Cooler days call for comfort food and soups are one of my favorite. Thanks to the instant pot, making delicious soups has never been so easy.
Lentil soup is one such nutritious soup loaded with vegetables. It makes a hearty comfort meal on those chilly days or if you are just under the weather.
This vegan lentil soup is a quick and easy one-pot meal made by pressure cooking in the instant pot. It is a no-saute, dump-and-go recipe that can be made in just 30 minutes in the instant pot.
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Lentil soup ingredients
This vegan lentil soup is absolutely versatile and you can use ingredients at hand. I have used brown lentils but black or even red split lentils will work as well.
Vegetables like carrots, celery, zucchini, bell pepper, onions, spinach, and tomatoes can be added. You can add any of your favorite vegetables or skip a few.
You can easily make this lentil soup without tomatoes or use canned tomatoes which can be added at the end along with spinach.
I like to use low sodium vegetable stock. But if you do not have it handy, water works fine too. All the flavors from vegetables and spices blend well during pressure cooking to make this delicious lentil soup.
Spices like cumin, turmeric, and red chili powder add flavor and spiciness. Chili powder, jalapeno or serrano pepper can be added to suit the spiciness level to your liking.
Herbs like rosemary, oregano, and thyme further enhance the flavor of the soup and can be added dried or fresh.
Do you need to soak lentils for lentil soup?
Lentils cook really fast, especially when pressure cooked. So there is no need to soak them before cooking.
However, it is advisable to rinse the lentils well before cooking to get rid of any dirt or residue.
How to make lentil soup in instant pot?
Making a no saute lentil soup in the instant pot is an absolute dump-and-go process. There is no monitoring involved and a hearty delicious soup is ready in just 30 minutes.
Once you have all the vegetables chopped, put all the ingredients, lentils, vegetable stock, spices, herbs, and salt in the instant pot liner.
If you are adding kale or spinach, it is best to add it after the soup is cooked. Canned tomatoes are best added in the end as well.
Close and lock the lid with the pressure valve in the sealing position. Pressure cook the lentil soup for 12 minutes and allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes.
Remove the remaining pressure by turning the pressure knob to the venting position until the silver pin drops.
Add kale or spinach, and canned tomatoes at this point and mix well. Add some black pepper powder and adjust salt and spiciness to your taste.
What can I add to lentils for flavor?
Although this lentil soup looks simple, it is absolutely flavorful with all the nutritious vegetables, celery, herbs, and a hint of spiciness.
Once the soup is ready, you can always add some salt, pepper, chili powder, and herbs like oregano per your taste.
What to serve with lentil soup?
Lentil soup is nutritious and rich in flavor. It makes a hearty meal and comfort food for the cooler days. It can be served with a variety of sides and bread.
I like to make a grilled cheese sandwich or pull-apart rolls with soup but sometimes I just like to dip a toast of French bread or sourdough bread.
Vegetable sides like roasted broccoli, roasted potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, or buttered corn on the cob can be served.
How long can you keep homemade lentil soup in the fridge?
Lentil soup can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. When you are ready to serve, simply reheat it on the stovetop, instant pot, or in the microwave.
This soup is a perfect make-ahead meal and can be included in weekly meal plans.
Can you freeze lentil soup?
Just like most soups, lentil soup freezes well for up to 2 months. When making a bigger batch for freezing and meal planning, allow the soup to cool down completely.
Portion it into freezer-safe containers or freezer-safe ziplock bags. When you are ready to eat, you can either keep it in the fridge overnight or directly thaw it in the microwave.
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📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Lentil Soup (Vegan)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 cup Vegetable stock (or water)
- 1 cup Lentils (rinsed)
- 2 stalk Celery (diced)
- 1 cup Onion (chopped)
- 2 Carrots (diced)
- 1 tablespoon Garlic (chopped or paste)
- 1 cup Spinach
- ½ cup Bell pepper (chopped)
- 2 cup Tomato (diced, or 1 can)
Spices
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon Red chili powder (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse the lentils thoroughly well with cold water.
- Add all the ingredients except spinach and canned tomatoes and give it a good mix. (If you are using fresh diced tomatoes add them)
- Close and lock the instant pot lid with the pressure valve in the sealing position.
- Pressure cook on high-pressure mode for 12 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes and then release the remaining pressure by turning the knob on venting position until the silver pin drops.
- Add the spinach, canned tomatoes and give it a good mix.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- If you are using canned tomatoes then add them at the end along with spinach.
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