Make a big batch of this vegan Red Lentil Dal in your Instant Pot and enjoy it for meatless lunches and dinners the rest of the week. So easy to make!
When I first bought an Instant Pot, my initial cooking goal was to make an amazing red lentil dal. A year and half later, after many batches of Instant Pot Lentil Soup, chicken stew and vegetarian chili, I finally got around to making my first pressure cooker dal recipe.
These Indian spiced lentils, also known as masoor dal, are a breeze to make, particularly with my "cheat" ingredient (store-bought curry paste). The leftovers keep well in the fridge, making them the perfect make-ahead option for quick vegan meals throughout the week. Just add a little extra vegetable broth when reheating.
What is lentil dal?
- Dal, also known as dhal, dahl or daal, refers to both the main ingredient and the dish itself.
- The ingredient is a type of split pea or a certain type of lentil. The dish is a spiced dish that is simmered for a long time until the peas or lentils become very soft.
- There is a huge range of dals, depending on the main ingredient. For example, this version is made of split red lentils, also know as masoor dal. Other examples are urad dal (black lentils), toor dal (pigeon peas) and channa dal (chipckpeas).
- Split red lentils can be found in some grocery stores, in Indian markets and on Amazon (affiliate link).
How to make red lentil dal in an Instant Pot:
- The Instant Pot (affiliate link) and other pressure cookers are ideal for cooking dried pulses of any kind, ranging from split peas to black beans. They cook at high pressure, breaking down and cooking the pulses quickly, often eliminating the need for pre-soaking.
- In this recipe, I set the Instant Pot to the Sauté setting, then cooked some onion, fresh ginger, garlic, spices and curry paste (affiliate) in some ghee or coconut oil.
- Is curry paste necessary for making a dal? Absolutely not. Traditionally, dals are made with a variety of spices. Curry paste is my "cheat" for making this recipe extra speedy to put together.
- Next, the coconut milk and vegetable broth are whisked with curry paste mixture, then the red lentils are added.
- Using the Manual setting, cook the dal at high pressure for 8 minutes. Because of the amount of liquid in this recipe, it will take about 20 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure.
- Release the pressure naturally for 10 minutes, then switch to quick release.
- Serve right away with basmati rice and chutney, if desired. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator. When reheating, you may need to add some additional vegetable broth to loosen up the mixture.
Are red lentils good for you?
- Lentils are little powerhouses of nutrition! One cup of cooked red lentils contains 230 calories. And believe me, one cup will leave you feeling very satisfied.
- Each cup of cooked lentils contains about 18 grams of protein, making them a fantastic option for vegetarian and vegan diets.
- They are rich in fiber, folate, iron and manganese.
How to serve the leftovers:
When made ahead and stored in the refrigerator, the dal will stiffen up. Stir in additional vegetable broth when reheating to re-constitute the dal. I either reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop or in a glass bowl in the microwave.
Other vegan Instant Pot recipes:
Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili {Cookin' Canuck}
Instant Pot Mushroom Soup {Cookin' Canuck}
Instant Pot Quinoa Burrito Bowls {Detoxinista}
Instant Pot Lo Mein {Slap Dash Mom}
If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and tag me at @cookincanuck and I'll be sure to find it.
Red Lentil Dal {Instant Pot}
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon ghee (non-vegan) or coconut oil (vegan)*
- ½ medium yellow onion minced
- 1 tablepoons minced ginger
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup mild curry paste**
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 14 ouncecan lite coconut milk
- 5 cup low sodium vegetable broth
- 2 ½ cups split red lentils masoor dal
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to the Saute setting. Heat the ghee or coconut oil. Add the onion and ginger. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic, curry paste, coriander and cumin, and cook for 1 minute. Turn off the Instant Pot.
- Whisk in the coconut milk and vegetable broth, then stir in the red lentils.
- Put the lid on the Instant Pot, close the steam vent and set to HIGH pressure using the Manual or Pressure Cook setting. Set the time to 8 minutes. It will take about 20 minutes for the Instant Pot to reach pressure.
- Once the time is expired, wait for 10 minutes (natural release), then carefully use the quick release valve to release the remaining pressure.
- Season with salt, to taste.
- Serve or store in the fridge.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on February 27, 2018 and updated on December 2, 2020.
Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Jay
Thanks for the recipe! It made loads, so I’ve portioned it for the freezer and had some with a naan for my lunch
Tiffany
Can you do this in the slow cooker? My instant pot burns anything that has thickness to it.
Jason
I love your recipe but would much rather make my own curry paste than use a store bought one. Do you happen to have a recipe to make the correction paste? I'm guessing I have all the ingredients in my Indian spice many already.
Thank you.
Dara
Unfortunately, I don't have a recipe for curry paste.
Sherry
This is the first recipe I cooked using my new Instant Pot! It came out delicious! It made about 2.5 quarts. I ate it with quinoa and Chinese broccoli and will have it for lunch this week. Thanks for the easy recipe.
Dara
That's so great to hear, Sherry!
Lisa
Can you use curry powder instead of curry paste and would you use the same amount?
Dara
Hi Lisa, curry paste and curry powder are two very different beasts, so I wouldn't sub one for the other. Depending on where you live, curry paste can be sound in the international aisle of many grocery stores or online.
Kathleen W.
Fast and fabulous! The curry paste is a must. I used the Patak Madras style curry paste and the heat level was not too much.
Jackie
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe! I did not have coconut milk to hand so I subbed in plain flax milk I had in the fridge—still turned out very well. Rave reviews all around! As a fellow Canuck living in the states, I am excited to have come across your page! I can’t wait to try your other recipes!!
Anon
Good recipe. Also, ghee isn't vegan, so if you are vegan use oil instead.
Dara
Thank you for catching that! I just made a note in the recipe. 🙂
Natalie Winslow
Cooking lentils and dried beans is one of the reasons I bought an Instant Pot, so I'm so happy I found this recipe. It did not disappoint! Using the curry paste made things really easy. We served it with naan heated up in the oven for a few minutes and scooped up the dal with pieces of the naan.
Katie
Thanks, I'm excited to try this. One question though - usually Instant pot recipes I see with coconut milk add the coconut milk after cooking, as it can curdle and burn. I notice you add it before cooking. Do you find that it matters?
Dara
Hi there, Katie - typically I wouldn't add the coconut milk in until the very end because of the burning issue you mentioned. However, it isn't an issue with this dal because it is cooked for such a short period of time. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Cornelia
I on,y have green lentils in the cabinet. Will I need to add cooking time? Will they work with this recipe?
Dara
Hi Cornelia, I haven't actually tried green lentils in this recipe, but you can make it work. The lentils will have a different flavor and texture, and they take longer to cook. For my Instant Pot Lentil & Sweet Potato soup, I cook the green lentils for 12 minutes on HIGH pressure. However, you may want to add a few minutes to reach a texture more similar to the red lentils in this dal. I hope that helps.
Elizabeth
Looks delicious! What brand of curry paste do you recommend?
Dara
Hi Elizabeth, I like Patak's because that's what my mum has always used. 🙂
Amanda
Such an amazing recipe! I've made this over and over for years now and it's just the best hug in a bowl ever.
Dara
Amanda, I'm thrilled to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Meseidy Rivera
This looks perfect for a cold day. So comforting!
Jennifer Blake
Very different from the recipes I usually make for my family but so beautiful!
gerry speirs
Another reason why I need an Instant Pot 🙂
Jennifer Farley
Lentils are delicious! What a great recipe for the instant pot!
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness
LOVE Dal! Can't wait to try this!
Suzy | The Mediterranean Dish
Mmm I love Indian flavors! So glad to find a new Instamt pot recipe too
Aggie
I saw this today and am craving it..I love Indian food but I haven't tried this dish yet!! I love lentils and have a bag of red ones in the pantry. I may need to try this.
FoodJunkie
This sounds really tasty but I am not sure what you gain by cooking red lentils in the Instant pot? Red lentils cook in 15-20 minutes so the only advantage to the Instant pot is unattended cooking as this may actually take longer to cook using a pressure cooker. Is there something I am missing here?
Dara
Yep, that's exactly it! You're absolutely right that dal can be made quickly and easily on the stovetop, particularly when made with red lentils. However, I love being able to set the Instant Pot and walk away, without having to worry about stirring the lentils during the cooking time. Both are great options!
Tina
This is my favorite dal recipe now. I omitted the oil & sautéed in water. Added 1/4 tsp of fenugreek. The rest I did as written. Delicious & so easy to do in instant pot.