Instant Pot Lentil Curry

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Instant Pot Lentil Curry

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 5

Time to Pressurize:: 15

Total Time: 30

Servings:

Calories: 236kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

Instant Pot Lentil Curry is an easy weeknight dinner that your whole family will love! It cooks quickly for a meal that's ready to eat in just about 30 minutes.

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Equipment

Instant Pot

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 information is for 1 of 4 servings, or roughly 1 cup of curry without the rice. This information is automatically calculated, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.

Need to use another variety of lentil? Brown lentils will work just as well as green lentils in this recipe, and if you need to use red lentils just keep in mind that they will give this recipe a mushier texture. (More like a pureed soup.)

Update Note: This recipe was updated in October 2023 to use green lentils and a whole can of coconut milk for a better texture & flavor. You can find the original recipe here.

Nutrition