Instant Pot Lentil Curry is an easy one-pot meal when you need a quick dinner. It’s comforting, flavorful, and easy to customize with any veggies you have on hand.
This recipe is the perfect option when you need a delicious gluten-free meal. It’s hearty, creamy (without using dairy), and relatively hands-off once you add everything to your electric pressure cooker.
Looking for a stovetop version? Try Sweet Potato Curry (made with red lentils) or Thai Chickpea Curry for even more options.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe calls for green or brown lentils for the best texture. Red lentils can also be used, but they have a naturally mushy texture when compared to other varieties, so the curry might feel a little more soup-like with that swap. If you would prefer to use different types of lentils, be sure to review the recipe notes below.
Using curry powder makes this recipe convenient to prepare (no need to keep the curry paste in your fridge), and if you don’t have fresh ginger or garlic, you can also use dried spices instead.
Other vegetables, like sweet potatoes, celery, and tomatoes can be added in, too, so feel free to customize it to your liking.
How to Make Instant Pot Lentil Curry
1. Sauté.
Press the “Saute” button on your Instant Pot and add in the olive oil, onions, carrots, and red bell pepper. Stir for 5 minutes until the vegetables soften.
Press the “Off/Cancel” button and add the curry powder, garlic, and ginger. Stir briefly until the spices smell fragrant.
2. Pressure cook.
Add in the water and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape the bottom of the pot. This ensures that nothing is stuck to the pot that will trigger a burn error later.
Pour in the dried lentils, coconut milk, and salt. Stir well and secure the lid. Move the steam release valve to sealing, then cook at high pressure for 5 minutes. It will take the pot roughly 10 minutes to pressurize, so the screen will read “ON” until then.
3. Natural pressure release.
When the cooking cycle is complete, the screen will read L0:00. Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, which means you don’t need to do anything until the screen reads L0:10.
At that point, move the steam release valve to “venting” to release any remaining pressure. You’ll know it’s safe to remove the lid when the floating valve drops.
4. Season to taste.
When you remove the lid, stir in the fresh cilantro. This is also a great time to stir in any leafy greens you might want to include, such as baby spinach or chopped kale.
Season with extra salt to taste (I usually add an additional 1/2 teaspoon), along with a squeeze of lime or lemon juice to help brighten up the flavor. You can also try a pinch of red pepper flakes if you’d like extra spice, or a splash of maple syrup for a sweeter flavor.
Serve this dish warm over perfectly cooked quinoa, cauliflower rice, or basmati rice and garnish with fresh cilantro. It’s also delicious with a side of naan bread for dunking.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also store it in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stove top for a quick meal later!
Frequently Asked Questions
Red lentils cook even faster than green lentils and will give this recipe a mushy texture. With that being said, they taste just as delicious, so feel free to use either one as long as you adjust your expectations on the texture.
Yes, you can use vegetable broth or chicken broth in this recipe (if you don’t need a vegan option), but you’ll want to cut back on the salt in this recipe since store-bought broth will already have sodium in it.
Add a can of tomato sauce to this recipe for a richer curry sauce.
Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Try Instant Pot Lentil Soup, Steel Cut Oats, or Vegan Chili for more ideas.
Instant Pot Lentil Curry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion , chopped
- 2 medium carrots , chopped
- 1 bell pepper , chopped and seeds removed
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger , minced
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup dried green lentils
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 (15 oz.) can coconut milk
- ½ cup fresh cilantro
- lemon slices , for serving
Instructions
- Press the "Saute" button on the Instant Pot. As soon as it starts to heat up, add in the olive oil, onion, carrots, and bell pepper. Stir until the veggies start to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the garlic, ginger, and curry powder and stir for one more minute. Press the "Off/Cancel" button right away, and add the cup of water to prevent the spices from burning to the bottom of the pot. Use a spatula to scrape the bottom, making sure that no veggies or spices are stuck. (This will prevent a burn error later.)
- Add in the green lentils, salt, and coconut milk, then secure the lid. Move the steam release valve to "sealing" then use the Manual or Pressure Cook button to cook at high pressure for 5 minutes. It will take roughly 10 minutes for the pot to pressurize, so the screen will read ON until then.
- When the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes. When the screen reads L0:10, you can move the steam release valve to "venting" to release any remaining pressure. When the floating valve in the lid drops, it's safe to open the lid.
- Stir in the fresh cilantro and adjust any seasoning to taste. I usually add in an extra ½ teaspoon of salt, and a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavor. Serve over cooked rice with extra cilantro on top, if you like. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
If you try this Instant Pot Lentil Curry recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.
We had a furnace problem with the last cold snap in our area–why not, right? Prego woman here (39 weeks, woohoo!) and I have been craving curry like crazy lately… Excited to try this recipe before baby comes (or after). Thanks for sharing 😀
This recipe looks really good!!
This looks delish PLUS the fact that I can make it in the IP makes me even more excited to try it out! Thanks!
I’m loving this recipe and will report back after I try it! Love the instapot instructions!!
Love that you explain how amazing lentils are. We love making lentil soups because they are so hearty and good for us! I’ve never had a lentil curry before though so definitely going to try this one soon!
Yummy. This is right up my ally. I haven’t ever added kale to lentils. Will have to try.
How much garlic do you add to this recipe?
Sorry, that was a typo in the directions– it was supposed to say ginger! I just fixed it. 😉 You’re welcome to add a clove of garlic if you like, though.
Just made this and it was DELICIOUS!! Highly recommend it. My bf was pretty impressed that the instapot sautéed like that. I used green lentils (ran out of red), and added two small sweet potatoes too. Great flavor and so easy. The instructions were great, but curious –>do you rinse the lentils? And was it very soupy before you put the coconut milk? Ours looked more like soup.
Delicious! made on stove top using green lentils. by mistake I added an entire can of coconut milk so ended up adding some tomato paste to thicken. I also pureed a bit of the mixture as my husband doesn’t like “chunks” of veggies 🙂 also added sautéed mushrooms for more texture. adding this to my weekly rotation!! thank you!!!
If I leave the red peppers out will it impact the flavor? Is there a substitute? Or can I just omit it from the recipe? Thanks!
My came out soupy and in 10 min they turned into mush. Where did I go wrong.?
This recipe is a bit soupy– my husband likes his curry really runny, so that there’s lots of liquid to sop up with the rice. The only chunks are the vegetables. If you want a firmer lentil, try using another variety like green or brown. I find that red lentils do get mushier, which goes over better with my picky toddler because they add protein and blend into the sauce more unnoticed.
I love curry! I could probably eat curry every day, but I find that a lot of recipes for curry taste very Americanized, so I was a bit hesitant to make an entire pot of it that I knew I would have to eat all week long. I am thrilled to report, however, that not only was this incredibly easy to make (I used the stove top method), but it was absolutely addictive! Every day at work as I heat it up someone asks me about it because it smells heavenly. And I’m really sad to say that I only have one serving left, which is rare after eating something four days in a row. I also have a love/hate relationship with cauliflower rice. I love it because I’m allergic to rice and it makes a good filler, but with a lot of dishes the cauliflower flavor comes through a little too much. So I decided to fancy this up a little bit and added tumeric, cumin and cilantro to it, and it blended beautifully with the curry. I will definitely make this again and again.
Do the leftovers freeze well?
hmm…I was so excited about this, used brown lentils (cooked for 15 minutes in the IP), and it’s really watery. Any recommendations for doing it differently next time? Way too soupy for my taste.
We like our curry to have lots of liquid that we can sop-up with the rice, but you’re welcome to reduce the liquid! Maybe try using 1 cup less water next time? I hope you enjoyed the flavor!
I found that it looked ‘soupy’ at first but I mashed it up a little bit and it looked like the picture! Sitting for a bit did wonders too. I love this recipe! XO
I used brown lentils and it was quite soupy but seemed to get firmer after sitting out a while. I liked the recipe but, maybe because of the pressure cooker, it lacked flavor. I’d double the curry spices next time.
I never use water in the instant pot. I always use broth or stock and am impressed with the flavor.
I absolutely love this recipe, and make it weekly.
Mine turned out nothing like the photo. More like water with floating veggies. Maybe I did something wrong or I need to reduce the water next time. Haven’t tasted it yet but it smells good. Thanks for sharing.
Same. Nothing like photo. Watery.
Thanks for this reciPe, i had everything in the fridge and cupboard to make it. I used garam masala instead of curry and ginger separately and threw in some chopped frozen kale aT the end. Smells awesome 🙂
This might sound crazy, but could you freeze this? By the way, I’ve made it and it’s amazing!!
I if I want to double this recipe,would I just double the amounts of everything listed including the water? Thanks
Loved this. Used lancinot
Kale, low-fat coconut milk, left out the bell pepper, used farms masala, added a bit of fish sauce for umami. I puréed it and my baby loves it! Will make again.
I made this tonight and it was so good! I used 2 cups of chicken broth instead of water and added a couple extra carrots. Definitely a keeper. Thank you!
This was so good! As we were eating it last night, we were already talking about making it again! I made it in my Instant Pot. I used red lentils as you suggested. I didn’t have a lot of kale so added some baby spinach. We served it over jasmine rice. Great recipe! Thank you!
Great recipe. I made it for my lunch all week, and I am enjoying it a lot. Thank you!
Hi! If I use split red lentils will that change the cook time at all? I am going to buy the ingredients later, and the store closest to me only has split red.
Thanks
This recipe is delicious – thank you for sharing! I topped this off with ground turkey and pepitas – I am excited to try more of your healthy recipes.
I loved the flavor of this, but it would have been helpful to know to leave out some water if you don’t like your curry soupy. I’m still a total novice with my Instant Pot and I thought I had done something wrong until I read through the comments.
Hello,
This recipe sounds great, can’t wait to try it! I did have one question first… I’m planning on substituting frozen butternut squash for the kale. I know one of the benefits of the Instant Pot is that you can cook from frozen; however, I’m not sure how one frozen ingredient like the butternut squash would affect the cooking time (if at all). I was wondering if you knew…
Thank you so much!
Erin
In my experience, using frozen veggies only delays the time it takes for the pot to come to pressure. So, the cooking time wouldn’t change, but the overall time before it’s done might be a little longer.
Nice recipe for someone who is on the go and needs protein. I did 2.5times the lentils so added more of the spices. Also added coriander and garlic and extra turmeric since I love these 2 spices for its anti-inflammatory properties
Would the time still be the same if I sautéed the chicken with the vegetables in step one? Thanks!
Yes, I would think so!
Has anyone tried doubling this recipe?? Will it change the cooktime?
Doubling the recipe usually doesn’t change the cooking time, but it will take the pot longer to come to pressure, so the overall time will be longer.
Has anyone tried doubling this? Should I adjust the cooktime?
This was fantastic and super easy.. One of the few times everyone in the family cleaned several plates each. I couldn’t believe it. Especially since it was Meatless Monday. I’m impressed.
What size Instapot?
I use a 6-quart pot.
I made this and we loved it. I usually put the coconut milk in the beginning but adding it add the end made it all taste so much better. The only substitution I made was using a sweet potatoe instead of carrots (because I was all out) it cooked perfectly.
Thanks I’ll make this again!
I was hoping this would have a little more texture to it since the lentils went to mush. Maybe I’ll try less time.
I made this in my instant pot last night and the entire family loved it! Thanks for a great recipe!
Couldn’t you cook the rice at the same time in the instant pot? Like we do in your Kung Pow Chickpea recipe?
Yes, you can do that in any recipe that calls for at least a 4 minute cook time and a 10 minute natural release.
Awesome! Thank you!
I’m obsessed with all your recipes…especially the InstaPot ones right now!! Please keep them coming! 🙂
I made it today following the recipe on The Fresh and Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook. It is very similar to this one (it calls for 2 carrots instead of pepper). It was delicious!! It will be add to our list if favorite quick and easy week meals. Thank you for this recipe!
Wow! This was amazing!! My husband may have gotten annoyed with me exclaming praise with every bite. Thank you!
Cook time is too long! Completely mushy. Also I found the flavor of the coconut milk to be overpowering. But not a bad recipe with some adjustments. I’ll have to try this again with a shorter time and less coconut milk.
Really delicious and easy! I’ve been trying to incorporate more meatless recipes and this one is excellent. The first time I made it as is and tonight I sub carrots with sweet potatoes. Wonder if reducing the time helps with the texture of the lentils? I’d like more of a bite, so instead of 10 mins, I set it to 8 just to see.
Is all of the water supposed to stay in it? My instant pot cooked for 10 min but it seemed all of the water was retained and the lentils did not cook all the way… I have a Nonja instant pot. I’m assuming I went wrong somewhere!
I have an 8 qt IP; should I double the recipe to avoid a Burnt error?
Daaaang! I made this the other night in a moment of “oh crap what’s for dinner?!”. I dug through the pantry & had most of the ingredients. I made it without the carrots & pepper (simply because I didn’t have any) and I added some fresh ginger & garlic to the onion saute. It was SO SO GOOD. I’m a vegetarian, but my family is not. They ALL loved this IP dal… like, my 9yo had seconds. Seriously good! This recipe is a keeper. 🙂
This is our go to curry recipe! All 4 including my 4 and 6 year old eat it. I’m going to make it tonight with sweet potatoes. I was going to try canned chickpeas instead of red lentils but not sure??? Do you think it would work as well? I usually add an extra carrot if no pepper on hand and some chopped cauliflower. It’s delicious! Thanks again
Fabulous!!! I accidentally doubled the curry and everyone still loved it. Thank you!!!
Absolutely delicious. I doubled it and am thankful that I did! Ate it over cauliflower rice. A filling and fragrant and pretty meal.Only deviation from the recipe was I reduced the water by 1/2 c.
Can I double this recipe? I made it and it’s delicious – want to make a bigger portion next time 🙂
I’ve made this twice and both versions came out great. 1) Made using the veggies I had on hand – onion, celery, yellow bell pepper, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower. Added garlic to both versions as when I taste tested it the first time, it was too mild for our family. 2) Veggies were zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper and mushrooms along with those you list in the recipe. Thank you for another great and fairly quick healthy recipe! We’ll definitely be adding this to our menu list.
I absolutely love this recipe. It is so flavorful and I love that it is healthy too! It is so easy to make and great for meal prepping.