Master the art of making perfect Instant Pot Lemon Pickle with this family-famous recipe. This no-sunlight method delivers a sweet, spicy, and tangy instant Nimbu ka Achar in minutes. Includes a crucial pro tip for removing seeds and preventing bitterness! Enjoy it with Indian curries, dal, rice, and so much more.
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About This Recipe
This recipe is a tribute to my father-in-law's legendary lemon pickle-a family treasure passed down from his grandmother. It's the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors!
While his traditional method required the pickle to be sun-cured for several days, I've simplified the process. My Instant Pot version delivers that same authentic flavor in a fraction of the time-no sunlight required!
What is Lemon Pickle?
Lemon pickle is an Indian-spiced preserved lemon recipe made by combining lemons with aromatic Indian spices and sweetening them with sugar or jaggery.
In the north, it is popularly known as Nimbu ka Achar (neem-boo-kaa-uchh-aar), where nimbu refers to 'lemon', and achar refers to 'relish'.
Lemon pickle has a unique taste that combines the tartness of lemons and mustard seeds with a subtle heat from chili powder and a sweetness from sugar. The bitterness of fenugreek seeds cuts through the sourness, and salt ties all the flavors together.
Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
It takes just a handful of ingredients to make this Sweet and Spicy Nimbu ka Achar Instant Pot. Here's what you need:
- Lemons: Pick bright, firm lemons with a slight give. This indicates the ideal ripeness for this recipe. Try to pick fruits of similar size for even cooking.
- Whole Spices: We're using a combination of brown mustard (rye), fennel (saunf), and fenugreek (methi) seeds, toasting and grinding them into a fine powder. These provide nutty and earthy flavors to the achar.
- Ground Spices: In addition to the whole spices, we'll use salt and Kashmiri chili powder to add flavor and subtle heat. Adjust the amount of red chili to suit your taste. If unsure of the spice level, start with half the quantity.
- Brown Sugar: This is what balances the tartness of the lemons and gives this sweet-spicy achar its iconic taste. Jaggery is a great substitute.
- Oil: Just a little bit of olive, or any clear oil is what we need to bring this pickle together.
Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Lemon Pickle
Here's an easy Instant Pot Lemon Pickle recipe with detailed step-by-step photos:
- Pressure cook lemons: Add water to the steel insert of your Instant Pot and place a trivet in it. Add lemons to any oven-safe bowl and place that on top of the trivet. Pressure-cook the lemons for 15 minutes under high pressure.
- Dry-roast and grind the spices: While the lemons are cooking, roast the whole spices. To do that, add mustard, fennel, and fenugreek seeds to a microwave-safe plate, and microwave in 30-second increments for 2-3 minutes, stirring in between.
- Grind spices: Cool for 5-10 minutes, then grind to a fine powder using a spice or coffee grinder.
- Cut lemons: Wait for the pressure to release naturally, then open the lid. Cut the lemons in half or quarters, depending on your preference. Remove all the seeds and discard them.
- Saute and Cook: Turn the Instant Pot on sauté mode. Heat oil and add the reserved mustard seeds. When mustard begins to splutter, add lemons, salt, sugar, and red chili powder. Stir well.
- Thicken: Continue to sauté for 4-5 minutes till the juices reduce to a jam-like consistency. Turn off the Instant Pot. Cool the pickle and transfer it to an airtight container.
Serving Suggestions
This Indian lemon pickle is the perfect accompaniment to Indian dal, rice, and paratha. Here are some of my favorite pairings for this nimbu ka achar:
- Dal Tadka and Spinach Rice
- Spinach Dal and Paratha
- Paratha and Ginger Tea or Masala Chai
- Rajma and Steamed Rice
How to Store
For the best flavor, refrigerate the lemon pickle for 5-7 days before using it. This allows the flavors to blend well.
When stored in a clean, airtight glass jar, it will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
Recipe Tips & Notes
Here are some tips and tricks to make the best khatta meetha nimbu achar in a pressure cooker (sweet and spicy lemon pickle):
- Lemons: Pick lemons of the same size for even cooking.
- Spices: While toasting, watch the spices carefully so they don't burn.
- Sugar: You can substitute brown sugar with jaggery powder to make this achar with unrefined sugar.
- Sweetness: Adjust the sugar quantity after sauteing. If the achar tastes too tart, add another tablespoon or two more of brown sugar.
- Spiciness: Add another teaspoon of Kashmiri red chili powder to give this pickle a kick.
- Avoid bitterness: After pressure-cooking the lemons, remove all the seeds, then sauté them.
- Storage: Always store pickles in a clean, dry glass container with an airtight lid to prolong shelf life.
Frequently Asked Questions & Troubleshooting
The most common cause of bitterness in lemon pickle is the seeds. When seeds are cooked or sautéed with the spices, they release a sharp, bitter oil that can ruin the flavor. To prevent this, remove all seeds from the lemons after the initial pressure cooking, but before adding your spices and sugar.
If your pickle tastes slightly bitter, you can balance the flavor by adding a bit more sugar or jaggery. If the bitterness is intense, let the pickle "mature" in the refrigerator for an additional week; the bitterness often mellows as the peels soften further and absorb the syrup.
Yes! Meyer lemons are excellent for Instant Pot pickles because they have thinner skins and are naturally sweeter. In my kitchen tests, I found Meyer lemons need 1 minute less of sautéing because of their thinner skins. Since these lemons are sweeter than regular ones, you may want to reduce a tablespoon of sugar to maintain the perfect sweet-and-tangy balance.
If the syrup looks watery, use the Sauté function for an extra 2-3 minutes after pressure cooking. The syrup will continue to thicken as it cools, so stop sautéing once it reaches a stringy consistency.
Because this recipe uses a pressure cooker to quickly break down the peels, it is ready to eat almost immediately. When stored in a clean, airtight glass jar, it will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
Yes. Cooking helps tenderize the peel, making it edible. Salt, spices, and sugar cut the rind's bitterness and infuse it with a pleasant flavor.
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📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Lemon Pickle (No Sunlight Required)
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Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 medium lemons
Roasting Spice mix- (see instructions on how to roast and grind)
- 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Fennel Seeds
For Tempering
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder (or ¼-1/2 teaspoon cayenne)
- 6 tablespoons Brown Sugar
Instructions
- Wash and dry 6 lemons. Add water to the steel insert of your Instant pot and place a trivet in that. Add lemons to any oven-safe bowl and place it on top of the trivet. Pressure-cook the lemons for 15 minutes at high pressure.
- In the meantime, roast the spice blend for grinding. Add mustard, fennel, and fenugreek seeds to a microwave-safe plate, and microwave in 30-second increments for 2-3 minutes, stirring in between. Cool for 5-10 minutes, then grind to a fine powder using a spice or coffee grinder.
- Wait for the pressure to release naturally, then open the lid once the pin drops. Cut the lemons in half or quarters depending on your preference. Remove all the seeds and discard them.
- Turn the Instant Pot on sauté mode. Heat oil and add the reserved mustard seeds. When mustard begins to splutter, add lemons, salt, sugar, and red chili powder. Stir well.
- Continue to sauté for 4-5 minutes till the juices reduce to a jam-like consistency. Turn off the Instant Pot. Cool the pickle and transfer it to an airtight container.
Notes
- Lemons: Pick lemons of the same size for even cooking.
- Spices: While toasting, watch the spices carefully so they don't burn.
- Sugar: You can substitute brown sugar with jaggery powder to make this achar with unrefined sugar.
- Sweetness: Adjust the sugar quantity after sauteing. If the achar tastes too tart, add another tablespoon or two more of brown sugar.
- Spiciness: Add another teaspoon of Kashmiri red chili powder to give this pickle a kick.
- Avoid bitterness: After pressure-cooking the lemons, remove all the seeds, then sauté them.
- Storage: Always store pickles in a clean, dry glass container with an airtight lid to prolong shelf life.
Sheela says
Loved this recipe......made it 3 times because every time I made it I did not get a chance to taste it !! Friends & relatives loved it very much ! Thankfully my tree is full of lemons & I make this pickle once in a month !!!...👍🏼👌🏼❤️
Aneesha Gupta says
That's so awesome! I'm so glad you enjoy this recipe!
Devi Pillai says
Excellent recipe ! I make this all the time. I do not pre cook the lemons. I use large jucy lemons , I cut them and seed them, then add to sautéed spices and cook the whole thing in one shot in the instapot. 5/6 minutes max. Comes out moist and tangy. Skin intact and perfect .
Cooking lemons before and that too for 15 mnts is too much, will make it too mushy.
Aneesha Gupta says
I'm so glad you enjoy this recipe and customize it to your liking! It's one of my favorite pickles.
Sue says
Hi tried this recipe and it turned out great but in the recipe it does not clearly say when to add the roasted spices, but I did see it in the picture . Might be useful for people not used to Indian cooking..
Aneesha Gupta says
Hi Sue, I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for pointing it out, I'll make the necessary edits to clarify!
Shirley says
I made these pickles three days ago. They are delicious. Not at all bitter. I will definitely use this recipe again. Thanks much!
Aneesha says
That's wonderful, Shirley! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Adriana says
Hi. Can I bottle this hot for a longer shelf life and not refrigerate?
Aneesha says
Hi Adriana, I'm afraid you'll have to refrigerate it.
Glen says
Dumb question- but I couldn't tell from the description or the video, if you drain the water from the IP along with the lemons, before adding the oil and frying the mustard seeds. It didn't *look* like there was water in the video, but it wasn't explicitly mentioned. I drained it, since I expected a lot of splashy mess adding oil to water on a high heat! My finished lemons are in a jar in the fridge, awaiting the Big Reveal next week or so. 🙂 Can't wait!
Aneesha says
Hi Glen, pretty valid question, I'll add clarity to that step in the recipe. I hope you're enjoying the pickle.
Parthenia says
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about expansive soil.
Regards
Liz says
Next time I will use less chili and perhaps Meyer lemons, but otherwise this recipe is a lovely flavor combination. I am sure it will mellow a bit in the fridge, too.
Aneesha says
Hi Liz, I'm so glad you liked it. And yes, it mellows down as it sits. I would recommend leaving it in the refrigerator for a week, for best results.
Shreemayee says
Hi Aneesha!
I will be making this in a pressure cooker. How long do I have to cook it for? Or how many whistles..?
Aneesha says
Hi Shreemayee, I haven't made it in a traditional PC yet, but I would guess 1 whistle, reduce heat to medium, cook for 15 minutes. I would love to hear how it turns out.
Sanjeev Srivastav says
Made it yesterday, and it came out well! The lemons I used were these monster 6-inch ones we got off a friend's tree, and they have a very thick (half-inch) skin. That brought a bit of a bitter taste, but I like that too.
Aneesha says
Hi Sanjeev, thank you, I'm glad it turned out well. You are right about the thick skin causing the bitterness. It will tone down after about a week. Enjoy!
Anita Gupta says
Much too bitter for me. I did not like the end taste/result. I will go back to a more traditional recipe.
Aneesha says
Hi Anita, sorry you didn't enjoy it. But the bitterness could also be due to any seeds left in the lemons or the taste of lemons. Did you try using these lemons in other recipes?
Vidya Pradhan says
Hi, thanks for the recipe. I too felt that the cooking time could have been reduced a bit. And the fenugreek seeds are quite bitter and can be reduced a little. But it is a super easy recipe and I can't wait to see what it's like after a few days.
Aneesha says
Hi Vidya, The end texture is a personal preference. You can cook it a few minutes less next time. I made it similar to my father-in-law's recipe in which the lemons have a jam-like consistency. As for fenugreek seeds, their taste dulls down in a few days. But if you still find them bitter, feel free to skip them next time. Methi seeds do have a subtle bitter aftertaste. I hope you enjoy it after a few days.
Aiman says
Can this be made with regular lemons instead of Meyer ones?
Aneesha | Spice Cravings says
Hi Aiman, Absolutely! I've used Meyer lemons a couple of times, but mostly use regular lemons. The latest version with jaggery was with regular lemons. Hope you try and love it!
Bobby says
Just tried to make some and it didn't turn out well. The 15mins on high seem too long, so I did 10 mins and even then my meyer lemons are more mushier than I like. Somehow the sauce is also bitter. Tried to improvise my adding more brown sugar. Next time probably I will skip the instapot and just stir fry sliced lemons in the spices, sauce etc.
aneeshasg says
Hi Bobby, Sorry to hear that it didn't turn out well for you. I make this pickle on a regular basis and the only time I had a slight bitterness to the sauce, was when I left the seeds in before sautéing - was that the case with you by any chance? Another reason for bitterness could be that the peel wasn't cooked enough. Most citrus will turn to mush if you pressure cook it, but that is what gives this pickle a jam-like consistency. Would love to hear how your experience is with the stir-fry method.
Bobby says
Turned out my lemons were off or something. Took some juice from left over lemon and it had bitter taste. After 3-4 days in the fridge, the skin that I had thought was too mushy seems perfect. Wife is loving it.i am going to try again with fresh batch of Meyer lemons.
aneeshasg says
Oh that is so good to hear! I am so glad that it worked out for you! Thanks for the update- appreciate it 🙂