Instant Pot Red Lentil Soup

This Instant Pot Red Lentil soup recipe is the best! The soup is made with healthy ingredients and simple spices. It's naturally gluten-free, vegan, and high in protein! You can cook this simple Lentil Soup in your Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi, or on the stovetop!

If you are a big fan of Middle Eastern cuisine and looking for healthy lentil recipes, you must try this Red Lentil soup recipe!

This red lentil soup recipe is inspired by Iraqi Shorbeh. It's simply the best lentil soup recipe!

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Instant Pot Red Lentil Soup Recipe
• Ingredients
• How to Make Red Lentil Soup on the Stovetop
• How to Make Red Lentil Soup in an Instant Pot
• Recipe Tips
• Storage
• How to Reheat
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

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Why You'll Love This Instant Pot Red Lentil Soup Recipe

• Quick. Cooking red lentils is pretty easy. Red lentils split and cook very quickly. Therefore, they need no pre-soaking before cooking! They also have sweet and nutty flavors. This type of lentil is perfect to make delicious soup or sauce.
• Flavorful. This aromatic lentil soup recipe comes together quickly and yet is loaded with flavors. The soup is seasoned with fragrant spices that many people can find in their pantries.
• Creamy without any dairy product. The soup is so smooth and no blending is necessary.
• Healthy. Lentils are packed with B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and potassium. Lentils are an excellent source for vegan or vegetarian diets because they are not only loaded with protein but are also enriched with iron and soluble fiber.
• Affordable. Lentils are an inexpensive whole-food staple! This soup is very filling and it doesn't cost you a lot of money to make.

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Ingredients

To make this vegetarian lentil soup you will need red lentils, fresh onion, fresh garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, olive oil, and broth. To serve, you can add a small amount of lemon juice or lemon zest to add an extra kick to the broth!

• Red Lentils. They are a little smaller than green or brown lentils. These edible seeds are part of the legume family.  It's a common food staple in Asian (such as in India) and North African cuisines.
• Broth. You can use vegetables or chicken broth, low-sodium or regular.
• Onion.  I used yellow onion as a base for the soup. Yellow onions are versatile and when cooked are sweet and flavorful.
• Turmeric.  I added turmeric to add a bright yellow color to the soup. Turmeric is packed with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
• Cumin. It's one of the most popular spices in Middle Eastern food. It adds aroma and earthy, warm, and citrusy tastes to the soup.
• Coriander. Similar to cumin, this spice adds an aroma and nutty taste to the soup.
• Lemon.  I added lemon to brighten up the soup. It elevates the flavor of the soup without the need of adding too much salt. 

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How to Make Red Lentil Soup on the Stovetop

Step 1. Prepare the Red Lentils

• Remove the debris from the lentil and rinse well.

Step 2. Cook the Aromatic Vegetables

• In a large dutch oven, add in the olive oil then gently sauté the onion for about 6-7 minutes
• Add garlic, cumin, coriander, and turmeric. Cook and keep stirring for about 1 minute.
• Add red lentils and broth. Simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally to prevent lentils from sticking to the base of the pan until lentils are very soft and falling apart for about 30 minutes.
• No blending is necessary unless you want it to be extra smooth.

Important note: Please keep in mind that stove-top cookers require more liquid than electric cookers. You may need about 1 cup of extra broth or more per recipe.

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How to Make Red Lentil Soup in an Instant Pot

This lentil soup is a great soup recipe that can be ready at your dinner table in less than 30 minutes from preparation to the cooking time with Instant Pot. Here's how:

Step 1. Prepare the Red Lentils

• Remove the debris from the lentil and rinse well.

Step 2. Cook the Aromatic Vegetables

• Press the “Sauté” function key then “Normal”.
• When the Instant Pot displays “Hot”, heat oil and cook the onion for about 6 minutes or until translucent.
• Add garlic, cumin, coriander, and turmeric, and stir for 1 minute.

Step 3. Cook at High Pressure

• Stir in the red lentils, and broth.
• Scrape the bottom of the pot to keep the pan clear and nothing is stuck on it to prevent burning.
• Secure the lid and set it to manual. Cook on high for 8 minutes.
• After the cooking cycle finishes, quickly release the pressure. Open the lid and stir the soup.

Important note: No blending is necessary unless you want it to be really smooth.

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Recipe Tips

• Rinse & Pick Over Lentils! Please do not skip this step and make sure to check for debris thoroughly. It's very important to rinse and remove any stones, dirt, damaged lentils, or other debris before cooking.
• How to Remove Debris from Lentils. To find debris, you can spread the lentils out on a flat surface so that all pieces are visible to you then remove the debris.
• Taste it! Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
• If the broth is too thick. Add about 1 cup of warm broth and stir to combine.

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Storage

Discard any leftover soup that has been left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature or 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F. You can learn more here.

• Let the soup cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
• Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container.
• Properly stored, the leftover can last 3-4 days in the fridge or up to 6 months in the freezer.

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How to Reheat

• Place the leftover red lentil soup in a saucepan.
• Reheat over medium-low heat until hot.
• Don't forget to stir frequently and add a small amount of water or broth if necessary.
• Alternatively, you can reheat the leftover red lentil soup in a microwave, at 30-second intervals until hot.

I hope you'll enjoy this recipe and share it with friends! If you try it and don’t mind, please leave me a comment and/or give this recipe a rating. Be sure to subscribe to receive weekly recipes and follow me on Pinterest.

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