Lentils are such a perfect food for vegetarians or vegans or just about anyone! Learning to cook with lentils is essential if you are a plant-based eater. These Instant Pot Turmeric Lentils make it super easy to have a yummy bowl of lentils ready to go in under an hour. So many wholesome ingredients in this recipe and oh so delicious!
Why Are Lentils So Awesome?
- easy to prepare
- high in fiber
- high in protein
- inexpensive
- vegan
- gluten free
- help prevent heart disease when eaten regularly
- high in magnesium and iron
- gives you energy for work outs, busy days, any days!
- helps stabilize blood sugar, doesn’t cause glucose spikes after eating
- need more reasons to eat lentils? read this: Why Lentils Are Awesome
Tara’s Tips for Perfect Instant Pot Turmeric Lentils
- This is a perfect recipe to make ahead of time and stored in the freezer in individual glass containers.
- Don’t like spinach? Leave it out. These lentils are perfect with or without the spinach.
- In the recipe instructions, I mention using a mixture of green and red lentils. These are easy to find in most grocery stores with the other dried beans or in an Indian grocery store. If you can’t find both colors, just use double of whatever color you have available.
- The spices + seeds I mention can all be found at an Indian grocery store.
- To cut down on the prep time, I whirl the onions through an electric chopper (you can use a food processor) for a few seconds to get them finely chopped without a lot of time or effort. You can do the same with the tomato unless you like bigger chunks of tomato in your lentils.
- Fresh or frozen spinach both work. If you are using fresh spinach, you will need to chop it. If using frozen, buy the pre-chopped spinach.
Love Indian Food? Me Too!
Head over here for more recipes: My Vegetarian Family Incredibly Indian Recipes
Instant Pot Turmeric Lentils
September 20, 2019
: 8 servings
Lentils + Indian spices + Instant pot! Wholesome, vegan, gluten free, easy!
Ingredients
- 1 cup Whole Green Lentils
- 1 cup Whole Red (Crimson) Lentils
- 6 cups water
- 2 tsp avocado oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 cups onions (chopped small or shredded)
- 2 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
- 1 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp red chili pepper powder (plus more to taste)
- 1 cup chopped tomato
- 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
Directions
- Step 1 Combine red and green lentils in mesh strainer (ok to use one color or the other if that is what you have, just be sure they are whole and not split lentils). Rinse lentils under cool water and set aside.
- Step 2 Set Instant Pot to ‘saute’. Add oil and once hot add mustard seeds and cumin seeds, heat until the mustard seeds begin to sizzle and pop.
- Step 3 Add onion and stir. Sprinkle onion with one tsp salt to prevent burning and cook for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Do not brown or burn the onions. Add 1/4 cup water as needed during the 5 minutes to prevent sticking and burning, stir frequently.
- Step 4 Add rinsed lentils and 6 cups water, stir.
- Step 5 Add turmeric, red pepper powder, and other tsp of salt, stir until combined.
- Step 6 Press ‘cancel’ on Instant Pot.
- Step 7 Place cover on Instant Pot.
- Step 8 Press ‘manual’ on Instant Pot, turn cover valve to ‘seal’, and adjust timer to 30 minutes. When timer beeps, allow steam to release naturally (takes about 15 minutes). Carefully remove lid and stir.
- Step 9 Test salt and spice level. Add more salt if you desire for more salty flavor and more red pepper for more spice. Once adjusted, add tomato and spinach, cover, let stand 5 minutes before serving.
- Step 10 Serve with Basmati Rice or Roti. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.
- Step 11 Refrigerate in airtight glass container for 7 days or in the freezer for up to 90 days.
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