Turmeric Lentil Soup is one of the most popular soups in our home.
If it’s winter or rainy outside and I want a budget-friendly, real food winner, this is it. The best part is that it doesn’t take any special ingredients. We almost always have them on hand, even if it’s the end of the week and I desperately need to go grocery shopping. 😉
Instant Pot Lentil Soup
This soup is the perfect candidate for the Instant Pot. All of the ingredients hold up well in the pressure cooker, it doesn’t require any prep work (like cooking beans beforehand), and if you need to start it early in the day then let it sit on the warm setting, go for it! We often do this and use it for both lunch and dinner.
You can also add whatever veggies you have on hand. I like it best with a bunch of chopped greens, but I’ve also added peas, shredded cabbage, cauliflower – whatever we need to use up in the fridge.
Vegan Soup Recipe
Do you have allergies or special diet needs? Turmeric Lentil Soup has something for almost everyone. It’s already gluten-free, dairy-free, and grain-free. Use vegetable broth to make it vegan and totally plant-based!
Convert to Slow Cooker Recipe
I’ve included Instant Pot instructions below, but you can also make it on the stovetop or the slow cooker!
RELATED: Got a favorite stovetop or slow cooker recipe that you wish you could make in the Instant Pot? Here are step-by-step instructions and a video on how to convert any soup recipe to an Instant Pot recipe!
Stovetop Soup Instructions
Saute the onion and carrots in a little fat, add the spices and garlic and stir for one minute, then add the broth, lentils, greens, and a little salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, until the lentils are nearly cooked through. Stir in the greens and let them cook down for another 5-10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.
Slowcooker Soup Instructions
Saute the onion and carrots separately if desired. Toss everything but the greens into the slow cooker and cook on high 3-4 hours or on low 6-8 hours. Stir in the greens 30 minutes or an hour before finishing. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.
Simple Instant Pot Recipes You Might Love:
- Turmeric Chicken
- Pumpkin Spice Steel Cut Oats
- How to Make Homemade Yogurt in the Instant Pot
- BBQ Chicken
- Mexican Lentils and Rice
- Easy Smoky Mexican Chicken Soup
- Chicken Curry
- Apple Cranberry Steel Cut Oats
More Budget-Friendly Soup Recipes from Steph:
- Potato Peel Soup
- Simple, Easy Bone Broth (3 Ways!)
- 10-Minute Tomato Soup
- Picadillo
- Hamburger Vegetable Soup
- White Bean Chili
- Turmeric Chicken
Turmeric Lentil Soup in the Instant Pot
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Instant Pot
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A simple, plant-based, budget-friendly soup recipe you can make out of staples from your pantry and freezer!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 cup dried lentils
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water
- 2–3 cups spinach or other greens, finely chopped (optional)
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp salt (Use the code kitchenstewardship for 15% off of your first purchase), or to taste
Instructions
- Set your Instant Pot to the saute setting and let it heat up for a few minutes.
- Add oil. Add onion and sauté it until tender.
- Stir in garlic, turmeric, and cumin and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in lentils, broth, greens, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir well.
- Pour enough water into the pot to cover the lentils by one inch.
- Cover and seal the Instant Pot. Set it to Manual and cook for 20 minutes.
- When the Instant Pot is finished cooking, let it release pressure naturally.
- Add salt to taste. Serve warm with salad or fresh homemade bread.
Notes
If you don’t need this recipe to be vegan or vegetarian you can use any type of broth. Here is my simple, budget-friendly 5-minute bone broth recipe. We make it nearly every week!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 187
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 384 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 11 g
- Protein: 11 g
Keywords: pantry staples, comfort foods, budget-friendly
Turmeric Lentil Soup Is:
- Simple
- Delicious
- Comforting
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
- Egg-free
- Plant-Based
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
Katie here – I’ve even seen some people make vegan meatballs with lentils! I bet you could use the leftovers for that recipe too!
Turmeric Lentil Soup!
What are you waiting for? For easy, comforting dinners and lunches, make your family a big pot of budget-friendly, plant-based, kid-friendly real food Turmeric Lentil Soup!
