Instant Pot Red Lentil Soup
This Instant Pot Red Lentil soup has a surprise ingredient--BACON!!! Didn't expect that in lentil soup, did ya?! Never worry, this recipe can be super easily adapted to be vegetarian or vegan lentil soup, too! Don't let the bacon scare you away! It's delicious with or without!
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon, chopped* (see Note 1)
- 1 cup onion, small dice
- 1 cup carrot, small dice
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 cup dry red lentils
- 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
- 32 oz chicken stock* (see Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- juice of 1 lemon
- greek yogurt, cilantro for garish (optional)
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to saute and allow it to heat up for a minute or two.
- Add bacon and saute for 7-8 minutes until bacon is crisp. Remove bacon from Instant Pot and drain on paper towels (if you like you can drain most of the bacon grease from the pot, but usually I leave most of it in for max flavor!)
- Add onion, carrot and garlic to Instant Pot. Cook for 1-2 minutes until garlic is fragrant.
- Add turmeric, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, tomatoes, sugar, chicken stock and lentils.
- Stir until everything is well mixed, then cover and pressure cook on HIGH for 10 minutes.
- Allow the pot to natural release for another 10-15 minutes.
- Stir in lemon juice and serve immediately garnished with reserved bacon pieces, greek yogurt and cilantro (optional).
Notes
Note 1: Easily make this vegetarian or vegan, but omitting the bacon and substituting the chicken stock with veggie stock!
Nutrition
Calories: 393kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 24gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 1932mgPotassium: 1899mgFiber: 20gSugar: 3.2gCalcium: 206mgIron: 9mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!