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Italian Lentil Soup makes a hearty and healthy meal. This easy lentil soup is full of Italian herbs and fresh veggies. A delicious Italian lentil soup recipe that comes together quickly thanks to the pressure cooker.
Cold weather is perfect for all of the soups! Our absolute favorite soup is this Instant Pot Tortellini Soup, it is so creamy and full of sausage. Or make this healthier version of Broccoli Cheddar Soup. Another instant pot soup we love is Black Bean Soup.
As it starts to turn chilly outside, there is nothing more comforting to turn to than a steamy bowl of soup. Lentil soup is not as popular as chicken noodle or tomato, but it has a special place in my heart and is one of my favorites! Although it is perfect for cool, fall weather, I eat this soup year round.
So what exactly does lentil soup taste like? If you have never had lentil soup before it’s a must try. This lentil soup has an earthy, fresh flavor that gets enhanced by the basil, oregano, and thyme. If you swap out brown lentils for the green ones, the flavor may be a little more peppery. I’d love to try this recipe using fresh herbs, but dried is what I had on hand.
There are a few things I really love about this Italian lentil soup recipe. One of them that lentils do not have be soaked the way traditional legumes do (unless you want to). HELLO time saver!! Another is that it’s super simple to make this recipe vegan. Just leave off the parmesan cheese that gets sprinkled on each bowl when it’s being served. I believe it’s still very delicious without the cheese!
Is Lentil Soup Healthy?
Yes! Lentils are low in calories and packed full of nutrients like iron, protein, and fiber. Love that!! This means they are a great source of plant-based protein for vegetarians and vegans. Plus, there are carrots, onion, zucchini, spinach, and a squeeze of lemon in this soup. The vitamins and minerals keep adding up.
What are the Best Lentils to Use?
Did you know that there are many different colored lentils? Brown, Green, Red, Yellow, and Black. Brown are the easiest to find around the United States and they hold up well in soups. These are the ones I used in this Italian lentil soup recipe.
Green lentils are also common and can be substituted for the brown ones in this recipe. Red and yellow lentils are very delicate, soft, and creamy. When cooked they would end up too mushy for this particular recipe. Black lentils have a great, firm texture when cooked and are more nutritious than the others.
Italian Lentil Soup Ingredients
- Olive Oil: Extra Virgin.
- Carrots: Diced.
- Onion: One medium yellow or sweet onion, diced.
- Broth: Vegetable broth.
- Lentils: Dried, brown lentils.
- Basil: I used dried basil, but you can use fresh.
- Oregano: I used ground oregano, but you could use ground or fresh.
- Thyme: I used dried thyme, but you could use fresh.
- Salt: I like sea salt or kosher salt.
- Pepper: Freshly ground.
- Zucchini: One large, fresh squash that’s been diced.
- Spinach: Fresh spinach.
- Lemon: Freshly juiced.
- Parmesan Cheese: Shredded. This is completely optional. Leave it out to make this a vegan soup!
How to Make Italian Lentil Soup
- Heat oil in pressure cooker on sauté mode. Sauté onions for about 5 minutes, then add in carrots and garlic.
- Pour in all of the ingredients except for the spinach, lemon juice and parmesan juice (if using).
- Lock instant pot lid into place, set to HIGH pressure for 15 minutes and bring up to pressure. Once timer goes off either allow the steam to release naturally or do a quick release (which is manually turning the valve to the venting position).
- Once all the pressure has been released, remove lid. Stir in spinach and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow to sit for a few minutes for the spinach to wilt. Top bowls with parmesan cheese if using.
Italian Lentil Soup Recipe Tips
- Lentils do not have to be soaked. Simply go through the beans to make sure there is no extra debris. Then rinse and use!
- The soup will thicken as it sits after cooking. If it’s too thick, add in a little additional vegetable broth to thin out.
How to Store and Reheat Lentil Soup
- How to Refrigerate Lentil Soup: Let the soup cool and put in a glass container or BPA-free airtight plastic container or zipper bag. The soup should last about 3-4 days in the fridge.
- How to Freeze Lentil Soup: Let the soup cool off completely before pouring into an airtight glass, BPA-free freezer-safe bag or freezer-safe plastic container. Make sure to label the soup with the recipe name and date. The soup should last about 3 months in the freezer.
- How to Thaw Frozen Lentil Soup: Thaw the frozen soup on a plate in the refrigerator for about 4 hours. You can also immerse the container or bag in a bowl of water for about 1 1/2 hours. The soup doesn’t have to be completely thawed out to heat it.
- How to Reheat Lentil Soup: Empty contents into a pot. Heat over low, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes. Or put in a microwave safe container and microwave for about 4-7 minutes. Finish or toss any soup that you have re-heated and do not re-store anything that is leftover.
Try these other dinner recipes!
- Spaghetti Squash
- Easy Cheese Enchiladas
- Poblano Peppers
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Italian Lentil Soup Recipe
Italian Lentil Soup makes a hearty and healthy meal. This easy lentil soup is full of Italian herbs and fresh veggies. A delicious Italian lentil soup recipe that comes together quickly thanks to the pressure cooker.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time35 minutes mins
Total Time45 minutes mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 243kcal
Author: Tristin @ Home Cooked Harvest
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 large carrots diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 1/4 cups dried brown lentils picked over and rinsed
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1/2 teaspoon dried or ground oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- parmesan cheese for serving, optional
Instructions
Heat oil in pressure cooker on sauté mode. Sauté the onions for about 5 minutes until soft and transluscent, sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Add in carrots and garlic, sauté for 2 more minutes .
Pour in vegetable broth, lentils, zucchini, basil, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Lock instant pot lid into place, set to HIGH pressure for 15 minutes and bring up to pressure.
Once timer goes off either allow the steam to release naturally or do a quick release (which is manually turning the valve to the venting position).
Once all the pressure has been released, remove lid. Stir in spinach and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow to sit for a few minutes for the spinach to wilt. Top bowls with parmesan cheese if using.
Notes
- Lentils do not have to be soaked overnight (unless you would like to).
- If soup is too thick, add vegetable broth to thin once it’s done cooking.
- The soup should last about 3-4 days in the fridge.
* Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.
Nutrition
Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 416mg | Potassium: 716mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4419IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 5mg
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