wholesome, flavorful meal that balances nutrition and taste. The mild, nourishing Khichdi, with its soft texture and gentle spices, complements the bold, tangy Chana Masala. This combination of creamy Khichdi and rich, spicy Chana Masala offers a satisfying and well-rounded dish, perfect for enjoying traditional Indian comfort food with a healthy twist.

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When I was a kid, we ate Indian food most evenings for dinner at my house. On an evening when there wasn’t much time to cook, or when we just wanted a light dinner, my mom would make this Indian Fried Rice (or recipe for Khichdi).

This is great as a light meal, or even as a side dish to serve with other heartier main dishes. I hope you love it as much as we do!

What Is Khichdi?

Most recipes for khichdi are just a type of Indian Fried Rice with Lentils and Vegetables. Kind of like a twist on Asian fried rice.

So what is Khichdi? Simply put, it is an Indian dish made from rice and lentils (dal). Spices and veggies are added for different variations, but at its core, it’s just stewed rice and lentils. This Indian Fried Rice is considered pure comfort food, mainly because it’s budget friendly, super filling, nutritious, easy to make, and is also one of the first solid foods that babies eat!

When I was sick, my mom would often make this recipe for Khichdi for me, since it’s considered to be detoxifying and cleansing!

And since this Indian fried rice has such a simple base, my version gets a healthy, flavorful makeover that will appeal to kids and adults alike!

How to Make Indian Fried Rice

Tools and Equipment You’ll Need

• Chopping Knife
• Cutting Board
• Large Stock Pot

Recipe Ingredients and Notes

• Rice: I used a mix of basmati rice and quinoa, but you can use any type of rice you like!
• Lentils: Moong dal is the traditional lentil used in khichdi. It melts really well into the rice for a creamy mouth feel.
• Vegetables: I used zucchini, carrots and asparagus, but you can use any veggies you have on hand.
• Water: For cooking the rice and lentil mixture.
• Spices: 3 heaping tsp Khichdi masala is all you need. Note: it can also be spelled “Khichadi Masala”
• Onions, Garlic, Ginger, Olive Oil: The base of this Indian Fried Rice!
• Garnishes: I like topping this recipe with fresh cilantro and a dollop of plain Greek yogurt.

How to Make Homemade Khichdi Masala

While you can buy store-bought masala for this Indian Fried Rice, it’s actually super easy to make your own at home! Here is how to make Khichdi Masala from scratch:

Combine the following in a large container: 1 Tbsp turmeric, 1 Tbsp ground cumin, 1 Tbsp ground fennel, 1 Tbsp mustard seed, 1 Tbsp ground coriander, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper. Stir to mix all of the spices evenly. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 months.

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1: Wash the mixture of rice, moong dal (lentils) and quinoa until all the sediment is gone and the water runs clear.

Step 2: Saute the onion, garlic, and ginger in 1 tbsp olive oil. Chop all of your veggies. Combine all the ingredients (grains + lentils + vegetables + onion mixture) in a large pot, add the masala.

Step 3: Bring everything to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Let it cook for 20-30 minutes until all the water has been absorbed.

I love how it looks when it’s almost ready to eat! Sometimes the rice gets a little browned on the bottom of the pot, which I don’t mind at all because I like it a little crispy.

Garnish with cilantro, serve with yogurt if you like!

What Makes This Indian Fried Rice Healthy?

• Gluten-Free: If you have an allergy to gluten you don’t have to worry about it with this recipe for khichdi! It’s full of yummy ingredients that are naturally gluten-free. 
• Vitamins and Minerals: Besides being comfort food, this Indian fried rice is super nutritious too. In each serving, you will get potassium, Vitamins A, C, B6, E and K, copper, folate, iron, magnesium, and more. 
• Low in Calories: You can enjoy half of the entire recipe for only 243 calories!

Will Kids Enjoy This Recipe for Khichdi?

Absolutely, kids will enjoy how comforting and flavorful this recipe for khichdi is. The spices and seasonings are super welcoming and inviting for kids. They will most likely eat a helping and ask for a little bit more. It will keep your children filled up too, which means they will need fewer snacks between meals too! 

Recipe FAQs

Recipe Variations

This Indian Fried Rice is great all on its own, but there are a number of ways to modify this delicious dish!

With Garnishes: Try Plain Greek Yogurt for extra protein and creaminess, chopped cilantro for freshness, ghee for decadence, or chutney for a bit of extra spice! Note – if you add Greek yogurt it won’t be vegan friendly.

Change Up The Veggies (or add more veggies!): I used zucchini, carrots and asparagus, but any vegetables would taste great in this recipe for khichdi. Try spinach, kale, sweet potatoes, green beans, corn peas, broccoli, cauliflower – pretty much anything works!

Make it Spicier: Try adding 1 tsp garam masala and 1 tsp chili powder to your spice mixture before bringing all of the ingredients to a boil.

Change Up The Grain: Rice is the traditional base for khichdi, but you can use just quinoa, barley, or even oats!

Top Tips For Making Indian Fried Rice

• Don’t forget to rinse the lentils and quinoa before you begin to get rid of any sediment that might be present.
• If you are making this recipe for khichdi for a baby, then don’t use any of the hot spices or salt. I like mixing the lentils, rice and veggies together with just a pinch of turmeric, cumin and coriander for little ones. See my recipe for “baby khichdi” here: Lentils for Baby.
• For picky eaters, cut up your veggies super small. They will “melt” into the lentils and rice and your kids won’t be able to pick them out!
• For even more flavor, try dry roasting your lentils before combining them with the rest of the ingredients.

Check Out These Other Crave-Worthy Indian Recipes!

• Indian Stew with Rice and Lentils
• Rajma Masala
• Chickpea Tikka Masala
• Tandoori Cauliflower
• Roasted Cauliflower Curry with Sweet Potatoes
• Vegan Tikka Masala with Tofu
• Chickpea and Potato Curry
• Easy Chana Masala
• Vegetarian Indian Recipes

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