Easy Instant Pot Red Lentil Soup (Vegan Recipe)

A white bowl with red lentil soup with lemon slices.

5 from 1 vote

Easy Instant Pot Red Lentil Soup (Vegan Recipe)

Easy Instant Pot red lentil soup is a delicious vegan recipe with simple ingredients and no coconut milk for a healthy and satisfying plant-based soup.

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Vegan

Servings:

Calories: 260kcal

Author: Denise Perrault

Ingredients

1 medium onion finely diced
2 medium carrots peeled and finely chopped, 1 cup
2 cloves garlic minced or pressed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon chili powder or cayenne pepper
1 medium lemon zest + 2 tablespoons or more juice
2 cups red lentils rinsed and sorted
7 cups vegetable broth

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Instant Pot Instructions
Place all the ingredients into the Instant Pot. Mix everything to ensure nothing is settling on the bottom.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot, slide the steam handle to sealing, and cook the soup for 10 minutes on High Pressure.
Once the Instant Pot beeps, let it sit for 15 minutes to release the pressure naturally. Then, carefully open the steam handle, let any remaining steam release, and remove the lid. Stir the soup, taste, and adjust the flavoring. Serve hot.
Stovetop Instructions
Heat a medium soup pot to medium heat, then add the onions. Stir the onions to soften them for about 3 minutes. Mix in the garlic and spices. Lower the heat and add the vegetable broth, tomato paste, lemon juice, and zest.
Stir in the red lentils so they don't clump or sink to the bottom. Turn up the heat on the stove until the broth starts to boil. Then, reduce the heat to a slow simmer.
Cook the lentils, stirring a few times throughout. A lid over the soup pot is optional. It will make the soup less likely to splatter. Let the soup simmer for 20-25 minutes until the lentils have broken down and are tender. Add more broth or water as needed.

Notes

The cooking time includes 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to heat up.
If you want the soup smoother or thicker, transfer all or part of it to a blender or use an immersion blender to puree it.
Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
If you don't have curry powder on hand, mix 2 teaspoons of ground cumin and 1 teaspoon of coriander, chili flakes, turmeric, and black pepper. This will yield about 2 tablespoons. You can also use 2 teaspoons of garam masala plus a teaspoon of turmeric.

Nutrition