This is the Best Instant Pot Lentil Soup on the web! It’s a hearty vegetarian dish with a flavourful coconut curry broth and red lentils.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Coconut oil – use another neutral cooking oil like avocado or canola oil.
- Yellow onions – white onions or shallots would also work.
- Garlic – freshly minced garlic is best but jarred minced garlic will work in a pinch.
- Fresh ginger – if you don’t have any fresh ginger, use a bit of ground ginger powder.
- Celery – swap out for more carrots if you don’t have any celery on hand.
- Carrots – use more celery instead or leave this out altogether.
- Curry powder – make your own using a blend of cumin, coriander, chili, turmeric and pepper.
- Turmeric – add in some extra curry powder if you don’t have any turmeric.
- Cumin – coriander is the best substitute for cumin.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
- Red lentils – feel free to swap out for another variety of lentils of your choice like brown, black or yellow lentils.
- Green lentils – see substitution notes above.
- Coconut milk – heavy cream or sour cream will also work or you can leave this out altogether for a less creamy soup.
- Can diced tomatoes – fresh diced tomatoes would also work here.
- Vegetable broth – chicken broth would also work but then the soup won’t be vegetarian.
- Spinach – use another dark leafy green of your choice like kale.
How to make lentil soup in the Instant Pot
- Assemble your ingredients.
- Add everything but the spinach to the Instant Pot in order.
- Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
- Blend the soup then add back to the pot.
- Stir in the spinach.
- Serve and enjoy!
Which colour lentils are best for soup?
For this soup, I actually used two different colour lentils – green and red. I used two types of lentils because each type brings unique benefits to the soup.
- Green lentils are rich in antioxidants, iron and magnesium. They have a peppery taste and hold their shape well.
- Red lentils have a slightly sweet flavour and a nice bright colour. When they’re cooked, they tend to break down a bit, so they are perfect for thickening this soup!
You can of course just use one type of lentils (either one will work) if you prefer. The red lentils are a bit more delicate so they break down easier, which will result in more of a stew-like texture if you’re using them alone.
The green lentils are heartier and hold their shape better, so you may not get the same stew-like texture if using them alone. The two work together to make a nice texture for the finished product.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lentil soup is a super healthy meal. The lentils are packed in plant-based protein, fibre, iron and folate and the soup is made with whole ingredients. The spinach is also full of nutrients like fibre, vitamin A, vitamin C and folic acid. Plus, there’s just 204 calories per serving.
This lentil soup is made with red and green lentils, a blend of spices, coconut milk for creaminess and a variety of veggies.
You can make it using both methods! Just bring everything to a boil in a large pot on the stovetop and simmer for about 30 minutes or cook for 6 hours on low power in the slow cooker. Make sure that you add all ingredients in the same order that you would add them to your Instant Pot, with the oil on the bottom to prevent the other ingredients from sticking.
The great thing about this soup is that it is filled with protein and fibre, making it a robust vegetarian meal that can be served as a main dish without other side dishes. If you are looking to add something to the side, serve it with some crusty bread, a side salad or over a bed of basmati rice.
Storing and reheating
If you store this soup in an airtight container, it will last in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Reheating Instant Pot lentil soup is the same as heating any other prepared soup. It can be done in a pot on the stovetop, in the microwave or even in your Instant Pot! If your pressure cooker has a simmer or sauté function, use it to reheat the soup. You don’t want to pressure cook the soup again – you just need to warm it up.
Freezing this recipe
You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months. Just be sure that the soup is completely cool before placing it into freezer-safe glass containers or Ziploc bags.
You can reheat individual servings of the soup from frozen for 6-7 minutes in your microwave, stirring once halfway through. Or let the soup defrost in the fridge overnight then reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop.
More Instant Pot soup recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Use mason jars to store the leftovers of this recipe – they will store the exact perfect serving size.
- These colourful mason jar lids are so fun and perfect if you lose your lids.
- Freeze this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls up to 3 months.
The Best Instant Pot Lentil Soup {Vegetarian}
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 yellow onions, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
- 4 stalks celery, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tbsp turmeric
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 cup red lentils
- 1 cup green lentils
- 1 (496mL) can coconut milk
- 1 (796mL) can diced tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups spinach, chopped
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to Instant Pot in order that they are listed with the exception of spinach. Place lid on Instant Pot and make sure valve is set to seal.
- Press the pressure cook button and set to high, then cook for 5 minutes. Instant Pot will take about 10-15 minutes to come to pressure then pressure cook the 5 minutes.
- Do a quick release of the pressure on the Instant Pot by flicking the switch at the top with a spoon. Open the lid when pressure gauge has dropped and the lid opens easily.
- Remove 1 cup of the soup and blend in a blender once cooled, then add back to pot of soup (this is an optional step that makes the dish more creamy and delicious). Stir in spinach, then serve with fresh bread and enjoy!
