Need a quick vegetarian dinner? These Instant Pot Lentil Burrito Bowls are ready to eat in about 30 minutes with your favorite toppings!
This recipe combines my two favorite things: Cheap food, and Instant Pot.
Have you ever used lentils before? Up until a couple years ago, I never even knew lentils existed. I guess I wasn’t very adventurous.
Vegetarian meals can be super cheap, though. I mean, I use dried black beans all the time and a 2-pound bag is around $2.50. That huge bag goes a long way, making around 6 cans worth of beans!
Lentils are very much the same. I bought a 1-pound bag at Wal Mart for 98 cents and man, are they easy to cook. They’re much smaller than beans, so they don’t cook as long; but they sure do expand once they’re fully cooked!
I’ve used lentils in Sloppy Joes, Lentil Curry, and now as taco “meat”. Here’s how to cook your lentils and turn them into burrito bowls:
Instant Pot Lentil Burrito Bowls
Start by chopping one onion. Set your Instant Pot to Saute and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Cook the onions, stirring, until translucent.
Add the rest of your ingredients to your Instant Pot, close the lid and set to Sealing, and pressure cook on Manual for 15 minutes.
After the 15 minutes is up, let it sit in a natural release for 10 minutes before carefully pushing the knob to “Venting”.
At this point, the lentils have doubled in size and are ready to eat!
What can you serve with Lentil Burrito Bowls?
I cooked quinoa in my rice cooker and added it to my bowl. You can also use rice or another favorite grain. Then add your favorite burrito toppings- cheese, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes, bell peppers… the possibilities are endless.
If you’re not vegan, you can probably even mix this up with a half pound of ground beef to make the meat stretch. I haven’t tried it, but others have and it saves them money!
Can you make this in a slow cooker?
Yes! Although I haven’t tried it myself yet, I’d recommend cooking these lentils for 6-8 hours on LOW in your slow cooker to make sure they’re fully cooked and not hard. The Sloppy Joes mentioned above cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 3-4, so I imagine this would be similar.
What are your favorite toppings to add to burrito bowls? Leave me a comment and let me know!
Instant Pot Lentil Burrito Bowls
Need a quick vegetarian dinner? These Instant Pot Lentil Burrito Bowls are ready to eat in about 30 minutes with your favorite toppings!
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried lentils, rinsed and free of rocks
- 2 cups vegetable broth (or chicken if not vegan)
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Set your Instant Pot to Saute and add one tablespoon of olive oil. Cook the onions, stirring, until translucent.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Place the lid on and set to "Sealing", then cook on Manual for 15 minutes.
- Once the 15 minutes are complete, let the Instant Pot do a natural release for 10 minutes before carefully pushing the knob to "Venting".
- Add lentils to a bowl and top with your favorite burrito fillings.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 74Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 414mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 4g
This nutrition information has been calculated to the best of my ability. Use your own judgement to adhere to your dietary needs.
Jaime is a Nutrition Coach through the ISSA and professional writer. She has 4 years experience coaching and 9 years experience in writing. She enjoys cooking easy meals, running, and learning more about food.
Jaime specializes in helping women with ADHD learn to meal plan and cook healthier meals without getting overwhelmed.
