Instant Pot Lentil Stew (Vegan)

Name: Instant Pot Lentil Stew
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 cup chopped yellow or white onion; 1 cup chopped carrots (1-2 carrots); ½ cup chopped celery (about 2 stalks); 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 ½ cup green lentils; 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes; 1 tsp dried basil; 2 tsp dried thyme; 1 tsp dried oregano; kosher salt; pepper; 4 cups vegetable broth (2 14.5 oz cans); 4 cups baby spinach

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Instant Pot Lentil Stew is a fast, easy, hearty vegan dish packed with vitamins and minerals. A great recipe for soup weather and ready to eat in just 30 minutes!

one bowl of Instant Pot Lentil Soup with spoonful of lentils.

Bring on cozy comfort food season. The hearty dishes that soothe the soul and warm us up. Bring on soups and stews, chilis and pastas.

Truth be told, I could eat this kind of food all year long. In fact, I made this Instant Pot Lentil Soup recipe a couple of times over the summer to recipe test it for the blog.

But now that there's a chill in the air, this soup is tasting better than ever.

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🌟 Why you'll love this recipe
🍅 Ingredient notes
✅ Step-by-step instructions
👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQs
🍽 Serving ideas
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Instant Pot Lentil Stew

🌟 Why you'll love this recipe

two bowls of Instant Pot Lentil Soup with two spoons on a marble table.

So many reasons to love this lentil soup recipe! Here are a few:

It uses pantry staples and other basic ingredients you can easily find at your local grocery store.
It's a dairy-free and vegan soup.
Full of lentils, this soup is low fat, high fiber, and packed with magnesium, which has been reported to reduce inflammation.
It's a great hearty meal all on its own.
It's done in just 30 minutes in your electric pressure cooker!

🍅 Ingredient notes

spoonful of lentil soup with bowl of soup in the background.

This delicious soup recipe is full of healthy ingredients. Here are a few you'll need:

Lentils - They're packed with protein and fiber, which can aid in the digestive process.

Celery and carrots - for some added texture. These fresh veggies are also good sources of vitamins.

Garlic - Garlic is full of nutrients, and research shows it can help reduce high blood pressure and maintain healthy cholesterol levels. This recipe calls for 3 garlic cloves, but feel free to adjust to your taste preferences.

Vegetable broth - As this is a vegan recipe, I use vegetable broth, but you can use chicken broth if you prefer.

✅ Step-by-step instructions

Here's how to make this easy instant pot lentil stew recipe:

celery, carrots, onions, tomatoes, and lentils in instant pot

1. Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, lentils, and tomatoes to your Instant Pot, then season with kosher salt and black pepper.

2. Add vegetable broth and combine.

3. Set instant pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK on High pressure for 15 minutes.

4. When the pressure cooking is done, quick release to release any remaining pressure. This may take a couple of minutes. Remove lid and stir in spinach. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve!

👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQs

bowl of lentil soup topped with chopped parsley in a large white bowl.

What is the difference between green lentils and red lentils?

Green lentils are packed with great vitamins and minerals. According to the USDA, a half cup of dried green lentils provides 24g protein, 10g fiber, 80mg calcium, and 4mg iron.

I use green lentils for this recipe because they tend to hold up and retain their shape during the cooking process to give this stew a hearty texture.

Red lentils, on the other hand, can get mushy when cooked for a while. You could substitute brown lentils if you wish, as they cook similarly to green ones.

Can lentil soup be frozen?

Yes! You can keep this instant pot soup in an airtight container in your freezer for up to 3 months. It's a great way to meal prep or simply save leftover soup for later.

How do I store lentil stew?

This vegan lentil stew is great warmed up the next day. In fact, it should keep for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Simply warm soup up in the microwave or in a small sauce pan on the stove top for a few minutes.

🍽 Serving ideas

While eating bowlfuls of this hearty stew on its own makes for a satisfyingly full, one-pot meal, it also goes great with side dishes like Air Fryer Corn Ribs, Air Fryer Broccoli, or Homemade French Bread.

More soup recipes

Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!

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