Instant Pot Lentil Soup with Sausage and Spinach

What I Love About Instant Pot Lentil Soup

Instant Pot lentil soup is thick, hearty, and flavorful, largely due to the addition of Italian sausage. With a handful of simple ingredients, it cooks in 12 minutes.

And is making regular appearances at our house.

It’s simply that good! And you can beat this quick and easy soup to get dinner on the table. Add a salad, maybe, and slices of crusty bread. 

Packed with vegetables and nutritional superfoods, this soup recipe scores big wins for me.

Lentils are part of a superfood category called pulses. They are essentially a dry, edible seed and part of the legume family. Naturally high in protein and fiber, they are also low in fat. 

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this oh-so-satisfying soup!

• Bulk Italian sausage (I prefer mild sausage, but use your favorite)
• Vegetables: Yellow onion, celery, baby spinach leaves
• Aromatics: Garlic, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and red wine vinegar
• Canned crushed tomatoes
• Fresh parsley for serving

How to Make Instant Pot Lentil Soup

Most lentils cook in about 30 minutes. This Instant Pot lentil soup will cook in 12 minutes. Pretty good, right?!

Begin by sauteing the sausage in the Instant Pot. Keeping this recipe easy also includes keeping pots and pans to a minimum. This is a one-pot easy soup recipe you’re going to love.

Regarding the sausage, I like to use a mild Italian sausage but use the one your family prefers.

Once the sausage has browned and become crumbly, add chopped onions, garlic, and celery; cook for another minute or two.

The rest of the ingredients, canned tomatoes, dried lentils, and chicken stock, are added to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes too. 

Cook on high pressure for 12 minutes. Once finished, quickly release the pressure and remove the lid.

Stir in the spinach and drizzle in the vinegar. Continue to stir until the spinach has cooked and wilted. Taste and season as necessary with salt and pepper.

I like to sprinkle fresh chopped parsley over the soup once I’ve ladled it into bowls.

And that’s it! My husband likes to add a dollop of sour cream to his, and our son likes to sprinkle more (a lot more) red pepper flakes.

The Lentils in this Instant Pot Lentil Soup

This lentil spinach soup recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of dried lentils, but any variety you have on hand will be delicious.

But if you have a choice, here’s what you should know about lentils.

Brown and Green Lentils:
Brown and green lentils are the most common lentils, and they are easy to find at almost all markets. They cook quickly and tend to fall apart, nicely thickening soups and stews.

Red Lentils:
They bring a beautiful red or orange hue to a dish and are most often found in Indian dishes. The skin of the lentil breaks down quickly and adds a mushiness to the dish. Often they are interchangeable with brown and green lentils but are a bit mushier.

French Lentils:
These lentils have a thicker skin, unlike brown, green, and red lentils. They keep their shape when cooking and are best in non-soup recipes. Salads are perfect.  

More Ways to Add Lentils to Your Diet

I love lentils, most especially in soup form. Lentil dishes are not far from my mind when the weather turns chilly. Here are a few other lentil recipes I love:

• Vegetarian Instant Pot Curry Lentil Soup
• Easy Sausage Lentil Soup for Cozy Days
• Easy Indian Curry Lentil Soup Recipe with Turmeric and Cumin