We are always looking for different soup recipes this time of year, and this Instant Pot lentil soup is a hearty and filling dinner for any night of the week!
This is an Instant Pot recipe, but it can easily be made on the stove in a Dutch oven instead of in the Instant Pot. It might take a little longer, but the end result will be just as delicious.
This Instant Pot lentil soup recipe only has a few simple ingredients you probably already have in your house and uses a pressure cooker to help speed up the cooking process! This is one of the best soups to enjoy on busy weeknights because it is filling and easy to make after a long day!
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Instant Pot Lentil Soup Recipe
- What You'll Need to Make Instant Pot Red Lentil Soup
- Lentil Soup Instant Pot Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- How To Make Instant Pot Lentil Soup
- Lentil Soup Instant Pot Serving Suggestions
- How to Store
- FAQs for this Lentil Soup Recipe (Instant Pot)
- More Instant Pot Soup Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
Why You'll Love This Instant Pot Lentil Soup Recipe
- It's an inexpensive dinner! Lentils are super inexpensive making this soup a budget friendly dinner for any night of the week.
- This soup is full of flavor! The Instant Pot gives this soup a long, slow cooked flavor but is made in less than an hour.
- It's a big bowl of comfort! This soup is a big bowl of comfort! It's hearty, smooth, and perfect on the coldest days in winter! It has quickly become my family's favorite soups!
- The Instant Pot cuts down on the cooking time! By pressure cooking the lentils, we are cooking them at a high temperature quickly, so they cook must faster than if you were to make this on the stovetop.
What You'll Need to Make Instant Pot Red Lentil Soup
You only need a few ingredients you can easily find in your local grocery stores!
- Olive Oil. This is what we are going to sauté the veggies in to soften in the soup.
- Veggies. We'll be using onions, carrots, garlic cloves and celery stalks, all chopped into small pieces.
- Seasonings. We all need seasonings in soup! You'll need salt, black pepper, coriander, turmeric, cumin, and black pepper.
- Lentils. You can use almost any type of lentil in this soup. I used green lentils, but brown lentils or red lentils would work too.
- Chopped Tomatoes. This will add a richness to the soup. You can also use a tablespoon of tomato paste instead of chopped tomatoes for the same richness.
- Broth. I like to make homemade instant pot chicken broth whenever I can, but store bought chicken broth is great! Make sure it is low sodium so you don't overpower the soup with salt.
See printable recipe card for full recipe information on ingredients and quantities.
Lentil Soup Instant Pot Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- This lentil soup can be made vegan by not topping it with sour cream and using vegetable broth or vegetable stock.
- Top this soup with a squeeze of lemon juice, sour cream, or freshly grated parmesan cheese.
- For an even creamier soup, add coconut milk or heavy cream once the pressure cooker lentil soup is done cooking.
- Make it spicy! Add crushed red pepper flakes or sriracha to this soup for a spicy kick!
How To Make Instant Pot Lentil Soup
Step 1
First, preheat your Instant Pot to sauté setting. Add the olive oil, carrots, onions, garlic, and celery in the olive oil. Cook becomes translucent, about 10 minutes.
Step 2
Once it is translucent, add the seasonings and lentils. Cook that for a minutes more to marry that flavors together.
Step 3
Then add the chopped tomatoes and chicken broth. Close the Instant Pot and set it to "Soup/Broth". If your Instant Pot does not have that setting, simply set the cooking time to 30 minutes on high pressure.
Step 4
Let the Instant Pot natural release for 15 minutes and then quick release the remaining pressure. Then, carefully open the lid. Once the soup is done, you can feel free to serve it as is, or you can puree it. I pureed it with an immersion blender to give it a smooth, silky texture.
Lentil Soup Instant Pot Serving Suggestions
- Dip sourdough breadsticks, Instant Pot dinner rolls, or sourdough discard crusty bread in this hearty soup!
- Serve this soup along with easy dal Palak recipe!
- Serve this alongside your favorite salads.
How to Store
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat the soup on the stovetop in a small saucepan or in the microwave.
This is also a great soup to freeze! Freeze the soup in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.
FAQs for this Lentil Soup Recipe (Instant Pot)
Yes! Sauté the veggies on the stovetop in a large skillet over medium heat with the olive oil. Add them to the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
No! If you prefer a soup with more texture, feel free to leave it as is and not blending it. It will still be just as delicious!
That means that something is stuck to the bottom of the pot. To make sure this doesn't happen, make sure you are stirring to the bottom of the pot and scrapping the bottom of the pot before starting to pressure cook the soup.
Nope! One of the best things about lentils is that they don’t need to be soaked before cooking, especially when using the Instant Pot. Just rinse them well to remove any debris, then add them straight to the pot.
Most lentil soup recipes cook in about 25-30 minutes depending on the type of lentils you’re using. Green or brown lentils hold their shape well and usually need closer to 15 minutes, while red lentils cook faster and break down more, often needing around 10 minutes. Be sure to allow time for the pressure to naturally release before serving.
More Instant Pot Soup Recipes
- Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Cabbage Roll Soup
- Hearty Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Simple Instant Pot Vegetable Soup
Did you make this recipe and love it?
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📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Lentil Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2 Onions Chopped
- 2 Carrots Peeled and Chopped
- 3 Celery Stalks Chopped
- 4 Garlic Cloves Finely Chopped
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Coriander
- 2 teaspoon Turmeric
- 2 teaspoon Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 ½ cups Lentils
- 1 can Chopped Tomatoes 14 ounces
- 48 ounces Chicken Broth or Vegetable Broth 1 large box, Low Sodium
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to "Saute" and add olive oil. When the olive oil heats up, add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook for 10 minutes, or until translucent.
- Add the spices and lentils to the pot. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes to marry all of the flavors together.
- Add the can of chopped tomatoes and chicken broth to the pot. Stir and then close the Instant Pot. Set to high pressure to for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes let the soup naturally release for 15 minutes and then quick release the rest of the pressure.
- After 30 minutes, you could either serve the soup immediately or you could puree the soup with an emersion blender to give a creamy, silky texture. Taste the soup and season with any extra salt and pepper.
Notes
- You don't have to blend the soup! I like to use a blender or an immersion blend to get a really creamy soup, but it's up to you!
- Top the soup with sour cream, Greek yogurt, or leave it as is!
- Use your favorite broth in this recipe. You can use vegetable broth, chicken broth, or even turkey broth if you have some on hand.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links in which I receive a small commission off purchases.
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