Vegan Lentil Soup |Instant Pot-Friendly
This easy Vegan Lentil Soup is chock full of wholesome ingredients and can be on the table in about 30 minutes. It’s a one-pot meal, so clean-up is a breeze! I’ve included directions for cooking on the stovetop, Instant Pot, and crockpot.
Brimming with nutritious ingredients, this red lentil soup is perfectly filling and absolutely delicious. Packed with protein-rich lentils and fresh vegetables, it’s a perfect plant-based option for a warming, wholesome lunch or dinner.
We have other delicious vegan soup recipes on this website including our lentil artichoke dairy-free soup, this hearty barley vegetable soup, and my vegan French onion soup.
Reasons you will love this soup
- Flexible Cooking Methods – This vegetable lentil soup is perfect for any kitchen setup with options for Instant Pot, stovetop, and crockpot, allowing you to choose the method that best fits your schedule.
- Quick and Convenient – The Instant Pot version offers a speedy, hands-off cooking experience, while the stovetop method provides a classic approach, and the crockpot allows for a slow, flavorful cook while you go about your day.
- Hearty and Nutritious – Packed with protein-rich red lentils and fresh vegetables, this soup is a wholesome and satisfying meal that’s both nutritious and filling.
Ingredients you will need
- Lentils- Red lentils are a great choice for lentil soup because they cook quickly and break down into a soft, creamy texture, which helps thicken the soup naturally. They have a mild, slightly sweet flavor that blends well with various spices and vegetables, creating a well-balanced and hearty dish.
- Onions & garlic- Essential in lentil soup because they form the flavorful base of the dish. Onions add a natural sweetness and depth, while garlic provides a bold, aromatic punch that enhances the overall taste.
- Fire-roasted tomatoes- Adds a rich, smoky flavor that enhances the soup’s depth and complexity. The roasting process caramelizes the tomatoes, giving them a slightly charred, sweet taste that blends perfectly with the lentils and spices.
- Tomato paste- A great addition to lentil soup because it intensifies the tomato flavor and adds a rich, concentrated taste to the broth.
- Seasonings- Bay leaves, cumin, smoked paprika, and coriander add a warm robust flavor to this soup.
How to make vegan lentil soup
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
STEP #1: Begin by dicing up the onion and garlic. If you like, the spinach leaves can also be sliced. I tend to buy baby spinach with small leaves, so I don’t chop it up.
STEP #2: Next, sauté the onion in veggie broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
Add garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, salt & pepper, and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
STEP #3: Add veggie broth, tomato paste, red lentils, and a bay leaf. Stir well and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and add fire-roasted tomatoes and the liquid.
STEP #4: Simmer for about 20 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Remove the bay leaf, and add the baby spinach leaves. Cover with a lid and simmer for about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
This healthy soup is super simple to make, and clean-up is fast because it can be made all in one pot. I love one-pot meals as you can tell from this list I created for 15 Easy One-Pot Vegan Meals.
Instant Pot instructions
- Add all of the ingredients (except the spinach) PLUS 1 cup extra broth to your pot insert.
- Lock down the lid and set the release valve to Sealed. This should be cooked on Manual and the timer needs to be set to 7 minutes. Allow for a slow release for 10 minutes then release pressure.
- Add the spinach leaves last, while the soup is hot. They should wilt within a few minutes. If they don’t wilt enough, simply heat the soup up for about 1-2 minutes.
Crockpot instructions
- Add all the ingredients except for the spinach PLUS 1 cup extra broth to your slow cooker or crockpot.
- Allow the soup to cook LOW for about 5 hours.
- Add the greens after the soup has cooked (while still hot in the pot) before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
No need to soak the lentils before adding them to this recipe. You can add them straight into the stew.
Yes, you can use different types of lentils, but keep in mind that their cooking times and textures vary. Red lentils cook quickly and break down into a creamy texture, while green or brown lentils hold their shape better and take longer to cook. Adjust cooking times accordingly based on the type of lentils you use.
Yes, vegan lentil soup is a great option for make-ahead meals. You can prepare it a day or two in advance and store it in the refrigerator. It also freezes well, so you can make a big batch and have it ready for quick meals throughout the week.
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze it in individual portions for up to 3 months. When reheating, you may need to add a bit of water or broth to adjust the consistency.
If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it by rating it and leaving a comment. We love to hear from you!
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Vegan Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried red lentils
- 1 cup onion diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cups veggie broth
- 2 15 oz cans cans chopped fire roasted tomatoes with liquid
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1.5 cups fresh spinach leaves
Instructions
- This healthy soup is super simple to make, and clean up is fast because it can be made all in one pot.
- Begin by dicing up the onion and garlic. If you like, the spinach leaves can also be sliced. I tend to buy baby spinach with small leaves, so I don’t chop it up.
- Next, sauté the onion in veggie broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, salt & pepper, and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add veggie broth, tomato paste, red lentils, and a bay leaf and bring to a boil. Stir well, then lower the heat and add fire-roasted tomatoes and their liquid.
- Simmer for about 20 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
- Remove the bay leaf, and add the baby spinach leaves. Cover with a lid and allow to simmer for about 1-minute. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
I have an intolerance to onions. Anything else I can use?
You could just leave the onions out if you like.
how much broth do you use when you saute the onions & garlic?
I start with about 3 tablespoons, and add more if needed as the brown.
I made this last night. It’s very good. I will have to freeze some of it since it makes a lot and I am the only one in my family who will eat it. Thank you for posting.
Hi Rene- I’m so glad that you liked it!
Hi! I made this in the crock pot today! The taste is really good but it’s really thick – not soup like at all. Is the amount of liquid correct in the recipe? It doesn’t seem like a lot.
Thank you! 😊
Hi Lori– Just curious if you included the 2 cans of fire-roasted tomatoes (15 oz each for a total of 30 ozs) with the juice included. With the juice from the canned tomatoes and the added veggie broth, the soup shouldn’t be too thick. I’m glad that you liked the flavor and hope that you were able to add a little more veggie broth to your soup to get it to the right consistency.
@Terri Edwards, Hi Terri – yes I did add both cans with the juice. I ended up adding another cup of broth and a half cup of water. It’s still thick but really good! Maybe it just thickened up in the crock pot for being on high ?? Either way, we’ll definitely enjoy it! Thank you 😊
I think you might be right about the crockpot version. It may be best when cooking on high to only leave it for 4 hours. I made it on the stovetop and guessed at the crockpot directions. I’ll make that adjustment in the crockpot instructions. The longer it cooks, the thicker it will get due to the red lentils. Thanks for the heads-up, and I’m glad that you liked it.
@Terri Edwards, I added 2 more cups of water it was very thick! I used instapot!
Hi Char- I think the thickness issue for making this in a crockpot or Instant Pot must be the red lentils. They tend to breakdown into mush when overcooked. They are just very fragile. I make this on the stovetop and tried to guesstimate the times and temps for CP and IP. My mistake, and I apologize for that. The times and temps for both CP and IP have now been adjusted, and I increased the veggie broth to 3 cups, and hopefully, that will fix the problem. Thank you for letting me know.
Hi. This lentil soup sounds delicious! On the recipe card, you say “ This lentil stew with artichokes is a hearty dish that is nutrient-dense and absolutely delicious!”.
When do we add the artichokes? And how much? Thanks!
Hi Jackie- Thanks for letting me know about that. I actually have 2 lentil soup recipes. One is an older one with artichokes, and I accidentally mentioned the artichokes in this newest recipe. I’ve made the correction now. You could always add artichokes to this one as well. I would add them at step #5 with the fire-roasted tomatoes. Here’s a link to the other recipe if you want to take a peek at it too. https://eatplant-based.com/red-lentil-artichoke-stew-with-breaded-and-baked-eggplant-zucchini/
Hello, would love to make the lentil soup, what size cans of fire roasted tomatoes are we using?
Hi Angel- Sorry about that, and I’ll add the can size to the ingredients. This recipe takes (2) 15-ounce cans of fire-roasted tomatoes for a total of 30 ounces.