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Vegan Instant Pot Red Lentil Soup Recipe

Vegan Instant Pot Red Lentil Soup

This Vegan Instant Pot Red Lentil Soup is a warming, nutritious meal ready in under 40 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights, it’s packed with protein-rich red lentils, fresh vegetables, and aromatic spices.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 bowls
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 220
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 medium carrots, sliced
  • 2 stalks celery, sliced
  • 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 can (14.5 oz/410g) diced tomatoes with their juices
  • 2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 lemon juice (about 1 tablespoon)
  • optional chopped parsley for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Instant Pot (pressure cooker)
  • 1 Chopping board
  • 1 Wooden spoon or spatula
  • 1 Measuring cups and spoons

Method
 

  1. Set the Instant Pot to ‘Sauté’ mode. Once hot, add olive oil, then sauté onion, garlic, carrot, and celery for 3–4 minutes until softened.
  2. Add potato, cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, salt, and black pepper. Stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Add rinsed red lentils, diced tomatoes (with their juices), and vegetable broth. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits.
  4. Cancel ‘Sauté’, secure the lid, set valve to ‘Sealing’, and cook on ‘Manual’ or ‘Pressure Cook’ mode for 8 minutes.
  5. Once done, allow pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then carefully quick-release remaining pressure.
  6. Open the lid, add chopped spinach, and stir until wilted. Add lemon juice and adjust seasoning if needed.
  7. Serve hot, garnished with optional parsley and more lemon juice if desired.

Notes

Soup thickens as it rests; add extra broth if you prefer a thinner consistency.
For extra creaminess, blend part of the soup using an immersion blender.
Store leftovers refrigerated for up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months.