Instant Pot Lentils with Tamarind Sauce

5 from 3 votes

Easy vegan Instant Pot lentils with tamarind sauce recipe has tangy-sweet barbecue flavor and no added oil. Stovetop instructions included.

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Total Time55

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Vegan

Servings:

Calories: 298kcal

Set the Instant Pot to Saute. Once it beeps to indicate that it’s hot, add the cumin seeds. Stir the seeds constantly and toast them for 30 seconds.
Immediately stir in the onions and cook them for 3-4 minutes until they start to soften and get translucent. Add a few tablespoons of water if they start to stick.
Stir in the garlic, ginger, garam masala, cayenne pepper, salt, tomato paste, maple syrup, and tamarind paste. Mix them with the onions and cumin. Saute for about 30 seconds.
Turn the Instant Pot off. Add the vegetable broth and use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to clear the bottom of the pot.
Add the lentils and cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes with 15 minutes of natural pressure release (NPR).
Stir the tamarind lentils and serve hot.

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven to medium heat.
Add cumin seeds. Stir them for 30 seconds to toast.
Stir in the diced onions. Then add the garlic, ginger, spices, tomato paste, and tamarind paste. Mix well.
Increase the vegetable broth to 4 ½ cups of vegetable broth and add the lentils.
Cover the pot, reduce to low heat, and simmer the lentils until they are tender (25-30 minutes).
Stir the lentils a few times and add more water or broth as needed.

15 minutes are included in the cooking time for the Instant Pot to heat. Cooking time can vary.
This recipe is best with green or brown lentils. Substitutes include black lentils or split mung beans (moong dal).
If you use tamarind concentrate rather than tamarind paste, start with half the amount (1 tablespoon). Pomegranate molasses is the best substitute for tamarind. Refer to the post for more information.
We recommend green or brown lentils because they hold their shape after being cooked. You can also use black lentils or French (Puy) lentils. If you use red lentils, the resulting texture will be creamier and more soup-like (but still plenty good).
Store cooked lentils with tamarind sauce in an airtight container. It keeps in the refrigerator for 5 days. You can also freeze it for 3 months.
To reheat tamarind lentils on the stove, add a little broth or water. Reheat over low heat and stir them a few times to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pan. You can also reheat in the microwave on the reheat setting. Cover individual servings with a paper towel or lid to keep splatter to a minimum.