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Sopa de lentejas is a super easy and tasty, Mexican lentil soup that your family will love. Our vegan, gluten-free version of the soup will satisfy even the toughest critics in your house. This cozy vegetarian lentil soup is the kind of meal that makes you feel at home with every spoonful. The Instant Pot makes this soup fast, so you can enjoy it just about any night of the week or prep it ahead for easy grab and go meals all week long!

On a funny note, this lentil soup is basically the long-lost cousin of Indian origin who somehow ended up abroad, picked up a calm personality, and now goes by "Lentil Soup" instead of its childhood nickname "Daal."

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What is Sopa de lentejas?

Sopa de lentejas is a traditional Mexican lentil soup. It is seasoned with fresh herbs and veggies. The name translates to English as lentils soup.

Why you will love Lentejas or Mexican Lentils?

Sopa de lentejas is a perfect way to enjoy a lentil soup. Lightly seasoned but still very flavorful, this soup will make just about any one ask for seconds.

If your kids or family don't love lentils, this soup is a good way to get them to eat them! My family loved the homey, classic flavors in the soup, raved about it, and asked when I'm making it again. It makes enough to stash half in the freezer for a rainy day or for winter cold and flu season.

Ingredients for Sopa De Lentejas

Here's what you need to make this delicious lentejas soup.

Dry lentils - You can use brown or green.
Vegetable broth or water - If using veggie broth we recommend low sodium
Onion - red or white onions
Roma tomatoes - fresh are the best!
Garlic cloves - garlic brighten the flavor palette
Carrot- You can also add any other fresh veggies like potatoes, celery, green beans or frozen veggies you would like.
Seasonings - You'll need salt (to taste), oregano, a bay leaf, and a handful of cilantro with stems.

How to make sopa de lentejas in Instant Pot

We recommend using the Instant Pot to save some time with soaking the lentils.

step by step instructions MEXICAN LENTIL SOUP (SOPA DE LENTEJAS) (1)

First rinse the dried lentils well and place them aside.

Next, add the tomatoes, onion, and garlic into a blender. Once added, blend until it becomes a smooth puree.
When the puree is ready, press the sauté button. Once HOT, add the oil to the inner steel pot of your pressure cooker.
Carefully pour in the onion tomato puree, lentils, and diced carrots. Sauté until fragrant or about 1 to 3 minutes.
Next, season with salt (to taste), oregano, and the bay leaf and then pour water into the pot. Finally, add the cilantro bunch before pressing the cancel button to stop the Sauté mode. Next, place the lid on the Instant Pot and pressure cook for 10 minutes.

step by step instructions MEXICAN LENTIL SOUP (SOPA DE LENTEJAS)

When done, do a quick release of pressure.
Finally, remove the cilantro bunch and give it a stir.
Serve the lentil soup with more cilantro on top, a squeeze of fresh lime, queso freso, and diced avocado and our air fryer tortilla chips. This also pairs great with bolillos (Mexican bread).

Lentejas Stove Top Instructions

When making lentejas on the stove top, follow these instructions.

First rinse the dried lentils well and soak them for at least 1 hour.
Next, add the tomatoes, onion, and garlic into a blender. Once added, blend until it becomes a smooth puree.
When the puree is ready, heat the oil over medium high heat in a large pot.
Carefully pour in the onion tomato puree, lentils, and diced carrots. Sauté until fragrant or about 1 to 3 minutes.
Next, season with salt (to taste), oregano, and the bay leaf and then pour water into the pot.
Finally, add the cilantro bunch before placing a lid on the pot. Allow it to cook, covered, until the lentils are tender.
When done, remove the cilantro bunch and give it a stir.
Serve the lentil soup with more cilantro on top, a squeeze of fresh lime, queso fresco, and diced avocado. This also pairs great with bolillos (Mexican bread).

MEXICAN LENTIL SOUP (SOPA DE LENTEJAS) (1)

Is soupa de lenetejas vegan and gluten free?

This lentejas soup is both vegan and gluten free! It is perfect for anyone who follows either of the diets. And best of all, you don't need to modify the recipe at all!

Mistake	Result	Solution (from my many Instant Pot battles)
Not sautéing the onions and garlic first	Soup tastes flat and a bit “one-note”	Use the Sauté mode for 3–5 minutes.
Using too little liquid	Instant Pot gives a Burn warning or soup becomes super thick	Add enough broth to cover the lentils by at least 1–2 inches.
Overfilling the pot	Soup becomes foamy and may spill during release	Fill only to max ⅔ capacity. Lentils expand like they’re trying to take over the pot — give them space to live their dreams.

How can I meal prep this lentejas soup?

The veggies all need to be chopped. You can cut them up the day before if you place them in separate containers in the fridge. Just make sure the containers are airtight.

You can also make a large batch of this soup on the weekend and serve it to the family all week long. If you want an easy lunch, store it in individual containers instead of one large container for an easy take along lunch.

How To Store

Can You Store It?	How Long?	How to Store
Refrigerate	4–5 days	Store in an airtight container once cooled
Freeze	2–3 months	Freeze in portions. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Add some water or broth and place the soup in the microwave and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes or until warmed through.

Serve with Bolillos

You should definitely make sure to serve this soup with bolillos, a type of crusty Mexican bread. It is a great way to soak up all the soup. We have a great tasting bolillos recipe that is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. You should plan to make it with the soup!

MEXICAN LENTIL SOUP (SOPA DE LENTEJAS) (6)

Other soups to try

If you love soups as much as we do, then you need to try these other great tasting soups:

Let us know what you think

This vegetarian lentil soup is simple, comforting, and packed with nutrition. With just a few vegetables and pantry staples, you can create a delicious meal that warms the body and the heart. It stores well, freezes beautifully, and works for busy days or cozy evenings at home. I hope it becomes one of your favorite go-to recipes

If you make this delicious recipe, let us know how it went! Or if you're on Instagram, check out the food pictures / videos or story ideas. When you make this, be sure to take a pic and tag us Instagram or Facebook!

Sopa de Lentejas / Mexican Lentil Soup

Author:

Soniya Saluja

Sopa de lentejas is a super easy and tasty, Mexican lentil soup that your family will love. Our vegan, gluten-free version of the soup will satisfy even the toughest critics in your house. The Instant Pot makes this soup fast, so you can enjoy it just about any night of the week or prep it ahead for easy grab and go meals all week long!

4.69 from 16 votes

Print Pin Rate Save

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: mexican lentil soup, sopa de lentejas, vegetarian lentil soup

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 15

Servings:

Calories:

193kcal

Equipment

Pride Of India - Indian Whole Brown Crimson Masur Lentils - Protein & Fiber Rich Masoor Whole, 1.5 Pound Jar

Ingredients

1 cup Lentils Brown or green, Dry
4 cups veg broth or water.
1 medium Onion roughly chopped.
2 roma Tomatoes roughly chopped.
2 garlic cloves/ minced.
⅓ cup dice Carrot
Salt to taste
¼ teaspoons Oregano Dried
1 bay leaf
Handful of cilantro with stems Add the cilantro in whole, and remove at the end or you can leave it in.

Instructions

First rinse the dried lentils well and place them aside.
Next, add the tomatoes, onion, and garlic into a blender. Once added, blend until it becomes a smooth puree.
When the puree is ready, press the sauté button. Once HOT, add the oil to the inner steel pot of your pressure cooker.
Carefully pour in the onion tomato puree, lentils, and diced carrots. Sauté until fragrant or about 1 to 3 minutes.
Next, season with salt (to taste), oregano, and the bay leaf and then pour water into the pot. Finally, add the cilantro bunch before pressing the cancel button to stop the Sauté mode. Next, place the lid on the Instant Pot and pressure cook for 10 minutes.
When done, do a quick release of pressure.
Finally, remove the cilantro bunch and give it a stir.
Serve the lentil soup with more cilantro on top, a squeeze of fresh lime, queso freso, and diced avocado. This also pairs great with bolillos (Mexican bread)

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