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“Dindi” instant pot lentil stew

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Delicious and hearty recipe for instant pot lentils. Lentils are cooked to perfection in a coconut-based broth for a quick weeknight gourmet stew with a Caribbean flair.

lentil stew in white bowl

The song Dindi has been covered by many different artists. It refers to a farm in Brazil the original artist used to visit with friends and family. I don't have a farm yet, but every time I harvest vegetables from my gardens like the swiss chard in this recipe I think about my future farm that will be used for family gatherings. This recipe literally was born out of me thinking of different ways to use the big leafy greens from my raised beds.

Lentil Stew Ingredients

The flavor really comes from the combination of spices with aromatics like onions, garlic, and coconut milk. The spices include: cumin, paprika, coriander, curry, and turmeric.

ingredients for lentil stew

How To Make Lentil Stew In An Instant Pot

Step 1: Sauté the vegetables

Turn the instant pot "Saute" settings to "Normal." Once the display says "Hot" add oil and once heated add onions and saute 2 minutes before adding the garlic, celery, and carrots cooking for another 2 minutes. I like to add half the spices hear for added depth of flavor.

vegetables sauteing in pan

Step 2: Add the lentils

Toast the lentils along with the vegetables for about 30 seconds stirring a few times. This will add additional flavor.

vegetables cooking in pan

Step 3: Add the liquids

After a good saute, add the stock, coconut milk, and remaining spices.

sauce cooking in pot

Step 4: finish the stew

If using greens add to the pot. Mix well and then close the lid. Cover and pressure cook 15 minutes then allow pressure to release naturally for another 15 minutes.

swiss chard in pot

Serving Suggestions

This is normally a main dish one-pot meal for us. However, if you want you can serve with cornbread plus a few green sides like any of the following:

Asparagus with Harissa

Korean Spinach

Roasted Broccoli with Garlic

Expert Cooking Tips

  • Buy the freshest lentils you can find. Older lentils take longer to cook and will shed their skins during cooking. Though this doesn’t impact taste directly, it does make for highly unattractive/unappetizing lentils
  • Check for pebbles before cooking. It’s worth it to sift or check for mini-pebbles when prepping lentils. It doesn’t happen often, but there is always a chance a loose pebble makes it into your bag/container. 
  • For more detailed advice for cooking lentils try my previous post and recipe for perfectly cooked lentils.
  • Serve these lentil as a side with jerk chicken, stewed chicken, or air fryer salmon.

lentil stew in white bowl

What Is The Best Type of Lentil for Instant Pot cooking?

Variety/type of lentil really does matter. Lentils come in different colors including yellow, green, brown, orange, and red. Each cooks differently making them ideal for different types of dishes. Green and brown which are most common tend to cook more quickly and evenly so are less likely to get mushy.

Yellow, orange, and red lentils break down more during cooking than the others. Cook them too long or too fast and they quickly become mushy. Definitely go with green or brown lentils for this recipe unless you prefer a more mushy consistency.

For other similar recipes you might like, try these:

Instant Pot Green Beans

Instant Pot Collard Greens with Brisket

Instant Pot Ham and Beans

Instant Pot Short Ribs

Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice

Curried Collard Greens

Cauliflower Curry

Creamy Couscous 

Black Rice Salad

If you make these tasty instant pot lentils or any other from the site, please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback. Definitely take a photo of the dish and be sure to tag #foodfidelity so that I can see them.

You can also keep up with my food exploits as well as original recipes! You can find me on InstagramFacebookTwitter, and Pinterest. If you like any of the music you find on the site, visit me at Spotify to find curated monthly playlists.

lentil stew in white bowl

Instant Pot Lentil Stew

Quick and easy recipe for lentil stew
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Natural Pressure Release: 15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Caribbean
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 556kcal
Author: Marwin Brown

Equipment

  • instant pot

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cup lentils green or brown
  • 1 medium red onion diced
  • 2 celery ribs diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
  • ½ tablespoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon coriander
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 12 oz canned diced tomatoes
  • 12 oz canned coconut milk
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 5-6 large Swiss chard or kale leaves de-stemmed and roughly chopped (optional)

Instructions

  • Turn the instant pot “saute” settings on “normal.” Once display reads “hot” add oil, heat the oil and then add onions and saute onions until soft 2-3 minutes.
  • Add carrots, celery, garlic, ⅓ of the spices including the thyme. Saute another 2 minutes.
  • Add lentils and another ⅓ of the spices and toast 30 seconds
  • Add tomatoes, coconut milk, broth, bay leaf, chard (optional) and last of spices. Mix ingredients well. Pressure cook at 15 minutes then use natural release 15 minutes.

Notes

  • Buy the freshest lentils you can find. Older lentils take longer to cook and will shed their skins during cooking. Though this doesn’t impact taste directly, it does make for highly unattractive/unappetizing lentils
  • Check for pebbles before cooking. It’s worth it to sift or check for mini-pebbles when prepping lentils. It doesn’t happen often, but there is always a chance a loose pebble makes it into your bag/container.
  • For more detailed advice for cooking lentils try my previous post and recipe for perfectly cooked lentils.

Nutrition

Calories: 556kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Sodium: 751mg | Potassium: 1668mg | Fiber: 28g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 9332IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 11mg
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Recipe Rating




Heidy

Monday 24th of October 2022

I loved these instant pot lentils! So much faster and easier. The instructions were on point and easy to follow!

Ksenia

Sunday 23rd of October 2022

I make lentil stew on the stovetop all the time, but this was my first time making it in the instant pot - and it definitely won’t be my last! It tasted juicy and was so easy to do.

Ann

Sunday 23rd of October 2022

This was the first time I have cooked with lentils before, and it turned out great! Might be my new favorite thing!

Jacqueline Debono

Sunday 23rd of October 2022

I very often serve lentils as a side dish with chicken or lamb. But usually follow a French recipe. However, I love the idea of the coconut milk and spices in this version. I can just imagine how good it tastes! Pinned for later!

amy liu dong

Friday 21st of October 2022

It is so delicious and easy. This is perfect to pair with your favorite bread. Thanks for the recipe!