Instant Pot Coconut Red Lentil Soup

I love a good Instant Pot lentil soup, and this version with curry spices, red lentils, chickpeas, and coconut milk has become a fast fave in our house!

This Instant Pot Coconut Red Lentil Soup is hearty, full of flavor, and so easy to make.

Table of Contents

The Story Behind the Recipe

Other than Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs (they’re so easy to peel), lentil soup is my favorite thing to make in the Instant Pot. I love how the high-pressure environment infuses the lentils with all of the flavors around them. It’s hearty, delicious, and easy to make.

I have a very old recipe on Kitchen Treaty for a slow cooker coconut red lentil soup, but I wanted to make a version in the Instant Pot. So I tested ingredients and ratios and eventually settled on this Instant Pot Coconut Red Lentil Soup.

Not a super exciting story, but it is what it is, and resulted in a great new soup recipe for my keeper files, so I consider that a win!

Why You’ll Love Instant Pot Coconut Red Lentil Soup

• Fairly simple – the list of ingredients isn’t super short, but I think you’ll find this one comes together really simply.
• So full of flavor! – I love to finish this one with a squeeze of lemon and serve it with a side of warm buttered naan. Nothing better!
• Excellent leftovers – This is a great one to make for meal prep or just enjoy for lunch the next day after a hearty lentil soup dinner.

Ingredients

• Oil – I like to use a neutral cooking oil like vegetable or avocado oil. Olive oil is fine, but I find the flavor of the spices doesn’t come through quite the same.
• Onion & carrots – For a backbone of flavor and some extra nutrition.
• Garlic – A couple of cloves of fresh garlic for lots of flavor.
• Curry powder – Use your favorite curry powder from the store or you can make your own homemade curry powder, if you prefer.
• Coriander – An extra bit of coriander adds nice earthy flavor.
• Ginger – The ginger flavors complement the curry spices so well. I like to use fresh ginger, but in a pinch, ground ginger works fine.
• Vegetable broth – I’ve used water for this soup too, which is fine, but I prefer the added flavor of using veggie broth.
• Chickpeas – I like how they add a bit more fiber, protein, and texture to this Instant Pot red lentil soup.
• Diced tomatoes – One can. Plain diced tomatoes are great, or you can use fire-roasted for a smoky boost.
• Crushed red pepper – For a little hit of heat.
• Coconut milk – One can of full-fat coconut milk.
• Lentils – For this recipe, you’re going to want split red lentils, otherwise known as masoor dal. Split red lentils have had their hull removed and are split in half so that they cook faster and don’t keep their shape, instead thickening the soup with their lentil goodness.
• Fresh lemon juice & cilantro – For topping the soup.

This Instant Pot Coconut Lentil Soup is tasty, easy, and super hearty! It freezes well and makes an excellent meal prep soup recipe. I hope it’s as big a winner in your house as it is in ours!

Instant Pot Coconut Red Lentil Soup

This hearty and full-of-flavor soup is so easy to make in the Instant Pot! Veggies, garlic, and ginger join up with curry spices + red lentils and chickpeas, then finished with coconut milk, for a creamy, protein-packed, stick-to-your-ribs soup.

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (can substitute another neutral-tasting cooking oil such as canola or avocado oil)
• 1 medium yellow onion (diced [about 1 1/2 cups])
• 3/4 cup diced carrots (diced about the same size as the chickpeas)
• 2 medium cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 15 ounces chickpeas (1 can; drained and rinsed)
• 14 ounces canned diced tomatoes (1 can)
• 1 1/2 cup dried red lentils (rinsed and sorted)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (can sub 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger)
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (can sub 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 14 ounces coconut milk (one can)

For topping

• fresh cilantro
• lemon juice

• Set the Instant Pot to “saute.” Add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and carrots. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic, curry powder, and ground coriander. Cook, stirring frequently, for one minute until the garlic and spices begin to get fragrant.

• Add the broth, chickpeas, tomatoes, lentils, ginger, crushed red peppers, and salt.

• Place the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the release valve is in the “sealing” position. Press the “Manual” button. Set the timer for 15 minutes.

• The Instant Pot will warm up for 5-10 minutes then start cooking. After the 15 minutes is completed, carefully quick-release by flipping the release valve to “venting.” Watch out for steam!

• When the venting is done, you can remove the lid of the Instant Pot. Add the coconut milk and stir until combined. Taste and add more salt if desired.

• Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over the top and cilantro for garnish.

Serving: 1cup, Calories: 484kcal, Carbohydrates: 57g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Sodium: 319mg, Potassium: 1014mg, Fiber: 21g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 2822IU, Vitamin C: 13mg, Calcium: 111mg, Iron: 9mg

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