You need to know how to make the BEST creamy lentils in the Instant Pot pressure cooker! These Instant Pot Lentils will become a staple in your kitchen. Save This Recipe! Enter your email and I'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you'll get new recipes from me every week! By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Happy Healthy Mama.
Lentils are among the healthiest plant foods out there; they bursting with nutrition and are high in protein and fiber. In spite of these healthy characteristics, lentils are also high in lectins. Lectins are anti-nutrients that can reduce the nutritional value of food by hindering the absorption of certain minerals.
But wait! There’s good news.
Cooking lentils, peas, beans, and other legumes in the pressure cooker reduces the presence of lectins. If you’re going to eat lentils, using an Instant Pot pressure cooker is a great way to cook them!
This Instant Pot Lentils recipe is actually the very first lentil recipe I developed back in 2017. It’s been a staple ever since, and I know you’re going to love it, too!
Recipe Ingredients for Instant Pot Lentils
This pressure cooker lentils recipe is quick and easy and requires only 8 ingredients, including salt and water.
Water
For regular lentil recipes, water is for soaking and cooking the lentils. However, as this is an instant pot recipe, we will skip the soaking part and go right to the cooking process.
You will need ⅓ cup of water to cook the lentils in. The main purpose is to cook the lentils; therefore, you can use any other liquid for added taste. I recommend going for chicken broth or vegetable broth if you are following any vegan diets or looking for plant-based recipes.
Lentils
We need 1 ½ cup of lentils. Lentils are known as a power food for the countless benefits they have to offer. For instance, they are a good source of protein and potassium, with low salt and fat content. Plus, lentils improve heart health, stabilize blood sugar levels, boost energy, and lower cholesterol levels. They are also easy to digest and aid weight loss.
For this recipe, you can use wide varieties of lentils, including brown lentils, black lentils, yellow lentils, French green lentils, or black beluga lentils. However, remember that the cook time may vary depending on the type of lentil. I have only tested brown and green lentils for this recipe.
Coconut Milk
We will add 1 (13.5 oz) can of coconut milk to this easy lentil recipe. Coconut milk adds creaminess from its fat content, improving the texture, while keeping this dairy free. Besides this, it also adds a hint of sweetness and an extra nutty flavor to the lentils, balancing out the spice level.
Coconut milk is lactose-free and has anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and anti-fungal properties. It’s a good choice for people following a vegan diet.
Tomato Sauce
I used tomato sauce for this recipe, giving it a distinctly Italian feeling. You can get any brand of canned tomato sauce from the grocery store.
While tomato sauce serves as a base for the instant pot lentils, it also gives the dish an intense flavor and color to make it more tempting.
Tomato sauce is a low-caloric ingredient, rich in vitamins A and C. It has anti-tumor and antioxidant properties, in addition to boosting the metabolism.
Tomato Paste
Tomato paste is made by cooking tomatoes and removing their seeds and juices. The result is a highly concentrated paste that has a bold tomato flavor. On the other hand, Tomato sauce is thinner, has lots of spices, and has an aromatic flavor.
Therefore, we will add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste to the recipe to give it that Unami flavor and pump up the tomato flavor.
Oregano
We will add a teaspoon of dried oregano to this instant pot lentils recipe to give it a light and fragrant undertone. Oregano adds a fresh Mediterranean kick to the lentil soup, making it distinctively aromatic and flavorful.
Basil
To add a strong minty flavor and a hint of anise to your lentils, add 1 teaspoon of dried basil to it. Dried spices and herbs are a great addition to soups for added flavor.
Garlic Salt
We will finish this recipe by adding ¼ teaspoon of garlic salt. Fresh garlic can sometimes burn in the Instant Pot, so I used powdered for this recipe instead. Obviously, salt and black pepper are the primary ingredients in EVERY dish as they bring out the true flavors of the main dish and make it savory.
How to Make Instant Pot Lentils
This recipe is amazing as it takes 5 minutes of prep time and the rest is hands off!
1. Place all of the ingredients in the inner pot of your Instant Pot pressure cooker in the order listed and stir well to make sure the tomato paste is well incorporated. 
2. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.
3. Do a quick release of the steam.
4. Stir and serve. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Stirring the ingredients well before cooking, and making sure the tomato paste is well incorporated, prevents you from getting the burn notice. If you get the burn notice, add more water to the pot, ensure nothing is stuck to the bottom of the inner pot, and continue cooking.
- This recipe is intended for brown or green lentils, not red lentils. Red lentils cook much more quickly than brown and green, and the recipe doesn’t work well with red lentils. If you want to experiment with red lentils, reduce the cooking time to 10 minutes. I do think these Instant Pot Lentils are best with brown or green lentils. If you have red lentils to use, I recommend this Carrot and Lentil Soup!
- I haven’t tried this without an Instant Pot, but I’m sure you can make this on the stovetop if you don’t have a pressure cooker. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and simmer until the lentils are cooked and liquid is reduced, about 35-45 minutes.
- You’ll notice that the recipe says the lentils cook in 20 minutes, but I listed the cook time as 30 minutes. I did this to account for the time it takes for the pressure cooker to heat. I’ve gotten frustrated following recipes that don’t account for that time and then dinner isn’t ready when I thought it was going to be.
Questions and Recipe Variations
Q. Can I add other herbs and spices to the instant pot lentils recipe?
If you want to change the flavor of your lentils, you can swap the recipe spices for garam masala, fresh parsley, bay leaves, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, dried chili peppers, or any other seasonings of your choice to make the dish as per your preference.
Q. How to serve instant pot lentils?
These lentils can be a side dish or a vegan main course served with a salad and bread. They are delicious on a bed of lettuce, too!
Q. What are some variations of the Instant Pot lentils?
If you want to tweak the recipe a bit, stir in parmesan cheese at the end. Another variation would be to make instant pot cheesy southwestern lentils. Use chili powder or taco seasoning in place of the oregano and basil and stir in come Colby jack cheese at the end.
Q. How to store leftover Instant Pot lentils?
You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5-7 days. Or place it in a freezer-safe bag and freeze it for up to 4 months.
If you’re looking for more instant pot meals, here are 150 healthy instant pot recipes to try! If you love cooking with your Instant Pot pressure cooker, try some of my Instant Pot soups. Try my Instant Pot Broccoli and Cheddar Soup, Instant Pot Chicken Vegetable Soup, or this Instant Pot Vegetable Soup with Beans. All are fabulous!
If you make this Instant Pot Lentils recipe, please give it a star rating below. It’s so helpful to other readers to see which recipes are tried and true! Also take a pic and share it on Instagram, tag me @happyhealthymama, and I’ll feature you!
Print
Instant Pot Lentils
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These creamy (but dairy-free) lentils are bursting with Italian flavors!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup brown or green lentils
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk (lite or regular both work)
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Instructions
- Dump all of the ingredients in the pressure cooker and stir to combine. Make sure everything, especially the tomato paste is well combined.
- Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.
- Do a quick release of the steam.
- Stir and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- Stirring the ingredients well before cooking, and making sure the tomato paste is well incorporated, prevents you from getting the burn notice. If you get the burn notice, add more water to the pot, ensure nothing is stuck to the bottom of the inner pot, and continue cooking.
- This recipe is intended for brown or green lentils, not red lentils. Red lentils cook much more quickly than brown and green, and the recipe doesn’t work well with red lentils. If you want to experiment with red lentils, reduce the cooking time to 10 minutes. I do think these Instant Pot Lentils are best with brown or green lentils. If you have red lentils to use, I recommend this Carrot and Lentil Soup!
- I haven’t tried this without an Instant Pot, but I’m sure you can make this on the stovetop if you don’t have a pressure cooker. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and simmer until the lentils are cooked and liquid is reduced, about 35-45 minutes.
- You’ll notice that the recipe says the lentils cook in 20 minutes, but I listed the cook time as 30 minutes. I did this to account for the time it takes for the pressure cooker to heat. I’ve gotten frustrated following recipes that don’t account for that time and then dinner isn’t ready when I thought it was going to be.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Instant Pot recipes
- Method: instant Pot
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 248
- Sugar: 3 grams
- Sodium: 293
- Fat: 11 grams
- Carbohydrates: 28 grams
- Fiber: 4 grams
- Protein: 10 grams
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I’m grateful. This is ideal because we were looking for a strategy to increase the amount of folate in his diet.
I just made this and it’s delicious! I could eat it all myself. I’ll definitely make this again. Thanks for sharing!
Can this be made using a 3 quart Instant Pot?
I haven’t tried it in that size so I’m not sure.
My instant pot kept telling me it was burning so I would stir it and try again, until I got smart and realized I had a button for “beans and chili”. I had no problem after that.
Turned out amazing!! Thankyou.. just wondering can this be frozen?
Great question! I’m sorry, though, I haven’t tried it.
I have frozen it and it thawed great! I just added some more coconut milk and cooked it in a saucepan.. super good.
Love this recipe! I originally made it for my 15 month old since lentils are so high in iron, but my husband and I love it also! Toddler and adult approved 🙂
As someone who absolutely loves lentils and uses my IP 1-3 times a day, I was so excited to try this recipe when I saw it recommended in a FB vegan group I follow. Unfortunately, I found this very bland as written. I ended up adding quite a bit more oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt, and some Italian seasoning before it was ready to serve my family. I do appreciate the simplicity of the recipe and I could see this working for some people who tend to like simple food, but if you’re used to very flavorful dishes, I would be prepared to modify this quite a bit for your tastes.
Wow interesting. I find this very flavorful! But like you said, everyone has different tastes. I’m glad you appreciated the simplicity of this dish. Thank you for your feedback.
I’m confused, were not supposed to stir the recipe?
I just made the creamy lentils but used red lentils. I added additional 2 ounces of water to compensate for the coconut milk and it burned… Any suggestions?
This recipe is not for red lentils as they have a different cooking time. I cannot say why it burned. I’ve made this numerous times and it’s never burned for me. So sorry this happened to you! Definitely use standard brown lentils next time.
This is by far one of my family’s favorite recipes!! I’ve made it numerous times, without variation in my 8 qt instantpot. It’s “burned” a time or two, but after a good stir and trying to cook it again, it still turned out grea; however, it usually comes out perfect without any issues!!
The flavors in this recipe are absolutely amazing and I wasnyed to thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe that my entire family loves!!
I just made this per the recipe and it turned out great, not burned. One thing I noticed when shopping – all of my canned coconut milk options were 13 ounces, but the recipe calls for a 15 ounce can. I purchased a half gallon carton instead and poured out the 15 ounces. I wonder if those that had burned results were because they just grabbed a can of coconut milk without noticing the ounces…
Soaked green lentils from Trader Joe’s for about 8 hours as usual, then went with the recipe + half cup of water and they came out amazing – a little more watery than I thought but I’ll cut back next time to 1/4c. My 2 year old was asking for more! Thank you! We were trying to find a way to get more folate into his diet and this is perfect.
made this the first time and it burned, so followed the comments about not stirring and it was perfect. Put the water in first. Mix all the other ingredients well in a bowl. dump on top of the water then turned on the IP…don’t stir. I also used red lentils which i adjusted the time to 10 min. I have a 3Q and halved the receipt and it was GREAT!!! i could eat this at each meal! Never had lentils before but wow are they amazing! thank you!!!!
Appreciate the feedback!
I loved this recipe and it came out exactly as indicated. One thing I did notice is that the recipe calls for 15oz of coconut milk and my grocery only carries cans of 12 or 13 oz. So I just added water to make up to 15 oz and then added the 1/4 cup of water. So good. Making again tonight.
This recipe is so easy and tastes AMAZING!!! I’ve already made a second batch and frozen in individual servings for later. I initially added 1/2 of chicken broth but got the “burn” notice, just added another 1/2 cup and my lentils came out super thick and creamy! One of my favorite instant pot recipes ever, great job!
Thanks, Miranda!