Instant Pot Lentil Soup

While writing The Fresh & Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook, I discovered that the Instant Pot brings out more flavor in food than traditional cooking methods. As a result, this Instant Pot lentil soup tastes as if it has simmered on the stove for hours… without actually needing that long.

In fact, I tested this soup side-by-side in two Instant Pots to see if sauteeing the veggies first was even necessary. To my surprise, I couldn’t tell the difference between the two. (Seriously!)

That means you can toss the ingredients into a pot, skip any added oil, press a button, and walk away until your soup is cooked to perfection. It truly doesn’t get any easier.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review

“Great recipe! So much flavor without any oil or broth. My whole family enjoyed it! Thank you so much! Definitely a make-again recipe!” – Lydia

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Dry Lentils. Use green or brown lentils, as they have similar cooking times. If you prefer red lentils, keep in mind that they become quite mushy when cooked, so the resulting soup will have a different texture.
• Veggies. Carrots, onions, and celery are the perfect base for this soup. While you normally would have to saute them first, you can skip this step with the Instant Pot. Stir in the spinach last, since it will wilt quickly from the heat.
• Diced Tomatoes. Canned tomatoes add extra flavor and texture, but I’ve also omitted these on several occasions, and the soup still turns out delicious.
• Spices. Curry powder, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, plus salt and black pepper, bring out loads of flavor in this soup. I use a mild curry powder, so if yours is on the spicy side, you might want to omit the cayenne.
• Garlic. Freshly minced garlic usually needs to be sauteed briefly before simmering in soup, but the Instant Pot will make it flavorful all on its own, so you can skip that step.
• Water. Instead of using store-bought broth, this recipe calls for water so you can control the flavor (and save money on groceries). You’ll be amazed at how flavorful this soup turns out!

How to Make Instant Pot Lentil Soup

Step 1:

Add the diced onions, carrots, celery, garlic, ground cumin, curry powder, cayenne pepper (if you want a little spice), diced tomatoes, lentils, salt, pepper, and water to the stainless steel bowl of the Instant Pot. I use a 6-quart machine in my home.

Secure the lid on the Instant Pot, and move the steam release valve to the sealing position. Use the Manual or Pressure Cook button to cook at high pressure for 10 minutes.

The screen will read ON until the pot is pressurized, which may take 15 minutes or so. 

Step 2:

When the cooking cycle is complete, the screen will read L0:00. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 more minutes to finish cooking the soup. (This is also for safety, so hot liquid won’t shoot out of the vent.)

When at least 10 minutes have passed, and the screen reads L0:10, you can move the steam release valve to the venting position to release any remaining pressure. You’ll know it’s safe to open the lid when the floating valve drops.

Remove the lid and add the freshly chopped baby spinach. It will wilt quickly as you stir it in.

Serving and Storage Tips

Taste the soup and adjust any seasoning to taste, adding a little more salt if needed or a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavor. 

The Instant Pot will keep the soup warm for you until you’re ready to serve. Garnish with fresh parsley or any other toppings you love.

Leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze soup for up to 3 months when stored in an airtight container.

Instant Pot Lentil Soup

4.95 from 67 votes

This Instant Pot Lentil Soup is the soup recipe my family requests most often. It also happens to be the easiest one to make, since you don't have to saute anything before you get started. (Seriously!) Once you taste how much flavor the pressure cooker brings out, it will become a regular in your house, too.

prep10 mins cook10 mins Natural Release:10 mins total40 mins

Servings:6

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Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 1 yellow onion , chopped
• 2 carrots , peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks , chopped
• 1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• pinch of cayenne pepper (optional; for spice)
• 1 cup dry green lentils
• 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt , plus more to taste
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup fresh baby spinach , roughly chopped
• fresh parsley & lemon slices (optional; for serving)

Instructions

• In the stainless steel bowl of the Instant Pot, combine the onion, carrots, celery, diced tomatoes along with their juices, garlic, cumin, curry powder, cayenne (if using), lentils, salt, pepper, and water.
• Secure the lid and move the steam release valve to Sealing. Use the Manual or Pressure Cook button to cook for 10 minutes at high pressure. It should take roughly 15 minutes for the pot to come to pressure, so the screen will read ON until then.
• When the cooking cycle is complete, allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then move the steam release valve to Venting. When the floating valve drops, it's safe to remove the lid.
• Give the soup a stir to make sure the lentils and vegetables are tender, then stir in the chopped fresh spinach. The greens should wilt quickly in the hot soup. Season with additional salt to taste, then serve warm with slices of lemon or freshly chopped parsley on top, to help brighten the flavor even more.
• Leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for roughly 1 1/2 cups of soup. This information is automatically calculated, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.

For more tips, see the FAQ section in this post.

High-Protein Note: This soup has 25% protein per serving, based on calories, making it a great plant-based source of protein. (If you’re curious, here’s how you calculate it: 8 g of protein x 4 calories per gram = 32 calories of protein per serving. 32 ÷ 128 calories per serving = .25, which means 25% protein per serving.) 

Nutrition

Calories: 128kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 8g | Sodium: 425mg | Potassium: 446mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3935IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2.8mg

Author: Megan Gilmore

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Instant Pot Lentil Soup

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If you try this soup recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like it.