Vegan Lentil Soup
82
Published Dec 02, 2020, Updated Feb 20, 2023
This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
This vegan lentil soup is bursting with flavor from roasted garlic. It tastes like it’s been cooking all day, but cooks up in less than an hour in the Instant Pot.
I didn’t grow up eating lentils, but in my adult life I’ve found that I love them. They’re one of the quickest cooking beans (no soaking required) and they’re loaded with protein, fiber, folate and iron. Plus I like their small size and versatility. There are so many different ways to prepare and eat lentils, but one of my favorites has to be soup.
I’ve shared several lentil soup recipes over the years from this cabbage lentil soup and lentil stew with kale to this butternut squash red lentil stew. This lentil soup is a bit different because we’re making it in the Instant Pot! Although, don’t worry… I’m still giving instructions for how to make it on the stove-top as well.
Garlic Lentil Soup Ingredients
- vegetables – sweet yellow onion, carrots, celery and roasted garlic
- French green or brown lentils
- vegetable broth
- canned diced tomatoes
- red wine vinegar
- tomato paste
- olive oil
- seasonings and spices – dried oregano, dried thyme, bay leaves, sea salt and pepper
- optional toppings – sriracha, avocado, fresh parsley
Roasted Garlic = Amazing Flavor
There’s actually a lentil soup on the menu at one of my favorite Greek restaurants in town called Stella’s. I typically order a big bowl of it as my meal with a salad on the side or convince Isaac to split a bowl with me if I’m ordering an entree. I’ve tried several times to make a lentil soup at home that tastes like Stella’s lentil soup and failed. My version has never had the same flavor… until now. And I think I figured out the secret ingredients – roasted garlic and vinegar.
By using a whole bulb of roasted garlic you get a lovely, robust garlic flavor and a hint of sweetness that permeates the whole soup. And the red wine vinegar simply brightens up the flavor of the soup. It’s kind of like salt. Whenever you feel like a dish is missing a little something, you tend to add salt, right? Well sometimes salt can do it, but other times you need something acidic like citrus juice or vinegar. In the case of this soup, vinegar is the winner!
How to Roast Garlic
The first time I made roasted garlic at home I fell in love. If you’ve never roasted garlic, you have to try it! Your entire house will smell amazing and it takes any recipe that calls for garlic to the next level. Here’s how to make it:
- Cut off the top – Cut the top of the garlic bulb off about ¼ inch down from the top. You want to make sure you’re cutting off a bit of each clove around the bulb.
- Prep – Place aluminum foil under the garlic bulb and drizzle 1 teaspoon of olive oil over top to cover the exposed cloves. Wrap the foil around the bulb tightly.
- Bake – Bake the bulb at 400ºF for 30-40 minutes or until the garlic is soft and golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Remove cloves – Once cool, pop each clove out of its paper. Some cloves slide out really easily while others need to be encouraged out!
How to Make This in the Instant Pot
Sauté – Using the sauté function on high heat, heat the oil in the inner pot and then add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for about 5 minutes, until fragrant and onions are softened. Season with a little salt and pepper while cooking.
Add remaining ingredients + pressure cook – Stir in the roasted garlic, lentils, broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste and spices. Stir to combine. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
Release pressure – After the cooking is complete, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and then quick-release the remaining pressure.
Season + serve – Remove the bay leaves, stir in the vinegar and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve with toppings of choice!
Don’t worry! If you don’t have an Instant Pot you can still make this soup. I’m sharing stove-top instructions in the instructions as well!
More Lentil Recipes to Try
- Lentil Tuna Salad
- Vegan Lentil Loaf (Vegan Meatloaf)
- Mediterranean Lentil Salad
- Cabbage Lentil Soup
- Kale Sweet Potato Lentil Salad
- Lentil Meatballs
Popular Soup Recipes
- Vegan Split Pea Soup
- Detox Soup
- Cabbage Soup
- Vegetarian 15 Bean Soup
- Healthy Brunswick Stew
- Mushroom Barley Soup
Vegan Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 sweet yellow onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 bulb roasted garlic, about 8–10 cloves, chopped*
- 1 – 16 oz bag dry French green or brown lentils, sorted and rinsed
- 2 32 oz containers of low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- pinch of nutmeg
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon sea salt + more to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper + more to taste
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Optional toppings: sriracha, avocado, fresh parsley
Instructions
Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker
- Using the sauté function on high, heat oil in the inner pot for about 1 minute, until shimmering. Add the onion, carrots, celery and cook for about 5 minutes, until fragrant and onions are turning translucent. Season with a little salt and pepper while cooking.
- Stir in the roasted garlic, lentils, broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, thyme, paprika, cumin, nutmeg, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
- Once the cooking is complete, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick-release the remaining pressure.
- Remove bay leaves, stir in vinegar, taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed.
- Ladle soup into bowls and serve with toppings of choice. I personally love adding fresh parsley and a splash of sriracha.
Stove-Top
- Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery to the pot, stirring frequently for 8-10 minutes or until onions are soft and translucent. Season with a little salt and pepper while cooking.
- Add roasted garlic, lentils, broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, thyme, paprika, cumin, nutmeg, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring every so often, for at least 1 hour or until the lentils are soft.
- Remove bay leaves, stir in vinegar, taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed.
- Ladle soup into bowls and serve with toppings of choice. I personally love adding fresh parsley and a splash of sriracha.
Notes
- The garlic can be roasted in advance and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. I highly recommend prepping it ahead of time to speed up the cooking process.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is seriously SO good. Much more flavorful than other lentil stews I have made. I also added some kale because I had some on hand. Loved how easy this was and now I have a healthy lunch all week long 🙂
YUM! Kale is such a great addition, Shannon. Thank you so much for sharing your review & star rating, I really appreciate it!
This was delicious and addictive. I woke up the next day and ate it for breakfast. I will never make another lentil soup!
Ah yay! This is the best, I am so glad you are enjoying this recipe and it was a hit. Thank you for coming back and sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
So yummy and hearty, reminds me of chili. I added kale in the last 10 minutes of cooking on the stovetop, per previous reviewer, and it was a great addition. I also used a bit of red lentils. Thanks for the recipe!
Ah this sounds delicious, Amy. Kale is such a great addition. Thank you for coming back and sharing your review + star rating, I appreciate it!