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Home » Recipes » Soup Recipes

Instant Pot Lentil Soup with Spinach

Dated: December 12, 2019 Last Modified: February 22, 2023 This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Instant Pot Lentil Soup

This Instant Pot Lentil Soup makes an easy and healthy weeknight dinner recipe! It's full of carrots and spinach, vegan, and gluten free.

I've been on this 'healthy comfort food' kick lately and there is nothing that fits that description more than lentil soup. This Lentil Soup is vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free but it's hearty and comforting at the same time.

Lentil soup with carrots and spinach in white bowls.

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.

Jump to:
  • Is Lentil Soup Healthy?
  • Ingredients For Lentil Soup
  • How To Make Instant Pot Lentil Soup
  • How Long Does This Soup Take To Cook?
  • What To Serve With Lentil Soup
  • How Long Does Lentil Soup Last In The Fridge?
  • Can It Be Frozen?
  • Instant Pot Lentil Soup with Spinach
Minced garlic, onions, celery, and chopped carrots on wooden cutting board with knife.

Is Lentil Soup Healthy?

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.

The great thing about Lentil Soup is that it's SUPER healthy! Lentils are full of protein, iron, fiber, and many essential vitamins and minerals. They're also inexpensive and can be added to all kinds of soups, stews, salads, and casseroles for added protein.

They're also filling and don't leave you hungry a few hours after eating.

The one frustrating thing about lentils is that they take a long time to cook on the stove top. This Instant Pot Lentil Soup cuts the active cooking time down to 14 minutes - This is exactly the type of recipe that the electric pressure cooker was made for.

If you like healthy soups I think you'll love these recipes!

  • Sweet Potato Kale Soup
  • Roasted Carrot Soup
  • Cannellini Bean, Carrot, and Kale Soup
  • Curried Cauliflower and Potato Soup
  • Thai Style Potato and Corn Chowder
  • Tuscan Vegetable Soup
  • Gluten Free Vegetable Stew
Photo collage of garlic, onions, celery, carrots, and broth in Instant Pot.

Ingredients For Lentil Soup

This soup doesn't require too many ingredients and you likely have most of them in your pantry or fridge already.

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

  • 6 cloves Garlic
  • 1 Onion (any color)
  • 2-3 stalks Celery
  • 4-5 large Carrots
  • 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 1 ¼ cup Brown or Green Lentils
  • 4 ½ cups Vegetable Broth
  • 1 15 oz. can Crushed Tomatoes
  • 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
  • 1 tsp. Sugar
  • ½ tsp. Kosher Salt
  • ½ tsp. Pepper
  • 2-3 cups fresh Spinach

Where Can I Find Lentils?

Brown or Green Lentils are the ones that are easily found in the rice and grains section of most grocery stores. You can also grab them in the bulk food section of your local food coop.

Lentil soup with carrots in Instant Pot with wooden spoon.

How To Make Instant Pot Lentil Soup

This soup is so easy to make and takes not time at all making it a great option for busy weeknights!

  1. Start by mincing 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (I used a white onion but you can use any color you like). Dice 2-3 stalks of celery and dice 4-5 large carrots.
  2. Place 1 ¼ cups of dried lentils in a colander and give them a good rinse. It is not necessary to soak them before making this soup but I always think it is a good idea to rinse them.
  3. Plug in the Instant Pot and set it to the 'Sauté' setting.
  4. 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.
  5. Add the diced carrots along with ½ tsp. kosher salt and pepper. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
  6. Add the rinsed lentils to the pot and sauté for 1 minute, stirring often.
  7. Pour 4 ½ cups vegetable broth, 1 15 oz. can of crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, and 1 tsp. sugar into the pot. Stir until combined.
Scoop of lentil soup lifted from Instant Pot on metal ladle.

How Long Does This Soup Take To Cook?

  1. Once everything is in there 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' 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.

*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.

After you have removed the lid stir the soup and add 2-3 cups of roughly chopped spinach (you can as much or as little spinach as you like).

Stir the spinach into the soup until combined.

Lentil soup in white bowls next to bread.

What To Serve With Lentil Soup

If you ask me you can't serve lentil soup without bread (use gluten free bread if you are gluten free). The bread allows you to sop it up from the bowl and makes it more of a 'meal'.

A sandwich like this Mozzarella Grilled Cheese, Chipotle Chicken Panini, Dijon Chicken Grilled Cheese, Curried Chickpea Sandwiches, or Lemon Tarragon Chicken Salad is always a great accompaniment to soups made from scratch like this one.

A salad like this Marinated Tomato Salad or Minty Pea and Almond Salad are great options if you want to keep things light.

Something 'bread-y' like pita bread, flatbread, biscuits, savory scones, or crackers are perfect as well.

If you like Instant Pot recipes be sure to check out these!

  • Instant Pot Mediterranean Chicken and Rice
  • Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
  • Instant Pot Wild Rice
  • Instant Pot Pot Roast
  • Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
Spoonful of lentil soup lifted from white bowl.

How Long Does Lentil Soup Last In The Fridge?

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

Make sure to allow the soup to come to room temperature before storing in 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
  • Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
  • Italian Vegetable Soup
  • Root Vegetable Soup

Love lentils? Check out these recipes!

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

Looking For More Instant Pot Soup Recipes? Don't Miss These!

Instant Pot Vegetable Quinoa Soup

Instant Pot Chicken Taco Soup

Instant Pot Crab and Corn Chowder

Instant pot lentil soup in white bowl with spoon.

Instant Pot Lentil Soup with Spinach

Christine Rooney
This Instant Pot Lentil Soup makes an easy and healthy weeknight dinner recipe! It's full of carrots and spinach, vegan, and gluten free.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe!
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 5
Calories 273 kcal

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients
 
 

  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1 onion any color
  • 2-3 stalks celery
  • 4-5 large carrots
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 ¼ cup brown or green lentils
  • 4 ½ cups vegetable broth
  • 1 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ tsp. pepper
  • 2-3 cups chopped fresh spinach

Instructions
 

  • Mince 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (any color). Dice 2-3 stalks of celery and 4-5 large carrots.
  • Place 1 ¼ cup of dried brown or green lentils into a colander and rinse them with water.
  • Plug in the Instant Pot and set it to the 'Saute' setting. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil and allow to heat.
  • Once heated, add the minced garlic, onions, and celery. Saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
  • Add the diced carrots along with ½ tsp. of kosher salt and pepper. Saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
  • Add the rinsed lentils and saute for 1 minute, stirring often.
  • Add 4 ½ cups of vegetable broth, 1 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, and 1 tsp. sugar to the Instant Pot. Stir until combined.
  • Place the cover on the Instant Pot and make sure it's in the locked position and the valve is sealed. Press the 'Cancel/Off' button and then press the 'Manual' button.

    Set the timer for 14 minutes.
  • Allow the Instant Pot to pressurize, cook for 14 minutes, and natural pressure release for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes you can vent any remaining steam. Remove the lid and stir the soup.
  • Roughly chop 2-3 cups of fresh spinach (you can use more or less if you like). Add the spinach to the soup and stir until combined.
    Turn the Instant Pot off and unplug it when finished.
  • To Serve: Serve soup with crusty bread (gluten free bread if you are gluten free).

Notes

Maple syrup, agave syrup, or honey may be substituted for the sugar. The sugar helps to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
You can use any type of hearty green you like in this soup. Swiss chard, kale, or arugula are all great options.

Nutrition

Serving: 2cupsCalories: 273kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 13gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1104mgPotassium: 782mgFiber: 17gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 11305IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 92mgIron: 4mg
Keyword lentil soup, vegan lentil soup, gluten free lentil soup, spinach lentil soup,
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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About Christine

My name is Christine Rooney. I live in rural Minnesota with my husband. I own and operate The Rustic Foodie and work as a freelance photographer and writer. I like my food to be like anything else in life - down to earth and full of flavor.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. alyssa | everydaymaven

    December 12, 2019 at 12:22 pm

    Thanks for including my recipe!! 🙂

    Reply
    • Christine

      December 12, 2019 at 4:00 pm

      Sure thing! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Shirley Landis

    June 08, 2020 at 11:00 am

    5 stars
    I made this for dinner yesterday & it was delicious!

    Reply
    • Christine

      June 21, 2020 at 8:44 pm

      Hi, Shirley - So glad you enjoyed it and thank you for the feedback! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Sara

    November 25, 2020 at 12:21 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious! Made this for dinner and will definitely make this again in the future. Added a few potatoes as well, and used frozen spinach instead of fresh one. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Christine

      November 29, 2020 at 7:40 pm

      Hi Sara - So glad to hear you enjoyed it! Great idea to add potatoes - I may need to try that next time! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Denise Irvine

    February 01, 2021 at 6:36 pm

    Made this soup today. It was delicious. Will make this again & again

    Reply
    • Christine

      February 02, 2021 at 12:41 am

      Hi Denise - So glad you enjoyed it! This is one of my favorite fast and tasty go-to recipes as well! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Michael Laubinger

    January 05, 2022 at 11:32 pm

    Looks like a good recipe. Only question I have is it it high or low pressure setting for the 14 minutes?

    Reply
    • Christine

      January 06, 2022 at 12:49 am

      Hi Michael - I apologize for omitting this info from the recipe. My Instant Pot doesn't have the option to switch between high and low pressure, so I didn't realize it was an option. I always use the 'Manual' setting and then adjust the time accordingly and it looks like the default pressure for this setting is high. So, it would cook at high pressure.

      Reply
  6. Janet Carr

    January 17, 2022 at 6:29 pm

    5 stars
    Easy to put together. Used beef bone broth. added russet potato, 3 bay leaves and 4 cups baby kale. Cooked perfectly in the times indicated. Will make again.

    Reply
    • Christine

      January 20, 2022 at 11:07 pm

      Hi Janet - So glad to hear that you enjoyed this soup! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Shelly

    June 07, 2022 at 1:35 pm

    How would you make this on the stove if you don’t own an instant pot? Thx!

    Reply
    • Christine

      June 07, 2022 at 3:42 pm

      Hi Shelly - I actually have a recipe for stove top lentil soup that's very similar to this Instant Pot version. I'll link to it, so you can check it out. The only real differences are that the stove top version takes longer to cook and the spinach is not in the recipe, but feel free to add a few cups of it at the end of cooking time. Hope you enjoy!

      https://www.therusticfoodie.com/hearty-lentil-soup/

      Reply
      • Shelly

        June 08, 2022 at 1:03 pm

        Thanks so much! Planning to make today 🙂

        Reply

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Thanks for stopping by! My name is Christine Rooney. I live in rural Minnesota with my husband. I own and operate The Rustic Foodie and work as a freelance photographer and writer. I like my food to be like anything else in life - down to earth and full of flavor.

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