I challenge you there isn't a soup as easier than this Instant Pot Italian Lentil Soup. Dump-and-go style with diced veggies, brown lentils, and Italian seasoning - it's ready in 30 minutes from start to end. Expect a heart, flavorful, comforting bowl that will become your new favorite.
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This Italian Lentil Soup has been one of our super hit soup recipes from the blog. No matter how many times I make and share it, neither does my family get bored of it, nor do you guys. It's a game-changer tender lentils, fresh tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, onions, celery and Italian herbs in a cozy broth that's perfect for those cozy vibes or busy weeknights.
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Ingredients to make Lentil Soup
See recipe card for quantities.
- Lentils : Please rinse the lentils thoroughly before using to reduce any foaming. To get the perfect texture of the lentils, tender yet not mushy, follow the time and quick release to the T.
- Vegetables : You will need onions, carrots, celery stalks, zucchini & tomatoes.
- Seasonings : Nothing fancy, just a good old Italian seasoning & salt.
- Broth : Choose a good quality low sodium vegetable broth for this recipe. I have even added water instead of broth when I didn't have any broth handy. The taste does differ slightly but the soup still tastes good. Adding the broth will change the color. Sometimes I also add marinara sauce & water for a change.
- Garnish : Fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley and some lemon juice. You could even throw in some greens like spinach or kale if you'd like.
How to make Italian Lentil Soup in Instant Pot
- Rinse lentils well and set aside. Dice all veggies into similar sizes for even cooking.
- Toss all ingredients in the Instant Pot, except for the garnish
- Pressure Cook the Soup on 'High' for 15 mins.
- Quick Release Pressure when the timer goes off.
- Garnish with lemon juice and your choice of herb.
- Serve warm with crusty slice of Ciabatta bread.
Anvita's Top Tips
- Always rinse lentils thoroughly to remove debris and reduce foam during cooking.
- Dice veggies uniformly so everything softens at the same rate - no mushy surprises.
- Quick release keeps lentils firm; natural release makes them softer for a stew-like texture.
- If I have left overs, I add some boiled pasta to it for lunch the next day and the kiddo absolutely loves it.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
How to Serve
- Pair with crusty garlic bread, grilled cheese, or a simple green salad for a full meal.
- Top with parmesan (for non-vegans), extra herbs, chili flakes, or a drizzle of olive oil.
- Great as meal prep, stores 4 - 5 days in fridge or freezes well
So I hope you try this lentil soup recipe for a quick fuss free weeknight meal and come back and share your feedback with me. Trust me you won't regret it. Read the comments for yourself.
More Soups to try
Italian Lentil Soup
Servings:
servingsCalories:
Ingredients
- 1 onion diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 2 tomatoes diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 1 zucchini diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato sauce
- 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup dried green lentils rinsed
- 1 tablespoon Italian herb mix
- salt to taste
- Garnishing
- 1 tablespoon cilantro / parsley for garnish
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
- Toss all ingredients in the Instant Pot, except for the garnish
- Pressure Cook the Soup on 'High' for 15 mins.
- Quick Release Pressure when the timer goes off.
- Garnish with lemon juice and your choice of herb.
- Serve it warm.
Stove Top Instructions
- Toss all ingredients in a large pot, except for the garnish
- Bring to boil and then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Garnish with lemon juice and your choice of herb.
- Serve it warm
Tawnie Kroll says
I love anything in the Instant Pot, this looks amazing!
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Thanks Tawnie.
This soup tastes even better than it looks. Hope you consider trying it.
cookingontheweekends says
So awesome in only 15 minutes you can create that hearty, super delicious looking bowl. YUM! Perfect for the rainy day here in LA. 🙂
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Yup Valentina, it's been cold here too, so Lentil Soup to the rescue.
Snappy Gourmet says
Loving all the veggies in this soup! So good and healthy!
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
It's a versatile soup. You can add whatever veggies you have handy. A meal full of goodness.
Mary Bostow says
This is THE best lentil soup I have ever made. My husband loved it too and we agree that it tastes like a soup you would get in a restaurant. I didn’t change a thing. Thank you
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Mary,
So glad to hear you and your husband loved the soup. It's a very straight forward recipe and one can't go wrong with it. Appreciate you sharing your feedback.
Thanks,
Anvita.
Ginny McMeans says
What a beautiful and healthy dinner. Love that you can get it done so quickly too. Love the flavors!
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Hi Ginny,
Yup, it's a light yet filling soup full of flavors. No doubt about that.
Shannah Holt -Mastering Mom Chaos says
This looks like a win win recipe! I love that it is so easy and quick. I can literally have dinner ready in 30 minutes and 15 minutes I’m doing something else.
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Hi Shannah,
This is perfect for those busy weeknight meals or quick weekend lunches.
Stine Mari says
So many great flavors here, perfect for the cold winter weather.
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Hi Stine,
Yup, you are right. It's perfect for this time of the year.
geekydaddydave says
This sounds so good! I love my instant pot, I can't believe I wanted till my 40's to get one
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Yay for Instant Pot!!!
We love our Instant Pots too. It's like our newest kitchen toy.
Neha kumar says
Looks delicious and healthy..... my tomorrows dinner for sure!!
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Sure thing Neha. Hope you try it. You won't be disappointed at all. Don;t forget to take a picture and send it our way.
Anvita
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
Yum! This looks so flavorful! I love instant pot recipes!
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Marlynn,
Hope you consider trying it. It's a bomb of nutrition and flavors for sure.
Chelsea says
I’m always looking for fast, nutritious meals. This one certainly looks amazing and perfect for a chilly day!
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Chelsea,
Chilly or not, this could be my everyday soup for sure.
ZyraKuma says
I'm always making lentil soup from "quick" boxes. I should try making this from scratch! Looks and sounds much healthier.
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Zyra,
Ohno!!! I hope you get around making this lentil soup using fresh ingredients. Honestly you will never go back to the boxed soups. Try it yourself.
Ashley Rhoades says
Yum! I love lentil soup but I've never made it. Definitely trying!!
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Sure thing. When you try is Ashely, you won;t be disappointed. It's tried and tested and the reviews across social media turned out to be yum
Christine says
Hello, it looks like there is chickpeas in the soup too. Would I have to cook it longer if I added some dried chickpeas? Thanks, looking forward to try the recipe later today.
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Christine,
I didn't add chickpeas to the soup. It's purely lentils. However if you are using canned or soaked chickpeas then you need to pressure cook it for 10-15 minutes and if you are using dried chickpeas then 35-40 minutes. Hope that helps. Let us know when you try the recipe
Ancita.
TLC says
I’m wondering if I can use a can of diced tomatoes instead of fresh? How much would it change things? Thanks.
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
TLC,
You can certainly used diced tomatoes instead of fresh. It wouldn't change much. I always prefer using some fresh and some canned if I have to. So do not hesitate and go for it.
Amie says
This soup came out great! I doubled it and added a little siracha. I think I may need a little bit more stock next time, because it was thick. Then again I like the heartiness.
Anvita | The Belly Rules The Mind says
Amie,
Appreciate your feedback. Do glad that it gurned out great. Lentils do absorb liquid even after being cooked so the soup will tend to get thicker if not consumed immediately. You can always water it down by adding more broth.
Loved you idea of adding sriracha.
Mindy says
Absolutely delicious! Mine was fairly thick, too, but I know I can thin with a little more stock on reheat. I made the recipe as written and would maybe only add a little more liquid. But otherwise, I loved the flavors. Also loved dumping all the ingredients in and letting the IP do it's thing. Didn't miss sautéing any of the veggie first! Wasn't needed. This is a great recipe and will go in my permeant file.
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Mindy,
Glad to know you liked the soup and this recipe is going in your permanent files. Your absolutely right, lately i haven't been missing sauteing too when I makes soups. Appreciate your feedback. Thank you.
Anvita
Colleen says
It was wonderful, just as the recipe was. I didn’t have tomatoes so I used a bit more pasta spice. My hubby love it as well.
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Thank you for your feedback Colleen. Appreciate it. Glad your hubby liked your tweak. Spices is the key in soups, they add so much flavor.
Janice Fjerstad says
Can you use already cooked lentils in it and can you substitute tomato paste for the tomato sauce?
Anvita says
Yea Janice you could use already cooked lentils. There is a chance that the lentils could be mushy depending on how cooked are your lentils. If you are using tomato paste dilute it with half a cup of water and then use it. Let me know if you try this recipe. Hope you like it.
Brooklyn says
Soup is really good. It’s actually my first time eating lentils. I did the recipe exactly as written and it was perfect to me. The lemon is a must.
Ruth Foran says
This was very easy! - I used the whole 32oz container of vegetable broth. Yum! Will be taking to work tomorrow with some lemons and parsley, and sharing with a co-worker that does Vegetarian.
Anvita says
Thanks Ruth for sharing your experience with us? enjoy it with your co-workers ❤️
Kathy Pellatt says
This recipe is a keeper and will be in my regular rotation! I loved that I had all the ingredients at home, so I whipped it up quickly one morning and had it for lunch. I followed the recipe exactly, adding the lemon and cilantro at serving time. I loved the cilantro but thought I would substitute basil when I served it to my daughters the next day. The basil added a nice touch, but personally I prefer the cilantro!
Michelle says
This recipe is so easy, delicious and satisfying! Next time I may add spinach.
Bev says
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. Tried it and we both loved it. So easy. We also add a small swirl of olive oil with squeeze of lemon on top. Thanks again!
Anvita says
Oh this sounds yum. Thank you for your feedback. Appreciate it.
Lisa Saf says
I recently started using my IP. I'd like to add spinach to the recipe. Should I add prior to pressure cooking or after? Also, should I add a bit more broth if using additional vegetables? Thank you so much for the recipe.
Jen says
Very easy to prepare and oh so delicious! Will be making this weekly! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Anvita says
Hi Jen, so glad to hear that! Thanks for sharing your experience with us.
Sher says
Hi! This sounds and looks delicious and I plan to try making it today! Do you add lemon to instant pot and then additional lemon juice when serving? Or only add the lemon juice once just before serving? Thank you!
Anvita says
Hi sher, would suggest to add the lemon as needed after it is ready...just before serving .Do share your feedback with us.
Tom the Guitar Guy says
Can you add canned hominy?
J says
Fabulous recipe! We love lentil soup, but partner does prefer soups with chunks of stuff in it. Why I never bothered to load up the lentil soup with chopped veggies ...duh. This is going to be a regular meal for us now. I also love the idea of freezing the ingredients. As long as one is prepping veggies, why not do enough for 3 or 4 batches of this soup? Thx for this healthy, delish mea! (...and adding lemon at the end is an interesting twist)
Joe Griffith says
WOW... could you perhaps share your recipe with Panera so that the next time I am with friends or family that want to go there I will find some WFPB no oil soup that is fantastic??
Of course, Panera would think that it has to have oil, or some other ingredient which would make it non-compliant. But it is absolutely delicious just the way it is.
I didn't have fresh tomatoes, so I used a small can of diced and omitted the tomato sauce. I didn't use the lemon juice, and I don't like cilantro, but I garnished it with fresh parsley as you suggested. Just a great combination!
Thanks for the recipe. The leftovers will not tarry long in our fridge, and this soup will become a regular part of our meal plans.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Joe,
Your feedback made my day. Thanks. Glad you made this soup your own and liked it. It’s a family favorite here. Isn’t is a great recipe for the ingredients that go in and how easy and delicious it turns out?
Appreciate your feedback.
Sharon says
Sad to say, this did not work for us. I followed the recipe exactly and the lentils were still crunchy. So I closed it up and added another 5 minutes. Again...still crunchy. Closed again and cooked for another 15 mins. Veggies were mush and the lentils were still firm. The soup was very flavorful, but it looked nothing like your photos.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Sharon,
Sorry to hear about your experience. I am surprised about the experience you had. What lentils did you use? Sometimes the batch of lentils is really old which has nothing got to do with you but it’s an just old. This is a tried and tested recipes by several of our readers so one can’t go wrong with it. If you look at some of the reviews below you will notice everyone enjoyed the soup. So the only thing i can attribute to is an old batch of lentils
Carol Havig says
I made the Italian Lentil Soup and it was superb. I did double the recipe so guessed on pressure time. Followed recipe except for using red lentils, doubled the recipe, increased the time from 15 min to 25 min. Added 1 # Italian Mild Sausage. It was fabulous. Although the 25 min was a bit too long for the lentils, the taste and enjoyability were over the top! Loved the flavor. Next time I do a double batch, will only increase from 15 to 20 min. pressure.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Carol,
Thanks for the feedback. Glad you loved the flavors .
Carol Havig says
I had a couple pics wanted to share, but couldn't find the right way as there was no indication for "adding photos."
Sarita says
How shall I cook this if I don’t have a pressure cooker? I know I’ll have to cook longer but do I add more liquid and should I simmer away with lid on or off
Diane Patterson says
Could you please tell me what a serving size is like is it half a cup or 1 cup of the soup? The information just says 1 serving.
Anvita says
This will make 4 servings
Diane Patterson says
@Anvita, Do you know the size/amount of the serving size? That is what I would like to know. Thank you
Marcia boehm says
One tbsp of tomato sauce? Seems unnecessary. Who has one tbsp around?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Marcia, you can use tomato puree or tomato paste.
Valerie Maltese says
@Marcia boehm, I have so many recipes that call for small amounts of tomato paste. The tomato paste in a tube is handy but expensive. My solution was to put the remainder of the paste from the can on a sheet of plastic wrap spreading evenly. I fold the wrap over and take a bench scraper or a butter knife and make lines to evenly separate. I fold securely and freeze. Now, when I need a tablespoons of paste, I can just snap off one or two pieces. It's the little things....?
Amber says
@Marcia boehm, I’ve been making this recipe for a bit now. We use spaghetti sauce, marinara, tomatoes, tomato sauce or paste we have around. All versions are good! Very versatile recipe.
Becky says
Just made this recipe. Easy, fast, and perfect with crusty bread. Having again today and will add some heat via Harissa(sp?) Or hot sauce. I'm trying to make more plant based meals, and this hits the mark. Thank you.
Amber says
I’ve been making this soup weekly for almost a year now. It’s perfect for a healthy, hearty, lunchtime meal that keeps you full. I mix in any veggies we have leftover at home and this recipe is super versatile, you can easily adjust for what you have on hand. I never comment in recipes, but this is one of the main reasons I actually use my instant pot (and eat veggies), and I’ve made this soooo many times. Highly recommend! Great and simple recipe!