Try this Instant Pot Lentil Chili recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 48.8375980008792 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 1.66088800012458 g
- Fiber 8.56591994195307 g
- Protein 4.51476200051029 g
- Saturated Fat 0.264803600003354 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (1993g)
- Sodium 3927.41640001102 mg
- Sugar 40.2716780589262 g
- Trans Fat 0.568429400045758 g
- Calories 216 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat your Instant Pot using the saute function.
- When hot, add onion, bell pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables brown and begin to stick to the bottom of the pot around 6 mins.
- Stir in 3 tbsp of broth and continue to cook, stirring until onion is soft and lightly browned.
- Stir in garlic and chili powder.
- Cook 1 min, stirring constantly.
- Add lentils, tomatoes and remaining broth.
- Set pot to Manual for 15 mins.
- Let pot release pressure naturally about 10 mins.
- Add cilantro and salt to taste.
- Enjoy!
Deep brick-red with a thick, clinging sauce that coats the back of a spoon, this pressure-cooked chili smells intensely of toasted chili powder and pungent allium. Lentils are notoriously tricky in electric pressure cookers because they risk turning to mush if the cooking liquid lacks sufficient acidity or if the pressure cycle runs too long. Standard stovetop methods allow monitoring, whereas sealed electric cookers require precise liquid ratios and exact timings to prevent sludge.
Freezing and Reheating Behavior
Legumes absorb moisture continuously during storage, meaning this batch will thicken significantly within 24 hours in the refrigerator and after thawing from the freezer. Portion the cooled chili into airtight containers, leaving one inch of headspace for expansion, and store for up to three months at minus eighteen degrees Celsius. When reheating frozen portions on the stove, add thirty milliliters of water per serving and stir continuously over medium-low heat until the center reaches seventy-four degrees Celsius to prevent scorching on the bottom of the pan.
- If the pot displays a burn warning during the initial saute phase, immediately cancel the program, scrape the bottom thoroughly to release any browned onion solids, and add an extra fifteen milliliters of broth.
- Dry brown or green lentils work best here because they retain a distinct bite, whereas red lentils dissolve entirely into a purée under fifteen minutes of high pressure.
- Substitute canned crushed tomatoes in equal measure if diced tomatoes are unavailable, though the final texture will be smoother.
