You need to know how to make the BEST creamy lentils in the Instant Pot pressure cooker! This recipe will become a staple in your kitchen.
I’ve had my Instant Pot pressure cooker since November (I snagged it on a Cyber Monday sale online) and have had fun experimenting with it. While I love that it can quickly cook meat from frozen, these lentils are by far my favorite thing that’s come out of it.
These lentils are creamy, but dairy-free, and absolutely bursting with the best Italian flavors. Tim commented that they tasted like pizza. Pizza flavor in a healthy form? I’ll take it! 
If you don’t like coconut milk, don’t worry, you don’t taste it one bit here. Not even a hint. It lends its creamy texture, but the flavor is masked by the seasonings and tomato sauce and paste. I have tried this with both the lite and regular canned coconut milk, and both work equally well. 
One of the best parts about this recipe is that it is a five minute prep recipe. Dump the ingredients in the Instant Pot, and let it work its magic. 
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.
Finally, 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.
These Creamy Lentils in the Instant Pot are great alone as a side dish or with some grilled or roasted vegetables as a main course vegan bowl. I’ve also added leftovers to some greens and it’s great that way, as well. So much you can do with these! I hope you love them as much as we do.
Make sure to check out my collection of healthy Instant Pot recipes!
PrintHow to Make the BEST Creamy Lentils in the Instant Pot
These creamy (but dairy-free) lentils are bursting with Italian flavors!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup brown or green lentils
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (15 ounce) can coconut milk (lite or regular both work)
- 1/4–1/2 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.
- Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.
- Do a quick release of the steam.
- Stir and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
*Since many people have commented that 1/4 cup water leaves them with scorched lentils, I’ve edited the ingredients. I still have not had a problem with 1/4 of a cup of water and when I try it with more water, my husband thinks the lentils are too mushy. But with so many reviewers saying that they like it with more water, I’ve included a range in the ingredients. Please comment with what works for you.
Nutrition
- Calories: 248
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 293
- Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 10
If you make this recipe, I would LOVE to see it! Snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @happyhealthymama.
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Benny says
April 12, 2017 at 1:11 pmI’ve been hearing so much about this Instant Pot Pressure Cooker! I think it’s about time I order one and then use this as my first recipe!
Maryea says
April 12, 2017 at 9:08 pmYou must try this! SO good and SO easy!
Ginger Jones says
October 15, 2017 at 9:29 pmMade these tonight, I didn’t have tomato paste so I left it out and just put a tiny bit less water. They are amazing! Top them with fresh green onions from our garden and put them over brown rice
★★★★★
Maryea says
October 16, 2017 at 9:31 amThanks for the feedback, Ginger!
bonnie says
March 19, 2018 at 5:51 amcan I double this recipe for a 6 qt. cooker?
Maha Khan says
April 13, 2017 at 9:35 amWow, Great chana recipe.
I am going to make this recipe today for my family.
★★★★★
Maryea says
April 17, 2017 at 7:14 amPlease let me know how you like it! 🙂
Evelyn says
April 27, 2017 at 7:05 pmI made these lentils as directed. The lentils were still not cooked. (I shut off the IP and started it up again.)
I set the timer for another 15 minutes. The lentils still came out cruchy.
Maryea says
April 27, 2017 at 7:26 pmThat is very strange! I have made these several times and never had that problem. I can’t imagine how a pressure cooker would not cook lentils in 30 minutes. They cook on the stovetop in 40 minutes. Have you had success cooking other things in your pressure cooker?
Evelyn says
April 28, 2017 at 8:24 ami use it all the time. I make steel cut oats in 4 minutes. Stews, with beans, and / or lentils.
Maryea says
April 28, 2017 at 10:23 amHow long do you cook the stew with lentils and do they cook fine that way? I’m perplexed as I haven’t had this issue at all. I wish I could help more, but I can’t figure out why they wouldn’t cook in your pressure cook and cook fine in mine. I don’t like my lentils mushy, but they definitely don’t come out crunchy.
Vannesa Houghtlin says
January 2, 2018 at 8:49 pmwere your lentils old, by any chance? I’ve had trouble with old beans not getting soft no matter how long I cook them!
Tamara says
January 12, 2019 at 7:17 pmJust a thought I’m wondering if you added salt … I’ve heard somewhere that adding salt when cooking lentils can cause them to not cook properly
PEPPER says
May 24, 2017 at 6:50 amTried this tonight and it did not work at all. Lentils scorched and di not cook. IP did not come to pressure. My IP FB group says the recipe does not have enough water for the IP to pressurize correctly. What a waste of ingredients.
★
Maryea says
May 24, 2017 at 9:40 amI’m sorry to hear this didn’t work for you. I’ve had no issues with it and have made it several times. I appreciate you giving your feedback and will try to investigate why it isn’t working for some people.
Kirsten says
July 11, 2017 at 11:37 pmI have had the same issues. Lentils not done and scorched on the bottom. I like the recipie taste but definitely will maybe need to add more water and time.
Charu says
May 23, 2019 at 7:24 pmLove the taste, luckily I was close by when my instapot started flashing “burnt.” I saved it by transferring it in to a pot on the stove and cooking on low heat.
I changed a couple of things. I used fresh herbs and garlic. I also add a bit of coconut sugar to counteract the bitterness from the tomatoes. Everyone loved it!!
I will echo the other comments and say it definitely needs more water.
ERIE says
July 15, 2017 at 5:32 pmWhat type of lentils did you use? Red or green?
Maryea says
July 16, 2017 at 10:18 pmI use brown lentils.
Aimee says
July 16, 2017 at 3:27 pmScorched and crunchy lentils. Waste of what looked yummy.
Aimee says
July 16, 2017 at 3:36 pmI scraped the scorched part from the bottom of the pot and added another full cup of water (in addition to the 1/4 cup from the recipe) it has come to pressure. Hoping for the best now.
Aimee says
July 16, 2017 at 4:26 pmIt turned out sooooooooo good! Just needs 1 1/4 cups of water instead of 1/4.
sarita says
July 22, 2017 at 6:17 pmsame! didn’t cook. added water and time and delish!
Alicia says
September 11, 2017 at 7:51 pmThanks! This is my first attempt at a recipe in the instant pot and I keep getting the “burn” indicator as the pressure cooker is heating up. I’ll try adding an extra cup of water. Too bad dinner should have already been ready and I have a crabby 3yo because of it. Next time will be so much better!
Biah Biah says
August 1, 2017 at 10:36 pmThis is a great easy recipe, I made some edits: increased water quantity to 1 1/4 cup, added half a cup of greek yogurt instead of coconut milk and replaced the seasoning with indian spices. I also included ginger and garlic!
Maryea says
August 3, 2017 at 10:12 pmThanks for the feedback!
Debo says
September 12, 2017 at 7:27 pmI made this recipe but embellished it. I added way more spices, onion, and garlic. I used 1.5 cups of water and cooked it 25 minutes. First and foremost it was super yummy. I could eat the whole pot if I didn’t explode. Second, it was the first time that the bottom of anything I have cooked, burned. I have an electric stove, so after the 25 minutes, I moved it to another cool burner to cool off. I think this is an excellent recipe, but you must increase the water.
★★★★
Diane says
September 13, 2017 at 6:30 pmThis was terrible. I followed the recipe to the letter and I could most definitely taste the coconut milk and not only that, the lentils were not done (with the quick release you instructed). I ate one serving and threw the entire rest of the pot into the trash.
★
pakistani recipes says
October 18, 2017 at 10:19 amMouthwatering channa recipe with lots of spies. Love it.
Rachel says
October 19, 2017 at 10:14 amThis is absolutely delicious. I followed the advice of a lot of the commenters and added 1.5 cups of water instead of a quarter cup. That is the only change I made and it came out perfectly! Everyone who has tried it loves it and I’ve already gotten requests to make more. This will definitely be going in the regular rotation. Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Maryea says
October 20, 2017 at 11:14 amI’m so glad to hear that! It’s weird, but when I’ve tried adding more water it’s too runny for me. I’m glad that worked well for you though!
Jas says
November 29, 2017 at 11:44 amSadly I had trouble with scorched lentils on the bottom too. I did not increase the water because I wanted to try the recipe as written and I use my instant pot all the time without trouble so hoped I would be fine. But I ended up with a layer of blackened lentils stuck to the bottom of the pot. Going to try adding more water next time- maybe some vegetable broth so that I don’t water down the flavour?
★★★
Maryea says
November 29, 2017 at 1:24 pmI still like this best with the amount of water listed. I just edited the recipe, however, as so many people are commenting that this has happened. When I’ve tried it with more water, my husband complains that the lentils are too mushy. I’m not sure why there’s such a difference between users. I’m sorry this happened to you, though.
Judith Rutt says
December 7, 2017 at 10:43 amThere are so many different types and sizes of pressure cookers, perhaps this is where the recipies differ? Could you tell us what make and model you are using. Thanks. I’m f going to make this tonight in my new Instant pot 6 quart.
Alicia says
December 30, 2017 at 10:57 amI figured it must be the different sizes of the pot too. The larger pots might need the additional water?
Haven’t made this yet, but going to try tonight with a bit more water as recommended. Sounds delicious!
September Hope says
November 30, 2017 at 5:14 pmI made this today kinda…based on comments instead of water I put in 2 qt organic vegetarian broth, 1lb can tomato sauce, 11can tomatoes & chilies 15 oz oh & a full 1 lb bag of lentals. Didnt burn & was yummy in 20 min!!
how do I add a pic here??
★★★★★
Maryea says
December 2, 2017 at 8:22 amI don’t think you can add a picture here, but I’d love it if you’d share it to my Facebook wall for the community there to see! https://facebook.com/HappyHealthyMamaBlog Thank you!! 🙂
Doug says
December 3, 2017 at 11:50 amI suspect there is a difference in the the type and age of the lentils people are using which may be causing the varied results seen here. I have used Chana Dal, Red lentils, Lentil De Puy, and Brown Lentils in my stovetop pressure cooker. Each cooks in a variety of time and the moisture requirement varies greatly.
Maryea says
December 4, 2017 at 10:48 amQuite possibly!
Doug says
December 3, 2017 at 12:00 pmMy question for you is whether the quantity of ingredients can be varied? I would like to make a smaller batch in a 6 qt instant pot. I know the time should be the same but do you think the IP work will work with a small batch recipe.
I just got the IP, but have been using my stovetop PC for a number of years.
Maryea says
December 4, 2017 at 10:48 amI use a 6 quart Instant Pot, just FYI. I think if could halve this if you didn’t want to make as much. Good luck!
Judith Rutt says
December 7, 2017 at 10:43 amThere are so many different types and sizes of pressure cookers, perhaps this is where the recipies differ? Could you tell us what make and model you are using. Thanks. I’m f going to make this tonight in my new Instant pot 6 quart.
Maryea says
December 8, 2017 at 6:48 amThat’s what I use–Instant Pot 6 quart. I hope you love this!
Mary says
December 19, 2017 at 12:50 pmI really liked this recipe but I think I did something wrong. It turned out quite well. I think the lentils could have cooked a bit longer but the bottom was burnt to the pot? would that mean I should add some more water? I just used the normal setting on the instant pot and didn’t adjust it up or down. My first time using it too so maybe I missed a step?! Also my coconut milk was quite solid… is that a factor?
★★★★★
Adriene says
January 16, 2018 at 5:06 pmI have made this with:
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can of coconut milk
1.5 cups of French Lentils
1 tablespoon of Tiki Masala Paste!
(NO ADDED WATER)
AMAZING. So yummy
then I had extra veggie soup (carrots, onions, celery, wild rice, veggie broth) and I threw half of this lentil dish in with the soup and made yet another fab flavorful combination
★★★★★
Jill M says
February 2, 2018 at 10:07 amI’m late to this party, but can I make this without Coconut Milk? I don’t have any on hand, and would like to use regular milk or another alternative. Any ideas?
Adriene says
February 2, 2018 at 10:25 amThe healthy fat from the coconut milk, and the sweetness, is what makes the dish. You are also wanting the creaminess from the coconut, which you cannot get from cow’s milk. Canned coconut milk can be found in most grocery stores, so it shouldn’t be too hard to locate.
Liz says
February 27, 2018 at 6:37 pmThis was really good, super easy to make and it makes quite a bit. Nice flavor. I used a cup of water. May be what you’d consider mushy, but I liked the texture.
★★★
Liz says
February 27, 2018 at 6:38 pmI clicked on 5 stars and it only showed 3!
Maryea says
February 28, 2018 at 6:28 amWell, that’s strange! Thanks for trying to give it 5 stars. 🙂
Maryea says
February 28, 2018 at 6:29 amThanks for your feedback, Liz!
Rose says
March 1, 2018 at 10:46 pmSo I should have stuck with the recommended 1/4 cup water. I used 1/2 cup because of all the comments about burning but they were mushy and watery. (I have an instant pot 6qt if anyone is wondering) Also, I used red lentils which are more delicate so that may have been a factor. Regardless, they were delicious. Simple yet satisfying. I may throw some peas or spinach in next time just for some greens. Thanks for the recipe!!
★★★★★
Maryea says
March 2, 2018 at 6:10 amYou’re welcome! Thanks for leaving your feedback.
Richard says
March 4, 2018 at 3:42 pmMade this without the coconut milk, substituted sun dried tomatoes for tomato paste, added some siracha and a few more spices (dried shallots, paprika, garlic powder) and it came out amazingly good. I’ll try with the coconut milk another time, but the above was really great.
Maryea says
March 5, 2018 at 11:31 amI love what you did with this! Sounds fantastic!
Jumie says
March 11, 2018 at 10:36 amMade yesterday. Scorched lentils but oddly that added to taste. I had to make myself stop eating! think the variations in our results are from different size/models of IP.
I am making again today and instead of Italian spices will try some Indian.
This is definitely a keeper for me!
Kerstin says
March 31, 2018 at 9:13 pmAlso had a problem with scorching but not too bad. I think there are likely 2 issues: type of lentils (I was searching red lentil recipes and this came up, I just assumed it was for red lentils and it came out as total mush), and the tomatoes which are known to scorch. I think if you specify which type of lentil you are using that would keep many people from being disappointed. Additionally I always cook any tomato products in the IP by just dumping them on top of the rest of the ingredients which significantly reduces scorching
G says
April 11, 2018 at 6:37 pmLike almost every other “recipe” I’ve tried using the instant pot, it burned the bottom of the pot, even with a 1/2 cup water (and it left the lentils slightly undercooked). Do I need to put it on another setting besides manual? Is anyone else extremely disappointed by the instant pot?!?! At this point I would rather use a stovetop than get burned food every single time.
★★★
Maryea says
April 12, 2018 at 11:03 amI’m sorry that keeps happening to you! I almost always use the manual setting, so I’m not sure what your issue is. 🙁
Adriene Hughegs says
April 12, 2018 at 11:54 amI don’t have these problems with my instapot burning my lentils or undercooking. It could depend on the type of lentil (french vs. green vs. red). I do find they cook up differently, but never burning. Maybe there is something wrong with your instapot? I have the ULTRA and have complete control over my settings.
G says
April 12, 2018 at 12:05 pmWell if I had any problems with my Instant Pot I wouldn’t know because I’ve had it for a couple years now and nothing seems to have changed.
Yes, it would indeed make a great difference if the type of lentils were specified. I used red because it looked like that was the kind used in the photos, but clearly they have very different cooking times.
Adriene Hughegs says
April 12, 2018 at 12:30 pmI simply noticed that each type of lentil gave different results, but only a minor differences. I like to experiment, so I did note that certain lentils needed a couple of minutes more in the pressure cooking time, but nothing significant. I seriously have not had any problems with my Instapot. I’m sorry yours are burning. that sounds like a defective pot.
Christine Rist says
April 14, 2018 at 8:53 pmHow many servings are there? I’m trying to figure out the calories in what I ate tonight.
Josselyn Gorman says
April 15, 2018 at 1:49 pmThese were delicious! I have an 8 quart 9 in 1 and I used 1 cup of water, and green lentils. I also made sure I mixed everything thoroughly. Thanks for a wonderful and easy recipe!
Maryea says
April 15, 2018 at 9:37 pmGlad to hear this, Josselyn!
Sally says
April 21, 2018 at 9:50 pmPlease which pressure cooker function on the instant pot do I choose? Multigrain? Rice? Bean?
Joel says
May 3, 2018 at 9:29 pmTried it twice. Burned both times. First time I blamed myself: has doubled the recipe. Second time I used only prescribed amounts, put in more water etc -and burned again!
Maryea says
May 5, 2018 at 7:57 amReally sorry to hear this! Some people really seem to have a problem with this recipe, but it works well for me. I continue to make it and it’s never burned.
Linda K Goodman says
June 8, 2018 at 3:37 pmThis Lentil recipe was amazing!!! I did increase water to a half cup and did get a “burn” message but it was ok but will add a cup of water next time. I added spices from Penzeys Spices: 2 teaspoons of their Sweet Curry Powder and 2 teaspoons of their Vindaloo Seasoning and also threw in some chopped garlic. Stirred everything really well. My son also made this recipe and loved it. This will become our go to meal when we need something fast. Thanks for this recipe so much!!
★★★★★
Katrina Miller says
June 30, 2018 at 6:34 pmThree stars because burnt on bottom and did not come to pressure. I use my IP daily and cook beans, lentils, rice, etc. I think the problem is not with the amount of liquid but from stirring the pot. I know this can make steel cut oats burn. You have to actually NOT stir all the ingredients so that the IP can come to pressure with enough liquid. I think 1/4 c water plus the can of tomatoes and can of coconut milk should be plenty of liquid. Even without coming to pressure, the lentils were tasty! And I was able to scoop most of it out and leave the charred bits behind. As always the clean up was easy, even with the charred bottom. I might try again. Always trying dah recipes but I don’t usually like the spices (I don’t care for cumin, garam masala or curry), but this one has wonderful flavors. To lower my Weight Watcher Points, I may try the tip in one of the comments and omit the coconut milk and tomato paste and stir in some plain (vegan for me) yogurt at the end.
★★★
Mike Swimm says
July 2, 2018 at 7:01 pmWARNING: This recipe is a disaster
I followed the instructions exactly with no substitutions. I used 1/2 cup water instead of 1/4 cup. I used red lentils. I have an Ultra Instant Pot.
When I started it I got the “burn” warning from my Instant Pot which I had never seen before. After reading about it, I opened it up, added another 1/4 cup water and started it again.
Five minutes later I got the same burn warning and added another 1/4 cups water and tried again.
Five minutes after that I received the burn notice for the third time. I removed the lentils from the Instant Pot and finished on the stove. I had to add more water to get them to cook. By the time they were done, they were flavorless mush. I composted them.
I wasted nearly an hour on this recipe and it’s going to take me another 15 minutes to get my Instant Pot clean.
I hate to be so critical but this was a huge waste of time and food.
Adriene Hughegs says
July 2, 2018 at 7:16 pmMike, I have an Ultra Instapot as well, and I have had no problems with this recipe. There must be something wrong with your instapot. I would look into it, see if you can get an exchange, because seriously there is no reason why your pot should be burning with these items in it. I have made this recipe at least 5 times without a hitch. Good Luck!
Mile Swimm says
July 2, 2018 at 9:33 pmThere is nothing the matter with my Instant Pot. I use it all the time.
This recipe clearly needs more work based on the number of commenters who experienced burning problems.
Ann says
August 13, 2018 at 7:34 pmNope I have a regular old IP and got the burn message once it heated – never even got to start cooking. I too used Red lentils.
★★★★★
Maryea says
August 13, 2018 at 7:39 pmI suggest green or brown lentils for this recipe. I just updated the recipe to ensure everyone knows which variety works best.
Maryea says
July 3, 2018 at 6:40 amHey Mike–It’s okay. I appreciate the feedback. I have never gotten the burn message on my Instant Pot with this recipe. I am really sorry this was your experience. The biggest issue I can think of based on your feedback is that you used red lentils and they cook much faster than brown or green lentils. I’ve never tried this recipe with red lentils, but I’m guessing that’s why it didn’t work.
Annie says
August 13, 2018 at 7:37 pmYou should specify a type of lentil in the recipe. I too used Red and got the Burn message.
Maryea says
August 13, 2018 at 7:38 pmI have not tried this with red. I just updated the recipe so everyone knows this is for green or brown lentils.
Adrienne says
July 2, 2018 at 9:26 pmI followed the directions exactly and turned out great! I did use the 1/2 cup of water, probably would reduce to 1/4 cup next time. Very good, thanks for the recipeb
Amber says
July 5, 2018 at 1:22 pmWhat is the nutritional value per serving size so I can calculate it? I am making this tonight.
Ann says
August 13, 2018 at 7:30 pmBurn! before it even started to cook. Guess you need to specify what kind of lentils – I used red. And have to add I used almost a full cup of stock. Oddly enough, transferred to sauce pan and they were delicious!
Maryea says
August 13, 2018 at 7:40 pmI’m sorry that happened. I updated the recipe to specify brown or green lentils.
Annie says
August 13, 2018 at 7:59 pmnp – loved the flavor and will def make again using the right kind of lentil!
★★★★★
Vicki Brown says
October 2, 2018 at 12:27 pmI made this recipe after reading all of the reviews. I did not change anything. I added some fresh garlic and used brown lentils. It was delicious! I served it with a fried egg for breakfast. I would definitely make it again. I did not see where the recipe was updated to use brown or green lentils. That would be helpful. Thanks!
★★★★
Terran says
October 29, 2018 at 1:33 pmI wanted to comment that I wonder if most people lentils are coming out burnt because they are not rinsing them before adding them to the instant pot. I am not sure if this is a step that you take when prepping this dish but I didn’t find it in the recipe. I imagine that they hold onto a good amount of water after a rinse. That is why yours is not burning. Hope this helps and thanks for the recipe!
Miranda says
December 14, 2018 at 6:46 pmThis 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!
★★★★★
Maryea says
December 15, 2018 at 7:29 amThanks, Miranda!
Mary Lyon says
January 7, 2019 at 5:33 pmI 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.
★★★★★
Helen says
January 20, 2019 at 7:37 ammade 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!!!!
★★★★★
Maryea says
January 21, 2019 at 11:11 amAppreciate the feedback!
Rob says
August 13, 2019 at 11:38 pmSoaked 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.
★★★★★