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Instant Pot Lentil Soup Recipe

This hearty lentil soup is exactly what you need on a cold winter evening! It's packed with protein, super budget-friendly, and comes together in under 30 minutes. Plus, it's one of those magical soups that tastes even better the next day for leftovers!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 3 carrots peeled and diced
  • 3 celery stalks diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1½ cups dried green or brown lentils rinsed
  • 1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes with juice
  • 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups fresh spinach or kale chopped
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Method
 

  1. Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode. Add olive oil and let it heat up for about a minute.
  2. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies start to soften. Add garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  3. Press cancel to turn off sauté mode. Add the rinsed lentils, diced tomatoes, broth, cumin, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Give everything a good stir.
  4. Close the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
  5. When the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully quick release any remaining pressure.
  6. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the chopped spinach or kale. It'll wilt in just a minute or two from the heat of the soup.
  7. Stir in lemon juice and taste for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot with crusty bread for dipping!