Learning how to cook lentils in the Instant Pot literally changed my life. I know that sounds hyperbolic, but it really took my meal prep and batch cooking game to the next level. But it wasn’t always that way.
I never used to cook lentils before I got an Instant Pot. The idea of soaking them overnight, draining them, and babysitting them on the stove felt too time-consuming. Instead, I just bought canned or boxed lentils at the store.
But the Instant Pot makes it SO much easier to cook lentils, not to mention so much more flavorful. You can throw them in the Instant Pot with liquid, walk away, and come back to perfectly cooked lentils.
Over the last few years, I have cooked literally hundreds of pots of lentils, so now I’m sharing all my tips on cooking lentils in the Instant Pot. And, this blog post also features two incredibly easy Instant Pot lentil recipes!
As for the Instant Pot itself, even the most basic model will cook your lentils perfectly. For most home cooks, the 6 quart DUO60 or DUO60 Plus is the best option. If you want a more recent version that has nifty features (like a lid that automatically seals), try the DUO Evo Plus.
Watch! How to Cook Lentils in the Instant Pot
HOW TO COOK LENTILS IN THE INSTANT POT
Types of lentils and how to cook them in the Instant Pot
Red Lentils: These are commonly used in Indian dal and soft dishes like soups and curries. Red lentils break down quickly and become creamy, making them the perfect thickening agent for stews, soups, and purées. If you’re new to red lentils and open your pot to see a pile of mush, don’t be alarmed. That’s exactly what red lentils do!
For a soup/stew/curry, I like cooking red lentils for about 10 minutes in the Instant Pot at high pressure. This gives them plenty of time to disintegrate and melt into the other ingredients, thereby naturally thickening the texture. But if you’re just cooking red lentils in plain water, they need just 2-3 minutes. And they’ll still get mushy in this short amount of time.
Note: At Indian grocery stores, you will also find “split red lentils,” AKA masoor dal. These are red lentils that have had their skins removed and therefore cook a bit more quickly. You’ll also find “split yellow lentils,” AKA moong dal. If you’d like to learn more about the varieties of lentils used to make Indian dal, check out this blog post on Restaurant-Style Dal Tadka.
Brown and Green Lentils: These are the most common lentils (at least in the U.S.), and you can find them at any grocery store. These lentils are a little bigger than other varieties of lentils and have a mild, earthy flavor. Bonus: they’re one of the cheapest foods you can buy at the grocery store!
Brown lentils and green lentils are pretty versatile, so the ideal cook time depends on your use case. If you want to keep them whole and on the firmer side, cook for 6-8 minutes at high pressure. This is great when you want to add lentils to salads, grain bowls, or in a wrap. If you want them a little softer, you can cook for 12 minutes. And if you want them to break down and soften, you can cook for 15 or even 20 minutes. This last option is great for a puréed dish, soup or, stew.
French Green (Puy) Lentils: These lentils also hold their shape when cooked, making them perfect in salads. If you find brown or green lentils to be too mushy for your taste or use, try these French green lentils instead. They have a pleasant, peppery taste.
French green lentils take 6-8 minutes in the Instant Pot and will stay nice and firm. I prefer to cook them for 6 minutes.
Black Beluga Lentils: These are the fanciest of lentils and are a bit more expensive than ordinary lentils. Similar to French green lentils, they hold their shape well when cooked. They make a great side dish or a bed on which you can serve your meal. Black beluga lentils have a hearty, full-bodied flavor.
Cook black beluga lentils for about 6-8 minutes in the Instant Pot, or up to 10 minutes for a softer texture. As with French green lentils, I prefer to cook beluga lentils for just 6 minutes.
Tips for cooking lentils in the Instant Pot
Basic Lentils
Unlike cooking lentils on the stove, you don’t need to soak lentils in advance when you make them in the Instant Pot. Another benefit is that you don’t have to watch the lentils to make sure they don’t burn or get too mushy. You can simply toss all the ingredients into the Instant Pot, walk away, go take a nap, and come back after the pressure has been released.
Water:Lentil Ratio
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1 3/4 cups liquid (vegetable broth or water) for 1 cup of lentils
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Plus 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
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You can also add other seasonings like bay leaves, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, dried chile peppers, etc., depending on what flavor you’re going for.
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Method
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Once you combine everything, select the Pressure Cook setting and cook for the desired cook time (see the previous section for recommended cook times based on lentil variety).
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Once the cook time is done, allow a natural pressure release on the Instant Pot for 10 minutes, then manually release any remaining steam.
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In practice: once the timer goes off, let the pot sit for 10 without touching it. Then, move the pressure release valve from from the Sealing position to the Venting position to release any remaining pressure. Once the pressure has been released, the float valve will drop and you can open the pot.
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Adding Flavor to Lentils
But if you want to make your lentils more flavorful, you’ll need to add some more flavorings (obvi). Lentils are sponges, so they absorb the flavors of the ingredients in which they’re cooked.
I like to begin my lentils by sautéing some aromatics in oil, such as onion and garlic. And because I like things spicy, I often sauté some chili peppers too. If I’m cooking Indian food, I’ll also add in cumin seeds and ginger before adding the lentils. Or, if I’m making Mexican-flavored lentils, I might sauté an onion, green pepper, and jalapeño pepper.
After you cook your aromatics, it’s time for more seasonings. You can keep it simple with just salt and pepper, or you can add an array of your favorite spices, such as cumin, paprika, or turmeric. The exact spices will depend on the flavor profile/specific cuisine you are cooking. I also love adding fresh herbs to the cooking liquid for more depth of flavor. Sturdy herbs like thyme, rosemary, oregano, sage, and bay leaves work excellently.
Finally, I like to cook the lentils in vegetable broth instead of water since it gives the lentils a little more richness and flavor.
Below you will find four incredibly easy recipes for Instant Pot lentils. And in case you are a fan of other legumes (why wouldn’t you be??), here are more Instant Pot recipes featuring lentils and other legumes!
- Instant Pot Spiced Red Lentil Sweet Potato Soup
- The Best Instant Pot Chana Masala
- Instant Pot Pearl Couscous and Lentil Salad
- Instant Pot Lentil and Cabbage Soup
- Dump-and-Go Instant Pot White Bean Stew
- Instant Pot Butternut Squash Lentil Curry
And if you want more than 90 incredible vegan Instant Pot recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook! Here’s a sampling of just some of the recipes featuring lentils in my book.
- Spiced Lentil, Kale and “Sausage” Soup
- Red Lentil Almond Curry
- Red Curry Rice Noodle Soup
- Lentil-Walnut Gyros with Vegan Tzatziki
- Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
- Khichdi / Kitchari (Indian Rice and Lentil Porridge)
How to Cook Lentils in the Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup lentils (see recipe notes for details on varieties)
- 1 3/4 cup water or vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Black pepper to taste
- Other seasonings as desired (bay leaves, fresh or dried herbs, whole spices, chopped onions, garlic cloves, etc.)
Instructions
- Add the lentils and water or broth to the inner pot of the Instant Pot. Add salt, pepper, and any other seasonings of choice. Stir to combine.
- Secure the lid and select the Pressure Cook setting. Set the timer to 6 to 8 minutes for al dente lentils, or 10 minutes for softer lentils.
- When the timer beeps, allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes. Perform a manual pressure release to vent any remaining steam. Open the pot, discard any aromatics, and transfer the lentils to a bowl or tupperware using a slotted spoon.
- Store cooked lentils in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days, or freeze for 4-6 months.
Notes
Indian-Spiced Black Beluga Lentils
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil (or oil of choice)
- 1/2 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
- 1 serrano pepper diced with seeds (omit seeds for mild version; use 2 peppers for a spicy version)
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon Indian red chile powder (use 1 teaspoon for a spicy version; can sub with half the amount of cayenne pepper)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (or water)
- 1 cup black Beluga lentils
- 1 teaspoon sea salt + more to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons vegan butter (optional)
- Chopped cilantro (for serving)
- Coconut yogurt (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Select the Sauté setting on your Instant Pot and heat up the coconut oil. Once it's shimmering, add the cumin seeds and fry for 1-2 minutes, or until the seeds are sputtering.
- Cook the diced onion for 3 minutes. Then add the garlic, ginger, serrano pepper, coriander, garam masala, red chile powder, turmeric, and black pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping up any bits that are stuck.
- Pour in the vegetable broth to deglaze the pot, using a wooden spoon or scraper to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the lentils and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Stir to combine all of the ingredients. Select the Cancel setting.
- Secure the lid of the Instant Pot and seal. Select the Pressure Cook (or Manual, depending on your model) setting and cook at high pressure for 6-8 minutes, depending on your desired firmness (I prefer 6 minutes).
- Once the timer is up, allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes before switching the pressure release valve from Sealing to Venting. Open the Instant Pot and stir in the vegan butter (if using), stirring until it's melted and mixed through. The butter adds more creaminess and richness to the lentils, but they are still good without it.
- Serve the lentils with fresh cilantro and coconut yogurt, if desired.
Simple Brown or Green Lentils
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups (480 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup (190g) brown lentils or green lentils
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt + more to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 small handful of fresh thyme sprigs (optional)
- 1 bay leaf (optional)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (for serving)
- 1/4 cup flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Select the Sauté setting on your Instant Pot and heat up the oil. Once it's shimmering, add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Pour in the vegetable broth to deglaze the pot, using a wooden spoon or scraper to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the lentils, sea salt, pepper, thyme sprigs (if using), and bay leaf (if using). Stir to combine. Select the Cancel setting.
- Secure the lid of the Instant Pot and seal. Select the Pressure Cook (or Manual, depending on your model) setting and cook at high pressure for 6 minutes (8 minutes for very soft lentils).
- Allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes before switching the pressure release valve from Sealing to Venting. Open the Instant Pot and stir in the lemon juice and parsley.NOTE: If the lentils aren't as soft as you'd like, add 1/4 cup additional water and pressure cook for 1 or 2 more minutes. Allow a natural pressure release for 5 minutes.
Spiced Red Lentil Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil (or oil of choice)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
- 1 serrano pepper, diced (remove seeds for mild version)
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon curry powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large dice
- 1 cup red lentils
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth*
- 1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt + more to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 1-2 teaspoons maple syrup (optional)
- For serving (optional): coconut yogurt, fresh cilantro, and flatbread or rice
Instructions
- Select the Sauté setting on the Instant Pot and heat up the coconut oil. Once it's shimmering, add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened.
- Add the garlic, ginger, serrano pepper, garam masala, curry powder (if using), cumin, and turmeric and stir until aromatic, about 30 seconds.
- Pour in the vegetable broth to deglaze the pot, using a wooden spoon or scraper to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the lentils, sweet potatoes, sea salt, and pepper. Stir to combine all of the ingredients. Select the Cancel setting.
- Secure the lid of the Instant Pot and seal. Select the Pressure Cook (or Manual, depending on your model) setting and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Once the 10 minutes is up, allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes before switching the pressure release valve from Sealing to Venting. Open the Instant Pot and give the soup a stir. Taste for seasonings. You may want to add more salt, or to balance the acidity, you may want to add a teaspoon or two of maple syrup or sugar.
- Once the soup has slightly cooled, top with coconut yogurt and fresh cilantro. If desired, serve with flatbread or rice.
Notes
Hey Nisha,
Awesome post, very tempted to buy an instant pot as I LOVE lentils.
I just wonder if the lack of soaking might make them hard to biggest?
I know one of the benefits of the soak is to let the pulse get out of its dormant state, wake up, re-activate a bunch of cellular processes aimed at generating a new plant which increases active proteins, improve their bio-availability and reduces phytic acid. Not sure the pressure cooker sorts this out, does it? I have no idea how pressure interferes into the mix!
The red lentil sweet potato soup is so delicious! I love how quickly it comes together. For anyone who may not have serrano peppers, red pepper flakes worked well for me. I also made it a smooth creamy soup with the immersion blender.
Love the sweet potato red lentil recipe!
this is probably the most useful recipe I have found on the internet to date!! I find myself coming back to it over and over again (and sharing it with people). Not just for the recipes but also for the instructions on how to make lentils. they are always perfect!
Thank you, Nisha!
I definitely need more lentils in my diet as a new mom so this was very helpful, thank you!
Hmmm, I got a burn warning with 1 and 3/4 cup water and scant 1 cup puy lentils. Upon opening pot was dry and lentils not fully cooked.
Made the Spiced Red Lentil Sweet Potato Soup last and Oh. My. Goodness!! Love, love, LOVE the sweet heat of this dish! So easy to make and so, so yummy! Leftovers were even better the next day. Thank you for such a simple yet flavorful recipe!
I have to admit that before this I was not lentil literate. (Illentilrate!?) Thank you so much for putting all of this info and the recipes in one place. So healthy, inexpensive, and good for the Earth.
Wow Just Wow!!! I just tried the green lentils with the jalapeño and it is delish!!! I am going to make this ever week!
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I recently purchased the vegan instant pot cook book and made the red lentil almond curry. The red lentil dish turned out amazing! This dish tasted like restaurant quality curry, my partner asked for three helpings and he thought he wouldn’t like vegan food. The red lentil almond curry is only the second recipe I’ve made, but so far I’ve received rave reviews on both dishes. Thank you Nisha can’t wait to try them all!
Thanks for all of this good information. I’m trying to use what I have and want to make a lentil or bean salad. Thought the red lentils would be pretty in a salad but after reading your blog I realize that won’t work. I have a new instant pot and will try some of your recipes soon.
Thanks for this post. I have a question. I am trying to convert a stovetop recipe to an instant pot recipe. this recipe contains a LOT of ingredients and I’m wondering how to adjust cooking time. Basically it’s 1 pound of french green lentils (though sometimes I use yellow lentils), 4 cups diced onion, 4 cups chopped leeks, 3 cups diced celery, 3 cups diced carrots, 3 quarts chicken stock, a pound of kielbasa … and other spices (I just listed the substantial things). How long do you think I just put it in the Instant Pot?
Thank you, this is very useful information for me, I am going to use it soon!
This was an awesome recipe, easy and quick to set up and so tasty, timing excellent.I used Bob’s Red Mill Heritage Lentils they are brown and green.I used 2 cups of lentils and 4 cups of stock with 2 cups of water to adjust to my liking. I was very intimidated by the Instant Pot so it took me time to try this recipe but it actually is the creamiest lentil soup I ever made.thank you so much for this recipe!!!
Hi Theresa! Thank you so much for your lovely feedback :) Once you get the hang of it, the Instant Pot is actually quite easy and I’m happy this was a success! I have a lot more Instant Pot recipes and tips on my Youtube channel if you are interested in learning more about how to use it!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ34BtqrTir9ANVDfcD8LUFzzjK_QSyRT
I followed this recipe to make beluga lentils that were going to go into a salad. 6 minutes was too long and they were mushy and not usable for my salad. :( I did 6 minutes and then 9 minute natural release before I opened my pot to find them over done.
Have you ever made beluga lentils that were more firm?
Hi Stacey, I normally cook my beluga and French green lentils for 6 minutes + 10 minute natural pressure release when I want them plain or for a salad, and they come out quite firm. If I am making something more saucy, I’ll cook them for 10-15 minutes, so I’m not sure what happened since you cooked them for only 6 minutes. How much liquid did you use? And what kind of model of instant pot do you have? I ask because some of the newer models have a max pressure setting that is higher than the high pressure setting.
In the sweet potato and lentil soup recipe, can all the spices be replaced with Garam Masala? If so, how much of Garam Masala?
Thx 😊
Hi there, garam masala is different from curry powder and turmeric (the other spices in this soup). If you want to read about their differences, you can read more here: https://www.spiceography.com/garam-masala-vs-curry-powder/
That said, I don’t think it would be bad with that substitution, just different!
This is fantastic info. Thanks!
Thanks for posting these! I really want lentils to be a staple in my family’s diet, and you have made it easy (and tasty!). Question: roughly how many people are served with each of these recipes? Can each of them be doubled, and still fit a typical 6-quart pot?
Hi Phillip! Red lentils are one of my favorite ingredients :) They each serve about 4, and yes you can double them in a 6 quart!
Thank you! This is the first site I’ve found that explains different cooking times for different lentils. I was ready to give up on my IP as all recipes seemed to have the same cooking time and I always got mush. My brown lentils turned out perfectly. This will be my go to site from now on!
Hi Laura, you’re so welcome! I am happy to hear that your lentils came out great :) I also have lots of lentil recipes + cook time charts for beans, lentils, and grains in my new cookbook if you are interested!