I can’t even tell you how stinkin’ good this soup is!! It’s super hearty with fabulous flavor and everyone goes for seconds. The best part of all is that if you have an Instant Pot, this pretty much makes itself with minimal effort from you. If you don’t know what an Instant Pot 
You can cook up white beans in 6 minutes, chickpeas in 12 (instead of simmering them for up to 2 hours!), soup in minutes. You can saute in it, use it as a rice cooker (it’s stainless steel. No BPA or Teflon!), a slow cooker, a pressure cooker and even effortlessly make your own yoghurt as well. There are many, many Instant Pot Facebook groups and I am obviously a huge fan. They clean up easily and mine lives on my countertop because I use it all the time.
So back to the soup…This soup freezes really well and I love having this on hand to pull out of the freezer when you or your loved ones have the sniffles or when you just don’t feel like cooking!
Press the saute button on your instant pot and saute your onion in 2 tbsp of oil (or a little water or broth) for about a minute.
Add your carrots and saute for another minute. Add bay leaves, thyme, broth, red and brown lentils, potato and stir.
Lock the lid in place and push the soup button and set for 6 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. Remove the lid, remove bay leaves, add 1 tsp of salt, pepper to taste, 1 1/2 cups of corn, stir and serve. It’s that easy!
Adapted from Nussinow, Jill. ‘Shane’s Fabulous Lentil Soup’. The New Fast Food
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- 2 tbsp canola oil for sautéing (or use a bit of water/broth for oil free)
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ tsp dried ground thyme
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
- 1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed
- 1 medium potato peeled and diced
- 1 tsp salt
- pepper to taste
- 1½ cups frozen corn
- Press the saute button on your instant pot and saute your onion in 2 tbsp of oil (or a little water or broth) for about a minute.
- Add your carrots and saute for another minute.
- Add bay leaves, thyme, broth, red and brown lentils, potato and stir.
- Lock the lid in place and push the soup button and set for 6 minutes.
- Let the pressure release naturally.
- Remove the lid and remove bay leaves.
- Add 1 tsp of salt, pepper to taste, and 1½ cups of corn.
- Stir and serve.
I made this but I modified it 😍 I added garlic and used 3 boxes of vegetable broth. Also used cut up cherry tomatoes, celery leaves and doubled the amount of potatoes. 🥰 WOW! It’s delish! So amazing and comforting on a rainy day. Will be serving it with brown rice in the future!!
I made this for the first time ever today! I cut the recipe in half because I have a 3qt instant pot (cooking time left the same), and it was soooooo good! And that’s coming from an extremely picky eater!!
My only mention is would be if you use the “better than bullion” veggie paste stuff Rather than say, knorrs vegetable broth, to not put the salt listed in the recipe in. The better than bullion is quite salty on its own (#2 ingredient), and coming from someone like me who would love to own their own cow salt lick, that is saying a lot lol Just salt to taste after. 👌
Other than that, I will DEF be making again!!
I have made this recipe many times and I love it. But the time shown is misleading. Today I doubled the recipe and it took about 30 minutes to come up to pressure. I have been waiting more than 20 minutes now for the pin to drop.
Even without doubling this recipe takes much more time than shown.
Thank you Robin! You are definitely right and I have corrected it:)
What vegetable broth do you use? Or do you make your own?
I just use whatever is locally available..preferably organic:)
Made this following recipe exactly. Very thick, very brown and very bland. I’d eat it again, but with less brown lentils and lots more stock and seasonings.
Oh no! Sorry Jane. I wonder if your IP was set to vent and lost some of it’s liquid due to evaporation?
This is one of my favorite soups! I sub sweet potatoes for the regular potatoes. I also add parsnips, which add some sweetness. Great recipe. Thanks
added one stock of celery ( might add another next time)
added sriracha to spice it up, maybe about 2tbsp
added 2 cups of water
next time ill add another potato and carrot too.
I made this today and it turned out delicious! I didn’t have red lentils so I used two cups of brown, added an extra cup of water (I also didn’t have broth so I added a few so spoonfuls of Better than Bouillon), and used canned corn at the end. 6 minutes was the perfect amount of time.
Just tried this today for the first time. It is delicious, but I didn’t have nearly enough liquid. Did I read that right? 2 cups lentils to 6 cups broth? I had to put 8 cups broth in and it’s still like a stew…but a DELICIOUS stew! Not really complaining, just surprised.
Hey Cindy. The consistency of the soup is represented well by the photos in this post. Have you made sure your Instant Pot vent is set to ‘sealed’ and is not slowly venting out all of your broth? Do you rinse your lentils first? 🙂
Hmm I tried this one out last night and everything came out obliterated. Super overcooked. The potatoes, carrots, and lentils were all turned to mush.
Oh Brant I’m sorry and somewhat surprised. I make this soup very often exactly as the instructions are written as do many, many others and the results are always perfect. Are you using an Instant Pot or another kind of pressure cooker? Perhaps reduce the time and try again. I’m not sure why you’re getting different results.
Yeah I was surprised since so many other people seem to have had such success! I’m not sure what went wrong. I am using and Instant Pot. I’ll play around with the time and see what I discover!
I realize this is old, but it may help someone. Start the cook time with just lentils and water/broth, seasoning. Set a timer for 20 min, then add the chopped veggies just before it comes to pressure. The veggies will be perfect, not too soft
Okay, this looks fantastic and I’m planning to make it tonight!
Only dilemma was trying to find the right lentils. Being in western Canada with a HUGE Indian influence, I expected this would be a no brainer… NOPE! No brown lentils in sight. And while they had split red lentils, they only had whole green (which was my only real alternative!)
So, that said – how would this work to use split red along with whole green? I’m assuming it should turn out okay other than the red lentils just mushing up? I’m second guessing getting the split red instead of the whole, but I can’t go back in time now!
Here’s hoping! And thanks in advance!
Hey Nick,
I’m in western Canada as well and you should be able to find both of these lentils at every grocery store (Are you near a Save On Foods?) Buy the red lentils they have (I have only seen one option available). As for ‘brown’lentils it is debatable whether or not they are brown or green but I think that they are referred to as ‘brown’ to differentiate from the smaller French green puy lentils. They are usually just referred to as ‘lentils’ with no further naming of specific variety.
These lentils work together brilliantly as the brown/green lentils retain their shape while the red lentils disintegrate and thicken the soup. Good luck!
Hi, I just found your recipe looking for a good way to make soup with the ingredients I have here. It sounds delicious! I’ve got brown lentils, pearl barley and yellow split peas — any idea whether these can be combined to make a variation of your soup in an Instant Pot? The packages of the lentils and split peas both suggest a cooking time of an hour; the barley soup instructions say to cook for 30 mins then add to soup. Thanks!
I would use the brown lentils and yellow split peas as their cooking time is similar. The barley however will take longer to cook so I would agree with the instructions on your barley package stating to precook it and add it to the soup afterwards. Hope that helps!
I pre-soaked hulled barley, increased the liquid and cooked for 15 minutes with quick release. Came out just fine. (I didn’t have potatoes or corn – also added chopped celery).
We got snowed in yesterday down here in North Carolina and this was the first recipe I ever made in my Instant Pot. Boy was it simple and delicious! I used a medium red skinned potato and an additional teaspoon of Cow Camp Garlic season-all (basically a mix of garlic powder, onion powder, and some other seasonings). Once I dished it out into a bowl, I added some pepper, a crack of Himalayan sea salt, and a couple shakes of Valentina hot sauce for some extra flavor and some heat. We also made some homemade crunchy bread to dip in it! This soup makes AMAZING leftovers, by the way. Thanks so much for sharing! We are definitely making this a regular meal!
Made this tonight, one of the best soups I’ve ever had! I used peas instead of corn but it worked out great! Thanks for the recipe!
This soup is amazing. I’ve made it a bunch of times and passed it on to all my friends. I use a sweet potato and parsnip instead of the regular potato and it has an awesome sweetness.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this recipe
Made this today and it was tasty as advertised.
I am new to IP, (ultra 60) and I followed exactly using the soup setting.. I let the venting happen naturally, took maybe 20 min
The results were more like a thick stew. All the lentils broke down. This didn’t lessen my enjoyment was expecting it soupier, however.
Should I : a) Vent more quickly? b) Add more liquid?
I also used green lentils because didn’t have brown. Is this part of the reason?
Hi Lewis! The red lentils are expected to break down but the brown (or green) should have retained their shape. If the soup is too thick for you I would suggest adding a bit more liquid during the cooking process (you can even add some broth once it’s done), and/or releasing pressure a bit sooner (this should also prevent your brown lentils from breaking down:)
Made this soup today! It is yummy, but wow that’s a lot of lentils for four servings. A 1/2 cup of dried lentils per person? I haven’t divvied up the remaining portion, but hopefully it actually serves more than four people? My nutritional calculator comes up with 450 calories per bowl!
If you want to double this recipe do you have to adjust the liquid ratio and/or cooking time? New to the Insta Pot thing!
No you wouldn’t have to adjust the liquid ratio or cooking time but unless you have a larger instant pot than I do, I don’t think you would fit the double the recipe and still be below the ‘max’ line:)
I set the cook time for 8 minutes, then released the pressure by turning the valve, then letting it sit for another couple minutes. Everything was cooked and it was faster than natural release.
Currently sick with a bad cold/ear infection and want to make this soup! I only have Trader Joe’s steamed lentils on hand. I’m thinking maybe just add them once the soup is done and vented. Hmm, now I’m thinking maybe just make it on the stove top (even though I adore my IP!). Thanks!
Also…when a recipe calls for “thyme” I get confused as to whether I can used ground thyme. I get nervous it’s too concentrated. But I just assume thyme leaves would be clarified. Is “dried thyme” the same as ground?
Dried thyme can be just the dried whole leaves or dried and ground which is much more concentrated. I use the dried, ground thyme and have edited the recipe to reflect that:)
I have honestly never used precooked lentils but if I were to, I would just add them at the end like you suggested:)
Let me start by saying I am a diehard Lentil hater (mom made me eat them as a kid lol). I’ve been trying to change my diet for the better and came across this recipe. Extremely doubtful I tried it… Let me just say that it was amazing! I mean it was such a simple recipe and it was delicious. Wish mom would a made them like this lol. Will definitely make it again and again. I’m still fairly new to the instapot so I cooked them for 10 minutes, it’s a little too long, next time will go with the 6 minutes :). thank you for such a great and simple recipe.
Oscar
So wonderful just as it is, but since I live for curry, I added a tablespoon of curry powder and it made it even better, if that’s possible. And for anyone counting Weight Watcher points- it’s just 3 for a cup! Not bad for a filling comfort food.
I made this for a friend recovering from dental surgery and she loved it. Then I made it for my mom and she loved it. Then it turned out she had signed up to feed 25 people visiting from Africa, so I doubled the recipe for them! Thanks so much. I can’t wait to try out your other recipes.
SO GOOD! I doubled the recipe so there would be left overs for lunches, used green and red lentils, red potatoes, and frozen roasted corn at the end. Absolutely going to make this again… and again! 🙂
Would red potatoes work?
Yes any potatoes will work!
Has anyone made this recipe using yams or sweet potatoes in place of the russet potatoes? Wondering if they would come out to mushy.
Thanks in advance! This sounds amazing.
I have used both a red potato and a sweet potato with scrumptious success.
Hi! I made this soup the other day and it was a hit! Can you tell me what kind of potato would be the best for this recipe? I’d appreciate it! Thanks for doing what you do!
Hi Lynn, I usually use Russet potatoes because that’s what I usually have on hand but I’m sure any potato would be great:)
I love my instant pot. I wish I had a huge bowl of this soup right now since I am currently under the weather thanks to kids back in school LOL. I will definitely be making this. One batch for dinner, and make a 2nd batch to freeze for days like this. Even though I am not vegetarian or vegan, I still enjoy meatless dishes to save money. Not just that, but this soup is just so darn healthy. Can’t wait!
Ok so I came across this recipe on pinterest while looking for a vegan lentil recipe. I read the reviews and I was thinking, “what can be so special about lentil soup.” WOW!!! Now I know! It’s such a simple recipe list but it comes together to create such a delicious soup. Thanks so much for sharing. I’ll be making the pot pie later this week and I can’t wait to try it. Been a vegan for just a little time and I was certainly coming across some “what the heck do I eat now” days. So glad I found your site.
Thanks Dola! Hope you enjoyed your pot pie as well:)
We made this tonight and the entire family loved it. It was the first time our 13 month old actually gobbled anything that had lentils in it! Thanks!
I liked the consistency of the soup (kind of like pea soup) and think the ingredients are great, but mine turned out pretty bland. I added a tablespoon or so of Bragg Liquid Aminos to accentuate the flavor.
Oh? I’m sorry to hear that. Are you sure you didn’t leave anything out? I have never heard anyone describe this as bland and I’m someone who likes a lot of flavour too…
thanks for the recipe! I just got an instant pont and im confused about the natural release with all the recipes ive tried…it takes FOREVER!! how long does it take for your pressure to release naturally? On this recipe, I waited 20 minutes and was hungry so i vented it manually. there was still a LOT of steam at that point (took 3-4 minutes of venting for the silver thing to drop). when i opened the lid, lentils and everything was WELL done, a little too soggy for me. am i doing something wrong? thanks-Kara
Hi Kara! Yes, the natural release can take awhile. I made this soup tonight and manually released it 23 minutes after it was done cooking. It took less than a minute for the pressure to fully release. Red lentils do disintegrate with cooking and because of this quality are often used to thicken a sauce/soup. The green/brown lentils hold their shape much better. I do not find that the remaining veggies are soggy but the added corn after cooking does add a nice ‘crunch’ to the finished product. If your soup is turning out mushy I would try manually releasing it earlier and that should help. Also I have to wonder if you are cutting your veggies too small and they are therefore overcooking?
Really simple, and my GF could not get enough of it. 🙂 Thank you very much!
Hey Tara hi , I made this recipe this evening for wife and I and we both loved it , just wanted to say thank you , and I might add I didn’t change one thing 🙂
Absolutely lush, and so easy to make. Just got my new Instant Pot yesterday and I had favourited this page knowing it would be one of the first things I’d make with it. As it turns out, this delicious soup is its christening! Thanks for recipe.
I made this yesterday and it was delicious; a hearty dish perfect for the winter. Tasted even better today as the flavors deepened and it is a perfect recipe for me as I try to embrace a Whole Foods, Plant Based way of eating. In my serving today, I stirred in a teaspoon of asian chili sauce which gave it a nice kick.
I do have an instant pot question though since now I am inspired to make red lentil/red pepper hummus. The Instant Pot website says the dry red lentil cooking time is 15-18 minutes so why when I prepared your soup, it was able to only cook (fine) in 6 minutes punched into the pot? Not sure if you might have an answer on this.
Thx,
Rob
Hi Robb,
I have heard that the Instant Pot cook times are notoriously wrong although I haven’t checked out their site myself. I find that red lentils cook in about 6 minutes and I would imagine that after 15-18, they would have completely disintegrated:)
Does the cooking time increase if you double/triple the recipe?
No, but with more liquid it will take longer to come to pressure. I don’t think I could double or triple this recipe in the Instant Pot I own. It just wouldn’t fit:)
Is the 6 minutes for presoaked lentils or dry out of the bag?
That’s for dry lentils:)
Fantastic Instant Pot recipe! I made a few changes based on my diet restrictions: added celery, omitted potatoes, and substituted frozen spinach for the frozen corn at the end. I also only had red lentils on hand. Amazing! So so good! Happy to have run across your site Tara. Thanks for sharing!!! 🙂
I just made it tonight with black lentils as I couldn’t find brown ones. It was great and even my husband loved it.
I’ll have to try that!
Delicious ! Have made this twice already in the last week! So filling and so nutritious! the corn added a a nice sweetness and crunch
I noticed u said 2tbs of oil (or a little water or broth) does it become soup with just oil?
Sounds delicious and I want to try this recipe tonight. I just don’t want to mess up.
It also has 6 cups of vegetable broth:) Some people don’t like to incorporate oil into their diet. For those who don’t they can saute their veggies in a little water or broth instead of oil. Regardless of which method you choose you will still need to add the 6 cups of liquid broth.
only 6 minutes? I can’t wait to try this! I thought it would take much longer.
Yes, only 6! I promise!! I make it all the time:)
Can I use green lentils instead?
Yes! If you are talking about French green lentils I would add a couple of minutes to the cook time as they generally take a bit longer to cook than brown lentils.
Yes thank you! I will try it tonight
I have fresh corn from the farm, I’m thinking of cutting off the kernels but they won’t be frozen…do you think it will still work ok?
Fresh corn is even better! I would just add the corn immediately after removing the lid to the pressure cooker and let it ‘sit’ in the pot for a few minutes to make sure it’s cooked:)
What if you don’t have an “instant pot?”
Can I use a dutch oven or a slow cooker?
I don’t really have the time for a slow cooker tonight.
Thanks!
You can make it on the stovetop. I would follow the same directions but saute the veggies in a pot on the stove. The lentils will take about 30 minutes to cook and you’ll need to stir it once in awhile. I hope that helps:) It will be just as good!
Do you add the corn frozen? thanks!
Yes, and just give it a stir:)
This has become a staple in our household. My husband loves the smell of the onion, carrot, thyme and bay leaves sauteeing. My daughter eats it up.
It’s a staple over here too! I’m glad you like it as much as we do:)
Dried beans???
Yes, the lentils used are dried lentils, not precooked or canned:)
How many cups of water is needed to make it in the instant pot?
Hi Ameera,
The recipe calls for 6 cups of vegetable broth:)
How would you make it without the Instant Pot?
Debra, I would follow the same directions but saute the veggies in a soup pot on the stove. The lentils will take about 30 minutes to cook.I hope that helps:)
I love this! 1/2 way through making it I realized I had only a few red lentils so I subbed them for quinoa, one cup of that and one cup brown lentils and it was amazing! My 2 year old son and I had 3 bowls each!
That sounds delicious Angie:)
I have 1lb of semolina small vegetable shells and a bag of red lentils. I would like to make soup in the instapot. Can someone give me the minutes to cook this. Thank you in advance.
Janet, red lentils take about 6 minutes to cook. I have not tried cooking pasta in my instant pot yet and I’ve heard mixed reviews. I think that the concern is that the pasta disintegrates if left in too long. Let me know if you figure it out. Perhaps I’ll give it a try:)
Made this soup today and not only the aroma smelled good but the taste was even better. You should all give it a try. I know you’ll love it. I sure did!!
I’m glad you liked it Sharon!! 🙂
I love my instant pot and mine also lives on my counter! It is my very favorite kitchen toy!!!! And I am going to be using it for this recipe as soon as I have finished this comment. This soup is exactly what I am feeling like having today!! Thank you again Tara for never letting me down. Your recipes are amazing and I haven’t as yet tried one which I didn’t love!!!