If you are picky about how your lentils turn out, I recommend cooking them on the stovetop instead of in an Instant Pot. Here’s why:Some Instant Pots come up to pressure within 5 minutes while others can take as long as 15 minutes. The extra 5- or 10-minute variation in time can mean the difference between al-dente lentils, soft lentils, and mushy lentils.
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time10 minutesmins
Time to build & release pressure20 minutesmins
Total Time35 minutesmins
Servings: 3cups
Author: All recipes on jenniferskitchen.com are property of jennifer's kitchen and cannot be republished without written permission.
Place dry lentils on countertop and sort through them, looking for any debris. Place sorted lentils into a mesh strainer and rinse lentils under cool, running water until water runs clear. Drain
Place lentils and water or broth in an Instant Pot.
Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. (It takes several minutes for the Instant Pot to pressurize before cooking begins).Allow pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure. Carefully remove lid once steam has fully escaped and strain off any excess cooking liquid.
Notes
1. Some recipes will tell you that lentils can be cooked in less time, but longer cooking time makes lentils easier to digest and makes the nutrients in the lentils (like calcium, iron, and zinc) more available to the body. Al-dente lentils may look more attractive in a salad, but they aren’t so great for the stomach.2. If you are picky about how your lentils turn out, I recommend cooking them on the stovetop instead of in an Instant Pot. Here’s why:Some Instant Pots come up to pressure within 5 minutes while others can take as long as 15 minutes. The extra 5- or 10-minute variation in time can mean the difference between al-dente lentils, soft lentils, and mushy lentils.