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My Instant Pot Lentil Soup is So Good!
This Instant Pot lentil soup was one of the first things I made when I got my Instant Pot. Because it’s basically an electric pressure cooker, the Instant Pot cooks lentils and concentrate’s the flavor quickly (and so much faster than it’d take on the stovetop).
I like that this soup relies on canned tomatoes, dried spices, and just a few basic veggies, making it the kind of recipe I can make even if I haven’t been to the grocery store all week.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Olive oil: You can use avocado oil if that’s what you have.
- Onion, carrots, and celery: I like to use a white or yellow onion for this, sometimes I use a sweet onion to mix up the flavor.
- Garlic: I prefer the flavor of fresh, minced garlic, but you could also use a teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Green lentils: I would not substitute a different color/type of lentil here. Green lentils are able to stand up in the pressure cooker, whereas red lentils will just turn to mush.
- Canned diced tomatoes: If you like the smokey taste of fire roasted tomatoes I highly recommend them in this.
- Cumin, paprika, dried thyme, salt, and pepper: These are go-to seasonings for this soup, but feel free to experiment (keeping the total amount of spices the same). I think curry powder, coriander, or a little crushed red pepper would work well.
- Vegetable broth: Go for low sodium to control the salt, or better yet make your veggie stock. You can also use chicken stock if you want.
- Lemon: You’ll squeeze the juice from half of a lemon into the soup. I like to slice the other half into wedges and serve it alongside the soup!
Popular Additions
- Add more protein. Sometimes I like to stir in 1–2 cups of shredded chicken or 1 can (15 oz) of drained chickpeas after the soup finishes cooking. Let it sit for a few minutes to warm through.
- Up the amount of vegetables. Toss in 2 cups chopped fresh kale or spinach right before serving so it wilts into the soup. You can also add 1 cup of frozen peas after releasing the pressure and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Make it creamy. Swap 1 cup of vegetable broth with coconut milk or heavy cream for a creamier, version.
How to Make Instant Pot Lentil Soup
My Best Instant Pot Lentil Soup Tips
- Use small or large green lentils. The size doesn’t matter here because they cook very similarly. But make sure not to use red lentils, which will have a very different consistency.
- Rinse the lentils first. This is to just make sure any debris or dust is gone before cooking them! I like to use a fine mesh strainer for this.
- Watch the vegetables closely when sautéing. In my experience, they can burn quickly! I would stand close by and stir them often.
- Be careful when venting the Instant Pot. Depending on what model you have, your Instant Pot might feature a pressure release switch or a valve you have the manually poke at with a spoon or spatula for the steam to vent. If it’s the latter, be careful and stand back! The steam comes out quickly and liquid can sputter out.
What to Serve
Recipe Help & Common Questions
Kept in an airtight container in the fridge, the soup will keep for 4-5 days. To reheat it, you can do so in a saucepan on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally to make sure it heats evenly.
You can also freeze the soup! Stored in an airtight container, the soup will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. I recommend thawing it in the fridge overnight before reheating.
If this happens, I would turn the Instant Pot’s sauté setting back on and allow it to boil until the liquid evaporates more.
Lentils absorb a lot of liquid as they cook. If your soup is too thick, just stir in ½ to 1 cup of extra broth or water until you reach your desired consistency.
This can happen if the lentils are old or if the Instant Pot didn’t fully come to pressure. Try sealing the lid again and cooking on high pressure for 5 more minutes, then let the pressure release naturally.
More Easy Instant Pot Recipes:
- Instant Pot Spaghetti & Meatballs
- Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
- Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Instant Pot Butter Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Instant Pot Beef & Broccoli
- Vegetable Beef Soup Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Vegan Lentil Chili
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Vegan Broccoli Soup
If you try this Instant Pot Lentil Soup recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
Instant Pot Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 3 carrots sliced
- 3 celery stalks sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup dry green lentils rinsed and drained
- 2 (15-ounce) canned diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- ½ lemon juiced
- Fresh parsley chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to the Instant pot, and set to ‘Sauté’.
- Once the oil is shimmering, add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onions are soft and translucent.
- Add the lentils to the pot, along with the diced tomatoes (with their juice), cumin, paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Pour in the vegetable broth. Stir everything together, making sure the lentils are fully submerged.
- Hit ‘cancel’ on the Instant Pot to stop the saute function. Then close the lid of the Instant Pot and set the valve to the sealing position.
- Select the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” setting and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
- When the cooking time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally for about 15 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.
- Open the lid and stir in lemon juice.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with freshly chopped parsley.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
