Easy Vegan Lentil Soup
By the Gracious Vegan
To paraphrase airline pilots, “I know you have a choice in lentil soup recipes…” Yes, there are a lot of them out there. The difference here is the healthiness (whole-food, no processed ingredients if you use date paste) and the seasonings—the little bit of sweetness and acidity added at the end make all the difference. Worth a try.
Makes 7 servings (about 150 calories per serving)
Add the following ingredients to the Instant Pot. Lock the lid. Move the knob to “Sealing.” Use the “Manual,” “Pressure Cook,” or “High” mode and set for 10 minutes. Wait for 10 minutes once the Instant Pot is done, then move the knob to “Venting” and release the remaining steam before opening the lid.
6 cups vegetable broth or mushroom broth, or a combination
1.5 cups green lentils (okay to use brown, but green provide the best texture for this soup)
1 medium onion, diced (1.5 cups)
2 celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted (or regular) diced or petite-diced tomatoes
1.5 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried (and crushed)
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
Pinch red pepper flakes
After opening the Instant Pot lid, add the following ingredients to the pressure cooker and stir them in.
Optional salt (1 teaspoon)
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar (or rice vinegar, white wine vinegar, or sherry vinegar)
The soup is ready to serve, although the flavors will develop and blend during the first few hours after cooking. The soup will last about a week in the refrigerator. It can be frozen.
Stovetop directions
Increase the broth to 7 cups. In a Dutch oven, combine the first set of ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover, and let simmer for 1 hour. When the texture of the lentils and the soup are to your liking, add the second set of ingredients, stir in, and taste for seasonings.
Timing: About 90 minutes on the stovetop; about 30 minutes with the Instant Pot
Gluten-free