Vegan Instant Pot Lentil Soup Recipe (Quick & Easy)
The best Instant Pot (affiliate) Lentil Soup Recipe! Quick and easy to make, healthy and vegan. With directions for both stovetop and the slow cooker. This lentil soup is a must-save for weeknight meals.
This vegan lentil soup is for busy weeknights. The times when you are so tired to make dinner, but don’t want to settle for another pantry snack meal of crackers, cheese, hummus and maybe some vegetables.
Not with this instant pot lentil soup! There’s little that needs to be done besides chopping up a few vegetables. Add in some dried lentils, a can of tomatoes, some spices and ta-da! Dinner is served.
This is the time of year where my Instant Pot is always on my kitchen counter. Between quick soups for dinner or making a big pot of beans, my pressure cooker is a must-have for simple, weeknight meals.
I honestly never thought I would use my Instant Pot that much when I first bought it a few years ago, but here we are. If you haven’t gotten one yet and you like to eat beans, soups and stews often then I highly recommend grabbing one.
Right now, one of my favorite things to make is this Instant Pot Lentil Soup! Packed with vegetables, tomatoes, and lentils, this one is a crowd-pleaser and simple enough for busy weeknights.
See below for more details, or scroll down for the full recipe.
Everything You Need to Make this Lentil Soup:
Ingredient Notes for This Instant Pot Lentil Soup Recipe
You only need a handful of ingredients for this lentil soup recipe, including dried spices, canned tomatoes, dried lentils and fresh parsley.
The best part is that this Instant Pot lentil soup can be prepared in a short amount of time – making it a perfect busy weeknight dinner.
- Mirepoix: The classic combos are here: chopped onion, carrots, and celery. I use a yellow or white onion and don’t recommend red onion.
- Lentils: Brown lentils are best but you can also use French green lentils. I don’t recommend split lentils, like red lentils or split yellow lentils as they texture will be different. If you want to use red lentils, then I recommend this red lentil soup recipe instead.
- Vegetable Broth: I strongly believe that good vegetable broth makes or breaks soup and recommend tasting your broth to make sure it’s a good brand that you like. I use this vegetable base most of the time.
- Fresh Chopped Spinach: You can also substitute fresh kale or other leafy greens
- Lemon and Parsley: Yes, lemon! This is the secret in so many soup recipes, a little bit of acid right at the end. It makes for a fresher-tasting soup, along with the chopped parsley stirred in right at the end.
Instant Pot Instructions
Saute the Vegetables
In the base of the Instant Pot, saute the onion, carrots, and celery in the olive oil and cook on the saute setting until the vegetables have softened.
Mix in the garlic and spices
Add in the garlic and spices, then hit ‘cancel.’ Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, dried lentils, broth, salt, and cover. Cook for 15 minutes on high pressure, then let the pressure come down naturally.
Blend part of the soup
Remove 2 cups of the soup in a blender and puree until creamy. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender to puree a few cups of the soup. This step adds more body to the soup without adding in additional cream or dairy.
Finish the soup
Stir in the chopped spinach and place the lid back on. Let sit for 2-3 minutes until the spinach has wilted. To finish, stir in the lemon juice and chopped parsley and serve. If you aren’t vegan, a little parmesan cheese on top is delicious or you can use a plant-based option.
Slow Cooker Directions
To make this lentil soup in a crock pot, saute the vegetables (onion, celery and carrot) first with the olive oil in a skillet. Just like with the Instant Pot, this step adds in so much extra flavor to the soup and I recommend doing it.
Add the cooked vegetables to the base of a slow-cooker, spices, tomatoes, lentils, and salt. Cook on high for 4 hours or until lentils are tender.
Before serving, remove 2 cups of the soup and puree until creamy, then add back to the slow cooker. Add in the spinach and stir to wilt. Just before serving, add in the parsley and lemon juice and serve.
How to Make This Lentil Soup on the Stovetop
Like with the other directions for the slow cooker and Instant Pot, start by sautéing the aromatic vegetables (onion, celery and carrot) first with the olive oil in a large stock pan or large pot.
Add in the spices, tomatoes, lentils, salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until lentils are tender, about 35 minutes. Remove 2 cups of the soup and puree until creamy, then add back to the stock pan.
Stir in the spinach and stir to wilt. Just before serving, add in the parsley and lemon juice and serve!
Refrigerator and Freezer Directions
You can store any leftover soup in the fridge or freezer. Cool the lentil soup completely first, then place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or in the freezer for three months. I love these large souper cubes for freezing soup!
To cook this lentil soup from frozen, remove the soup from the freezer and thaw it in the fridge overnight. Place the leftover soup in a saucepan over medium-low heat on the stovetop and cook until warmed, adding in more broth as needed.
You can also reheat leftovers in the microwave by placing a small amount of the soup in a bowl and cover with a dish towel, then cook for 60-second intervals, stirring in between, until warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should lentils be soaked before making soup?
Unlike dried beans, you don’t have to soak your lentils before making lentil soup.
Why are my lentils bland?
Lentils need to be seasoned well so they aren’t bland, as they don’t have much flavor. This recipe ensures a flavorful, delicious lentil soup!
What happens when you overcook lentils?
Lentils can get mushy if you overcook them; this is another reason why I don’t recommend using red lentils, as they break down too much when cooked. Brown or french lentils are best for the desired consistency of this soup.
Health Benefits of Lentils
As a Registered Dietitian, I wish everyone would eat more lentils. They are inexpensive, rich in both protein and fiber, and so good for you. One cup of cooked lentils contains 18g of protein, 15g of fiber and 6.5 mg of iron. This vegan lentil soup is packed with protein and fiber, making it a delicious option for everyone.
Several studies have demonstrated that eating lentils reduces the risk of chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, obesity, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.
Other Instant Pot recipes that you will also love
- Instant Pot Lentil Walnut Tacos
- Instant Pot Vegan Burrito Bowls
- Instant Pot Apple Chai Applesauce
- Instant Pot Hummus
- Instant Pot Vegan Chili
If you try this Instant Pot Lentil Soup recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!
Video
Instant Pot Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes with their juice
- 1 cup brown or green lentils
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chopped spinach
- 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot on and hit ‘saute.’ Add the olive oil, onion, carrots and celery and cook for ~5 minutes until vegetables have softened.
- Add in the garlic and spices, then hit ‘cancel.’ Add the tomatoes with their juices, lentils, broth, salt and cover. Bring the soup to high pressure for 15 minutes (turn the valve to seal and hit manual then the + sign to 15 minutes).
- When done, let the pressure come down naturally for 10-15 minutes. Turn the valve to open then gently remove the cover. Place 2 cups of the soup in a blender and puree until creamy. Add back to the soup along with the chopped spinach and place the cover back on. Let sit for 2-3 minutes until the spinach has wilted.
- Just before serving, stir in the lemon juice and chopped parsley and serve!
Notes
- To cook in a slow cooker: Saute the vegetables (onion, celery and carrot) first with the olive oil in a skillet, then add to the base of a slow-cooker along with the spices, tomatoes, lentils and salt. Cook on high for 4 hours, or until lentils are tender. Before serving, remove 2 cups of the soup and puree until creamy, then add back to the slow cooker. Add in the spinach and stir to wilt. Just before serving, add in the parsley and lemon juice and serve.
- To cook on the stove: Saute the vegetables (onion, celery and carrot) first with the olive oil in a large stock pan. Add in the spices, tomatoes, lentils, salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until lentils are tender, about 35 minutes. Remove 2 cups of the soup and puree until creamy, then add back to the stock pan. Add in the spinach and stir to wilt. Just before serving, add in the parsley and lemon juice and serve!
Nutrition
This recipe was first published in October 2018 and updated in 2023.