• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Nourished Kitchen

  • Philosophy
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Shop
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Start Here
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Start Here
    • Recipes
    • Cookbooks
    • Shop
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    » Home » Recipes » Bean and Lentil Recipes » Easiest Red Lentil Dal (Instant Pot)

    Easiest Red Lentil Dal (Instant Pot)

    Posted: Sep 7, 2018 · Updated: Jul 8, 2019 by Jenny McGruther · This site earns income from ads, affiliate links, and sponsorships.

    Spiced with Madras curry, this red lentil soup takes only six minutes in the Instant Pot. Serve it with yogurt, and fresh cilantro.

    Easiest Instant Pot Red Lentil Dal

    Red lentils sit in a gallon-sized glass jar in my cupboard.  Fragile and thin, they cook in the blink of an eye, melting into a delightful puree.  One of our favorite ways to use them is in classic masoor dal.  You can serve it over rice, or with flatbread, but sometimes I enjoy just sipping dal on its own, flavored with yogurt and fresh cilantro.

    The blessing of this red lentil dal is that it comes together in nearly an instant.  And when you're pressured after a long day at the office, or sandwiched between errands, it's nice to toss all the ingredients together in the pressure cooker, and have a nourishing meal that's ready in only a few minutes.

    Making Red Lentil Dal in the Pressure Cooker

    Dal is traditionally prepared by toasting spices, and simmering lentils slowly until they soften and break down.  That slow simmering helps infuse lentils with the rich and robust flavors of spices like coriander, cumin, ginger, fenugreek, fennel, chiles and black pepper. A pressure cooker cuts that time down to just a few minutes, and a swirl of Madras curry sauce, which blends grass-fed ghee with spices, gives this almost instant version all the flavor and richness of a traditional, slowly simmered dal.

    Rate this Recipe
    4 from 1 vote
    8 servings

    Easy Instant Pot Red Lentil Dal

    Spiced with Madras curry, this red lentil dal takes only six minutes in the Instant Pot.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time6 mins
    Total Time11 mins
    Print Save RecipeSaved! Click to Remove Ads

    Ingredients

    • 1 medium yellow onion
    • 2 cups red lentils
    • 2 teaspoons finely ground real salt
    • 6 cups bone broth
    • 3 tablespoons Madras curry sauce
    • yogurt to serve
    • chopped cilantro to serve

    Instructions

    • Place the onion, red lentils, chicken broth, salt and Madras curry into your pressure cooker. Pressure cook for six minutes, and then allow the pressure to release naturally. 
    • Puree with an immersion blender, and then serve warm with additional curry sauce.
    Rate this recipe!If you loved this recipe, give it a rating. Let us know what works, what didn't and whether you made any adjustments that can help other cooks.

    Curry in a Hurry

    Not only is this Red Lentil Dal take only a few minutes in the pressure cooker, and a prepared Madras curry sauce makes it even faster.  It's a exquisitely robust simmering sauce made with grass-fed ghee, olive oil, turmeric, ginger and other spices.

    Click Here to Order

    Favorite Lentil Recipes

    Description for this block. Use this space for describing your block. Any text will do. Description for this block. You can use this space for describing your block. Description for this block. Use this space for describing your block. Any text will do. Description for this block. You can use this space for describing your block.

    Lentils are pulses, and like all pulses, they’re both inexpensive and filling.  They’re also fairly nutrient-dense, rich in micronutrients like folate and thiamin, various minerals and dietary fiber.

    Curried Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk blends lentils and yellow split peas with coriander, cumin and fenugreek as well as a spoonful of coconut milk.

    Smoky Sprouted Lentil Soup with Andouille and Turkey is perfect for fall, both hearty and deeply satisfying with a delicate smoky flavor.

    Lentil Stew with Winter Vegetables and Mustard Greens marries root vegetables like parsnips and carrots with French lentils, broth and mustard greens for a soothing, simple soup.

    Red Lentil Masala with Spinach is an easy, vegetarian, soup that couples red lentils with cumin, ginger, garam masala, tomato and cilantro.

    « No-Drip Raspberry Popsicles
    Frozen Yogurt Bars »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Aditi says

      July 02, 2019 at 9:33 am

      4 stars
      So this is really close to what my mom makes, except I left out the chicken broth and used water. Maybe it would be better if I used some vegetable stock instead. (I'm a vegetarian). I thought it was really good though.

      Reply
    2. Heidi says

      May 22, 2019 at 7:26 pm

      How many cups of chicken broth in the recipe (Easy Instant Pot Red Lentil Dal)? It's missing from the list!
      Thank you!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Reader Favorites

    • Wild Mushroom Pâté
    • Rose Water
    • How to Make CBD Oil
    • Easy Sourdough Starter
    • Bone Broth
    • Easy Fermented Hot Sauce

    In Season Now

    • Brussels Sprout Slaw
    • Wild Mushroom Risotto
    • Einkorn Apple Cake
    • Pomegranate Spritzer

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Explore

    • Nourishing Recipes
    • Broth Recipes
    • Fermented Vegetables
    • Fermented Drinks
    • Cultured Dairy
    • Herbal Remedies
    • Sourdough

    Seasonal Cooking

    • Soup Recipes
    • Stew Recipes
    • Winter Vegetable Recipes
    • Winter Fruit Recipes

    Connect

    • About
    • Cooking Club
    • FAQ
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram

    Privacy Policy + Disclaimer + Terms and Conditions + Affiliate Disclosure + Copyright Notice + Accessibility

    Copyright © 2023 Nourished Media LLC. All rights reserved.