Colin FosterBy Colin Foster

Updated November 2026

This instant pot lentil soup recipe gives you a hearty, flavorful pot of soup in roughly 40 minutes, most of it hands-off pressure cooking. You will saute a simple aromatic base, add brown or green lentils with broth and vegetables, pressure cook for about 10 minutes, and finish with acid and salt so the flavors taste bright rather than flat. The method works for weeknight dinners and makes a generous batch for leftovers.

Ingredients and Tools You Need

Gather these before you start so the sauté step moves quickly. The quantities below serve six.

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  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed and picked over
  • 6 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 large handfuls spinach or kale
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice or red wine vinegar, plus salt and pepper to taste

You will need a 6-quart or 8-quart electric pressure cooker with a sauté function, a wooden spoon, and a fine-mesh strainer for rinsing lentils.

Step 1: Build the Flavor Base with Sauté

Set the pot to Sauté on Normal or Medium heat and add the olive oil. Cook the onion, carrots, and celery for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often, until the onion turns translucent and the edges begin to brown. Add the garlic, cumin, and paprika and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Toasting the spices in oil makes a noticeable difference in the finished soup.

Step 2: Add Lentils, Liquid, and Seasoning

Pour in about a cup of the broth and scrape the bottom of the pot with your spoon to lift any browned bits, since the sauté function will otherwise flag a burn warning. Add the remaining broth, the lentils, the diced tomatoes, and the bay leaf. Do not stir in any salt yet; the lentils absorb seasoning as they cook, and you will adjust at the end.

Step 3: Pressure Cook and Release

Lock the lid, set the valve to sealing, and select Manual or Pressure Cook on High for 10 minutes. Brown or green lentils hold their shape at this time and turn creamy at the edges. Once the cook time ends, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then move the valve to venting for any remaining steam. Natural release keeps the lentils from bursting and the broth from frothing up through the valve.

Adjusting the Texture

If the soup looks too thin, switch to Sauté and simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes. If it is too thick, add broth or water a half cup at a time. Lentils keep absorbing liquid as the soup sits, so expect to loosen leftovers before serving.

Step 4: Finish with Greens, Acid, and Salt

Remove the bay leaf, stir in the spinach or kale until wilted, which takes about a minute. Add the lemon juice or vinegar, then season with salt and black pepper. Acid is the step most home cooks skip, and it lifts the earthy lentil flavor noticeably. Taste, adjust, and serve.

Common Mistakes and Tips

  • Skipping the rinse. Dusty or damaged lentils can foam and cause the sauté warning later, so rinse and pick through them.
  • Adding salt before pressure cooking. Lentils can toughen slightly with early salt in some cases, so season at the finish.
  • Quick-releasing the pressure. This sends foam and starchy liquid out the valve and can leave lentils split.
  • Overfilling the pot. Keep the total below the max fill line, since lentils expand as they cook.
  • Using red lentils by mistake. They break down completely and give a purée texture rather than distinct lentils.

An electric pressure cooker with a built-in sauté function lets you brown vegetables and pressure cook in a single pot. View on Amazon

A fine-mesh strainer makes rinsing small lentils quick and keeps stray debris out of the soup. View on Amazon

A silicone-tipped wooden spoon is gentle on pot liners while you scrape up browned bits during sauté. View on Amazon

FAQ

Do I need to soak lentils before using an Instant Pot?

No. Brown and green lentils cook through in about 10 minutes under pressure without soaking, which is one reason this recipe works well for weeknights.

Can I use dried lentils from a bag without rinsing them?

Rinsing is recommended because it removes dust and debris and reduces foam. A quick rinse in a strainer takes less than a minute.

How long does lentil soup keep in the refrigerator?

Stored in an airtight container, it keeps about 4 to 5 days. Lentils thicken as they sit, so add a splash of broth when reheating.

Conclusion

This instant pot lentil soup recipe gives you a reliable, nourishing dinner with a short ingredient list and a single pot to clean. Follow the sauté, pressure cook, and natural release steps, then finish with acid and salt for the best flavor. Once you have the method down, swap in different vegetables or spices to match what you have on hand.

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Colin Foster

About Colin Foster

Colin Foster is part of our editorial team and reviews and edits our home cooking with appliances guides, checking product details against manufacturer specifications and owner feedback.