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    Home » Instant Pot

    Instant Pot Lentil Dal

    Published August 2, 2017. Last modified March 23, 2024 By Gary White

    2.0K shares
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    Instant Pot Lentil Dal | The Foodie Eats

    This Instant Pot lentil dal is great for a quick and easy dinner or maybe even leftovers for breakfast. Perfect for a vegan or plant-based diet.

    Instant Pot Lentil Dal | The Foodie Eats

    I don't know about you, but I could eat lentils for breakfast. And as a matter of fact, I often do. I'm just not a bowl of oatmeal kind of guy, even though I know I should be. Recently, my two worlds collided - switching to a plant-based diet meets using the Instant Pot for everything possible. And the first creation is this Instant Pot lentil dal. It is super easy  to make and pretty much fail-proof.

    Comfort Food? Well, Yeah! Kinda. (But not really. Lol!)

    When you think of comfort food, I'd be willing to bet that curry and lentils don't come to mind. But, in my opinion, this dish has some of what comfort food is all about. The flavors are warm and rich. And after eating a bowl, you're left with that satisfied feeling. Isn't that pretty much the definition? I believe that every cuisine has comfort food dishes. It's not just mac-and-cheese and casseroles. Mmmm, casseroles...

    How to Make Instant Pot Lentil Dal

    Instant Pot Lentil Dal | The Foodie Eats
    Turn on Sauté setting. Once hot, add olive oil, Serrano pepper, ginger, and onions. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
    Instant Pot Lentil Dal | The Foodie Eats
    Add garlic, curry paste, and curry powder and stir to coat.
    Instant Pot Lentil Dal | The Foodie Eats
    Sauté for another 2 minutes.
    Instant Pot Lentil Dal | The Foodie Eats
    Then add all remaining ingredients except spinach. Stir to combine. Lock lid and switch IP to manual setting and set for 15 minutes at high pressure.
    Instant Pot Lentil Dal | The Foodie Eats
    Once cook time is complete, allow pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes. Then switch valve to release remaining pressure.
    Instant Pot Lentil Dal | The Foodie Eats
    Remove lid and add spinach, then mix well until spinach is wilted.
    Instant Pot Lentil Dal | The Foodie Eats
    Serve with rice and enjoy!

    ★ Did you make this Instant Pot Lentil Dal?

    Please give it a star rating below! ★

    Instant Pot Lentil Dal

    A simple, healthy, and filling meal.
    5 from 8 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: Indian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 521kcal
    Author: Gary White

    Ingredients

    • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
    • ½ small serrano pepper finely diced
    • 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger grated
    • ¼ cup yellow onions diced
    • 1 Tbsp. garlic minced
    • 4 Tbsp. green curry paste
    • 13.5 oz. can coconut milk
    • 14.5 oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes
    • 5 cups vegetable broth
    • 1 Tbsp. curry powder
    • 1 tsp. sea salt
    • ½ tsp. black pepper
    • 1 lb. green lentils
    • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
    • 8 oz. fresh baby spinach

    Instructions

    • Turn on Sauté setting. Once hot, add olive oil, serrano pepper, ginger, and onions. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
    • Add garlic, curry paste, and curry powder and stir to coat. Sauté for another 2 minutes.
    • Then add all remaining ingredients except spinach. Stir to combine.
    • Lock lid and switch IP to manual setting and set for 15 minutes. Once cook time is complete, allow pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes. Then switch valve to release remaining pressure.
    • Remove lid and add spinach, then mix well until spinach is wilted.
    • Serve with rice and enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 521kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Sodium: 1253mg | Potassium: 1168mg | Fiber: 27g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 5840IU | Vitamin C: 21.5mg | Calcium: 142mg | Iron: 9.2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag us Today!Mention @thefoodieeats or tag #TheFoodieEats!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. CakePants

      August 03, 2017 at 9:41 pm

      While the term "comfort food" does usually conjure up images of something cheesy in my mind, I can definitely see lentils as comforting too! This dal looks super home-y and delicious.

      Reply
      • Chef Gary

        August 04, 2017 at 8:19 am

        Google definition of comfort food: food that provides consolation or a feeling of well-being, typically any with a high sugar or other carbohydrate content and associated with childhood or home cooking. ?

        Reply
    2. Chef Gary

      January 18, 2018 at 4:05 pm

      Wow, I'm hanging my head in shame with the oversight. I just updated the ingredients list. So sorry about that.

      Reply
    3. Katie

      January 27, 2018 at 5:58 pm

      5 stars
      Love the flavors in this. Thanks for the great recipe!

      Reply
    4. Erin Engel

      January 29, 2018 at 5:31 pm

      Hi, Chef Gary! I have made this a handful of times, love it, and get rave reviews from friends each time! My family has requested I put some chicken in with the lentils. Do you think I could put thighs in the IP to cook with lentils? If so, should I adjust cooking time or liquid volume? Thanks for the great recipe!

      Reply
      • Chef Gary

        January 29, 2018 at 8:42 pm

        SO glad you like this! We love it too. I've thought about adding chicken before, but have never done it. What I would try is this... Cut up boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 1/2-inch (or so) pieces and season with salt and pepper. Then throw them in on step one with the onions and stuff (you'll probably need to up the oil to 1/4 cup). Cook it all together for probably 7-10 minutes (you want the chicken nearly done). Then proceed with the directions as normal. You could add a little more broth if you want it to be more soupy, but I don't think it's necessary. If you try this please let me know how it turns out!

        Reply
    5. Erin Sinisgalli

      April 01, 2019 at 6:48 pm

      5 stars
      We loved this! Will make again. Makes a lot, too!!

      Reply
    6. Cat Kinney

      October 20, 2019 at 8:59 pm

      5 stars
      This is sooooo good! I live alone and will enjoy this big pot of Lentil Dal 😁

      Reply
    7. Cat K

      January 30, 2022 at 7:22 pm

      5 stars
      One of my repeat favorites in the Instant Pot!!

      Reply
    8. Nanna

      April 13, 2022 at 10:30 am

      5 stars
      This is so good! Making it now for the second time 🙂 my 5 year old loved it too!

      Reply
    9. JC from Montreal

      August 25, 2024 at 3:02 pm

      5 stars
      This is really easy to make and delicious. I made minor substitutions with what I had on hand - I skipped the serrano peppers since I didn't have any, and I used finely chopped kale instead of spinach. I also added a chopped carrot because, well why not? I misread the amount of lentils and by mistake used one generous cup instead of 1 lb (oopsie, my bad) but it still turned out great, just more soupy than in the photo. I will definitely make this again, with more lentils next time 🙂 . Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
    5 from 8 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    I believe that food is meant to be enjoyed! Whether creating a simple recipe or taking the time to cook a recipe that's more involved, this is my goal: Creating delicious food that everyone can enjoy. Read more about me...

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