Making Instant Pot Lentils is so easy in our favorite pressure cooker, the Instant Pot. You can use these lentils to top salads, in wraps, or as a side with dinner. So easy, healthy, and delicious! (vegan option, gluten-free)
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Instant Pot Lentils
Hi Everyone, lentils are one of our FAVORITE foods.
They are legumes and so good for you.
It’s a bonus that they are also inexpensive, making meal planning and preparation easier for your grocery budget.
The neat thing about lentils is that they are so versatile and can be used in so many ways.
You can put them on salads, in a wrap, or as a side with dinner.
There are lots of ways to season the lentils too.
You can add your favorite spices (curry and cumin go well), garlic, use water or go for vegetable/chicken broth and adjust the salt and pepper.
Ingredients
- 2 cups green or brown dry lentils, rinsed
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 4 cups water, chicken or vegetable broth, adjust the amount of salt if you use chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed and chopped optional, to add more flavor
Kitchen Tools
- Instant Pot (I have had an 8-quart Instant Pot DUO, I currently have a 6-quart Instant Pot DUO)
We link to all of our ingredients and helpful kitchen tools that we use for this recipe in the full, printable recipe card at the end of the post.
If you make these Instant Pot Lentils and like them, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below, thank you for reading and following along!
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This Instant Pot Lentils recipe post was first published on 1/19/2018; It was updated and republished on 10/15/2020, updated 1/13/2021
Instant Pot Lentils
Making Instant Pot Lentils is so easy in our favorite pressure cooker, the Instant Pot. You can use these lentils to top salads, in wraps or as a side with dinner. So easy, healthy and delicious! (vegan option, gluten-free)
Ingredients
- 2 cups green or brown dry lentils , rinsed
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 4 cups water, chicken or vegetable broth, adjust the amount of salt if you use chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed and chopped, optional, to add more flavor
Instructions
To saute garlic (optional step)
- Put Instant Pot on saute setting and saute the garlic in oil until it's lightly browned, this should only take a few minutes. Press cancel when the garlic is adequately cooked (it should be translucent and lightly browned).
To Make the Lentils
- Add rinsed lentils to the Instant Pot and add the water (or the same amount chicken/vegetable broth) and salt (adjust the amount of salt, if there's salt in the chicken/vegetable broth). Cover the Instant Pot. Make sure the quick release handle is on "Sealing". Cook on the "Multigrain" setting and allow to cook.
- When the Instant Pot is done cooking the lentils, before opening the lid, make sure that the pressure valve has gone down (and/or the "quick release" handle is on "venting"). Open the Instant Pot and the lentils are ready to use!
Notes
- I have an 6 & 8-quart Instant Pot Duo
Recommended Products
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OXO Good Grips Soft-Handled Garlic Press -
Maldon Sea Salt Flakes 1.5kg/3.3lbs Tub
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Totally Bamboo Salt Box, Bamboo Storage Box with Magnetic Swivel Lid, "Salt" Engraved on Lid
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Morton Salt Kosher Salt, 3 lbs, Pack of 2
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Pyrex Prepware 2-Cup Glass Measuring Cup
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Homestia Gold Measuring Cups and Spoons Set Stainless Steel 8 PIECE for Dry and Liquid Ingredients Engraved Measurement Heavy Duty Baking & Cooking Utensils
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Instant Pot IP-DUO60 7-in-1 Programmable Pressure Cooker, 6qt/1000W, Latest 3rd Generation Technology, Stainless Steel Cooking Pot and Exterior
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 177Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 422mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 4gSugar: 1gProtein: 14g
Please note that the Calculated Nutrition is an estimate at best.
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If you make this recipe, please rate and comment on how it came out! Thank you in advance! Best, ~Sara xo
They turned out perfectly! Thanks for posting this recipe. It was so easy and really very good. So glad I found you! I’ll be back.
Does not have a multigrain setting. How long did you cook these?
Hello, I only know my Instant Pot but from some internet research, I found that you can cook unsoaked lentils for 15 minutes under high pressure (this does not include the time it takes to bring it up to pressure), then allow the pressure cooker to release naturally which takes 10 minutes, then it can stay on keep warm. Let me know how it works out for you! Thank you.
This recipe worked for me! Thanks so much!
You can also use the poultry setting which is 15 minutes on high pressure!
This worked beautifully! I cut the recipe by 50% and it still worked as described – perfectly tender and flavorful lentils.
I’m so glad it worked out! Thank you for coming back and sharing what worked for you!
Made my in pressure cooker same amount of time , came out perfect!
Thank you for coming back to share your experience with our readers!
I followed directions – 2 c lentils, 4 c water
Multigrain setting was 40 min. Lentils are mush. Most likely inedible.
Hi Marcy, did you pre-soak the lentils? That would add to the water content. I love when lentils are soft. When they are soft you can make them into lentil soup! It all depends on what you are using them for. Also, what Model instant pot do you have? This can also have an effect on the result. Thanks for coming back to give feedback!
I had the same experience. Just put the amount of time instead of a setting if you know it changes from one model to another. The lentils turned in to a gelatinous mass, inedible.
I’m so sorry to hear that it didn’t work out the way you had hoped. I tend to want lentils that are more broken down which you can use for soup. It’s probably that our models are different. What model do you have? I have the Duo. The lentils would still be excellent for lentil soup!
This worked absolutley PERFECT. Thank you so much for the great receipe
Thank you Nancy for coming back to give your feedback! Makes our day!
Perfection! I used vegetable stock. This was a complete gift to the world, thank you!
Awe, thank you! That makes my day! I’m so glad you like it!
Hello! When the instant pot of done, so I do a quick release? Thanks….
You can do the quick release or let it depressurize on its own (if you are not pressed for time).