Instant Pot Lentil Soup with Spinach

This vegan Instant Pot Lentil Soup is full of Italian flavors! It's made with brown lentils, carrots, and spinach in a savory tomato broth.

If you're looking for a hearty and comforting dish that's easy to prepare, be sure to check out this Lentil Soup. It's made in the Instant Pot, so it's ready in no time, making it the perfect choice for a weeknight dinner.

When I was in college, I frequented and ended up working at a local coffee shop that served a big bowl of homemade soup with sliced bread for $3.00. Customers came from all over campus to take advantage of this amazing deal. One of the most popular items on the menu was the Spinach Lentil Soup.

With deals like that we weren't forced to live on Ramen noodles and frozen pizza - we ate pretty well during those years of intense study.

Upon trying this Instant Pot version I realized that it tastes EXACTLY like the Spinach Lentil version that I ate so much of during that time in college many years ago.

The flavors must have embedded themselves into my subconscious mind because I started feeling like it was 2002 again and I was sitting in a crowded cafe sipping a cup of coffee eating a big bowl of it.

I love that food and flavors have that kind of effect on us - one bite of something familiar can transport us all the way back to childhood.

Jump to:

• What Kind Of Lentils Are Best For Lentil Soup?
• Do Lentils Need To Be Soaked First?
• Ingredients For Instant Pot Lentil Soup
• How To Make Instant Pot Lentil Soup
• How Long Does Lentil Soup Take To Cook?
• What To Serve With Lentil Soup
• How Long Does This Soup Last In The Fridge?
• Can It Be Frozen?
• Instant Pot Lentil Soup with Spinach

What Kind Of Lentils Are Best For Lentil Soup?

Lentils are one of my favorite all-around ingredients. I always have a stash of dried lentils on hand in my pantry.

Lentils are budget-friendly and used in in cuisines found all around the world. They can be added to soups and stews, salads, dips, and curries for extra protein.

Lentils are also very healthy - they are a great source of protein, iron, fiber, folate as well as many essential vitamins and minerals and are low in calories.

For this Instant Pot Lentil Soup, I recommend using dried brown lentils. Brown lentils are the variety commonly sold in grocery stores and food coops. I like to use brown lentils when making soup because they hold their shape and do not become mushy when cooked.

For the best results, I do not recommend using red or yellow lentils or French or black lentils for this recipe. Red or yellow lentils will cook too quickly in the Instant Pot and become mushy and French (also known as Puy) or black (also known as Beluga) lentils require a longer cooking time than this recipe calls for.

The great thing about the Instant Pot is that it cuts down the cooking time for brown lentils. The active cooking time for this lentil soup is 14 minutes. Lentils cooked on the stove top require a longer cooking time.

Do Lentils Need To Be Soaked First?

Lentils do not need to be soaked before cooking, but it's recommended to rinse them under cold water before using to remove any impurities.

Ingredients For Instant Pot Lentil Soup

This soup only calls for a few ingredients and you likely have most of them in your pantry or fridge already. The recipe is simple, but this soup packs a lot of flavor.

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 6 cloves Garlic
• 1 Onion (any color)
• 2-3 stalks Celery (equals 1 cup chopped celery)
• 4-5 large Carrots (equals 3 cups of diced carrots)
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 ¼ cup Dried Brown Lentils
• 4 ½ cups Vegetable Broth
• 2 cups Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
• 1 tsp. Sugar
• ¾ tsp. Kosher Salt (split)
• ½ tsp. Pepper (split)
• 2-3 cups fresh Spinach (roughly chopped) (or hearty greens of choice)

Lentils are naturally gluten free, but always check the labels to make sure the brand is free of gluten if gluten is an issue for you. Some companies process lentils in the same facilities as non-gluten free foods and cross-contamination can occur.

How To Make Instant Pot Lentil Soup

This soup is easy to make and takes no time at all, making it a great option for busy weeknights!

It's made with brown lentils along with garlic, onions, celery, and carrots. It's flavored simply with Italian seasoning and cooked in a savory tomato broth. This lentil soup is thick and finished with a bunch of fresh spinach.

The aromatics and veggies are minced and then sauteed in an Instant Pot along with olive oil until fragrant. The brown lentils are then added along with some vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, and Italian seasoning. Once the soup is finished cooking, the fresh spinach is added to the dish.

1. Start by mincing 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (white or yellow onions are best).
2. Dice 2-3 stalks of celery (equals 1 cup of diced celery).
3. Peel 4-5 large carrots and cut them into slices. Cut the slices into half moons or into quarters if they are large. It's important that the carrots are roughly the same size so that they cook evenly (yields 3 cups chopped carrots).
4. Roughly chop 2-3 cups of spinach (or hearty greens of choice).
5. Place 1 ¼ cups of dried lentils in a colander and rinse them thoroughly (this helps to remove any impurities).
6. Plug in the Instant Pot (6 or 8 quart) and set it to the Sauté setting.
7. Add 2 Tbsp. of olive oil to the Instant Pot. Once heated, add the minced garlic, onions, and celery. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
8. Add the chopped carrots along with ½ tsp. of kosher salt and ¼ tsp. of pepper. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
9. Add the rinsed lentils to the pot and sauté for 1 minute, stirring often.
10. Pour 4 ½ cups vegetable broth, 2 cups of crushed tomatoes (measure the crushed tomatoes with a dry measuring cup), 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, and 1 tsp. sugar (the sugar helps to balance out the acidity of the crushed tomatoes) into the pot. Stir until combined.

How Long Does Lentil Soup Take To Cook?

Once all of the aromatics and veggies are sauteed, it takes 14 minutes of active cooking time and 10 minutes of natural pressure release to cook this lentil soup.

1. Once all of the ingredients are in the Instant Pot, place the cover on top and make sure it is in the locked position and that the valve it sealed.
2. Press the 'Cancel/Off' button and then press the 'Manual' or 'Pressure Cook' button.
3. Set the timer for 14 minutes.
4. Allow the Instant Pot to pressurize, cook for 14 minutes, and when that time is up allow the steam to release naturally for 10 minutes. Feel free to flip the vent after 10 minutes to release any extra steam. At this point you can remove the cover from the Instant Pot.
5. Remove the lid and add the 2-3 cups of roughly chopped spinach and ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper.
6. Stir the soup once again until combined.

The soup should be thick and the lentils and carrots should be tender, but not mushy when finished cooking.

Always be sure to exercise caution when using an Instant Pot. Check out this guide for any questions you may have regarding use of your Instant Pot.

What To Serve With Lentil Soup

Soups like this one are perfect served with some toasted crostini or warm, crusty bread for dipping.

Something bread-y like pesto chicken flatbread pizza, biscuits, savory scones, or garlic bread are great as well.

Feel free to serve the soup as-is, or garnish with some grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese or freshly minced herbs like chives or parsley for some extra color and flavor.

A grilled cheese or panini sandwich like this Italian Mozzarella Grilled Cheese, Chipotle Chicken Panini, Pesto Grilled Cheese, or Dijon Chicken Grilled Cheese is perfect for dipping into this soup.

Love Instant Pot recipes? Don't miss these!

• Instant Pot Mediterranean Chicken and Rice
• Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
• Instant Pot Wild Rice
• Instant Pot Pot Roast
• Instant Pot Split Pea Soup

How Long Does This Soup Last In The Fridge?

This Instant Pot Lentil Soup should last 3-4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Make sure to allow the soup to come to room temperature before transferring to the fridge.

Can It Be Frozen?

This soup makes an excellent freezer meal! It's always nice to have a pre-made soup like this one on hand in the freezer when things get extra busy and hectic in life.

How To Freeze

1. Prepare the soup according to the instructions and allow to cool completely.
2. Once cooled, place the soup in heavy-duty freezer bags labeled with the date or in airtight containers.
3. Store up to 3 months in the freezer.

How To Thaw

1. Place the containers of frozen soup in the fridge for 24 hours to thaw.
2. Place the soup in a Dutch Oven or soup pan and add ½ cup of water or vegetable broth and heat thoroughly.

Love soup? Check out these recipes!

• Harvest Vegetable Soup
• Tuscan Vegetable Noodle Soup
• Italian Vegetable Soup
• Root Vegetable Soup
• Vegetable Orzo Soup
• Sweet Potato Kale Soup

Love lentils? Check out these recipes!

• Hearty Lentil Soup
• Lentil Kale Sausage Soup
• Instant Pot Lentils
• Cauliflower Red Lentil Soup

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