Do you have a bag in your pantry but are not really sure how to cook lentils? Or use them? These are my go-to, tried-and-true ways of cooking green and brown lentils from dry on the stove, in a slow cooker or in an Instant Pot.

A bowl of cooked brown lentils in a bowl, sprinkled with chopped cilantro. A spoon is holding a scoop up the lentils up closer to the camera.

Lentils: the humble little pantry hero I always forget about… until I remember how freaking easy and useful they are. They’ve got this magical ability to step in for meat in everything from soups to sauces—even taco filling (trust me, this one wins over the most diehard meat eaters) When bought dry, they’re cheap, last forever, and make dinner feel doable (even when you’d rather do literally anything else).

They’re part of the legume fam (hey, beans), and come in a handful of varieties. For most of my recipes, I stick with brown or green lentils because they’re easy to find, hold their shape, and can hang with just about any flavor situation. (Try them in this lentil soup, they totally shine.) That’s what we’re focusing on in this little how-to, since these are the ones most of you are likely working with…or at least likely have collecting dust in your pantry.

Let’s cook those lentils together. Just you and me….

Dry brown lentils in a mesh strain over a sink, being rinsed before cooking.
First, let’s give those dry lentils a soli rinse to get ride of any dirt or even rocks (!) that might be hanging with them. Once the lentils are rinsed, then you can pick your cooking method based on what YOU need.
Dry brown lentils in a slow cooker before being cooked, being stirred by a wooden spoon.
You can cook lentils from dry in your slow cooker. I love this for when I want them ready for dinner, but have a busy day ahead. They cook while I’m out living life!
Cooked lentils in the Instant Pot with a wooden spoon stirring them.
Cooking lentils in your Instant Pot is awesome for those SOS meals since they are done in 20ish minutes.
Dry lentils in a sauce pan with water before being cooked. A wooden spoon is stirring them.
And of course you can cook lentils in a good ‘ol pot if you are not a kitchen gadget kind of person. Lentils are super low fuss and even this method only takes 30ish minutes.
Cooked lentils in a glass storage container on a white table
Once cooked, you can enjoy your lentils warm or save those suckers for a quick start to another meal. I let mine cool and pop them into an air tight container and store them in the fridge for about 4 days or even freeze them for up to a month.
5 from 6 votes

How to Cook Lentils on the stove, in a slow cooker or Instant Pot

Yield: 5 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Author: Taesha Butler
Do you have a bag in your pantry but are not really sure how to cook lentils? Or use them? These are my go-to, tried-and-true ways of cooking green and brown lentils from dry on the stove, in a slow cooker or in an Instant Pot.
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Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed
  • water, broth or stock, amount depends on cooking method. See individual method below.
  • seasoning of choice, see some suggested seasonings below

Instructions
 

To cook lentils on the stove top

  • Place rinsed lentils in a large sauce pot and cover with 3 cups of water/broth/stock.
  • Add seasoning of choice.
  • Bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the lentils are tender. If you prefer a softer lentil, extend cook time to 30-35 minutes.
  • Once cook time is up, carefully drain lentils. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
  • Enjoy or let cool and store in fridge for up to 5 days.

To cook lentils in the Instant Pot

  • Place rinsed lentils in Instant Pot and cover with 3 cups of water/broth/stock.
  • Add seasoning of choice.
  • Place lid on your Instant Pot and lock it into place. Make sure the valve on the top is switched to sealing.
  • Cook on HIGH pressure for 9 minutes. It will take your Instant Pot about 10 minutes to get up to pressure.
  • Once cook time is up, carefully quick release the pressure by switching the valve on the top to venting. Remember that this releases hot steam, so keep your hands clear of the vent on to of the valve as you turn it (I like to use tongs sometimes to do this).
  • Check lentils for desired tenderness. If you prefer a softer lentil, turn the Sauté feature on your Instant Pot on and let your lentils simmer until desired consistency is reached.
  • Carefully drain lentils. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
  • Enjoy or let cool and store in fridge for up to 5 days.

To cook lentils in slow cooker

  • Place rinsed lentils in your slow cooker and cover with 4 cups of water/broth/stock. Add any seasonings you might want to use!
  • Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or on LOW for 6-8 hours. Time depends on your individual slow cooker, as not all cook at the same temperature.
  • Once lentils are done cooking, carefully drain lentils. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
  • Enjoy or let cool and store in fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

Add a little flavor to your lentils, if you so please
  • bay leaves
  • cayenne
  • chives
  • cilantro
  • cumin
  • curry
  • dill
  • garlic
  • onion powder
  • parsley
  • pepper
  • Salt (of course!) but add this one after the lentils are done cooking.
  • thyme
Serving: 0.5cup, Calories: 167kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 3mg, Potassium: 452mg, Fiber: 14g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 18IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 26mg, Iron: 4mg
Nutritional information provided here is only an estimate shared for convenience and as a courtesy. Information will vary based on ingredients + brands used to create the recipe.