This Vegan Baked Potato with Barbecue Lentils recipe is an exclusive from Richa Hingle’s Vegan Richa’s Instant Pot Cookbook: 150 Plant-based Recipes from Indian Cuisine and Beyond. Click here to find out where you can order your copy.
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These baked potatoes are stuffed with a hearty barbecue lentil mixture and dressed with sriracha mayonnaise. The potatoes and the lentil mixture cook together, so once everything is in the pot, all you have to do is rest!
VEGAN BAKED POTATO WITH BARBECUE LENTILS (MAKES 4 SERVINGS)
POTATOES
- 3 large or 4 to 5 medium-size russet potatoes (about 1-½ pounds [680 g])
- 1-½ cups (355 ml) water
- 1 tablespoon melted vegan butter, or safflower or sunflower oil
BARBECUE LENTIL MUSHROOM FILLING
- ½ medium-size red onion, finely chopped (about ¾ cup [120 g])
- 4 ounces (115 g) mushrooms (white, cremini, or a combination), thinly sliced (about 1¼ cups)
- 1 medium-size carrot, finely chopped or shredded (½ cup [60 g])
- ½ cup (60 ml) vegan barbecue sauce
- ½ cup (120 ml) water
- ¼ cup (50 g) dried split red lentils
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 2 teaspoons)
- 1 tablespoon Barbecue Spice Blend (see the recipe below or use an equivalent amount of any store-bought BBQ spice mix)
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar or sweetener (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
SRIRACHA MAYONNAISE
- ¼ cup (55 g) vegan mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons sriracha, or less based on heat preference
FOR SERVING
- Chopped fresh parsley, cilantro, or chives
- Red pepper flakes
For the potatoes, scrub the potatoes well, then poke holes in them with a fork or knife. Put the water in the inner pot, set the steamer rack inside, and put the potatoes on the rack.
For the filling, in a stainless-steel container that fits your Instant Pot, combine the onion, mushrooms, carrot, barbecue sauce, water, lentils, garlic, Barbecue Spice Blend, sugar if using, and salt. Stir to mix well.
Place the container on top of the potatoes. Cover with foil or a lid. Lock the lid into place, set the Pressure Release Knob to Sealing, select the Pressure Cook/Manual setting at high pressure, and set the cooking time to 17 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally, then open the lid.
Remove the pan with the lentils and stir to mix. The mixture will continue to thicken as it sits. Taste for seasoning, adjusting if needed.
For the sriracha mayonnaise, stir together the mayonnaise and sriracha in a small dish, adding a bit of water, if needed, so it will be easy to drizzle.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle but still warm, slice open. Brush the melted vegan butter on the cut potatoes and fill them with the barbecue lentil mixture.
Drizzle with the sriracha mayonnaise, garnish with parsley and red pepper flakes, and serve warm.
VARIATIONS
- Soy-free: Use soy-free barbecue sauce or make my Barbecue Sauce (page 40).
- This recipe also works well with sweet potatoes instead of potatoes.
- To make the barbecue lentil filling separately: Double or triple the ingredient quantities, using ¾ cup (175 ml) of water for a double batch and 1 cup (240 ml) of water for a triple batch. Preheat the Instant Pot by selecting the Sauté setting. Heat oil in the preheated pot for a few seconds, then add the onion and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, carrot, seasoning, sugar, and salt and mix well. Select the Cancel setting. Add the barbecue sauce and water, and sprinkle the lentils on top. Lock the lid into place, set the Pressure Release Knob to Sealing, select the Pressure Cook/Manual setting at high pressure, and set the cooking time to 10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then carefully set the Pressure Release Knob from Sealing to Venting to release any remaining pressure, then open the lid. These lentils can be served with sandwiches, in lettuce cups, or as a part of a bowl with slaw.
BONUS: BARBECUE SPICE BLEND
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika or a combination of sweet and smoked (or 2 teaspoons paprika, ½ to 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder, and ½ teaspoon chipotle chile powder)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or parsley (or ½ teaspoon of each)
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon cumin/ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon celery seeds (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (optional)
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt (optional)
Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir until well blended. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Vegan Baked Potato with Barbecue Lentils from Vegan Richa’s Instant Pot Cookbook
Ingredients
- POTATOES
- 3 large or 4 to 5 medium-size russet potatoes - about 1-½ pounds [680 g]
- 1-½ cups 355 ml water
- 1 tablespoon melted vegan butter - or safflower or sunflower oil
- BARBECUE LENTIL MUSHROOM FILLING
- ½ medium-size red onion - finely chopped (about ¾ cup [120 g])
- 4 ounces 115 g mushrooms (white, cremini, or a combination), thinly sliced (about 1¼ cups)
- 1 medium-size carrot - finely chopped or shredded (½ cup [60 g])
- ½ cup 60 ml vegan barbecue sauce
- ½ cup 120 ml water
- ¼ cup 50 g dried split red lentils
- 4 garlic cloves - finely chopped (about 2 teaspoons)
- 1 tablespoon Barbecue Spice Blend - see the recipe below or use an equivalent amount of any store-bought BBQ spice mix
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar or sweetener - optional
- ¼ teaspoon salt - or more to taste
- SRIRACHA MAYONNAISE
- ¼ cup 55 g vegan mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons sriracha - or less based on heat preference
- FOR SERVING
- Chopped fresh parsley - cilantro, or chives
- Red pepper flakes
- BARBECUE SPICE BLEND
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika or a combination of sweet and smoked - or 2 teaspoons paprika, ½ to 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder, and ½ teaspoon chipotle chile powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or parsley - or ½ teaspoon of each
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon cumin/ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon celery seeds - optional
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper - optional
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper - optional
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt - optional
Instructions
- For the potatoes, scrub the potatoes well, then poke holes in them with a fork or knife. Put the water in the inner pot, set the steamer rack inside, and put the potatoes on the rack.
- If you're making your own Barbecue Spice Blend, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir until well blended. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
- For the filling, in a stainless-steel container that fits your Instant Pot, combine the onion, mushrooms, carrot, barbecue sauce, water, lentils, garlic, Barbecue Spice Blend, and sugar if using, and salt. Stir to mix well.
- Place the container on top of the potatoes. Cover with foil or a lid. Lock the lid into place, set the Pressure Release Knob to Sealing, select the Pressure Cook/Manual setting at high pressure, and set the cooking time to 17 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally, then open the lid. Remove the pan with the lentils and stir to mix. The mixture will continue to thicken as it sits. Taste for seasoning, adjusting if needed.
- For the sriracha mayonnaise, stir together the mayonnaise and sriracha in a small dish, adding a bit of water, if needed, so it will be easy to drizzle.
- When the potatoes are cool enough to handle but still warm, slice open. Brush the melted vegan butter on the cut potatoes and fill them with the barbecue lentil mixture. Drizzle with the sriracha mayonnaise, garnish with parsley and red pepper flakes and serve warm.
- VARIATIONS
- Soy-free: Use soy-free barbecue sauce or make my Barbecue Sauce (page 40).
- This recipe also works well with sweet potatoes instead of potatoes.
- To make the barbecue lentil filling separately: Double or triple the ingredient quantities, using ¾ cup (175 ml) of water for a double batch and 1 cup (240 ml) of water for a triple batch. Preheat the Instant Pot by selecting the Sauté setting. Heat oil in the preheated pot for a few seconds, then add the onion and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, carrot, seasoning, sugar, and salt and mix well. Select the Cancel setting. Add the barbecue sauce and water, and sprinkle the lentils on top. Lock the lid into place, set the Pressure Release Knob to Sealing, select the Pressure Cook/Manual setting at high pressure, and set the cooking time to 10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then carefully set the Pressure Release Knob from Sealing to Venting to release any remaining pressure, then open the lid. These lentils can be served with sandwiches, in lettuce cups, or as a part of a bowl with slaw.
Nutrition
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Published with permission from Richa Hingle’s Vegan Richa’s Instant Pot Cookbook: 150 Plant-based Recipes from Indian Cuisine and Beyond.
Click here to order your copy.
About the Author
About the Book
With 150 recipes from a range of global cuisines, this cookbook has everything from breakfasts to desserts to my favorite regional Indian dishes. Inside you’ll find flavorful recipes like Crunch Wraps, Peanut Noodles, and Bolognese, inventive use of the pot to make recipes like Chickpea Tofu. You will also find Indian comfort foods like Palak Tofu, Malai Kofta, Keema, and regional favorites like Dhansak, Vegan Avial, and Mango Chutney.
