Instant Pot Lentil Soup is hearty, delicious and like a hug in a bowl. This soup is easy to make and leaves you feeling so satisfied and good from the inside out. Full of veggies, your favorite broth and oh-so-good for you lentils, this dish is vegan, gluten free and your new best friend.

A bowl of lentil soup with rice

“Babe, this might be the best lentil dish you’ve ever made.”

Woah. Now, y’all don’t know my husband, Ken, personally, but that statement says so much about that Instant Pot Lentil Soup. You see, Ken is kind of a lentil fanboy. He loves them and even created the Curry Lentil Soup that we eat on repeat during the colder months. But with that said, he can also be a bit picky about what lentil dishes he gives his stamp of a approval.

But, apparently, this Instant Pot Lentil Soup has his approval..ten fold.

And I agree, as I am wildly in love with this recipe as well. Easy to make in your Instant Pot, packed with veggies (just how I like it) and seriously hearty and satisfying. This soup makes for an incredible lunch or dinner on its own, but is also amazing when served over rice or with a side of sourdough to dunk in it. It is naturally plant based and is a great thing to serve to a crowd or make during weekly meal prep, as lentils are always great for leftovers and often taste better the day after cooking.

Why are lentils good for you?

I feel like lentils are one of those things that I’v always heard are good for you. But why exactly?

Lentils are little plant powerhouses and pack a lot of goodness into their tin size. Like…

  • Protein. One cup of cooked lentils contains 18 grams of protein…which is significantly more than other beans or legumes.
  • Fiber. I think we all grew up hearing that getting enough fiber is important to our health (especially for keeping the digestive pipes flowing). One cup of lentils has 15.6 grams of fiber (almost four times as much as a cup of raw kale).
  • Iron. One cup of lentils has 6.6 milligrams of iron, which is a significant amount of many people’s daily requirement. Iron is vital for blood health and keeping oxygen pumping throughout our bodies.
  • Calcium. Lentils are loaded with bone-strengthening calcium. In fact, a cup of them has 38 grams of calcium.
  • Magnesium. An important nutrient that so many of us are lacking. There are 71 mg oof magnesium per cup of cooked lentils.
A breakdown of how to make instant pot lentil soup

Suggested adaptations for Instant Pot Lentil Soup

  • Make it in your slow cooker. See below for how to whip up this lentil soup in your crockpot.
  • Sub the spinach with kale. Cut the ribs of the kale out and stir it in to wilt in the hot soup just like the spinach.
  • Finely chop spinach before adding it to the soup. This might make the spinach more inviting to people who are spinach iffy.
  • Skip the greens. If you or your crew is feeling iffy about the spinach, simply leave it out all together and maybe consider upping the carrots in this soup.
  • Add some sausage. If vegan or vegetarian isn’t the goal, add some pre-cooked sausage to the soup. Sausage and lentils go together beautifully and will make this soup extra hearty.

Other Instant Pot recipes you are going to love

A ladle of Instant Pot Lentil Soup
5 from 6 votes

Instant Pot Lentil Soup

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 28 minutes
Cuisine: American
Course: Main Course
Instant Pot Lentil Soup is hearty, delicious and like a hug in a bowl. This soup is easy to make and leaves you feeling so satisfied and good from the inside out. Full of veggies, your favorite broth and oh-so-good for you lentils, this dish is vegan, gluten free and your new best friend.

Ingredients
 

  • ½ large yellow onion, chopped
  • 2-3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 Tablespoon avocado or olive oil
  • 2 medium carrots, chopped
  • 1 ½ cups dry green or brown lentils, rinsed
  • 1 cup salsa, I used mild to make it family-friendly
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ Tablespoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 6 cups low sodium broth
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • black pepper to taste

Equipment

  • slow cooker
  • Instant Pot

Instructions
 

For Instant Pot

  • Add oil to Instant Pot and turn on sauté function. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Turn off sauté function. Add remaining ingredients except the baby spinach, salt and pepper to Instant Pot . Stir to combine
  • Place lid on Instant Pot and lock it into place. Make sure the valve is switched to sealing.
  • Set Instant Pot to Manual, High and set for 18 minutes. It will take your Instant Pot about 10 minutes to get up to pressure. Once cook time is finished, set valve to quick release. 
  • Once the pressure is released, remove lid from the Instant Pot.
  • Remove bay leaves. Stir in baby spinach, salt and pepper. Let spinach wilt in hot soup and then taste. Adjust flavor to fit personal preference
  • Serve warm on its own or with quinoa or rice.Top with cheese or freshly chopped parsley if desired.

For Slow Cooker

  • Add oil to a large pan and warm over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Place cooked garlic and onions in your slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients except the baby spinach, salt and pepper. Stir to combine
  • Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 7-8 hours.
  • Once soup is done cooking, remove bay leaves and stir in baby spinach, salt and pepper. Let spinach wilt in hot soup and then taste. Adjust flavor to fit personal preference
  • Serve warm on its own or with quinoa or rice.Top with cheese or freshly chopped parsley if desired.
Calories: 260kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 769mg, Potassium: 930mg, Fiber: 17g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 4576IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 80mg, Iron: 5mg