This is not a one pot one mush recipe! This is perfectly but separately cooked Lentils and Rice still all in one pot! Pure magic! Instant Pot magic!
You all know how much I love my pressure cooker, but having experimented with cooking two things at the same time but separate but together in one pot……I am in awe! This brings pressure cooking to a whole new level!
Rice And Lentils With The PiP Method
I had heard about the PiP (Pot in Pot) method before but never quite understood what the hype was about. I mean, what’s the point of adding a pot into the inner pot of the pressure cooker and cook in that pot instead of the main pot?
Some said it’s easier for clean-up but I never felt like the stainless steel pot itself was hard to clean at all. Often I would just put it in the dishwasher and be done with it.
Now, I understand why this method is so magical!!
You can cook rice in a smaller pot ON TOP of your stew, or meat, or lentils, or whatever else…..without them getting mixed up! As long as the pot is oven-proof and smaller than your inner pot and placed on a rack you’re good to go.
I have an amazing Instant Pot Chicken and Rice recipe here on Green Healthy Cooking. It’s all mixed up though. I don’t mind much at all to be honest. It gives the rice a ton of flavor. However, it does get a bit mushy.
Cooking rice and lentils together didn’t sound appealing at all. I like my rice grain separated (not mushy) and the soft lentils on the side so I can mix them with every bite.
When you cook rice and lentils together in one pot at the same time you usually end up with a huuuuge mushy dough.
The Best Lentils And Rice Recipe
Let’s just call this what it is: it’s the best Lentils and Rice Recipe!
Why?
- You make it all in one pot.
- Perfectly cooked rice, perfectly cooked lentils.
- 5 minutes of high pressure cooking that’s all it takes.
- Very little clean-up to do.
- Awesome for meal prep and freezer-friendly!
Also, you can give your lentils whatever kind of flavoring you like best. I love to add a Peruvian touch to my stews. I’m aware that not everybody has access to “ají amarillo” but if you do…..GET IT! Add it to your sofrita together with the cilantro paste and make these lentils the most delicious you’ve eaten in your life!
Are Lentils Good For You?
In my opinion lentils are a superfood. They are high in fiber, protein, minerals, and vitamins, while still being low in calories and super satisfying!
Also, they are dirt cheap! They are a great way to reduce meat consumption and stretch both your stews and your grocery budget.
One thing I have to mention though, the highly-discussed topic of soaking vs no soaking…. soak your lentils! You will find a million and one recipes and articles saying it’s not “necessary”. What does that even mean though?
Of course, soaking isn’t “necessary” to get the lentils to cook through. You can definitely cook them to the point where you can easily chew them. However, will you also be able to easily digest them? And that is my #1 concern when cooking lentils or any other legumes.
I go into detail about why soaking is so important in my Instant Pot Beans post if you want to read more about it.
Lentils And Rice Are The Best Meal Prep Meal and Freezer Meal
One thing I absolutely adore about this recipe is that it serves as a fantastic meal prep meal and freezer meal.
The lentils and rice recipe is made so fast you can make it in the morning before going to work, add it to one of those amazing thermos containers and enjoy your hot lunch a couple hours later.
OR, you can store them in a container in your fridge for up to 4 days.
OR, you can add them to a freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to a month. To defrost, just place in the fridge 12 hours prior and then reheat either in the microwave or dump into a pan and stir until hot.
Lentils and Rice
Ingredients
- 9 oz dried green lentils - 250g (soaked 8-12 hours)
- 3.5 oz bacon - 100g (optional, for vegetarian use 1 Tbsp avocado oil)
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp coriander paste or 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- water
- 2 cups white rice - basmati or jasmin
- 2 cups water
- sea salt
- pepper
- 1 bunch Swiss chard
- cilantro
- red chili
- 1-2 tsp ají amarillo (optional) - (Peruvian yellow chili paste)
Instructions
- Soak your lentils in abundant. water on your kitchen counter for 8-12 hours, then drain and rinse well.(If you are a slow chopper, chop onion and bacon before preheating pot)
- Press sauté on the Instant Pot to heat, then slice bacon, peel and chop onion and peel and crush garlic.
- Add bacon to hot instant pot and stir fry until golden, then add chopped onion and garlic and sauté until translucent.
- Add coriander paste (or finely chopped cilantro) and ají amarillo if using, and sauté for a couple of seconds then add a splash of water to deglaze the pot.
- Time to add soaked lentils, sea salt, pepper and cumin and enough water to barely cover all lentils.
- Then place a large stainless steel stacking ring and trivet or a high trivet into the lentils and place an oven-proof ceramic (I used Emile Henry Clay Storage Jar) or glass or stainless steel container on top to add 2 cups rice, salt and 2 cups water to that container.
- Close the lid, turn the valve to sealing position, hit cancel to stop sautée function and then press "manual" (or pressure cook) button and make sure Instant Pot shows "high pressure" cooking and adjust timing to 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, wash, destalk and chop chard.
- Once Instant Pot beeps, leave untouched and wait for full natural pressure release. When the safety pin has dropped on its own, open, remove rice container and trivet and then add chopped chard and give it a quick stir.
- Place lid back on for 3-5 minutes, then serve, store or freeze.
- To serve sprinkle with freshly chopped cilantro and some red chili if desired.
Nutrition
Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce with Bacon
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Frederick says
Looks good and easy, but a little to many carbs for a diabetic.
Lorena Grater says
Yes, this is not a recipe suitable for people on a low carb diet.
Dana says
Wow first time making this lentil recipe. The first time is so delicious. I love all of your recipes, because they are so simple and I am vegan.
Lorena Grater says
This makes me so happy :) Enjoy!
Chantal says
Thank you Lorena for all your great recipes. Everything I have tried comes out perfect. Soaking my lentils as we speak. You are my go to site for everything healthy. Would love to see more grain recipes with wheat berries,farro,bulgur etc.
Lorena says
Chantal, you comment made my day!!! This is my ultimate goes. To become the go-to site for everything healthy. I have little hearts in my eyes. Have you checked out my latest recipes? I’ve made a toooon with farro :) Enter “farro” in the search bar and they’ll all show up. I’m working on more recipes but I try to stick to one topic over a period of time to make things a little easier when creating the content.
B in Toronto says
2 cups of rice plus 2 cups (500ml) water in a 300ml Clay Storage Jar doesn’t seem possible.
Please clarify.
Lorena says
Hi B, mine is of 4.5 cups of volume (over 1-liter volume), I just measured it, so the 2 cups rice and 2 cups water fit perfectly as you can see in the video/photos. Use anything oven-proof that will hold that much rice and water and will fit in your Instant Pot. Doesn’t have to be clay. That’s simply what I used. The 300ml was a mistake. I found the Emile Henry online but smaller and just copied the definition. I was searching for it to know what it’s called. I didn’t know how to call my container. I must have found mine but in a smaller version and I didn’t pay attention. Apologies for that.
Lisa says
I am so interested in getting the ring you set the rack/rice on. Where did you find that?
Lorena says
Lisa, you can find them on amazon with the key words “food ring” or “cooking ring” or “pastry ring”
JO says
9 oz. dry weight?
What would the measure be if I don’t have a scale?
Lorena says
Just measured a cup for you it’s 200g so 250g would be 1 1/4 imperial cups.
JO says
Thank you.
Karin says
Red chili is it a spice?
Lorena says
No Karin, it’s a…um, it’s a pepper? I don’t even know how to describe it, haha. It’s like a small vegetable but very spicy. You find it in the produce section of your grocery store and it’s sold in different colors from different countries. The most famous are probably green jalapeños.
Juyong says
Hello
I want to try this but I don’t have coriander paste. What is it and what can you use instead of coriander paste.
Thanks in advance
Juyong
Lorena says
Hi Juyong, it’s just coriander made into paste. You use pestle and mortar to make your own. You can also easily find it in the refrigerated area of your grocery store’s produce section. It’s sold in tubes. You can also just chop maybe 10 stalks of cilantro super super super finley and just add that.
Sadelina Dowling says
Sounds delicious!
In the US, that tube is called Cilantro Paste and it is sold in the refrigerated section in the produce section.
Jorge says
That PIP method is pretty damn clever! I’ve never actually come across it before. I’m sure it makes this recipe easier to make which is great because I get lazy to do extra steps while cooking. I like this recipe though, i’ll just add a few things like avocado and maybe some jalapenos!
Lorena says
Uhhh, those additions sound amazing!! Will do that, too next time!
Sharon says
What does “NPR” in your recipe header mean?
Lorena says
NPR is Natural Pressure Release. It means once the pot beeps to tell you the pressure cooking time is over you leave the pot untouched and let it release pressure naturally. This can take anywhere from 10-30 minutes depending on the volume inside usually more towards 15 minutes. “Manual Pressure Release” is when you manually move the valve to venting and let the air escape, which will take 1-2 minutes. For this recipe NPR is necessary for perfectly cooked lentils and rice.
Kate says
It sounds very messy, to put the rack IN the lentils so the rack and perhaps bottom of rice pan are covered in lentil dish?
Instead can u put water in base (so water heats up), then a pot full of lentils mix then a rack and a pot on top of that? Thanks!
Christine Ramsey says
Do you use a 6 or 8 quart pot in the receipe
Lorena says
I use a 6 quart but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work in an 8 quart the exact same way.
Careen says
Will brown lentils work instead of green? I purchased Browns in bulk a while back.
Lorena says
Yes! Brown lentils will work, too :)