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These Sweet Potato Lentils in the Instant Pot couldn’t be easier to throw together for dinner, but they’re chock full of unique flavor! THM E
- Sweet + spiced.
- Easily made vegetarian.
- Allergy friendly.
- Easy on the budget.
- A delicious THM E meal.
What could be better? 😉
I wouldn’t say that these Sweet Potato Lentils are overtly authentic Indian cuisine, but they were inspired by ingredients often found in Indian cooking.
The inspiration for this recipe
This Sweet Potato Lentils recipe was inspired by some of Ryan’s memories of when he was in college and living with a family who was into healthy eating. He told me tales of “sweet potato lentils with raisins” that piqued my interest. I made a version called “Sweet Potato Chana Dal Curry” – found on page 154 of Convenient Food – but this Sweet Potato Lentils recipe is a bit different.
- It uses regular lentils instead of chana dal. Lentils are easier to source and lower in carbs.
- It’s made in the Instant Pot instead of the slow cooker.
- Some of the spices are different as well. I think this version is a bit more balanced.
Where can I find lentils?
You can find lentils with the dried beans at Walmart or your local grocery store. I just used Great Value brand when testing this recipe.
What if I don’t have an Instant Pot?
I’m sure you could also make this recipe in the slow cooker. Just cook until everything is tender! If you try this I’d love to hear how it goes in the comments on this post!
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Black Bean Stew recipe
Sweet Potato Lentils
- Total Time: 33 minutes
- Yield: 5-6 servings
Description
These Sweet Potato Lentils in the Instant Pot couldn’t be easier to throw together for dinner, but they’re chock full of unique flavor! THM E
Ingredients
- 1 pound (500g) sweet potatoes (skin on, cubed)
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (chopped, optional)
- 1/4 cup raisins (optional but delicious)
- 1 ounce (28g) fresh ginger (peeled and chopped – 2 tablespoons chopped)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (or two large garlic cloves, minced)
- 1 1/2 cups dry lentils
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 1/2 teaspoons mild yellow curry powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon THM Super Sweet Blend
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- Dash of cayenne pepper (to taste)
Instructions
Dump everything into a 3 quart Instant Pot. (You could probably use a larger size too. Definitely use a larger size if multiplying the recipe.) Dissolve the chicken bouillon in the water before adding both to the pot. Stir everything to combine.
Set the Instant Pot to “Sealing” mode. Pressure cook on the standard setting for 18 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally. You can make this ahead and just use the Keep Warm setting until serving if you like. Stir before serving.
Use low fat sour cream or yogurt + fresh chopped cilantro for garnish.
Notes
I’m sure you could also make this recipe in the slow cooker. Just cook until everything is tender! If you try this I’d love to hear how it goes in the comments on this post!
Use your favorite vegetable bouillon for a vegetarian option.
Allergy info: gluten free, egg free, dairy free, nut free – use allergy friendly ingredients, use an allergy friendly chicken bouillon or use 4 cups of chicken stock in place of the water and chicken bouillon
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 18 mins
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: THM E, low fat
Do you use brown lentils or red? I have some red lentils but recently learned they cook softer than brown lentils.
I think these were brown lentils.
Don’t have an instanpot. Gonna cook on stove top Is that okay
That will probably work but you may need to add more liquid.
Can’t wait to try this recipe. I have a question, though-Do you use the typical chicken boillion powder or is this a recipe of yours?
I use Better than Bouillon chicken bouillon found at Walmart or grocery stores. It’s a high quality paste style bouillon.
Have you frozen any leftovers? I’m the only THM’er in our house, and my husband is not very adventuresome when it comes to new things. 🙂 Looks yummy!
No, I haven’t, but that should work.
Just made this today in our crock pot – it turned out great! I put it on HIGH for about 3 hours, then on low for another hour or so. It probably didn’t need quite that long on HIGH – just depends on your crockpot. 🙂
I left the lid off for a bit to steam off some of the access moisture. It tasted fabulous and was well enjoyed!
Thanks Briana for another awesome recipe! (that is approved by most everyone) 😉 😁
I have made this 3 times!!!
Love, love, LOVE it!!! Thank you so much for creating a rich and wholesome dish that is a bit different than the “usual” This dish will be in my monthly rotation. I just bought plenty of extra lentils and have my sweet potato slips starting.
Looking forward to making this tonight!! Just a quick question. Is the cilantro called for in the recipe , supposed to go in the instant pot or is that the cilantro topping you mention at the end?
The cilantro listed in the ingredients goes in the IP with everything else, and then you can add more on top for garnish at the end if you like. 🙂
I doubled this recipe so we could have it 2 nights in a row but used red skinned potatoes for the additional pound. It turned out great and everyone loved it! Served it over brown rice for family and quinoa for me. Also added in a stick of butter after I took out my portion to make it an XO for them.
Glad you were able to tweak it for your needs!
Made tonight for my family and even though I wasn’t expecting everyone to like it, it was a hit! I will definitely double it next time. Thank you!
Yay! That is so awesome to hear!
Sounds good. May give it a try soon. Thanks Briana. Blessings to you and yours. Carol in NYS.
I made this tonight in a Ninja. It turned out great! The whole family really liked it! Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe!
That’s great to hear, Kimberly! Thanks for trying it!
This sounds yummy. Can’t wait to try. I have a Instant Pot. So far I have made yogurt, applesauce and chili. It is a convenient way to cook. Happy that you are creating recipes for it. Love your pictures of your little one in the kitchen. When my son was a toddler he liked to play with all the measuring cups and spoons.
Oh yes, Hadassah LOVES the measuring spoons!
Awesome! THM just had a podcast on the importance of methylation. Lentils are so good for this purpose!
Perfect timing then! Completely unintentional. 😛 But I love lentils!
Sounds amazing, Briana! I think I’ll make it this weekend. I love Indian food!
Yay! I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!