Description
This hearty and nutritious Instant Pot Lentil Soup is a flavorful one-pot meal featuring tender lentils, fresh vegetables, and aromatic spices. Perfect for a quick, wholesome weeknight dinner, this recipe uses the Instant Pot to cook the soup in just 16 minutes under high pressure, delivering rich, comforting flavors with minimal effort. Garnished with fresh lemon juice, parsley, and parmesan cheese, this soup is a delicious and easy way to enjoy a healthy vegetarian meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 sticks celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup water
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 1/2 cups lentils (green, French, or brown)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 dried bay leaves (optional)
- 2 cups baby spinach or baby kale
Optional Garnishes
- Lemon juice, to taste
- Chopped parsley, to taste
- Parmesan cheese, to serve
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat the olive oil in the Instant Pot using the sauté setting. Add the chopped onion and celery, cooking them until they are softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add Aromatics and Spices: Stir in the minced garlic, tomato paste, ground cumin, and dried thyme. Cook for an additional minute to release their flavors.
- Deglaze the Pot: Pour in the water, scraping the bottom of the Instant Pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Then switch off the sauté mode.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Stir in the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes (with their juices), chopped carrots, lentils, salt, pepper, and bay leaves if using. Mix everything well to combine.
- Pressure Cook: Close the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to the sealing position. Cook on manual high pressure for 16 minutes (reduce to 12 minutes for quicker-cooking lentils like brown lentils). After cooking, allow a natural pressure release for 5 minutes, then carefully release any remaining pressure manually.
- Finish and Serve: Open the lid and stir in the baby spinach until wilted. Serve the soup hot, garnished with fresh lemon juice, chopped parsley, and grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- Choose lentils based on cooking time preference: green or French lentils require a bit longer (16 minutes), while brown lentils cook faster (12 minutes).
- Bay leaves add depth but are optional and should be removed before serving.
- This soup keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days and freezes well for up to 3 months.
- For a vegan version, omit the Parmesan cheese garnish or substitute with a plant-based alternative.
- If you prefer a thinner soup, add more vegetable broth or water after cooking and adjust seasoning accordingly.
