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5.0 from 93 votes

Instant Pot Lentil Curry

Learn how to cook Instant Pot Lentil Curry (Pressure Cooker Lentil Curry) with simple, long shelf life pantry ingredients! This creamy, hearty & flavorful curried lentils recipe is super easy to make & done in 45 mins. Budget-friendly, filling, & satisfying vegetarian meal (with vegan options).

Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 4 - 6
Calories: 357 kcal
Course: Side Dish , Lunch , Dinner
Cuisine: Asian , Indian

Ingredients

Main Ingredients:
  • 2 cups (400g) whole lentils (green or brown)
  • 3.5 cups (875ml) unsalted chicken stock (or vegetable stock/water) (If you're not using coconut milk, use 3.75 cups (938ml) stock)
  • 3 tablespoons (24g) curry powder
  • ½ teaspoon table salt (add more later)
Flavor Enhancing Ingredients:
  • 2 tablespoons (30g) ghee (substitutions: unsalted butter or olive oil)
  • 8 cloves (23g) garlic , minced
  • 1 (220g) medium onion , diced or minced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger , minced
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) Regular soy sauce
  • ½ - 1 teaspoon (1.4g - 2.8g) cayenne pepper
  • ¼ cup (60g) tomato paste
  • ¼ - ½ cup (63ml - 125ml) coconut milk (optional)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Saute Onion & Garlic: Heat up Instant Pot using "Sauté More" function. Wait until the indicator says "HOT". Add 2 tbsp (30g) ghee to the Instant Pot. Add in diced onions, then saute for 3 minutes. Add in minced garlic, ginger, ¼ cup (60g) tomato paste, 3 tbsp (24g) curry powder, and ½ - 1 tsp (1.4g - 2.8g) cayenne pepper, then saute for another minute. *Curry Powder Tip: Different Curry Powder vary in taste, aroma, quality. Make sure to taste & adjust accordingly. Best to use High Quality Curry Powder when possible. *Spicy Level Tip: Adjust the amount of cayenne pepper according to how spicy you want your lentil curry. For reference, we used mild spicy curry powder with ½ tsp (1.2g) cayenne pepper, and it was mild-medium spiciness.
  2. Deglaze Instant Pot: Pour in 1 cup (250ml) unsalted chicken stock, then deglaze by scrubbing all the flavorful brown bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Give it a quick mix.
  3. Pressure Cook Lentil Curry: Add in 1 tbsp (15ml) regular soy sauce, ½ tsp table salt, then give it a quick mix. Add in 2 cups (400g) of whole lentils and 2.5 cups (625ml) unsalted chicken stock. Make sure the lentils are submerged in the liquid. *Note: If you're not using the coconut milk at the end, add in an extra ¼ cup (63ml) unsalted chicken stock here. With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. -Green Lentils: Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 10 minutes, then 10 minutes Natural Release. -Brown Lentils: Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 8 minutes, then 10 minutes Natural Release. After 10 minutes, release the remaining pressure by turning the Venting Knob to Venting position. Remove the lid carefully.
  4. Season & Add Coconut Milk: Give it a few quick stirs, then mix in ¼ cup (63ml) coconut milk. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding more salt (roughly 1 - 2 large pinches of salt). Add in more coconut milk as desired.
  5. Garnish & Serve Curried Lentils: Garnish Curried Lentils with finely chopped cilantro or green onions. Enjoy this Easy Instant Pot Lentil Curry over rice or your favorite side dishes!

Notes

  • Lentil Curry Ingredients Substitutions
  • If you don't have some of the ingredients, here are some substitution suggestions.
  • ¼
  • ¼
  • *Rate Recipe: If you've tried the recipe, don't forget to Rate the Recipe in the Comments Section. Thank you!
  • Onion: 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • Garlic: 1¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Ghee: unsalted butter, or olive oil 
  • Unsalted Chicken Stock: vegetable stock or cold water
  • Coconut Milk is a flavor enhancer and balancer, but it is optional if you don't have it on hand. You will need another ¼ cup of stock if you're not using coconut milk.

Nutrition Information

Calories 357kcal (18%) Carbohydrates 47g (16%) Protein 20g (40%) Fat 11g (17%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Cholesterol 13mg (4%) Sodium 499mg (21%) Potassium 965mg (28%) Fiber 20g (80%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 289IU (6%) Vitamin C 9mg (10%) Calcium 76mg (8%) Iron 7mg (39%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4- 6

Amount Per Serving

Calories 357

% Daily Value*

Calories 357kcal 18%
Carbohydrates 47g 16%
Protein 20g 40%
Fat 11g 17%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 13mg 4%
Sodium 499mg 21%
Potassium 965mg 21%
Fiber 20g 80%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 289IU 6%
Vitamin C 9mg 10%
Calcium 76mg 8%
Iron 7mg 39%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.