Description
This hearty Lentil Soup recipe offers a rich, flavorful blend of vegetables, spices, and lentils, cooked either in an Instant Pot or on the stovetop. It features a comforting mix of roasted garlic, tomatoes, and herbs, perfect for a nutritious, comforting meal that can be easily customized with toppings like fresh parsley, sriracha, or Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 sweet yellow onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 bulb roasted garlic (about 8–10 cloves), chopped
Lentils and Liquids
- 1 (16 oz) bag dry French green or brown lentils, sorted and rinsed
- 2 (32 oz) containers of low-sodium vegetable broth
Tomato Ingredients
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
Spices and Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper, plus more to taste
Finishing Ingredient
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
Optional Toppings
- Sriracha
- Avocado
- Fresh parsley
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Saute Vegetables: Using the sauté function on high heat in the Instant Pot, heat olive oil for about 1 minute until shimmering. Add chopped onion, carrots, and celery, cooking for about 5 minutes until fragrant and onions turn translucent. Season with a bit of salt and pepper during this step.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Stir in roasted garlic, lentils, low-sodium vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, thyme, paprika, cumin, nutmeg, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine.
- Pressure Cook: Secure the Instant Pot lid and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld and lentils to become tender.
- Release Pressure: When cooking completes, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then perform a quick-release for any remaining pressure.
- Add Vinegar and Adjust Seasoning: Remove bay leaves, stir in red wine vinegar, then taste and add additional salt and pepper as preferred to enhance flavor.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and add optional toppings such as fresh parsley, sriracha, avocado, or Parmesan cheese to suit your taste.
- Alternative Stove-Top Method – Saute Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery and sauté for 8-10 minutes until onions are soft and translucent. Season lightly with salt and pepper as you cook.
- Alternative Stove-Top Method – Add Ingredients: Stir in roasted garlic, lentils, vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, thyme, paprika, cumin, nutmeg, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
- Alternative Stove-Top Method – Simmer: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least 1 hour or until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally.
- Alternative Stove-Top Method – Finish and Serve: Remove bay leaves, stir in vinegar, adjust seasoning as needed, and serve with toppings of choice, just like the Instant Pot version.
Notes
- Lentils do not require soaking before cooking, but rinsing and sorting helps remove debris.
- Roasted garlic adds a deep, mellow garlic flavor, but you can substitute with fresh minced garlic if preferred.
- Adjust the spices to suit your taste, especially the paprika and cumin for different flavor profiles.
- Using low-sodium broth allows better control of the overall saltiness of the soup.
- This soup stores well and flavors often improve the next day; refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for longer storage.
- Optional toppings like fresh parsley and sriracha provide bright, fresh, or spicy finishing touches to suit your palate.
- Cooking times vary by method: 15 minutes pressure cooking vs. at least 1 hour simmering on stovetop.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes (Instant Pot) / 1 hour (Stovetop)
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: lentil soup, vegetarian soup, healthy lentils, Instant Pot soup, easy lentil recipe, Mediterranean lentil soup
