This instant pot lentil soup is hearty, filling, so easy to make and naturally vegan! It’s the perfect cozy soup to prep for the week and is bursting with fresh flavor.
It’s soup season!!! Who else is as excited as I am?! I love soup. Especially recipes that more or less just require the push of a button. Cue this instant pot lentil soup!
This recipe is hearty yet light and fresh, so cozy and perfect for meal prep since it stores and freezes well.
And don’t worry, if you don’t have an instant pot, you can easily make this on the stove top. If you love this recipe, try my lentil bolognese next!
How to make lentil soup
Dice the onion and add to the instant pot with the olive oil.
Set to the saute function and saute for 3-5 minutes or until it starts to look translucent.
Add in the diced carrot, diced celery and minced garlic. Saute an additional 5 minutes. Add in all remaining ingredients aside from the kale and vinegar.
Put the lid on and set the valve to sealing. Set manual high pressure for 10 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure, and then the 10 minutes of cooking will actually start.
Once it’s done cooking, let the pressure release naturally for about 10 minutes, then set the valve to venting and let it finish releasing.
Give it a good stir, and transfer 2 cups worth to a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer back to the instant pot and stir to combine.
This helps thicken the soup and gives it a really nice creamy texture. You can also use an immersion blender and lightly pulse while in the IP if you have one.
Finally, add in the finely chopped kale and red wine vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve with fresh bread and a sprinkle of parsley. Enjoy!
Can I make it on the stove?
Yes, you can easily make this on the stove instead of the instant pot if you prefer or just don’t have an IP! It will take a bit longer for the lentils to cook (about 30 minutes), but you’ll end up with the same final result.
To make this on the stove, follow all of the same steps of sauteing the veggies, then add in all ingredients aside from the kale and vinegar and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and let simmer, covered, for about 30-35 minutes or until the lentils are cooked through and the soup has thickened.
Finally, blend 2 cups worth of the soup and add back to the pot, then stir in the chopped kale & vinegar.
Troubleshooting tips
If you find the lentils aren’t cooked to your liking after the pressure has released, you can set the instant pot to the saute function and let it simmer until cooked through, adding more broth as needed.
This shouldn’t be necessary if you follow the instructions, but just in case!
I used green lentils for this recipe, but you can also use brown or french as well. I do not recommend red since they are much softer split more easily.
How to store and freeze
Once prepared, this recipe will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days. It may thicken up a bit more as it sits, so reheat on the stove with a splash of veggie broth to help thin it out if needed.
This instant pot lentil soup freezes really well actually. You just want to make sure it is completely cool before transferring to a freezer safe container. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stove. It will keep in the freezer for about 2 months.
Frequently asked questions
Do the lentils need to be soaked? No, and in fact you actually don’t want to soak them at all. Soaking them will make them mushy before they even get cooked, which we don’t want.
Lentils cook much more easily than other beans, like black beans, so there is no soaking needed.
Can I add other vegetables? Definitely! I like adding peas, spinach instead of kale, diced zucchini, extra carrot, etc.
I don’t recommend adding in potatoes or sweet potato since those require more broth to cook and it will change the proportions of the ingredients.
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Instant Pot Lentil Soup
by: claire cary
Ingredients
- 1 medium/large yellow onion
- 2 stalks celery
- 3 large carrots
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1, 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 ½ cups green lentils
- 4 cups veggie broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp salt or more to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes less for less spice
- 2 cups chopped kale
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Dice the onion and add to the instant pot with the olive oil.
- Set to the saute function and saute for 3-5 minutes or until it starts to look translucent.
- Add in the diced carrot, diced celery and minced garlic.
- Saute an additional 5 minutes.
- Add in all remaining ingredients aside from the kale and vinegar.
- Put the lid on and set the valve to sealing. Set manual high pressure for 10 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure, and then the 10 minutes of cooking will actually start.
- Once it's done cooking, let the pressure release naturally for about 10 minutes, then set the valve to venting and let it finish releasing.
- Give it a good stir and discard the bay leaves, then transfer 2 cups worth to a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer back to the instant pot and stir to combine. This helps thicken the soup and gives it a really nice creamy texture. You can also use an immersion blender and lightly pulse while in the IP if you have one.
- Finally, add in the finely chopped kale and red wine vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve with fresh bread and a sprinkle of parsley. Enjoy!
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