Simple, practical, and full of everyday flavour, Instant Pot Lentils is a vegetarian American, Mediterranean main course, side dish made with dried brown lentils, water, and salt & pepper in about 20 minutes. The recipe lays out the ingredients and each cooking step clearly, so you can adjust seasoning, texture, and serving size for your own kitchen.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: Not specified
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Total time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main Course, Side Dish
  • Cuisine: American, Mediterranean

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried brown lentils ((or green lentils))
  • 1 3/4 cups water ((or vegetable broth))
  • salt & pepper (to taste)
  • 1 bay leaf (optional)

Method

  1. Rinse brown lentils under water 1-2 times to remove any dust or debris, and drain.

Instant Pot Method

  1. Add rinsed brown lentils, water (or vegetable broth), salt, pepper, and bay leaf, in the instant pot insert.
  2. Close the lid securely, and turn the vent to " SEALING ". Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 6 to 8 minutes for al dente lentils or 10 to 12 minutes for softer lentils.
  3. When the instant pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then release any remaining pressure before removing the lid for al dente lentils.
  4. Enjoy immediately in salads, bowl, etc.

Stovetop Pot Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add 1 cup of rinsed lentils with 3 cups of water. Add seasonings of your choice.
  2. Bring the liquid to a boil, and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20-22 minutes or until the lentils are al dente. For softer lentils, cook for 30-35 minutes.
  3. Once done, drain the lentils. Adjust the seasonings at this stage. Enjoy.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.