Friends, today we have an easy, delicious, plant-based soup to share with you! Adapted from our fan-favorite Curried Potato & Lentil Soup, it keeps all the bold curry flavor but has a creamy twist and is made in the Instant Pot, making it even quicker and easier!
Rich in fiber, protein, iron (and more!), it’s a nourishing, plant-based meal to fuel you all winter and beyond! Plus, it’s made with ingredients you likely have in your pantry right now and requires just 1 pot. Let’s make soup!
How to Make Instant Pot Lentil Soup
This 1-pot soup begins with sautéing onion, carrots, garlic, and ginger in coconut oil with a little salt and pepper to build a flavorful base. The ability to sauté in the same pot you use to pressure cook is one of the beauties of the Instant Pot!
Next, we add our go-to DIY curry powder for Indian-inspired flavor and potatoes and lentils to make the soup hearty and filling. Vegetable broth contributes flavor and enough liquid to submerge the lentils for pressure cooking.
After a quick 10 minutes on high pressure, the lentils and potatoes become tender, the broth infuses with curry flavor, and the soup is ready for its final ingredients!
Lastly, we stir in kale or spinach for a greens boost and coconut milk for a creamy finish! Optional coconut sugar can be added, if desired, to balance the heat.
The soup is then ready to serve as is, or garnished with cilantro and lemon juice for added freshness and flavor.
We hope you LOVE this lentil soup! It’s:
Flavorful
Creamy
Spicy
Comforting
Nourishing
Perfect for meal prep
& SO delicious!
It’s hearty enough to be a meal on its own, but is especially satisfying paired with Easy Vegan Naan, Fluffy Gluten-Free Naan (Yeast-Free, 20 Minutes!), The Best Vegan Garlic Bread, or even just toasted bread!
More Cozy Instant Pot Recipes
- Warming Red Lentil Sweet Potato Soup (Instant Pot!)
- Smoky Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas & Greens (Vegan)
- Creamy Potato Green Split Pea Soup (Instant Pot Friendly!)
- Roasted Red Pepper Chickpea Curry (Instant Pot Friendly!)
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Instant Pot Curried Lentil Soup (Indian-Inspired)
Ingredients
SOUP
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil (or olive or avocado oil // if oil-free, sub water)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (1 medium onion yields ~1 ½ cups or 240 g)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped (2 medium carrots yield ~3/4 cup or 120 g)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (4 cloves garlic yield ~1 ½ Tbsp)
- 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
- 1/4 tsp each sea salt + black pepper (plus more to taste)
- 1 ½ Tbsp curry powder* (DIY for best flavor)
- 2 cups diced potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch pieces (we used Yukon gold)
- 1 cup uncooked green or brown lentils
- 4 cups vegetable broth (or store-bought — we like Pacific brand)
- 2-3 cups chopped kale or baby spinach
- 1/2 cup canned light coconut milk (or sub homemade cashew cream)
- 1 Tbsp coconut sugar (optional)
FOR SERVING optional
- Freshly chopped cilantro
- Lemon juice
- Easy Vegan Naan (or Gluten-Free Naan or Garlic Bread)
Instructions
INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS
- Turn on the sauté function on your Instant Pot (to the default "Normal" — not high or low). Once hot, add coconut oil, onion, carrots, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until softened. Turn off the sauté function by pressing "Cancel."
- Add the curry powder, potatoes, lentils, and vegetable broth, and stir to combine. Lock the lid in place, turn the valve to “Sealing,” and select High Pressure for 10 minutes. Once the timer goes off, let the steam release naturally for 15 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure. When the valve drops, carefully remove the lid.
- Add kale or spinach and coconut milk and cook for 2-3 minutes to wilt. Taste and adjust as needed, adding coconut sugar or more coconut milk to balance the heat, curry powder for intense curry flavor, or more salt to taste.
- Serve as is, or garnish with fresh cilantro and lemon juice (optional). It’s delicious paired with naan (or gluten-free naan), toasted bread, or garlic bread.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat in a saucepan or the microwave until warmed throughout.
STOVETOP INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add coconut oil, onion, carrots, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until softened.
- Add the curry powder, potatoes, lentils, and vegetable broth, and stir to combine. Bring to a rolling simmer, then reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until lentils and potatoes are tender.
- Add kale or spinach and coconut milk and cook for 2-3 minutes to wilt. Taste and adjust as needed, adding coconut sugar or more coconut milk to balance the heat, curry powder for intense curry flavor, or more salt to taste.
- Serve as is, or garnish with fresh cilantro and lemon juice (optional). It’s delicious paired with naan (or gluten-free naan), toasted bread, or garlic bread.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat in a saucepan or the microwave until warmed throughout.
Karen says
Had to leave a comment and mention that I made this with 2 cups of split red lentils and it turned out great! I also made some additions: 3 carrots (about 2 C chopped), 2 T minced ginger, 3/4 t salt, 2 T curry powder, 1 heaping teaspoon garam masala, beet greens (instead of kale/spinach), no coconut milk or sugar, replaced potatoes with about 3 cups of steamed kabocha squash (added after soup was done cooking). Per serving, added 1/2 C overcooked chickpeas (previously cooked in IP) for added protein along with the suggested cilantro and a side of jasmine rice. Lime juice instead of lemon. Really great recipe on its own, but I had so much kabocha squash to use up—this was the perfect base recipe to add it to! Gave it a nice creamy texture and sweetness.
Amazing! Thanks so much for sharing, Karen! xo
Robert P says
So delicious!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Robert. Thank you for sharing!
Laura in CA says
This is so good! All my favorite flavors! The coconut milk is key!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Laura! Thanks so much for the lovely review. Next time would you mind adding a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful to us and our readers. Thank you again! xo
Kat says
Hi! I was about to make this and the video says to set the Instant Pot to 14 min, and the recipe says 10 min. Can you let me know which is best?
Looking forward!
Hi Kat, we can see how that’s confusing! 10 minutes is correct. We believe the 14 minutes was showing how long the pressure had been releasing.
Dee says
This was easy to make and delicious! Made it while my parents were visiting and my dad said many times that he doesn’t like lentils, but he definitely enjoyed this recipe. Plus went back for more!
Amazing! We’re so glad it was a success. Thank you for the lovely review, Dee! xo
Heather says
This was so easy and delicious to make! I had a madras curry powder blend in my pantry that worked really well with this recipe. Would absolutely make this again!
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the great review, Heather!
jane says
A lovely dal. If you leave out the curry powder completely and the garlic till the end when you can hi heat some ghee or avocado oil in a small separate pan. Add the chopped garlic and a teaspoon of cumin seeds and saute till the garlic has started to caramelise. Then throw this into the cooked lentils and stir in, it gives a great smokey flavour with less of a complicated curry taste with just the cumin seeds. More like Indian dal.
Oh yum! Thanks for the great review and for sharing your experience, Jane!
Linda Feeley says
To save a trip to the grocery store, would FROZEN spinach work in this with the same results?
Yes, it should!
Joanna Persaud says
I made this recipe for lunch today and it was amazing! I didn’t add the spinach/kale because I would have gotten the side eye from my husband and kids lol. But they did enjoy it, and they generally don’t like lentils. I will definitely make this again.
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, Joanna!
Carina says
Wow! Just made this and it is delicious!!
Yay! Thanks for the review, Carina!
Britni Ludwig says
Looks great! I’m hoping to double batch this and freeze half. Do you think I need to adjust the instant pot timing for a double batch?
Hi Britni, no need to adjust the timing, but it will take longer to come to pressure and de-pressurize. Also, it’s not recommended to fill past the 1/2 line for foods that expand, but if using a larger Instant Pot, it should be large enough!
Kelsey says
I have some adult spinach I’d like to use up – do you think that would work instead of the baby spinach? Thanks!
Yes!
Tracy says
As with many other recipes of yours this was easy to follow and turned out well. It’s always a good sign when the picky eaters in the family go back for seconds and thirds! I used the instant pot directions, but do appreciate that you other methods too.
Thank you for dinner tonight!
Woohoo! Thanks for the great review, Tracy. So glad everyone enjoyed!
Natalie says
This was so good!! We’ll be making it again. We used balsamic vinegar instead of lemon juice and brown sugar instead of coconut sugar. :) Thanks for another great recipe!
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Natalie!
Ladonna Batterson says
HI there!
Thank you for this recipe!! I’ve made it two times. The first time as published and I enjoyed it. The second time I tweaked a few things. Since I’m watching my sugar (type 2 diabetic) I added cauliflower rice (raw), one cup of tomato sauce, and increased the curry powder to two tablespoons. Then, when I added the spinach I also included some chopped zucchini. I was hoping that that would trick my brain into not missing the potatoes. That worked! In one serving I added a splash of ume (plum) vinegar and although I liked the taste I felt that it took away from the curry flavor. In the next serving, I added a splash of dark shoyu. That did the trick for me. Thank you so much for your recipes!!! Aloha from Portugal.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Ladonna! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Tulip says
Delicious! I used sweet potatoes instead of the Yukon gold. I will definitely make again!!
Yum! Thanks so much for the review and for sharing your modifications, Tulip!
Lisa Dold says
So good. I substituted sweet potatoes for regular potatoes. Very yummy
Yum! Thanks so much for the wonderful review and for sharing your modifications, Lisa!
Sharon Magan says
I made this and it was delicious! I used the stove top method. I used 3 generous cups of spinach, only a half teaspoon of curry powder and a little over a cup of coconut milk. I definitely will make this again.
Lovely! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sharon! Thank you for sharing! xo
Leah says
I made this recipe today. Delicious!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Leah! Thank you for sharing! xo
Vern says
Excellent and very healthy!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Vern! Thank you for sharing! xo
Karen says
This soup is so delicious!! I will be making it again and again. I made it on the stovetop, used the Pacific Foods boxed veg broth and baby spinach, omitted the sugar, garnished with cilantro and lemon juice. I just finished dinner and already can’t wait for lunch tomorrow!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Karen! Thank you for sharing! xo
Kathy says
Love this recipe, so easy and tasty.
Yay! Thanks, Kathy!
Deborah Klein says
I loved this soup. I used sweet potatoes & kale and sriracha. The lemon, cilanto and scallions bring it to another level. Might be my new favorite! Thanks!
Yay! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Deborah!
Ladonna Batterson says
Oh!! Great idea. I think next time I will add a splash of sricha. Thank you!!
Lish says
So yummy and comforting! I did the stovetop version. I used sweet potatoes and frozen green beans bc that’s what I had on hand, and I used the whole can of coconut milk bc I’m bad at using up leftover coconut milk. 😆 It made my soup a bit more liquidy, but it was still perfect! I also always add cayenne pepper bc we love spice in this house. Thank you for another awesome recipe!
Yay! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Lish!
Anonymous says
Coconut milk freezes extremely well if you’re interested. I portion my up so it defrosts in 5-10 minutes in the boiling hot curry :)
Michelle says
This was EXCELLENT. I added more salt at the end, along with some more curry powder. I used a mix of baby spinach and some collards that I had left over. This recipe felt like the ultimate comfort food. I paired it with vegan naan and it was such a lovely meal during a cold, snowy day. Will be making time and time again. Love your website and recipes. Thank you!
Yay! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Michelle!
Tia says
Yum! This recipe had really great flavors. I was generous with the curry powder, and as another reviewer suggested, added some cayenne for extra kick. Didn’t have potatoes, but added zucchini and peas (wouldn’t recommend the peas too similar a texture and size to the lentils lol). I also added more coconut milk because I may have simmered it to high and the liquid was almost all gone by the end of the 25 minutes.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing, Tia!
Annelies says
This soup is absolutely delicious! Was looking for an easy dinner recipe today, and had this sitting in my “to cook pile” since last week.
It was so easy and quick to make, and the only changes I made was a bit less stock to make it a bit more stew-like, and adding some chopped vegan sausages and extra firm tofu at the end (which I had panfried a little beforehand). I made double batch to serve our large family and served it with homebaked baguettes. No leftovers :D
Definitely adding this to my soup-recipe collection!
We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it, Annelies! Thank you for sharing! xo
Brittney Rae says
This was an absolutely delicious soup. Hearty and comforting, perfect for the winter season. I added half a teaspoon of cayenne for a touch of heat. Garnished with chopped cilantro, lemon juice, and a splash of coconut cream as suggested *chef’s kiss*
Aw, yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Brittney! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
The Vegan Goddess says
OMG, this is wonderful! I don’t have an instant pot cooker so I appreciated the stovetop directions.
I went from never making to curry to making your roasted red pepper chickpea curry and now this. I’m a curry fan!
It’s wonderful on a cold snowy day or any day. So flavorful, hearty and packed with protein!
I made it with your cashew cream and a bit of spinach. Love a bit of lemon spritzed on it. I will try it with naan next time.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing! xo
Carina says
This curried soup is excellent with great flavor and a lovely smooth texture. I used sweet potatoes and an added zucchini as an attempt to clean out my fridge. Thank you for sharing!
Love that! Thank you for sharing, Carina! xo
Maya says
Followed the recipe without any changes. I didnt add sugar and used spinach instead of kale. Turned out perfect!
Wonderful! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Maya! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Amanda says
I only have red lentils, would this work?
Hi Amanda, red lentils will be more mushy and cook faster, but should work flavor-wise. Let us know if you try it!
Siuwai Man says
We made this tonight after playing in the snow. It rarely snows in Georgia so we were super excited mood. We all enjoyed very much with some naan. Loved it and will add to the rotation of soups. Thank you so much!
Yumm, sounds perfect! Thanks for the lovely review, Siuwai!
AllisonW says
This was delicious. Thank you for the cashew cream recipe to substitute the coconut milk. Lately, my stomach has not been tolerating coconut milk and the cashew cream is a perfect substitute. Thank you for creating such delicious dishes that we can make quickly in the instant pot!
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Allison. So glad you enjoyed!
Claudia says
I made it today for the first time, so followed the recipe except I used a slow cooker. It was delicious!
Yay! Thanks so much for the review, Claudia! Would you mind sharing how you made it in the slow cooker? It would be so great for us and other readers to know! xo
Claudia says
Sure! I sautéed the onions, then the garlic and ginger (forgot the curry) briefly. I then tossed it all in the slow cooker along with the potatoes (and the curry), carrots and lentils and filled it with hot broth. I cooked it in high for about 2.5 hrs because I was hungry, not sure if low would have been better. I think two hours might have been enough on high as my lentils were slightly softer than I like. Added the spinach while it was still hot along with the coconut milk. Yummy and a keeper!
Oh I also added Parmesan rind while it was cooking.
I might try sautéing the onions and spices with tomato paste next time, my mum does that with her lentil soup to add more flavour, she also adds canned tomatoes.
Great! Thank you so much for sharing!
Tina says
Thank you for the slow cooker option and parm rind/tomatoe paste adds. Putting this on the slow cooker while we go skiing so it’s ready to go when we get back! 👌
Chrissy Lake says
This is bomb. I love you. 😃 I used a whole can of coconut milk just because. You’re site is always my go to for EVERYTHING.
Aw yay! Thanks so much for this awesome review, Chrissy! So glad you enjoy our recipes!
Emily Willner says
It was really good and easy to make! Nourishing and filling. Even my toddler liked it! Thank you!
Yay! We love to hear this. Thanks so much for the great review, Emily!
Savannah says
I made this for lunch on Friday for my mum and I. It was delicious! I made it using the DIY curry powder that they recommended. Perfection!
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Savannah. So glad you enjoyed!
Jocelyn Hester says
This was excellent! The coconut milk was a great addition, making it creamy. My husband loved it so much, he could not stop eating it! I will definitely be making it again.
Yay! Thanks so much for the wonderful review, Jocelyn. So glad you both enjoyed!
Maria says
Absolutely delicious! Added about a cup and a half of water to thin it out a bit more.
Yay! Thanks so much for the review, Maria!
Jen says
Do you know how I can make this with a slow cooker? would that even be possible?
Hi Jen, we haven’t tested it in a slow cooker, but we do think it would work. We’d suggest cooking on low for ~4 hours and adding the kale just before it is finished! If you give it a try, let us know how it goes!
Dee says
Do you need to soak the lentils overnight first?
Nope! We cooked them directly from dried. If soaking, you can reduce the cook time and amount of liquid.
Citygirlx says
Made this tonight. Was absolutely delicious. Ran out of kale and spinach, which is rare for me. But had some collard greens on hand. Worked as a great sub. Just be sure to pick the stems. Chop leaves in small pieces. Was worried it’d take a little longer with the collards, but was perfect.
Thanks for this! Your recipes have been getting me through the past few weeks. All yum!
Yay! Sounds delish. Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Johnny says
I only have a regular pressure cooker. I assume the directions are the same except for the cook time? Would you know how long to cook with a normal pressure cooker?
Hi Johnny, The psi on the Instant Pot when it’s on high is 12.0-12.5, so as long your pressure cooker is similar, we don’t think it would need modification. Let us know how it goes!
Johnny says
Thanks for responding! I’ve had my pressure cooker for many, many years. It doesn’t have a PSI scale. I know these types create more heat than an Instant Pot and I know even one minute extra cook time can have an effect on certain foods. I’ll try cooking for a bit less time. If not enough, I can finish using the stove top method. Can’t wait to make this!
Darla says
Yum, delicious winter meal! I added in some cayenne pepper for a bit of spice and served with a slice of bread and homemade herb butter.
Love that addition, Darla! We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing! xo
Private Citizen says
Please don’t call it a “lentil soup.” You made Daal. Call it Daal. Cultural appropriation and gentrification is not okay in 2022. Respect the culture that originated the dish and call it what it is.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Our understanding is that daal is a thicker stew vs. this being a thinner soup consistency. We’ll be sure to look into it and amend!
Private Citizen says
If you’re using lentils and Indian spices (and/or techniques), it’s Daal. Daal is ubiquitous with all the variations found across the South Asian subcontinent. There are recipes that create thick Daal and thinner/looser Daals, and all made with a different combination of South Asian spices and lentils. They are all Daals.
Thank you! This is really helpful!
Lesley says
Lentils and Dahl are different. Lentils are whole. Dahl is split and skinned lentils. This is a lentil soup. Yes, the seasoning makes it an Indian inspired soup, but it is still a lentil soup. Lentils keep their shape when cooked this long. Dahl doesn’t. Dahl becomes smooth.
I found it bland, so I kept adding curry powder (even some “hot” curry powder, which could have been accomplished with a bit of cayenne, as others mention) for at least 2x the amount called for in the recipe. It was not “hot”. fI also added more coconut milk. Then it was good!
Kirsten says
I was scrambling to think of what to make for dinner and found this recipe in my inbox. It was very easy and turned out so good! I ended up serving it over quinoa and it was awesome. I’ve made many of your recipes and loved all of them. Thanks for another good one!
Aw, this is SO great to hear, Kirsten! We’re glad the recipe came at the right time and you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing! xo
Jennifer says
Can you make this without an instant pot?
Hi Jennifer, yes! You can find stovetop instructions beneath the Instant Pot instructions.
Carly says
Hi! Huge fan here. I’m guessing this can be adapted to us regular cookers without an instant pot? Any tips?
Hi Carly, yes! You can find stovetop instructions beneath the Instant Pot instructions.
Lisa says
Could I substitute chickpeas or cooked beans for the lentils? Hubby does not like them!
Hi Lisa, Canned chickpeas might work, but we haven’t tested it that way. Let us know if you try it!