How to Cook Lentils in a Rice Cooker

Cooking lentils in a rice cooker is very simple, safe, and time-saving. It is also effortless as you don’t need to watch them cook slowly and stir them constantly.

Like rice, lentils too, turn out perfectly fluffy and tender in a rice cooker with minimal ingredients and the right setting.

Watch how I cook lentils in a rice cooker

To cook lentils in a rice cooker, you just need lentils, salt, and water. I like to keep the flavors minimal so I can use them in different recipes.

Nonetheless, keep scrolling for the flavored variations to see how you can prepare them with more depth in flavor.

This recipe makes 5 cups of cooked lentils. I used brown lentils, however, this recipe works well with black lentils and green or French lentils (Puy).

Do not use red or split lentils, as they take less time to cook. Plus, split lentils are not necessarily to be pre-cooked as they get mushy quickly.

Benefits of lentils

Lentils are high in fiber and packed with macronutrients, minerals, and vitamins. They are also a great plant-based protein and a complex carbohydrate, meaning they bring steady energy throughout your day due to their low glycemic index.

The best part of lentils is their abundance of antioxidant compounds—polyphenols. Polyphenols’ main function is to reduce inflammation in the body, thereby helping to fight the risk of numerous chronic diseases.

In my husband’s family, lentils are typically eaten in the morning and are believed to benefit the human brain due to their Vitamin B and antioxidant benefits. This cultural connotation is backed by this study that found that higher levels of vitamins like folate, B12, and B6 are associated with better brain performance.

Another research conducted among the elderly also shows that a diet involving legumes resulted in better mental performance scores.

I have recently updated my post sharing Persian lentil soup recipe inspired by my mother-in-law, in which I pointed out other potential health benefits.

Tools needed to cook lentils in a rice cooker

• Rice cooker
• Fine-meshed strainer
• Measuring cup—I’m using the rice cooker cup for this measurement, which is equal to 3/4 cup of a normal cup. If you are using the normal measuring cup, reduce the amount of lentils and water by 4 tbsp per cup.

Perfect lentils and water ratio

The lentils-to-liquid ratio to cook perfect lentils in the rice cooker is 1:2. 1 (lentil): 2 (water). Like other grains, dried lentils need to absorb more liquid to puff up and be moist.

Flavoring variation

Due to lentils’ absorbent nature, dried lentils will absorb the liquid and flavor from the water they are cooked in.

So adding good quality homemade stocks expands the lentils’ flavor and nutritional goodness from the liquid. Since this recipe includes salt, I suggest using unsalted stock or omitting the salt from the recipe.

Depending on how concentrated you like your lentil’s flavor, you can choose whether to swap 1 cup of water for a cup of stock to get a subtle taste, or you can swap 2 cups of water for 2 cups of stock to get more flavor.

If you do the former, gently dilute them first.

Stocks choice

• Chicken stock – My go-to choice
• Vegetable stock – Perfect if you are vegan
• Meat stock – Flavor it like Italians
• Bone broth – Nutritious choice!

Additional ingredients to spice the lentils up

Garlic

If you want to level up the savouriness of the lentils in your cooking, adding fresh garlic will never go wrong. Garlic adds a slight fragrance and subtle sharpness to legumes.

The best way to release the garlic aroma throughout the lentils is by crushing them gently with the flat surface of your knife until it cracks and turns flat before adding them to the rice cooker pot.

This garlic is used for flavoring and not for consumption, so once the lentils are cooked, remove them from the pot before portioning them for storage. For this recipe, add two cloves of garlic.

Bay leaf

Many believe that adding bay leaves aids digestion when consuming legumes, reducing bloating, especially for those with a sensitive gut toward the phytic acid in legumes.

Beloved by many chefs, these famous Mediterranean herbs add depth to many foods, typically soup and stew. I like that it gives legumes a subtle minty aroma with a hint of bitterness.

Note that fresh bay leaves bring more flavor than dried ones. To use it in your lentils, gently wipe the leaf with a wet and clean cloth before dropping the leaf in the pot.

For this recipe, add 2 leaves to the mixture, and like garlic, discard the leaves after the lentils are cooked and before packing them in the fridge.

Thyme, rosemary, and sage

Most lentil meals in Mediterranean countries often pair one of these aromatic Mediterranean herbs with the bay leaf. These herbs contain polyphenols, a compound that provides anti-inflammatory benefits.

If you follow a Mediterranean diet and you are like me, who likes to incorporate anti-inflammatory ingredients in the food, you could try adding a sprig of one of these fresh herbs each time you prep the lentils to see which one you like more.

And if you are familiar with the herb’s taste, go ahead and add them all to the pot. I have not tried mixing all of them in 1 pot, but the sky is the limit when it comes to flavoring your food according to your likeness.

How to cook lentils in a rice cooker

1. Scoop lentils in the fine-meshed strainer and run tap water through the lentils to wash them.

Lightly rub the lentils with your fingers and remove any small stones, debris, or strange-colored lentils.

2. Transfer the lentils to a rice cooker pot and add water and salt. If you like a herby twist, this is the right time to add them.

3. Set the rice cooker to cook for 30 minutes. (I set them to boil manually)

4. Once cooked, transfer to a strainer and rinse with tap water (cold) to stop the cooking and wash the starch. (Only rinse when you make this recipe without the additional stocks or herbs, as you would want to retain the flavor on the lentils)

5. Keep it on the strainer to dry and leave it to cool.

Frequently asked question

What to eat cooked lentils with?

• Sprinkle it on your salad.
• Mixed with other legumes.
• Stuffed in bell pepper, sweet potato, or pumpkin.
• Serve it as a healthier replacement for rice or white bread.
• Serve as a side dish with any food as a protein or carb.
• Make this Persian lentil rice inspired by my mother-in-law.

Do you soak the lentils first?

There’s no need to soak lentils before cooking. Dried lentils are tiny, and they don’t need to be in water to soften, plus they won’t take long to cook. Unlike chickpeas, which double in size when soaked, lentils will sprout instead. 

However, soaking lentils before cooking is said to aid digestion. You can soak the lentils for an hour before cooking and reduce the time by 50%. 

How to store lentils?

If you plan to consume the lentils within 3-4 days, you can keep them in the fridge. If you are unsure about consuming them within those days, I suggest freezing them. Frozen lentils can stay in the freezer for months.

Allow the lentils to dry and cool completely before you store them in airtight containers, jars, ziplock bags, or a silicon mold with a cover (to freeze). I suggest spreading them in a large tray so they don’t overlap each other and leaving them at room temperature to dry.

Lentils that are still warm will evaporate and create excess water in the packaging when you store them in the refrigerator. Freezing them warm will create a freezer burn (the crystal around the lentil surface) and result in dehydration, reducing the texture quality.

Portioning your lentils per meal before storing them will help ease your food preparation process and retain their freshness.

How long can you store lentils?

Frozen lentils can be kept in the freezer for up to 6 months. But if you plan to keep them in the refrigerator, consume them within 3-4 days.

Make sure you batch them in smaller portions so you can use the whole pack/container. Avoid thawing and freeze them again several times, as this will affect the texture and the freshness of the lentils.

Do you add oil to the lentils?

Adding oil is unnecessary if you have a good rice cooker pot that doesn’t stick. But if I cook with my pot over a stovetop, I would add a tablespoon or two to avoid the lentils sticking to the pot.

Note that oil will also add more calories to lentils.

🥣 Did you make this recipe? Let me know your thoughts in the comment below.