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!
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"This is one of my all-time faves! The whole family "loved" it..... even my super picky teens. Thank you.... Thank you.... Thank you for a healthy family meal that made everyone smile!" - Carrie ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ More reviews →
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!
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 changing 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?
If you don’t have an Instant Pot and you really want to make this recipe, hop over to my original Red Lentil Dal recipe, and you will find detailed stove-top instructions.
Mel x
Ingredients
Here is what you need at a glance, along with some important ingredient notes & substitution ideas:
- Split red lentils - Also known as Masoor Dal/Dahl. This recipe, as written will not work with any other type of lentil.
- Tomatoes - I like to add diced fresh tomatoes but you can add an equivalent amount of canned diced tomatoes if you prefer.
- Coconut milk - This should be from a can. You can use full-fat canned coconut milk or light coconut milk. I prefer full-fat coconut milk because it is creamier and adds more flavour to the finished dish.
Important!
While most people have had great results with this recipe, some have had the burn notice appear on their Instant Pot. Because of this, I have retested the recipe in multiple Instant Pots of different ages and if you follow these tips you shouldn't have any problems:
- You MUST scrape the bottom of the pot clean of any cooked-on residue after sautéing. I find a metal spoon works best.
- It is REALLY important NOT to stir the contents of the Instant Pot when you add the lentils, coconut milk, and tomatoes. Leave it be. If you stir it, you are more likely to get the burn notice.
- It is really important that the red lentils go in dry. Do not rinse or soak them prior to adding. If you do, they tend to clump together. That can also trigger the burn notice.
- I do not recommend adding any extra ingredients, like extra vegetables, to this recipe. Adding extra bulk can trigger the burn notice. You can, however, add quick-cooking veggies like greens after the dal has cooked. Let them wilt in the residual heat or turn the Instant Pot to saute and simmer until they are tender.
Serving Suggestions
Pair this creamy and delicious Instant Pot Lentil Dal with:
- Coconut Lime Rice or Coconut Basmati Rice.
- Quinoa or cauliflower rice.
- Naan bread, easy yeasted flatbreads, or my super quick 15-minute no yeast flatbreads.
- Poppadoms.
A sprinkle of cilantro, some fresh chopped tomato and a few chopped peanuts or cashews over the top really complement it too and help to turn it from a midweek dinner, into a posh treat yo'self (or someone else) kind of meal.
Recipe
Instant Pot Lentil Dal
Author:WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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 , or switch garam masala and turmeric for 1 heaping tablespoon curry powder
- 2 slightly heaping teaspoons ground turmeric
- 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 teaspoons salt , plus more to taste at the end
- 1 teaspoons ground black pepper , plus more to taste at the end
- 3¼ cups (780 ml) water
- 2 heaping cups (400 grams) dried split red lentils , (don't soak them or rinse them - they need to be completely dry)
- 3 large fresh tomatoes , diced (or about 1 cup canned diced tomatoes)
- 1 x 400 ml / 13.5oz can (a little under 1¾ cup) canned coconut milk , full fat or light
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 remove any stuck-on brown bits from the bottom. This step is very important!
- Next, add the lentils, tomatoes and coconut milk. DO NOT STIR.
- 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, give it a really good stir then serve.
NOTES
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Mars says
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!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed it. Thank you for stopping by to leave a review/rating. It's much appreciated!
Fran says
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!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you all enjoyed it and I wish you a speedy recovery Fran.
Kate says
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!”
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you so much Kate! I'm really pleased you both enjoyed it!
Andrée Girouard says
My Instant Pot does not seem to have a timer more than 4:00 min. Is it because it its defective??
A Virtual Vegan says
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!
Stephanie says
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!
Juliet C. says
So delicious!!! I am a huge fan of Indian and especially curries. This is the perfect amount and assortment of spices. Im a huge garam masala user! Thanks for sharing.
Juliet says
Delicious!!
Becky says
Do you have to soak the lentils before cooking? If so how long?
A Virtual Vegan says
No there's no need to soak them.
Mary says
Absolutely delicious. Got the burn notice first time but just let it simmer till it was cooked ( didn't read the recipe properly and stirred lentils in) .Second time followed the recipe properly and had no problem.
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed it Mary and that not stirring it helped prevent the dreaded burn notice the second time!
CeeCee says
Would you say this recipe will work in the mini IP if I half the ingredients? I am looking for an easy recipe that will encourage me to actually use the Instant Pot, rather than have it gather dust on the countertop. I cannot believe I am intimidated by a piece of kitchen equipment lol.
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm not sure how big the mini ones are but this fits nicely with room to spare in a 6 quart, so if your mini is around 3 quarts then halving it should be fine. You shouldn't need to adjust the cooking times.
And don't put off using your IP. They are so great! I use mine every day for something. Start simply and try cooking rice in it. You'll never go back to stove top. No more worrying about it boiling over or drying up. 1 cup of rice to 1.5 cups water. White rice press the rice button and let it go. Brown rice is 20 minutes at high pressure. For both leave to release the pressure naturally. It comes out perfectly every time. I use it for cooking all of my grains and oatmeal etc.
CeeCee says
Thank you! I’m so annoyed at myself that I find the IP so scary ? I have added a bag of white rice to the shopping list and will give it a try tomorrow.
Tom says
I got the burn notice after the instant pot heated up for 15 minutes (before it reached temp). I scraped/deglazed at the water stage very thoroughly. I'm guessing that it needs more water or oil.
jordi says
Am I the only person who got the dreaded "burn" problem 3 TIMES? I am familiar with this issue in the past and made sure nothing was stuck to the bottom and even took the pot out of the base for a few minutes before setting the manual timer. I'm just going to let it simmer for a bit and hope that it cooks enough.
Gin Perdide says
Outstanding dish. Perfect blend of spices.
Brenda says
Excellent flavour. Thank you for such am awesome recipe. Our family prefers to eat dahl with naan bread.
Courtney says
I made this dish tonight for the second time. This time around, wanting to watch my fat intake, I subbed the coconut milk with a can of plum tomatoes and added a half teaspoon of coconut extract. It was incredible.
Melanie McDonald says
That's good to know! I'm really pleased you are enjoying the recipe!
Nan says
Absoutely *loved* this recipe. We didn't have canned coconut milk on hand but we did have coconut flakes, so we made our own. (Nice, because I like super light cocnut milk.) I loved that the dal wasn't very thick. I used to have Indian housemates and they always made theirs like this (or even thinner!)
Melanie McDonald says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed it and thanks so much for stopping by to leave feedback. It's much appreciated!
Steph says
It came out tasting pretty good but is it supposed to be so soupy? I thought it would be a bit thicker, next time I try it I'll definitely reduce the amount of water used. I would prefer it have a little density at least. Also, what does it mean to "allow the pressure to release naturally." I took it to mean not venting the instant pot when it was done, but it never lost pressure that way. After a half an hour I just vented it anyway.
Melanie McDonald says
It isn't as thick as a traditional stove top cooked dal, because that wouldn't work in the Instant Pot. Anything that is too thick, especially lentil-y things that get really thick with less liquid would make the "burn" error come up on the Instant Pot display and it would not come to pressure properly. Recipes like this have to be a little thinner. I tested this recipe thoroughly and any less liquid and you risk that happening. Once it's finished, if you wanted to thicken it up, you could remove the lid, set it to sauté, and let the excess liquid evaporate off, stirring occasionally to stop it sticking. With regard the "allow the pressure to release naturally", that means you don't release the pressure yourself. You allow it to release on its own. During that time it is still cooking gently and would also be thickening up a little. The pressure will release on its own if you leave it. The time it takes varies depending on what you are cooking and how full the Instant Pot is. Sometimes the little silver thingy, gets stuck and if you touch it gently with your finger it pops right down. That might have happened with yours, but usually for me with this recipe it does take around 30 minutes.
Keith Harvey says
I've noticed, in online videos, that Indians often prepare masoor da(h)l, i.e. spiced red lentils, with a consistency rather nearer to thick soup than something you can pile onto a plate. Westerners can find this surprising. The Instant Pot's results seem to be closer to an authentic 'thickness', remembering that the lentil mixture will often be poured over white Basmati rice as a kind of vegetarian sauce. There is, as we all know, a lot of nutritional advantage to be had from mixing pulses and grains.
Diana says
We were vacationing with the family. We make most of our food because it is easier being vegans. Our kitchen was, however, very primitive and our ingredients scarce. As I was trying to figure out how to feed the hungry crowd a nice dinner this recipe came up in my e-mail. As I read over the ingredients I saw the we had JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING on the list or could easily find it in the country we were in. I made it for dinner that night, with just a few subtractions, and EVERYONE LOVED IT!!!! Thank you so much for such a fun and delicious surprise for our family. I earned some GREAT points!
Carrie D says
This is one of my all time faves! The whole family "loved" it..... even my super picky teens. Thank you.... Thank you.... Thank you for a healthy family meal that made everyone smile!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thanks so much Carrie. I'm really pleased you all enjoyed it!
Madison Johnson says
My first attempt at using my new instant pot and oh my was this delicious! It makes A LOT, I would say more like 8-10 servings if serving with rice or anything else but leftovers are nice to have. I got the burn warning even though I followed advice to avoid, but I just reset the cook time and it fixed itself. I used light coconut milk to be careful with extra calories but it was still amazing! :)
Colleen says
Soooo deliious! Mel's done it again. This dish is so quick and easy to make and tastes fantastic. We had it over brown rice and both loved it. My husband went back for thirds! This will go into our regular rotation.
A Virtual Vegan says
Yay!! I'm so pleased you both enjoyed it. It's one of my husband's favourites so I end up making it a lot, and yes, so easy, especially with the Instant Pot. Thanks Colleen!