Go Back
–+ servings
cooked green lentils in instant pot with spoon
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Perfect Instant Pot Lentils (red + green)

This post shows you how to cook Instant Pot lentils to perfection, using either red or green lentils. A great alternative to the stove that cooks through quickly.
Prep Time2 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Time to pressurize + natural pressure release20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 8
Calories: 200kcal
Author: Denise Bustard

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 lb red or green lentils 2 cups
  • 5 cups water
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Green lentils

  • Prepare lentils- Weigh out 1 lb of lentils (roughly 2 ¼ cups), then rinse in a colander to remove debris. Add the lentils to the stainless steel insert of the Instant Pot with water and salt.
    overhead view of green lentils in instant pot before cooking
  • Cook- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, and set the valve to the 'sealing' position. Pressure cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. When the Instant Pot beeps, allow for a 10 minute natural pressure release, before carefully transitioning the steam release handle to the 'venting' position to release any remaining pressure.
    instant pot with 8 minutes on the timer
  • Stir- Stir up the lentils, and enjoy!
    cooked green lentils in instant pot with spoon

Red lentils

  • Prepare lentils- Weigh out 1 lb of lentils (roughly 2 ¼ cups), then rinse in a colander to remove debris. Add the lentils to the stainless steel insert of the Instant Pot with water and salt.
    red lentils in instant pot with water
  • Cook- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, and set the valve to the 'sealing' position. Set to cook for '0 minutes' at high pressure. When the Instant Pot beeps, allow for a 5 minute natural pressure release, before carefully transitioning the steam release handle to the 'venting' position to release any remaining pressure.
    instant pot with 0 minutes on the timer
  • Stir- Stir up the lentils, and enjoy!
    red lentils in instant pot after cooking through

Video

Notes

1- nutritional information is for ⅛ of a batch of cooked green lentils, serving size is strictly an estimate.
Half batch
You can cut the batch in half; cut all ingredient measurements in half, but keep the cook time the same.
Storage
  • fridge- portion out into meal prep containers or jars, and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • freezer- portion out into freezer-friendly jars or containers, and allow to cool completely. Freeze for up to 3 months
  • reheating- heat in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming hot; heat individual portions in the microwave until steaming hot; green lentils are also great served cold.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.66cup *note 1 | Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 156mg | Potassium: 542mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 22IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 4mg