This easy lentil soup recipe is flavorful, nutritious, and quick. You’ll love how it warms you from the inside out and fills you up in the best kind of way. It’s like a warm hug when you need it most!

This Instant Pot recipe has been adapted from the way I used to make it on the stove. Either way you choose to make this soup, it’s absolutely delicious.

If you just want to get the recipe without any of the other information I provide in this post, please click on the jump-to-recipe button at the top of this post.

Versatile Lentil Soup

Anyone who is a fan of lentil soup knows it’s a delicious dish that can be served with or without meat. I prefer it without meat. However, when someone wants me to add it, I use either sausage or ground beef. Lentil soup has quite a few nutrients, including protein. For this reason, it’s good for vegetarians if you use vegetable broth instead of beef broth.

If you’ve never had lentil soup, you really should try it. You’ll be amazed by how you like it. My daughters loved it, even when they were little. Back when my children were toddlers, I needed something I could put on the table quickly after church.

Ingredients for Instant Pot Lentil Soup

There are so many ways to make lentil soup, and I’ve tried quite a few of them. This recipe is the one I’ve settled on because it’s our favorite.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this version of lentil soup:

• Lentils (either green or red lentils)
• Canned chopped spinach
• Tomato paste
• Beef broth
• Vegetable broth
• Onions
• Celery
• Carrots

There have been times when I forgot to pick up celery or carrots, and it still turned out delicious. Other delicious things you might want to add are diced tomatoes, either canned or fresh. Occasionally, I put them in the soup, but I think it’s just as good without them.

Another ingredient that’s good in this soup is zucchini. Make sure you chop it into tiny pieces so it doesn’t overtake the lentils, which should be the star ingredient in the soup. If there are any other vegetables you’d like to add, go ahead and do it. And like the zucchini, cut it into small pieces.

How to Make Instant Pot Lentil Soup

One of the reasons I love this version of homemade lentil soup is the fact that it’s so quick and easy. Whether you’re a novice cook or you know your way around the kitchen, you shouldn’t have any trouble with the process.

First, drizzle some olive oil into the pot and sauté your onions until they become translucent. That only takes a few minutes.

Next, add the celery and carrots. Sauté them for a couple of minutes and then turn off the Instant Pot while you add the other ingredients.

Add the drained chopped spinach, a can of tomato paste, some beef broth, vegetable broth, and some water to the pot. Now add the lentils and give it a quick stir. Finally, add the seasonings and stir again.

Cook on full pressure for 20 minutes. After that, allow the pressure to release naturally for about 10 minutes. Then push the valve to release the remaining pressure before you open the lid.

Serve this lentil soup hot. I like to add some crusty bread for my husband and either this cloud bread or this classic southern-style cornbread for me.

Canned vs. Homemade Lentil Soup

We tried eating out, but I quickly got tired of the limited selection on the kids’ menus and the noise. So I discovered the canned lentil soup. It tasted good and seemed to have some nutritious things in it, like carrots and spinach. Unfortunately, there were a couple of problems that I’ll explain below.

As I already mentioned, there were some problems with the canned soup. First, it was way too salty for my taste. Second, it had a couple of ingredients I couldn’t pronounce. And those were mostly the preservatives that I didn’t want to feed my family. And finally, when I calculated the cost, it was pricy. I knew that for the same price, I could make triple the amount and freeze it. And it’s so easy to freeze lentil soup for later!

Armed with the ingredient list from the cans, I purchased everything I needed. Then I came home and started working on perfecting my own version of lentil soup. It only took a couple of tries to get it exactly the way my family likes it. I added a couple of spices that weren’t listed on the can. At first, I made it on the stovetop. It took about an hour and a half, which isn’t too bad. However, now I make my homemade lentil soup in the Instant Pot, and it comes out the same in less time.

Instant Pot Cooking

If you don’t already have one, Amazon offers this Instant Pot at a good price.

I’m a huge fan of the Instant Pot. However, I have to admit that I was slightly intimidated in the beginning. I sat and stared at it for a couple of days before I finally used it. And now I’m hooked. Since I’ve learned that I’m not the only person who wasn’t sure about it, I wrote a post on Instant Pot tips.

Check them out before you get started so you’ll have more confidence. If you’re as busy as most people, this handy appliance can be a real lifesaver. I’ve also made this in the slow cooker. This is a good method if you want to throw the ingredients into the pot and go about your busy day.

Stovetop vs. Instant Pot Lentil Soup

Although the stovetop version is wonderful, the Instant Pot makes it even better. For one thing, when you make lentil soup on the pressure cooker setting of the Instant Pot, it’s fast. Another thing I like about it is that the broth thickens on its own without having to mash any of the lentils. I also appreciate how all of the flavors from the ingredients meld into a mouthful of deliciousness.

Do You Have to Soak the Lentils?

When I made lentil soup on the stovetop, I used to soak them for a couple of hours. This hastened the cooking process. Now that I use the Instant Pot, I don’t have to soak them first. However, I still rinse them.

Are Lentils Good for You?

Since lentils have so many benefits, they are good for you. According to WebMD, they’re one of the world’s oldest health foods. They are high in soluble fiber, so they help in maintaining a healthy cholesterol level. Lentils also contain folate and magnesium, which are good for your heart health.

Lentils are an excellent source of protein. My lentil soup is filling and helps provide energy for hours after eating it. When you use your Instant Pot to make this soup, you don’t need any other pots or pans. That makes for easy cleanup.

Vegetarian or Vegan Lentil Soup

If you follow a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, you can unquestionably still make this lentil soup. All you have to do is omit the beef broth and double the vegetable broth. It has a slightly different flavor, but it is still delicious.

What to Serve with Homemade Lentil Soup

My husband and I enjoy eating lentil soup with a little bit of crusty bread—regular for him and gluten-free for me. We either butter it or dip it in olive oil.

You can also serve it with this Mediterranean salad or a delicious chicken salad sandwich. If you’re having a multi-course meal, then this lentil soup can be the first course.

If we’re not in the mood for a salad or sandwich, we enjoy eating lentil soup with a slice of southern style cornbread. One of my favorite ways to eat leftover cornbread is to crumble it into a glass of milk. So yummy!

After eating your lentil soup, why not have some dessert? We like these flourless peanut butter cookies.

Or serve this yummy pineapple dump cake. Your family and guests will think you spent a ton of time in the kitchen, but it only takes a few minutes to assemble before you slide it into the oven to bake.

More Delicious Soup Recipes

One of our all-time favorite soups is this vegetable beef soup. The way I make it is quick and easy, so you don’t have to spend all day in the kitchen.

We also like this creamy tomato soup that is delicious and fun to eat with a grilled pimento cheese sandwich. Some people only eat soup during the cold winter months. However, we eat it year round because we know it’s good for us.

If you want a hearty soup that’s loaded with flavor and nutrition, try this Beef and Cabbage Soup. It’s perfect for those times when you want something warm and comforting.

Another easy soup we enjoy is this Chicken Ramen with Noodles. It’s budget friendly and can be made with any cooked chicken … even canned chicken!

This Homemade Bean Soup is a classic favorite at our house. I make it often because it’s easy, filling, nutritious, and absolutely delicious!

When we’re in the mood for something a little spicy, I make this Instant Pot Chicken Taco Soup. Even my granddaughters gave it a two-thumbs-up!

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