Lentil brown rice has been my husband’s favorite staple since brown lentils are high in protein, rich in iron and folate, and taste great! He used to bulk cook the lentils and brown rice separately on the stovetop over the weekends and freeze them for the week’s consumption. I am lazier, so when I joined him in America, I started cooking the lentil brown rice in our tiny rice cooker, but eventually started cooking using an instant pot, and I never looked back!
I usually cook the lentil brown rice after making the big batches of washed flour seitan to use the broth that cooked the seitan to cook the brown rice. Since the seitan incorporates some seasoning, the broth that cooks the seitan adds a rich flavor to the lentil brown rice.
I tried A Couple Cooks’ smoky instant pot lentils and rice recipe and loved it; it’s flavorful and wholesome on its own. Mostly, I omit the seasonings for a simpler taste to go with stir-fried dishes or vegan chicken chop rice (one of the South East Asian favorites).
Lentil Brown Rice Recipe Made Easy Using Instant Pot
I mix a ratio of 1:1 for brown rice and brown lentils to pack more protein and nutrients into our meals. Serve the rice with stir-fried vegetables, sweet and sour tofu, vegan seitan chicken chop, or packed meals!
Ingredients
Instructions
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Add broth to inner pot of instant pot
For a richer flavor, use the broth saved from cooking the washed flour seitan.
Ingredients: 5 cups low sodium vegetable broth -
Rinse and drain brown rice
Ingredients: 2½ cups brown rice -
Rinse and drain brown lentils
Ingredients: 2½ cups brown lentils -
Add olive oil
Add rinsed and drained rice and lentils to the pot of broth, and add olive oil.
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil -
Cook lentils and rice in instant pot
Pressure Cook: High pressure
Time: 16 mins
Natural release (let the valve drop on its own)
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Fluff the rice
Use the rice spatula to "slice" through the cooked lentil and rice to fluff the rice. This method minimizes mushing the lentils and rice.
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Freeze and store
Divide the lentil brown rice into food containers and let cool. Freeze and store for up to 3 months. Reheat using a microwave for about 3-4 minutes.
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Serve and enjoy!
The rice is very versatile. Serve it with stir-fried dishes, or as a substitute for other rice. The vegan chicken chop featured here uses the washed flour seitan.
Serving Size 8
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 428kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 4g7%
- Saturated Fat 0.6g3%
- Sodium 246mg11%
- Potassium 159mg5%
- Total Carbohydrate 78.4g27%
- Dietary Fiber 7.7g31%
- Sugars 0.6g
- Protein 18.2g37%
- Calcium 2 mg
- Iron 6 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
