Pressure Cooker Carrot & Lentil Soup (Dump and Start)

This easy pressure cooker carrot and lentil soup recipe is nourishing, delicious and so easy to make. Dairy free and packed with protein and vitamins, it makes a lovely sustaining lunch to keep you going through the working day.

Easy pressure cooker carrot and lentil soup

There’s nothing better than a really good bowl of soup. Light but filling, satisfying and nourishing, a good soup makes the ideal lunch.

See also

• Easy to make this dump and start pressure cooker tomato soup is made with canned tomatoes
• Butternut squash pressure cooker soup is flavoured orange and warming spices
• Another easy dump and start soup is this pressure cooker pumpkin soup

This dump and start pressure cooker carrot and lentil soup is a terrific example. Sweet carrots, comforting lentils and a touch of zesty lemon and warming ginger.

Full of vitamins and protein, it contains next to no fat unless you add the optional tahini. There’s no dairy produce, so it’s naturally vegan and it tastes great. What’s more, it’s incredibly easy to make.

Why make dump and start easy carrot and lentil soup

• Unbelievably easy with barely any prep!

• Nutritious, satisfying and suits most diets

• Tastes fantastic

• Fabulously frugal

• Adaptable – the quantities are a guide, so throw in a little more of one, or less of another according to what is in the vegetable drawer.

Easy carrot and lentil soup – ingredients

• Carrots – peel and top and tail

• Celery – de-string and chop. Even if you think you don’t like celery, I encourage you to add it as it really adds to the final flavour without making the soup taste of celery.

• Onion – one white (or more traditionally, yellow) onion

• Red lentils – I prefer red lentils as they taste great, cook quickly and are readily available. Supermarket brands generally do not need rinsing unless very dusty.

• Ginger – I tend to freeze this and then grate it from frozen with a fine microplane grater. There’s no need to peel it. I often grate straight into the pot, as it quickly becomes easy to judge by eye how much you want.

• Garlic – peel and crush or chop

• Stock – vegetable or chicken as you prefer

• Lemon – juice of half a lemon. the acidity of lemon acts as a flavour enhancer in the same way as salt, a squeeze of juice really lifts and lightens the taste.

How to make easy carrot and lentil soup – step by step

Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this recipe perfectly every time.

Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.

Step One – Gather the ingredients. Peel and roughly chop the carrots, onions, and garlic. Grate the ginger, and chop and de-string the celery. Then put everything in your automatic pressure cooker or Instant Pot.

Step Two – Check that the seal is properly in the lid, and that the weight is set to pressure. For an instant pot select the soup programme, or cook on high for 7 minutes.

Step Three – Leave on natural pressure release setting/keep warm for five minutes. Then release the remaining pressure. Open the lid and blend the soup using a stick blender. Serve hot and enjoy!

If the soup is very thick add a little extra stock.

Serving Suggestion

Serve this easy dump and start carrot and lentil soup with your favourite crusty bread. Try it with my easy root vegetable bread, this easy porridge bread recipe or a delicious honey and rye sourdough.

I like to make the most of soup by adding an interesting garnish. The photographs show carrot and lentil soup with slices of spring onion (scallion) and white and black sesame seeds, a perfect match for carrots.

You could also try a swirl of your favourite flavoured oil, sour cream, coconut yogurt or a little cream cheese. Add a contrasting texture with crunchy croutons, toasted pumpkin seeds, nigella seeds or a colour contrast with a scattering of coriander.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of tahini or nut butter for a more substantial and creamy soup.

• A pinch of curry powder and turmeric, and a scattering of coriander leaves lends an Indian twist.

• Add some parsnips to the mix – they pair beautifully with carrots.

Storage

Fridge – Allow your pressure cooker easy carrot and lentil soup to cool. Then pour into containers, seal and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove top or in the microwave.

Freezer – Once cold, pour your soup into containers, seal and freeze. It will keep for up to 6 months.

Reheating – Defrost soup in the fridge overnight, or on the kitchen counter for a few hours. Reheat your carrot and lentil soup in a pan on the stove top, or in the microwave. When using the microwave, I like to use a Pyrex-style jug for convenience.

Hints and tips

• This recipe is fast! Do not worry too much about preparing the vegetables. The pressure cooker does the work.

• Take note of the minimum amount of liquid needed to bring your pressure cooker to pressure. You can increase this recipe, but not reduce it. I use a 5.5 litre (6 quart) Instant Pot. A larger pressure cooker may need more liquid.

FAQs

More soup recipes

• Butternut squash soup with tahini and lemon – light, bright and absolutely delicious

• Easy pressure cooker tomato soup – an easy “dump and start” recipe, satisfying and tastes so good

• Easy curried parsnip soup – the traditional combination of sweet, earthy parsnips with curry spice is hard to beat

• Explore all my soup recipes.