Instant Pot Lentil Soup with Spinach

Instant Pot lentil soup in white bowl with spoon with toasted crostini.

5 from 4 votes

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.

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Natural Release Time:10

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: vegan lentil soup, brown lentil soup, lentil and spinach soup, lentil soup instant pot

Servings:

Calories: 264kcal

Author: Christine Rooney

Equipment

Instant Pot 6-Quart or 8-Quart

Ingredients

6 cloves garlic
1 onion yellow or white
2-3 stalks celery equals 1 cup diced
4-5 large carrots equals 3 cups diced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 ¼ cup 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 spinach roughly chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mince 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (white or yellow are best).
Dice 2-3 stalks of celery (equals 1 cup of diced celery).
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).
Roughly chop 2-3 cups of spinach (or hearty greens of choice).
Place 1 ¼ cups of dried brown lentils in a colander and rinse them thoroughly (this helps to remove any impurities).
Plug in the Instant Pot (6 or 8 quart) and set it to the 'Sauté' setting.
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.
Add the chopped carrots along with ½ tsp. of kosher salt and ¼ tsp. of pepper. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
Add the rinsed lentils to the pot and sauté for 1 minute, stirring often.
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.
Make sure that the ingredients do not exceed the max fill line.
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.
Press the 'Cancel/Off' button and then press the 'Manual' or 'Pressure Cook' button.
Set the timer for 14 minutes.
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.
Remove the lid and add the 2-3 cups of roughly chopped spinach and ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper.
Stir the soup once again until combined.
To Serve: Serve the lentil soup with some grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese and fresh herbs such as chives or parsley for extra color and flavor (optional). Serve with toasted crostini or warm, crusty bread for dipping (optional).

Notes

Maple 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.

Do not use red or yellow lentils when making this Instant Pot Lentil Soup, as they have a short cooking time and will likely overcook and become mushy. Alternately, French or black lentils are not recommended because they require a longer cooking time.

Nutrition