Easy and Delicious Recipe
This easy Instant Pot lentil soup recipe is flavorful, nutritious, and quick. I 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.
Ingredients
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.
Directions
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.

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.
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!
If you like southern cooking as much as I do, you’ll love this black-eyed pea soup from Back to My Southern Roots.
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!
Instant Pot Lentil Soup Recipe

Ingredients
- One 16-ounce package of dry lentils
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 cup of chopped carrots
- 1 cup of chopped celery
- 1/2 cup of chopped onions
- 1 can of chopped spinach, drained
- 1 small can of tomato paste
- 2 cups of beef broth
- 2 cups of vegetable broth
- 2 cups of water
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of seasoning salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
Instructions
- Turn your Instant Pot on sauté. Drizzle the olive oil in the bottom of the pot.
- Sauté the onions until they are translucent. Add the carrots and celery and sauté for about 2 minutes. Turn off the Instant Pot while you add the remaining ingredients.
- Pour the drained spinach, tomato paste, beef broth, vegetable broth, and 1 cup of water into the pot.
- Add the lentils and stir.
- Add the garlic powder, onion powder, seasoning salt, and black pepper.
- Put on the lid and turn the knob to pressure.
- Press the “manual” button and press the plus (+) sign until you’re at 20 minutes.
- It will take a few minutes to get to full pressure. Once it does, it will cook for 20 minutes. After it beeps, allow it to naturally depressurize for about 10 minutes.
- Carefully turn the top knob to vent and allow all of the steam to escape.
- Remove the lid, add the second cup of water, and stir. If you prefer it to be a thinner soup, you can add more water until it’s how you like it.
- Scoop it into bowls and serve. It is so delicious!
Notes
You can make a vegetarian version of this soup by using vegetable broth instead of beef broth.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 133Total Fat 2gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 0mgSodium 630mgCarbohydrates 21gFiber 4gSugar 3gProtein 8g
The nutrition information is a product of online calculators. I try to provide true and accurate information, but these numbers are estimates.
Miz Helen
Tuesday 12th of May 2020
This is a perfect recipe for the Instant Pot, I just love Lentil Soup! Hope you are having a great week and thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday,483. Come back soon! Miz Helen
Judee@gluten free A-Z Blog
Thursday 29th of August 2019
I totally love using my Instant Pot and welcome easy recipes like your lentil soup. Thanks = looks so good!
southernhomeexpress
Thursday 29th of August 2019
I'm a big fan of the Instant Pot too! I hope you try the lentil soup. It's so delicious!
Miz Helen
Tuesday 16th of July 2019
A great Instant Pot recipe, it looks delicious! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday and hope you are having a great week. Miz Helen