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!
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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 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
I 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?
There 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.
That’s what I use–Instant Pot 6 quart. I hope you love this!
My 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.
I 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!
I 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.
Quite possibly!
I 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??
I 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!! 🙂
Sadly 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?
I 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.
There 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.
I 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!
This 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!
I’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!
Mouthwatering channa recipe with lots of spies. Love it.
This 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.
I 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.
This 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!
Thanks for the feedback!
same! didn’t cook. added water and time and delish!
Thanks! 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!
I 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.
It turned out sooooooooo good! Just needs 1 1/4 cups of water instead of 1/4.
Scorched and crunchy lentils. Waste of what looked yummy.
What type of lentils did you use? Red or green?
I use brown lentils.
Tried 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.
I’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.
I 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.
Love 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.
I 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.
That 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?
i use it all the time. I make steel cut oats in 4 minutes. Stews, with beans, and / or lentils.
How 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.
were your lentils old, by any chance? I’ve had trouble with old beans not getting soft no matter how long I cook them!
Just 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
Wow, Great chana recipe.
I am going to make this recipe today for my family.
Please let me know how you like it! 🙂
I’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!
You must try this! SO good and SO easy!
Made 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
Thanks for the feedback, Ginger!
can I double this recipe for a 6 qt. cooker?