Description
This Instant Pot Lentil Soup is a hearty, nutritious, and easy-to-make recipe perfect for a cozy meal. Using brown or green lentils combined with fresh vegetables, aromatic herbs, and a touch of lemon juice, this soup delivers rich flavors and a comforting texture. The recipe leverages the quick pressure-cooking power of the Instant Pot to create a flavorful, wholesome dish in under an hour, ideal for busy weeknights or meal prepping.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 ½ cups dried brown or green lentils, rinsed and drained
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes (with juices)
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Optional Add-ins
- 2 cups fresh spinach or kale, chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat Oil and Sauté Vegetables: Set the Instant Pot to the ‘Sauté’ function and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook these for about 5 minutes until they have softened and developed a slight golden color.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and sauté for an additional 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn.
- Add Lentils and Ingredients: To the pot, add the rinsed lentils, canned diced tomatoes along with their juices, vegetable broth, dried thyme, dried oregano, bay leaves, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Stir everything together thoroughly to combine all flavors.
- Seal and Pressure Cook: Secure the Instant Pot lid and make sure the steam valve is set to the ‘Sealing’ position. Select the ‘Pressure Cook’ or ‘Manual’ setting and set the timer for 15 minutes on high pressure.
- Natural Pressure Release: When cooking is complete, allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for 10 minutes. After that, carefully turn the valve to ‘Venting’ to release any remaining pressure.
- Open Lid and Add Greens: Carefully open the lid once all the pressure has been released. Stir in the chopped fresh spinach or kale and allow it to wilt in the hot soup.
- Finish and Adjust Seasoning: Add the lemon juice if using, and taste the soup. Adjust seasoning by adding more salt or pepper if needed.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve hot for a comforting, nutritious meal.
Notes
- You can substitute lentils with red lentils but reduce cooking time to 8-10 minutes as they cook faster.
- If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can cook this soup on the stovetop by simmering for about 40-50 minutes until lentils are tender.
- Adding lemon juice brightens the flavors; add it just before serving for the best effect.
- For a non-vegetarian variation, use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth.
- To make the soup thicker, mash some lentils against the side of the pot before adding the greens.
