This Ninja Foodi pressure cooker or red lentils Instant Pot recipe is simple. A healthy vegetarian side dish. Use same directions for brown, green, black or yellow varieties with seasonings of your choice. From Instant Pot lentil curry to simple are delicious.
This red lentils Instant Pot recipe is great. I love cooking from dry legumes to tender perfection in minutes. Just one easy Instant Pot recipe that’s a great side dish packed with protein. (affiliate links present)
Instant Pot Red Lentils
You can make soup with these too with ham like our Instant Pot lentil soup that we love. Either way they’re a great food that is super versatile for dinner.
What exactly are lentils?
They are similar to beans. High protein pebble like hard in nature before being cooked, they’re used a lot in vegetarian recipes replacing meat.
If you are new to pressure cooking we have a lot of easy one pot meal recipes for you here. To begin with let’s start with a few basic tips:
- Make sure to Bookmark our InstaPot recipes page. We add new ones each week!
- Then PRINT this —–> Instant Pot cooking times cheat sheet that will help you understand how long meat, vegetables and beans take to cook in your pressure cooker.
- I HIGHLY recommend you buy this non stick pot.
- You should know how to deglaze a pressure cooker after sautéing but it won’t have as many issues with this better liner.
For reference, this is the model I have (a 6 quart) and use for all recipe creations.
Ninja Foodi Red Lentils
There are many types as well. The biggest difference is the bold color on the outside, which changes once they’re softened. We used red but there are many others to choose from. All have an earthy flavor. Using a Foodi you will follow the directions below with the lid that is not attached and the pressure cook button.
You can purchase red, yellow, brown, green lentils and black. Smaller but similar to split peas in the way they feel, all have a variety of uses.
Black. Only 1/2 cup of these provides a whopping 26 grams of protein and takes about 25 minutes to cook properly.
They all have a mildly earthy or sort of nutty flavor. When cooked they have a somewhat mushy texture and can be mashed like you see here.
Should you cook lentils with water or broth?
Here’s where it starts. Pick the color or taste of your choice and some water. Broth is a better alternative to water for the liquid you need because that will add a bit more flavor. You can even add rice into the mix with a bit more broth, follow our lentils and rice post for that timing.
Here is what you’ll need to get started on this:
Ingredients
- Lentils – dry, we used split red lentils here
- Liquid such as vegetable broth to add more flavor, or water
- Seasonings
- only salt and pepper were added to this
- garlic salt and/or powder is great too
Instant Pot cooking makes this healthy recipe super easy. You just cook at high pressure and allow for a natural release so they get nice and tender.
How long do you cook red lentils in a pressure cooker?
Whether you want brown lentils or red lentils, they cook basically the same at about 15 minutes. If you aren’t super familiar with pressure cooking, natural release means to leave the steam valve in the sealing position for 15 minutes after it beeps “done”.
After that time is up, flip it open so the remainder can escape and the lid will lift off easily and safely. Lentils are tender when cooked this way.
From there you can blend to make them smooth like mashed potatoes, or cut down the cooking time by a few minutes if you don’t want them quite as soft.
Here are quick step by steps but you can jump to recipe at the bottom of this post as well. It is printable so you can keep it handy.
How to Cook Red Lentils in an Instant Pot
Time needed: 31 minutes
Instant Pot Red Lentils
- Add ingredients
Pour in lentils and water + a pinch of salt and pepper or other seasonings you’d like. Stir.
- Cook
Seal lid and steam valve. Set to high pressure for 16 minutes.
- Steam Release
Allow for a 15 minute natural release. Open pot, slowly stir, taste, season more if you like and serve.
When planning this keep in mind that the time to reach initial pressure can be 15 to 20 minutes. So leave a good 45 minutes start to finish for this easy lentil recipe.
If you want it very smooth and add it to a blender or hand mixer you may need a bit more liquid. Broth, water or even coconut milk are common choices for this. We have done this with curry flavors at times.
Why do lentils change color after being cooked?
Raw lentils contain pigments, especially in the outer layer, that often break down or leach out during cooking. For example, green or brown lentils might lose some of their vibrant color and become more muted, while red lentils tend to turn yellow or golden as their outer color dissipates.
Can you cook lentils and ham together?
Yes but your best bet is to use pre-cooked diced pieces to add flavor and texture. Instant Pot Lentil Soup with Ham is our favorite duo together that has more broth so it is more than a meal than a side.
What is the difference between beans and lentils?
We share how to cook beans in a pressure cooker here. Those take a bit longer, depending on the variety and how soft you want them. Lentils are legumes, not beans and grow inside seeds vs. pods. Much higher in protein, split lentils have a different shape to them. Nonetheless these two are often confused.
How do you save leftover lentils so they don’t dry out?
If your cooked lentils have any cooking liquid left, store them in it. This keeps them moist and prevents drying. If there’s no cooking liquid left, add a small amount of water or broth to the container before refrigerating.
What can you make with leftover cooked lentils?
- Toss with fresh vegetables, herbs, and a tangy vinaigrette for a hearty salad.
- Use as a filling for tacos. Add spices like cumin, chili powder, garlic, and onion, and top with your favorite taco fixings, like salsa, avocado, and cilantro.
- Mash the leftover lentils and mix them with breadcrumbs, egg (or flaxseed for a vegan version), onions, and spices. Form into patties and pan-fry for delicious lentil burgers.
- Make a vegetarian version of shepherd’s pie by using these as the “meat” layer.
- Puree cooked lentils with fruit like bananas and berries, almond milk, and a sweetener for a protein-packed smoothie.
Other pressure cooker side dishes you’ll love
- Looking for other Instant Pot side dishes? We have tons on our site, here are a few of our favorites:
- Our homemade no soak Instant Pot baked beans get 5 stars from everyone who tries them.
- You can make slow cooker lentils for your next taco Tuesday for a vegetarian filling idea.
Add something else? Let us know so we can try your favorite add ins.
Red Lentils Instant Pot
Equipment
- 1 pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 1 c lentils
- 2 c vegetable broth, or water if you'd rather
- salt and pepper , to taste
Instructions
- Add lentils, broth or water, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir.
- Seal lid and steam valve. Set to high pressure for 16 minutes with a 15 minute natural release.
- Open pot, slowly stir, taste, season more if you like and serve.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made these lentils last night and they turned out perfectly! Always using this method from now on!
Turned out perfect, even though it was my first time cooking lentils in an instant pot! Thank you!
Such an easy, simple, protein-packed side dish!
This simple and easy instant pot lentil recipe makes a perfect side dish for any meal. I like that I can use any kind of lentil and that it works for any day of the week.
Thanks for the great recipe.
I want to comment and tell you about my other favorite lentils. They are tough to get at a regular grocer but they are an old legume. So old that they may be the parent to our green, red, and black lentils but that’s just my thought, no one else’s. Anyway, I’m speaking of the horse gram lentil. This lentil is a powerhouse of nutrition and people have used it to treat fertility issues, among others, for hundreds of years. There are two things you want to know about horse gram lentils. First, they require a long soaking. You can’t just cook horse gram lentils. They must be soaked, preferably overnight in twice the amount of water. And they will soak it up. Then you want to place them in the IP with enough water to cover, add salt, and spices, and cook for 25 minutes with an npr or a 10 minute npr and quick release. Second thing you need to know about horse gram lentils is that, like black lentils, they will not lose their shape. They stay firm on the outside but get creamy inside. So they are the perfect addition to stews, soups, etc. And the cooking broth is often reserved to add to other dishes as it is equally as nutritious.
Anyway, this is my plug for the horse gram lentil. Find an Indian grocer and buy a big bag. Then do a search on horse gram lentil instant pot and you’ll find plenty of recipes for salads, curries, soups, etc.
Cheers.