If you’re looking for a hearty, filling, and insanely flavorful soup, look no further than this vegan Instant Pot Moroccan Lentil Soup recipe. Moroccan Lentil Soup is simple, hearty, healthy, and delicious – red lentils are cooked in the Instant Pot and infused with warm, fragrant Moroccan spices. This one-pot meal is easy to prep, easy to clean, and packed with bold flavors!

Three bowls of lentil soup garnished with yogurt and cilantro

This Instant Pot soup is perfect for beginners as well as seasoned cooks. The combination of protein-packed lentils along with aromatic spices, crushed tomatoes, onions, garlic, and carrots makes it a crowd-pleasing meal that doesn’t require much effort to make. It’s vegan but full of nutritious and healthy ingredients, so it’s perfect if you’re looking for a meatless meal every now and then.

Additionally, you can make a batch or two of this soup quickly and have enough to save for leftovers for the rest of the week, or even freeze it. This soup is so delicious that I make it throughout the year – don’t just save it for chilly weather! Once you taste it, you’ll see why. It’s also a versatile soup in that you can add other vegetables to it, as well.

WHAT ARE RED LENTILS?

Lentils are considered a legume. They are, essentially, the dried seeds of the lentil plant. There are many varieties of lentils, but here, I’m using red lentils. Red lentils are really “split” lentils due to the coating of the seed being removed. This causes them to cook more quickly than other varieties of lentils, which makes them perfect for soups.

Cooked lentils pack a whopping 12 grams of protein per 1/2 cup, so they are considered an excellent source of plant-based protein. Lentils are full of fiber and minerals, as well, so you can be assured that you are feeding your family a nutritious meal when you cook with this ingredient.

DO I NEED TO SOAK RED LENTILS BEFORE USING THEM?

No. Red lentils already have their seed coat removed, which is why they’re referred to as split lentils, so there’s no need to soak them. Hooray! Just rinse them in water and drain well before using.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

Please scroll ⬇️ to the recipe card to see the full ingredient amounts and instructions.

Olive oil – for sautéing onion and garlic
Onion (diced) – for flavor
Cloves of garlic (minced) – for flavor and spice
Vegetable broth – liquid base for the soup
Dried red lentils (rinsed and drained well) – protein base for the soup
Carrots (peeled and chopped) – for vegetable component and to add a touch of sweetness
Spices – ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric, paprika, cinnamon – aromatic spices for Moroccan flavor profile
Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes – for flavor
Crushed tomatoes – vegetable base for the soup
Lemon juice – a splash of acidic flavor
Fresh parsley and cilantro (chopped) – fresh spices and garnish

HOW DO I MAKE INSTANT POT MOROCCAN LENTIL SOUP?

(This is an overview of the steps. Detailed instructions are down below in the recipe card).

cutting board showing chopped vegetables needed for this soup

Step 1: Add olive oil to the preheated Instant Pot and sauté the onions until translucent. Add the garlic and carrots, and give it a quick stir.

Step 2: Deglaze the pot with the vegetable broth, making sure to scrape the bottom to loosen any bits that are stuck.

Step 3: Add the lentils, crushed tomatoes, and all of the spices

Step 4: Close the lid and seal. Set to high pressure for 3-4 minutes.

Step 5: Let it release naturally for 10 minutes, and then do a quick release of the rest of the pressure.

Step 6: Open the lid and stir in the lemon juice.

Serve with fresh garnishes of parsley and/or cilantro.

HOW TO MAKE THIS ON THE STOVETOP

Yes, of course! Just use a deep pot or Dutch Oven and follow the same steps for sautéing, deglazing, and adding the ingredients.

Bring to a boil and then cook on simmer for approximately 30 minutes, partially covered. Stir occasionally.

If you want the soup less chunky, use an immersion blender to smooth it out before serving.

VEGETABLE VARIATIONS

If you’re wanting to add more vegetables to this soup, here are some that will work well with the Middle Eastern spices:

Cauliflower
Peas
Sweet Potato
Fingerling Potato
Spinach
Celery
Zucchini

TOPPING IDEAS FOR THIS SOUP

This soup is outrageously tasty as is, but if you want to add a little something extra, here are some yummy ideas:

A dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream will add a little burst of tang as well as creaminess. Use vegan yogurt or sour cream, if needed.
Diced onion
Fresh herbs – cilantro is awesome, but parsley is also a great substitute if you’re not a fan of cilantro.

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER LENTIL SOUP

This soup is delicious as a leftover meal! It will keep, tightly covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Make sure and let it cool completely before storing it. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

You can also freeze the leftovers. Cool completely before storing in a freezer safe container. It will keep for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw it in the fridge overnight and then heat it up either in the microwave or on the stovetop.

This family-friendly Instant Pot Moroccan Lentil Soup recipe is an easy 30 minute meal that will quickly become a go-to option for those busy days. Keep a stash of these ingredients on hand so you’ll always have a nutritious and savory soup to serve.

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