Instant Pot Lentils

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Your complete guide to making Instant Pot Lentils! The pressure cooker is one of my favorite ways to make this versatile and delicious legume; it cooks them hands-free to evenly tender perfection every time. Use this guide to make green, brown, beluga, French, or other firm lentils to serve as a side or use in your favorite lentil recipes, like Lentil Salad, Lentil Meatloaf, Lentil Tacos, or Lentil Taco Meat!

Prep Time2

Cook Time8

Pressurizing and De-Pressurizing Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Author: Jenné Claiborne

Ingredients

1 cup firm lentils (brown, green, beluga, or French) sorted and rinsed
1 ¾ cups water
1 tsp dried dried herbs (such as thyme or oregano) Optional

Instructions

Add the lentils, water, and herbs (if using) to the Instant Pot.
Lock the Instant Pot lid in place and pressure cook on High for 8 minutes.
Release the pressure naturally (choosing “natural pressure release”) for about 10 minutes or until the lid unlocks. Remove the lid and lightly fluff the lentils with a fork to prevent sticking or clumping.
Remove the pot from the machine and allow the lentils to cool until serving. To cool them quickly for a recipe, transfer them to a large platter or baking sheet and cool at room temperature or in the refrigerator. The lentils will firm up as they cool.
Once cooled to your desired temperature, enjoy the lentils as a side dish or in your favorite recipes.

Video

Notes

Storage Directions

Refrigerating: Once cooled to room temperature, transfer the lentils to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Freezing: For extended storage, freeze individual servings of the cooled lentils in a silicone tray overnight. Once frozen, transfer the frozen servings to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost the lentils in the refrigerator overnight or in the microwave on low heat for 2-4 minutes until thawed.
Reheating: Warm the lentils in the microwave on gentle heat for 1-2 minutes or in a saucepan over low heat for 3-5 minutes until heated through.

Jenné's Recipe Pro-Tips

Sort and rinse the lentils: Remove any small pebbles, pieces of debris, or miscolored lentils and give the lentils a good rinse in a wire mesh strainer before adding them to the Instant Pot. They don't need to be soaked, but you'll want to remove any unwanted pieces, dust, or dirt for the best flavor and texture.

Natural-release the pressure: The lentils will continue to cook as the pressure releases. Quick-releasing the pressure will undercook them.

Double batch cooking: If desired, make a large batch by doubling (or tripling!) the lentils and water and pressure cooking the lentils as directed. You don't need to add extra cooking time; due to the higher volume, the pressure cooker will naturally take longer to come to pressure and release pressure, adjusting the total cooking time for you.

Nutrition