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    Home » Recipes » Instant Pot

    Published: Jan 7, 2019 · Modified: May 30, 2022 by Melanie McDonald · This post contains affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 54 Comments

    Instant Pot Lentil Dal

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN WATCH VIDEO
    4.78 from 45 votes
    Transform your red lentils into something amazing with my creamy Instant Pot Lentil Dal.  It makes a really easy, super tasty, healthy & budget friendly dinner and is perfect for meal prepping as it reheats and freezes perfectly!

    Transform your red lentils into something amazing with my creamy Instant Pot Lentil Dal.  It makes a really easy, super tasty, healthy & budget friendly dinner and is perfect for meal prepping as it reheats and freezes perfectly!

    Instant Pot Lentil Dal served over rice in a bowl with a sprinkle of chopped herbs, chopped tomato and chopped cashew nuts

    Grab a few handfuls of lentils, some spices, and an Instant Pot and transform them into a pot of creamy, delicious Instant Pot Lentil Dal that’s economical, nutritious and will make your tastebuds dance!

    In this post:

    Jump to:
    • How to make Instant Pot Lentil Dal
    • How to serve Dal
    • Recipe Video
    • Recipe
    • Comments & Reviews

    I've been a little obsessed with red lentils of late, what with this and my Instant Pot Red Lentil Soup. This recipe might actually seem familiar, and that's because it's an adapted version of my Red Lentil Dahl. It didn't need much changed to make it work really well in an Instant Pot. And as luck would have it, lots of you had Instant Pots for Christmas and have been asking for more Instant Pot recipes so how's this for timing.

    But, if you don’t have an Instant Pot or other other electric pressure cooker, and you really want to make this recipe, hop on over to my original Red Lentil Dahl recipe and you will find detailed stove-top instructions.

    How to make Instant Pot Lentil Dal

    It really is so simple to make Instant Pot Lentil Dal and the results are absolutely fantastic. It's one of our favourite family meals.

    Here is what you need:

    The ingredients for Instant Pot Lentil Dal laid out on a white marble surface

    And here is how it's done:

    Step 1- Sauté the onions in the Instant Pot then add the ginger, garlic and spices

    Step by step photos showing how to make Instant Pot Lentil Dal

    Step 2- Pour in some water and scrape the bottom of the pan well. Add lentils and tomatoes.

    Step 3- Add coconut milk, then put the lid on, seal it and cook as directed in the full recipe below.

    How to serve Dal

    Pair this creamy and delicious Instant Pot Lentil Dal with:

    • Fluffy rice
    • Quinoa
    • Cauliflower rice
    • Naan bread
    • Poppadoms
    • The Lime Slaw from my Enchilada Lentil Tacos recipe

    A sprinkle of cilantro, some fresh chopped tomato and a few chopped peanuts or cashews over the top (like in my pics), really compliment it too and help to turn it from midweek dinner, into a posh treat yo'self (or someone else) kind of meal.

    Recipe Video

    Recipe

    Instant Pot Lentil Dahl served over rice in a bowl with herbs, tomato and nuts sprinkled on top

    Instant Pot Lentil Dal

    Author: Melanie McDonald
    4.78 from 45 votes
    Transform your red lentils into something amazing with my creamy Instant Pot Lentil Dal. It makes a really easy, super tasty, healthy & budget friendly dinner and is perfect for meal prepping as it reheats and freezes perfectly!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    PREP TIME: 10 minutes
    COOK TIME: 8 minutes
    Pressurizing & NPR time approx 30 minutes
    TOTAL TIME: 18 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings

    Ingredients
      

    My Instant Pot is a 6 quart. If yours is a different size you will need to scale the recipe up or down accordingly.

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil , or use water for sautéing to make the recipe oil-free
    • 1 large onion , chopped
    • 4 large cloves garlic chopped
    • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger , finely chopped or grated
    • 2 heaping teaspoons garam masala
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes , add up to a teaspoon extra if you like it a spicy. You can use 1 fresh small red chili if you prefer
    • 2 slightly heaping teaspoons ground turmeric
    • 2 teaspoons salt , plus more to taste at the end
    • 1 teaspoons ground black pepper , plus more to taste at the end
    • 740 mls / 3 cups + 1 tablespoon water
    • 400g / 2 heaping cups dried split red lentils , (no need to soak)
    • 3 large fresh tomatoes cut into chunks
    • 1 400 ml / 13.5oz can / a little under 1¾ cup canned coconut milk , full fat or light
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    INSTRUCTIONS
     

    • Set the Instant Pot to sauté and add the oil or a few tablespoons of water. Sauté the  onions for 3 to 4 minutes until they are just starting to turn golden, then add the ginger and garlic. Cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring frequently.  
    • Turn off the Instant Pot then add all of the spices and seasonings. Allow them to cook in the residual heat of the pot for about 1 minutes, stirring them constantly. 
    • Add the water to the pot, and using a metal spoon, have a really good scrape into the bottom of the pot all over, to mostly remove the brown bits from the bottom. This step is important because otherwise you could get the "burn" message popping up on your display later. 
    • Next add the lentils, tomatoes and coconut milk. Don't stir it. Just leave it as it is.
    • Put the lid on the Instant Pot, seal the vent and set it to MANUAL (PRESSURE COOK) on newer models, high pressure, for 8 minutes. 
    • Allow the pressure to release naturally. Remove the lid and give it a really good stir then serve. 

    NOTES

    Serve this Instant Pot Lentil Dal with rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa, naan bread or poppadoms. I also recommend you make some of my Lime Slaw as the 2 together are incredible. It's also really lovely with chopped fresh tomatoes, chopped bell pepper and chopped nuts and cilantro sprinkled on top. 
    This Dahl reheats beautifully and will keep in the fridge for around 5 days. Leftovers taste even better. It also freezes very well.
    PLEASE NOTE - This recipe has only been tested in a 6 quart Instant Pot. If your pot is larger you may need to increase the volume of liquid used for it to cook successfully. 

    NUTRITION

    Serving: 1of 6 servingsCalories: 395kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 18gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 10.6gSodium: 831mgFiber: 10gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 950IUVitamin C: 22.3mgCalcium: 70mgIron: 5.8mg

    Nutritional information is provided for convenience. The data is a computer generated estimate and should be used as a guide only.

    Tried this recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @avirtualvegan on Instagram and hashtag it #avirtualvegan

    If you try this recipe, let me know how you like it by leaving a comment and rating below! And be sure to join my mailing list for more deliciousness!

    Hungry For More?

    • Chickpea Curry Soup
    • Vegan Vegetable Soup
    • Vegan Irish Stew
    • Instant Pot Red Lentil Soup
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      Recipe Rating




    1. Helen says

      September 24, 2022 at 3:03 am

      2 stars
      I followed the red lentil dal recipe exactly. I got a burn message the first time it came to the timer (extremely rare with this pot) so took everything out, cleaned the pan completely and put the mix back in and the same thing happened. I've never before used a recipe that added the coconut milk during the cooking so assume this is the issue. Disappointing!

      Reply
    2. Tarah says

      April 19, 2022 at 5:01 pm

      3 stars
      This recipe is so very satisfying and the flavours are delicious. I did run into the same issue with the Burn notice, too.
      Reading the comments I decided to sauté first in a separate pan then add it to the IP with water, lentils, tomato and coconut milk. it was still preheating before I got the notice. I then scraped it down, poured into a bowl, washed out the IP, let it cool, added some more liquid and STILL got a burn notice. I ended up finishing it in the pot on the stove. Next time I think I will use your non-IP version of this recipe. It was delicious and hearty and my whole family enjoyed it.

      Reply
    3. Valerie says

      November 30, 2021 at 9:54 am

      I live at an altitude of 5600' - any recommendation/change regarding procedure?

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        November 30, 2021 at 10:19 am

        I have no no experience of high altitude cooking so can't help I'm afraid.

        Reply
    4. Thomas Hitzler says

      July 12, 2021 at 11:54 am

      I followed the recipe and my lentils were very much under cooked. I discovered that; 1) my raw brown lentils take a longer time to cook, and 2) in general, lentils cook more slowly in an acidic mixture. I do rinse my lentils before cooking as instructed on the package. So, I cook my lentils from 20 - 24 minutes on HP with a 6-10 minute release and then I add the tomatoes and put the lid back on for a few minutes to heat the tomatoes. DO NOT EAT CHEWY, UNDER COOKED LENTILS. They are not good for your stomach. I do like this recipe a lot - very tasty. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        July 12, 2021 at 1:02 pm

        This recipe has not been tested with brown lentils. If you use split red lentils as called for in the ingredients list, and follow my directions, it will work perfectly.

        Reply
    5. Sophia says

      February 08, 2021 at 3:33 pm

      5 stars
      The best Instant Pot recipe we've tried so far. Really delicious and worked perfectly with no issues. More IP recipes please!

      Reply
    6. Sarah says

      January 19, 2021 at 2:31 am

      5 stars
      Don't let the simplicity of the recipe fool you! It was so delicious that both of my young kids devoured it! I omitted the chili flakes, used a can of tomatoes (because I didn't have any fresh ones) and added some spinach in at the end. It was great on it's own, but you could make it a heavier meal with vegan sausage or crumbles. Thanks so much for the recipe! I'll be making it regularly :)

      Reply
    7. Juliet says

      December 11, 2020 at 4:19 pm

      5 stars
      Truly delicious!!

      Reply
    8. Giddy says

      October 12, 2020 at 10:07 pm

      Hi, is it suppose to have that much ginger, it was too over powering with ginger. Otherwise I'd imagine it would taste good with half the ginger perhaps, will try that next time.

      Thank you!

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        October 13, 2020 at 1:35 pm

        Yes 2 tablespoons is correct. I've never found it over-powering and never had any other reports of that. You did use fresh ginger not dried and use a proper measuring spoon to measure it? Everyone's taste buds are different though and the recipe is very flexible though so you can easily decrease the amount next time if you prefer. Hope that helps!

        Reply
        • Giddy says

          October 14, 2020 at 9:00 am

          Thanks for the reply. Yes it was fresh organic ginger and I even used a bit less than 2 tablespoons so maybe it was some extra potent ginger :-)

          Reply
      • Dawna says

        June 29, 2022 at 3:50 pm

        5 stars
        Great recipe and incredibly tasty. The only thing is I would have to agree with Giddy in that there is an excessive amount of fresh ginger. I would think perhaps 1 teaspoon of Ginger at the max Would be more appropriate. But that’s just me.

        Reply
    9. Kelly says

      September 13, 2020 at 1:31 pm

      5 stars
      My husband and I thought this recipe made the best Dahl we’ve had! Even my picky 5 year old liked it ? the cooking process was super simple and quick. We’ll be making it again soon. Thanks!

      Reply
    10. E says

      September 08, 2020 at 5:47 pm

      Unfortunately, I have so far not had a good experience with this recipe. This is the first recipe from here that I've tried and I kept getting a burn notice on my instant pot.

      I did make sure I scraped the bottom and deglazed properly and yet, burn notice. I stopped the cooking and scraped the bottom again and started cooking again, and yet again, burn notice. I did that one more time and yet again burn notice.

      I decided to pour all of the food I could into a large bowl and thoroughly cleaned the inner pot, scrubbing it, and even added an additional cup of liquid just in case, and yet again, burn notice. I finally gave up and just poured everything into a pot onto my regular stove burner which was disappointing, but I didn't want it to go to waste.

      Hopefully, next time I try it will work out. If you have any tips or ideas as to what may have happened, I would love some input since so many people have had a better result and your recipes sound amazing!

      Reply
      • George says

        December 17, 2020 at 7:53 pm

        When I first started making recipes like this I almost always got a burn notice. Unlike you I did not do a good job scraping. Once I got that down I still got the burn notice. I think I solved it: I would measure and rinse the lentils early in the prep, and they would congeal into clumps. Now I measure them but rinse right before mixing them in with the liquid. No more burn notices with lentils at least.

        Reply
      • Emma says

        January 01, 2022 at 4:51 pm

        I am having the same repeat issue unfortunately, not working for me at all.

        Reply
    11. Mars says

      July 26, 2020 at 5:04 pm

      5 stars
      WOW! This turned out amazing the first time! I stirred in chopped kale - that I had just picked from my garden - at the end of cooking time.
      Recipe has been printed and laminated!!! Thank you!

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        July 27, 2020 at 1:02 pm

        I'm really pleased you enjoyed it. Thank you for stopping by to leave a review/rating. It's much appreciated!

        Reply
    12. Fran says

      June 17, 2020 at 10:50 pm

      5 stars
      I had surgery one week ago and needed a dump and leave meal to feed the family while I rested during the day. I put this in the instant pot at 9am and added an extra cup of water and left it sealed and 'warming' all day. The resulting dish was a perfect texture ! Family loved it, I served with plain basmati rice, quick chapati and a capsicum salad. Everyone happy and a quick easy meal for a resting mum!

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        June 18, 2020 at 5:41 pm

        I'm really pleased you all enjoyed it and I wish you a speedy recovery Fran.

        Reply
    13. Kate says

      May 24, 2020 at 7:49 pm

      5 stars
      This is so easy to make and tastes wonderful! I shared it with my neighbor (who is a chef) and her reaction was “Holy s**** This Dahl is amazing!”

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        May 24, 2020 at 8:31 pm

        Thank you so much Kate! I'm really pleased you both enjoyed it!

        Reply
    14. Andrée Girouard says

      May 13, 2020 at 9:38 pm

      My Instant Pot does not seem to have a timer more than 4:00 min. Is it because it its defective??

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        May 13, 2020 at 9:45 pm

        If the display says 4 00 it is 4 hours not minutes. 4 minutes would be 004. When you turn it on, you press manual or pressure cook depending on the model then the plus and minus buttons to adjust the time. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    15. Stephanie says

      May 12, 2020 at 7:54 am

      5 stars
      I love this recipe and make it often in my Instant Pot! It comes out perfectly every time. I follow your directions and do not make any substitutions. This lentil dahl is very creamy and comforting. It's a keeper in our house! Thank you!

      Reply
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