Instant Pot Lentils

These Instant Pot Lentils are a Moroccan stew made with hearty vegetables and warming spices! It is comfort food at its best, requires no soaking, and only takes 15 minutes to cook! It's dairy-free, gluten-free, low-carb (but not keto), vegan, vegetarian, high-protein, and freezer-friendly, making one of those budget-friendly easy dinner meals for busy weeknights or healthy meal preps for lunch. 

Love comfort food for any corner of the world? Me too! 

Especially the ones you can easily prepare at home for a fraction of the price you'd pay at a restaurant. 

Why You'll Love These Instant Pot Lentils

• Easy to prepare at home: No soaking, no sautéeing, and minimum chopping.
• Quick cooking: It only takes 12-15 minutes to cook in the Instant Pot.
• Comforting: The recipe calls for hearty veggies and warm spices that you may already have in your pantry. 
• Healthy: Lentils are a high-fiber pulse that is also rich in plant-based protein. The veggies add additional fiber and vitamins to our stew and some of the spices have anti-inflammatory properties (ginger, cinnamon, garlic, cayenne, black pepper, and cloves). You can add turmeric to this stew too!
• Perfect for meal prepping: You can prepare ahead and either freeze it for later or portion out for lunches and refrigerate!
• Budget-friendly: Meats are usually the most costly ingredients in stews. However, they're not the only source of affordable protein. Lentils make a great substitute and you can prepare them easily for meatless Mondays for example.   

Moroccan Lentil Stew Recipe

This plant-based stew is not authentically Moroccan but it combines common ingredients and the warm flavors of the great Moroccan cuisine which is heavily vegetable, spice, and grain-based.

Lentils (among couscous, chickpeas, and fava beans) are a staple. For these Instant Pot lentils, adapted from Sweet Peas and Saffron's, you can use either green or brown lentils, but not red or yellow lentils because they can become mushy. 

However, if you prefer to make it quickly on the stovetop, use canned lentils instead. Just make sure to rinse and drain them!

Our recipe calls for typical Morrocan spices such as cumin, black pepper, paprika, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves -- and you can add turmeric if you want.

As for veggies, we used whatever we had at home: onions and tomatoes which are present in Moroccan cuisine, and others 2 that are not so common, celery and sweet potatoes. But you can easily swap them for zucchini or eggplant, and pumpkin or potatoes respectively to make it more authentic.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To prepare this Instant Pot lentil stew, you'll need: 

• 1 cup whole brown lentils, uncooked (or green lentils but not red lentils because it'd alter the cooking time and liquid ratio)
• 15 oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes (juices included)
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 small white onion, small diced (or yellow onion)
• 2 stalks celery, chopped (For a more authentic dish swap for zucchini or eggplant, about ¾ cup)
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes. Or about 4 cups chopped sweet potatoes. You may replace it with pumpkin. Discover how to cut and peel pumpkin, or potatoes for a more savory stew)
• 1 teaspoon salt (or adjusted according to your taste) 
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (you may use sweet or hot paprika if you prefer) -- If you have it at home, also add about ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric to this stew) 
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne (or use harissa; or omit for non-spicy version)
• ½ tablespoon maple syrup (for a non-vegan recipe, replace it with honey)
• 2 cups vegetable stock (chicken broth for a non-vegan version) -- For a more saucy stew, add about an extra ½ to ¾ cup of broth. 

To add after cooking:

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2-3 tablespoons chopped parsley (or cilantro)

How to Cook Lentils in the Instant Pot

1. Combine all the ingredients into the stainless steel bowl of a 6 or 8-qt Instant Pot (except the lemon juice and parsley). 

2. Put the lid on and turn the valve to 'sealing'. Cook on high pressure for 12-15 minutes, depending on if you prefer your lentils to be firmer (al dente) or softer (almost falling apart or creamy lentils). TIP: If your IP has a button for stews, press that button and manually adjust the time setting to 12 or 15 minutes.

3. Allow the Instant Pot to naturally release its pressure for 8-10 minutes before manually releasing the remaining pressure. Remove the lid, and gently stir in the lemon juice and parsley.  

Serve it with khobz (similar to pita bread) and/or basmati rice, couscous, or quinoa.

Tips for Making Lentils in the Instant Pot

• Lentils: Yellow and red lentils have a different cooking time and liquid ratio than brown and green lentils.  They also tend to disintegrate more easily, especially when cooked in a pressure cooker. You'd wind up with a mushy mess! So for this Instant Pot Lentils recipe, make sure to use either brown or green lentils only.
• Vegetables: We used carrots and onion which are common in Moroccan cuisine plus celery that you can easily swap for eggplant or zucchini. In addition, we used sweet potatoes, but you may use pumpkin or potatoes to make this stew. Sweet potatoes and pumpkin add more of a sweet flavor to the stew as well as thickness and body. However, if you prefer something more savory, you may use potatoes.
• Spices: We used some very common spices in Moroccan cuisine and you can also add turmeric to it. They add depth of flavor and warmth to this stew recipe!
• Maple syrup: For gives a mild sweet touch to the recipe because the combo of sweet and savory flavors is quite common in this cuisine. However, honey would be more common there yet would make this recipe not vegan anymore. 
• Cook time: Aim for 12-15 minutes depending on how 'al dente' or soft you want your lentils to be.  
• To make this stew quickly on the stovetop, use rinsed canned lentils instead. If using, uncooked lentils, you'd have to soak them for 30 minutes first and then cook them for 25-35 minutes on the stovetop.
• To assemble as a Freezer Instant Pot Meal: Place all the ingredients (except the lemon and parsley) in a heavy-duty freezer bag or airtight container. Then, freeze for up to 3 months, thaw completely in the fridge, and cook as indicated in the recipe. 

What to serve with

Grains and bread make the best sides for this Instant Pot lentil stew. Here are a few options:

• Grains:  Basmati rice, jasmine rice, quinoa, or couscous.
• Bread: Naan , pita, or khobz. 
• As a wrap or taco: You can serve these Moroccan lentils as a filling for a wrap, burrito, or tacos. 

NOTE: You may assemble your meal prep lunch box with our Instant Pot lentils and serve it some days with bread and others with rice, couscous, or quinoa to not get bored eating the same.    

FAQS

What is a Moroccan spice mix made of?

Considered one of the best spice blends in the world, Moroccan Seasoning (Rass El Hanout) is a blend of 35 ground spices that include cumin, coriander, paprika,  turmeric, allspice, cloves, ginger, peppercorn, chili, cardamom, fenugreek, nutmeg, cinnamon, among others.

What vegetables are used in Morocco?

They use a variety of vegetables but some of the most common ones are eggplant, pumpkins and tomatoes (fruits used as veggies), potatoes, onion, carrots, zucchini, cauliflower, cabbage, and turnips. 

What main plant-based protein sources are present in Morrocan cooking? 

Some of the main plant-based protein present in Morrocan cooking are lentils, chickpeas, and fava beans.

Can I use red or yellow lentils to make Instant Pot Lentils?

No! Not all types of lentils are suitable to cook in the Instant Pot as a stew. Yellow and red lentils require a different liquid ratio and cooking time than brown and green lentils. In addition, they can easily disintegrate in the Instant Pot turning mushy. 

Is this lentil stew vegan?

Yes! All the ingredients are vegan and you may have them already in your pantry and fridge: brown or green lentils, vegetables, spices, lemon, maple syrup, and parsley.    

How to Store

• Fridge: Store cool leftovers in an airtight container or portion them out into 2-cup meal prep containers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Place them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
• Reheating: Reheat your Instant Pot lentils in a microwave-safe bowl, covered, until hot.

Other Lentil Recipes

• Beef lentil soup recipe
• Vegan lentil burrito
• Lentil mushroom burgers

 PIN AND ENJOY!

The post was first published on May 29, 2017. It was initially an Indian lentil curry and I updated the recipe to become a Morrocan lentil stew in the Instant Pot.