There are so many good reasons to add this Instant Pot Lentil Soup to your rotation.
- Hearty. This is your not ordinary lentil soup! It’s almost meaty in texture and thick and rich. Adding potatoes not only provides textural interest but also naturally thickens the soup.
- Healthy and Allergen-Friendly. Despite being hearty, it’s 100% wholesome and features protein-rich, fiber-rich, iron-rich lentils. It’s also vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free.
- Deep Flavor: Thanks to a bouquet garni of fresh herbs (my favorite soup flavor-builder), this soup has a woodsy depth of flavor you won’t find in most soups, along with great sweet-tangy flavor from whole peeled tomatoes and aged balsamic vinegar.
- Quick and Simple. There’s just 10 minutes of hands on cooking, and then the Instant Pot takes over and does it’s magic (but there’s also stovetop instructions if you don’t have an Instant Pot). Plus, all the ingredients are simple and straightforward.
- Meal Prep- and Freezer-Friendly. This soup is a great option for meal prep and freezes really well!
- Instant Pot Friendly. This soup is even easier in the instant pot (though an instant pot is not required to make it).
P.S.: Looking for more vegan Instant Pot recipes? I’ve got over 90 in my cookbook, The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook!
P.P.S.: Looking for another easy yet delicious use for lentils? Try my Lentil Salad with Fresh Herbs!
Watch: How to make Instant Pot Lentil Soup
Step-by-Step Instructions
Gather your ingredients!
Heat the olive oil in the Instant Pot on the Sauté setting. Once hot, sauté the onions with a pinch of salt until nicely golden and completely soft, 6 to 9 minutes.
Add the carrots and garlic and a pinch of salt, and cook for 3 minutes. Pour in a bit of veggie broth to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits.
Add the rest of the broth, lentils, potatoes, salt and pepper, and bouquet garni (fresh herb bundle tied with kitchen twine). Stir well to submerge the bouquet garni.
Pour the crushed tomatoes on top but do not stir. Pressure cook for 12 minutes, then allow a natural pressure release for 12 minutes. Open the pot and stir in the balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard.
Tips for making this Instant Pot Lentil Soup
French green lentils are best in this recipe. Unlike regular green (or brown lentils), they hold their shape well when cooked and do not turn mushy. They also have a nice subtle peppery flavor. Some grocery stores sell French lentils, some don’t, so I typically buy a big bag of French green lentils (affiliate link) online and it lasts me a long time (enough to make this soup 9 or 10 times!).
For soup texture, if you want a thinner consistency that’s soupier than the soup shown in photos here, you can add an additional cup of broth. Or, when the soup is done, if it’s too thick for your taste, you can always add some more broth and stir until heated through.
For the finishing ingredients, use the best balsamic vinegar you have. It adds this complex sweet tanginess and depth of flavor, and rounds out all the flavors. It makes the lentils taste meatier and the tomatoes sweeter.
- Giuseppe Giusti makes my absolute favorite balsamic vinegar, and I’ve tried a lot of brands (affiliate link). It’s not cheap but a little really does go a long way, and it’s made by a family who’s been making balsamic vinegar since the 1600s(!) so you know it’s good.
- When buying balsamic vinegar, look for bottles that say “aged” and ideally say something like “balsamic vinegar of Modena (IGP)” (or balsamic tradizionale, but that’s very pricy!). The standard $3 imitation balsamic at every grocery store is just sour and doesn’t do any favors.
- If you don’t have a good balsamic, try using 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar, taste, and then add more as desired. Neither of these is sweet in the same way as balsamic, so if the soup tastes too tangy, add a pinch or two of sugar or maple syrup (it won’t taste sweet, just there to balance the flavors).
Frequently Asked Questions
Yep! Stovetop instructions are in the second recipe card below.
If you want distinct lentils in your soup, Black beluga lentils would be your best bet. If you can’t find those, just sub regular green (or brown) lentils, but consider reducing the pressure cook time to 10 minutes instead of 12 minutes, since they soften more quickly.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-6 days. It will thicken as it rests, so I recommend reheating it on the stove over medium heat with a few splashes of veggie broth until it reaches your desired consistency.
Yep! It freezes pretty great. Once it’s cool, transfer to a few small containers (makes it quicker to defrost). I like using these single-serve Souper Cubes (affiliate link). It makes it easy to defrost an individual block of soup on the stove in less than 10 minutes. It should stay good in the freezer for 4 months. Or, you can defrost the soup in the fridge.
If you have a 6-quart Instant Pot like I do, I think doubling would make the soup too voluminous to fit below the IP’s maximum capacity limit. If you have an 8-quart model, however, you should be fine.
For most folks, a 6-quart model is sufficient. If you cook for more 6 or more people on a regular basis, the 8-quart makes most sense. A good model for beginners is the Duo Plus (their most popular model), but if you want a bit more customization, the Pro is great (affiliate links).
Sure. Some baby spinach or baby kale folded into the cooked soup would be great. Turn on the Sauté setting and let it cook for a couple minutes until the greens are wilted.
I hope you give this easy and delicious Instant Pot Lentil Soup recipe a try! If you do, please leave a rating and review below with your feedback and tag me on Instagram with your remakes :)
Instant Pot Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 medium carrots, diced (peeled or not)
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups (960 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth, more as needed
- 1 pound baby potatoes, quartered (peel left on)*
- 1 1/2 cups (300g) French green lentils (Puy lentils)
- Bouquet garni: 2 bay leaves + a few sprigs each of Italian flat-leaf parsley, fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme, tied tightly together with kitchen twine**
- 1 (28-ounce/800g) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand***
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar****
Instructions
- Select the Sauté setting on the Instant Pot (normal or medium heat level). After a few minutes, add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion with a pinch of salt. Cook until the onion is nicely golden and completely soft, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the carrots and garlic along with a pinch of salt and a few cracks of pepper. Cook until the carrots are just starting to soften, about 3 minutes.
- Pour in a bit of the vegetable broth to deglaze the pot and scrape up any browned bits. Add the remaining broth, lentils, potatoes, bouquet garni, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and several cracks of pepper. Stir gently.
- Pour the crushed tomatoes (including juices) on top, but don’t stir (this prevents the tomatoes from sinking to the bottom and triggering the Burn notice). Note: getting the can nice and low right into the pot helps keep the tomatoes resting on top (instead of pouring from high above).
- Secure the lid and set the valve to Sealing (not Venting). Select the Pressure Cook setting (or Manual setting on older models) at high pressure and set the cook time to 12 minutes.
- Once the 12-minute timer has completed and beeps, allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes. Then manually release any remaining steam.
- Open the pot and remove the bouquet garni. Stir in the dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar and taste. Add more salt and pepper to taste.This is a hearty and thick soup/stew, but if you want it thinner, add more broth until you reach your desired consistency and stir until warmed through.
Notes
Lentil Soup (Stovetop)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 medium carrots, diced (peeled or not)
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 5 cups (1.2 L) low-sodium vegetable broth*
- 1 pound (450g) baby potatoes, quartered (peel left on)
- 1 1/2 cups (300g) French green lentils (AKA Puy lentils)
- Bouquet garni: 2 bay leaves + a few sprigs each of Italian flat-leaf parsley, fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme, tied tightly together with kitchen twine**
- 1 28-ounce (800g) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand***
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar****
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion, along with a pinch or two of salt. Cook until onion has softened and golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the carrots and garlic and another pinch of salt. Cook until the carrots are just starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Pour in a bit of the vegetable broth to deglaze the pot and scrape up any browned bits. Add the remaining broth, lentils, potatoes, bouquet garni, crushed tomatoes (including their juices), 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, and pepper to taste. Stir well.
- Bring the soup to a boil. Then reduce heat to low, cover the pot partially, and simmer the soup for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
- Remove the bouquet garni. Stir in the dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar and taste. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
This is delicious! The bslsamic really makes it extra special
sublime, thx
Glad you loved it, Te!
I’ve been craving lentil soup for some reason but I didn’t want to turn on my oven, so this was perfect. It’s really simple to make and so flavorful. Plus it makes a big portion so I’ll have leftovers for lunch this week and even more portion to freeze for later. Delicious!
Awesome, Katie. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
I love your Vegan red lentil curry! So I came back for more recipes. I am concerned about the addition of tomatoes in the beginning of this recipe for instant pot lentil soup. In my experience, tomatoes and salt added in the beginning prevent lentils from softening. This explains-https://www.cooksillustrated.com/articles/1745-can-baking-soda-make-beans-cook-faster
Let me know your thoughts. Perhaps the pressure in the IPot counteracts the acid which keeps the beans hard?
From Nisha: “Hi there! Sorry for the late response. Glad you do :) The high pressure of the instant pot really takes care of things, so I’ve never had an issue with the lentils not cooking through or softening when adding tomatoes (I use this combination often in soups, stews, curries, etc. in the Instant Pot). As for salt, I typically always add some salt to the cooking water for lentils to to season them (waiting until the end doesn’t give them the same nuanced flavor), and never have any issues with them not softening. Unless you’re adding a large quantity of salt, I don’t think it slows down the cooking.”
Is it okay to substitute red lentils or green lentils instead? Those are what I have on hand. I’m not sure what the texture would be like, though.
Hi there Ari, green lentils would be a better substitution than red because they hold their shape much better. We hope you get the chance to try the recipe!
I’m learning to cook for m vegetarian daughter and this was DELICIOUS!
Nechelle, So glad to hear you loved this recipe!
Another 5 stars out of 5 stars recipe.
Thank you Nisha <3
This is the best lentil soup I have ever made, or tasted. It is filled with SO much flavour.
We are going into Autumn here in the Southern Hemisphere and I can see myself eating this A LOT over the next 6 months!!!
I just added more water cause I like mine soupy/watery.
This one is going down in my recipe cookbook.
Awesome, Sam. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
Loved it!
That’s so great to hear, Susan! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating alongside your review? Star ratings are big help to readers who are thinking of making the recipe. Thanks!
Love this! It’s healthy but it doesn’t taste that way, which is my favorite kind of dish. And since it’s made in the instant pot, I can still make it when the weather’s warm without heating up my kitchen.
Thanks for sharing, Jenn!
My goodness was this delicious! Recipe was very straightforward but I took the time to watch the instructional video and go through the step by step photos. I so appreciate the extra detail – it made this recipe basically foolproof.
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Rob!
A fantastic and remarkably simple recipe. Will make this apart of my dinner rotation for sure.
Awesome, Jackie. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
This was excellent. I did substitute Italian seasoning (1Tbs) for the bouquet of herbs except for the bay leaves.
Thanks for sharing, Cat!
Delicious! My Whole family loved it! I will absolutely make it again!
Christine, So glad to hear everyone loved this recipe!
Sorry, but this was awful.
It’s tomato soup with lentils and potatoes. Pas Français du tout, beurk!
Rude, what made you think it was French? Other than the Puy Lentils (French Lentils) there is no mention of France? Yuk is a bit harsh. Try spreading a bit of love ❤️ it might make your taste buds a bit sweeter. 🙏🏼
Something tells me you either messed the recipe up or you didn’t even make it lol.
Il n’y a rien la-dans qui indique c’est une recette francaise. Soyez plus sage, deja.
This dish was delicious. I’d absolutely make it again. Your instructions are very easy to follow. It was enjoyed by all!
Thanks for sharing, Delia!
I love making stuff like this, only problem I don’t have an instapot. I am more of a slow cooker person. How do lentils hold up in a slow cooker??
Easy and delicious! We made it in about half and hour for a lovely lunch. I tossed in a couple of large handfulls of fresh spinach – not because it was needed, but because I had in in my fridge – which added some color.
I’ll make this again (and again!). Thanks Nisha!
Awesome, Kathryn. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
I’d like to make this but first a question. I thought the ratio of lentils to water should be 1:2? So, your 1.5 lentils would mean 3 cups of broth – perhaps less because there will be liquid in the tomatoes. Your recipe calls for 4 cups of liquid, which seems higher than needed. Is this because this is a soup recipe? Would it be okay if I stick with 2.5 cups of broth + tomato liquid, and the result will be more of a stew? Thank you!
Hi Gwen, the ratio might be for just cooking lentils with water, not necessarily for a soup or stew with other ingredients. As written, the recipe is quite thick as is. You can use a bit less liquid, but I wouldn’t go down to 2.5 cups. We made it the first time with 3 cups and it was very much like a stew.
You probably need the liquid to cook the potatoes, and they will soak a lot if it up so I would keep it or go with Yukon golds for their buttery soft texture.
Delicious! Easy to follow, loved the alternatives (we didn’t have each ingredient on hand), and looking forward to leftovers. Saved some for lunch this week but froze the rest. Thank you!
Lindsay, So glad to hear you loved this recipe!
This is a great dish!
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Kianna!