Instant Pot Lentil Soup

A hearty soup is a perfect weeknight dinner. Instant Pot soup recipes are always a good place to turn, as this handy appliance can speed up so many of our favorite long-cook-time dishes. This Instant Pot lentil soup recipe scores high on weeknight convenience as there is no need to soak the lentils or even sauté the veggies. Once the ingredients are chopped and added to the Instant Pot, seal it, and take care of something else on your to-do list.

What is the ratio of water to lentils in the Instant Pot?

As a rule of thumb, you will need at least 3 cups of liquid in order to cook 1 cup of lentils adequately in an Instant Pot. Since this soup recipe calls for a few more ingredients, such as carrots, celery and onions, and you want it to be thick yet brothy, we've increased our liquid content (broth and tomatoes) to about 4 or 5 parts liquid to 1 part dried lentils. 

Do you need to soak lentils before pressure cooking?

You certainly do not need to soak lentils before pressure cooking (or before cooking lentils on the stove, for that matter!). Unlike a dried bean, which benefits from some time soaking before cooking, a lentil is small enough that the center and exterior will cook evenly when pressure cooked.

Rinsing your lentils before cooking, however, is an important step. At times, small rocks or debris may make their way into the mix. It's best to rinse give the lentils a rinse and pick through to see if any undesirable pieces made it into the package.