Set Instant Pot to "saute" and add oil and minced garlic
Once oil heats up, add diced onions and cook until browned
Add protein **(chopped as necessary)** and cook until browned
Add leafy greens **(chopped as necessary)** and cook until wilted
Add canned tomatoes, mixing thoroughly
Add salt, pepper, and other desired spices
Chop tuber into bite sized pieces and add
Rinse lentils/ beans and add
Pour in stock to fill line in Instant Pot
Set Instant Pot to pressure cook and cook until goulash contents are tender
Once done cooking, release pressure in Instant Pot, let cool, and divvy into mason jars
Serve with crusty bread and butter
notes
Starting the garlic in cold oil works better to release flavor without burning.
The meat is optional, and can be replaced with "meaty" alternatives like mushrooms, artichoke hearts, hearts of palm, tofu, etc for a vegetarian option.
Ground meat works best from an ease of cooking perspective, and I've had the most success with ground beef, ground venison, and stew meat.
The "assorted spices" will vary based on the underlying ingredient selection, and I tend to tailor the spice mixture to a specific regional cuisine **(ie. Thai, Indian, Korean, etc)**. Often you can find pre-mixed curry pastes at the grocery store which take most of the guesswork out of it. Regardless of what assortment you choose, proper salting is essential.
For some goulash variations, I substitute canned pumpkin and/or coconut milk. This works especially well for Moroccan or Thai variations respectively.
The type of lentil/ beans you use is mostly personal preference... some tend to hold their shape/ texture better than others, contributing to the viscosity of the resulting product in different ways.
The tuber ingredient can be substituted for other hearty vegetables like cabbage, mushroom, etc.
Rinsing the beans and lentils is important regardless of whether they are dried or canned. In both cases, not rinsing leads to dust and other grime making its way into the dish.
Quantities are amenable to variation depending on what you have available. Less of one thing or another will alter the taste of the dish, but still result in an edible product. Quantities will also depend on the amount of space left in the instant pot and the size of the vegetables you get.
Consistency of the goulash before pressure cooking should be relatively soupy, and it will get thicker upon cooking.
If it seems like you need a little extra liquid, and you're out of stock, I find that adding some wine works well.
Pressure cooking time will vary based on goulash contents. Dried beans and starchier tubers will take longer **(Usually around 30-45 minutes of pressurized cook time)**
This dish is meant as a healthy, filling lunch that satiates hunger during the workday... not as a tasty recipe that leaves you craving more.
Recipe makes 2-3 weeks worth of lunches, and if stored in mason jars, can be frozen and defrosted as necessary, allowing excellent amortization of cooking/ cleaning effort.