Instant Pot Lentil Soup is an easy, healthy recipe for lentil soup made in the electric pressure cooker. Can be made vegetarian/vegan.
Lentils are a favorite at our house. They are inexpensive, hearty, and healthy.
They are a great way to stretch meat, but they're also delicious all on their own in everything from soups to sauce.
This Instant Pot Lentil Soup is easy to make, and the few simple ingredients in the soup pack a lot of flavor.
This soup can also be made with vegetable broth, which makes it a great Meatless Monday dinner.
How to make Instant Pot lentil soup
Add the onion, carrots, and celery into the hot inner pot. Cook, stirring regularly, until the vegetables have softened.
Add the garlic, seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir in to combine.
Stir in the lentils and broth.
Add the tomato paste but don't stir in. Seal and cook.
Release remaining pressure and uncover. Stir in fresh spinach.
Tips
- Vegetarian/Vegan: To make this soup vegetarian/vegan, simply use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.
- Lentils: You can use green lentils in place of the brown lentils in this recipe.
- Veggies: Feel free to add more veggies if you prefer.
- Balsamic vinegar: The balsamic vinegar adds a bit of sweetness and acidity to the soup (helps to brighten up the soup). If you prefer, you can use another type of vinegar (like red wine).
Recipes that go well with this soup
This soup goes well with a loaf of crusty no knead bread or garlic herb no knead bread. It also goes well with multigrain bread or with 60 Minute Dinner Rolls.
More Instant Pot recipes!
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Instant Pot Lentil Soup
Equipment
- Instant Pot/electric pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup diced white or yellow onion
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup dried brown lentils rinsed and picked over
- 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Press SAUTE.
- When hot, add the oil.
- Stir in the onion, carrots, and celery.
- Cook, stirring continuously, until the vegetables have softened, about 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, and pepper, and stir in.
- Press CANCEL.
- Stir in the broth and lentils.
- Add the tomato paste on top but do not stir in.
- Close and lock the lid.
- Turn the pressure release valve to SEALING.
- Press the MANUAL button and adjust the time to 25 minutes on high pressure.
- It will take about 10 minutes to come up to pressure before the cooking time begins.
- Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes.
- Turn the pressure release valve to VENTING to release any remaining pressure.
- Unlock and remove the lid.
- Stir the soup.
- Add the fresh spinach leaves, and stir to combine.
- Drizzle the soup with a little balsamic vinegar before serving.
Notes
- Lentils: You can use green lentils in place of the brown lentils in this recipe.
- Veggies: Feel free to add more veggies if you prefer.
- Broth: Use vegetable broth to keep the soup vegetarian/vegan.
- Balsamic vinegar: The balsamic vinegar adds a bit of sweetness and acidity to the soup (helps to brighten up the soup). If you prefer, you can use another type of vinegar (like red wine).
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Juan
Tried this a few times and it's always great and very filling. Thank you!
Kate
Thank you so much!
Amanda Guiseppi
Just made this recipe. Used my own homemade bone broth for extra flavor depth. It was so delicious! definitely will make it again.
Kate
Thank you! I'm so glad that you liked it!
Maria Solakofski
Proportions and timing suggestions were perfect. I doubled the recipe and had French blue lentils on hand. I added extra olive oil and some lemon juice at the end. I also added some preboiled dandelion greens we had picked the day before from our garden- Chopped finely when serving. So thick and flavourful, lentils were perfectly cooked.
Kate
Thank you so much!