Instant Pot winter vegetable lentil soup is an easy & healthy soup recipe made with green lentils, turnip & kale. Vegan version listed in recipe below.
It’s soup season my friends!!!
Lentil soup, minestrone, tomato soup, French onion-oh my goodness I could eat soup every day in the winter (with a side of grilled cheese of course, who’s with me?)
This easy winter vegetable lentil soup is jam packed with lots of good-for-you vitamins and fiber, making it especially perfect for after those holiday carbs ;).
Packed with green lentils, split peas, carrots, turnips, parsnips, kale and Parmesan cheese it’s full of fiber, keeping you nice and full throughout the day.
Instead of using meat like a traditional lentil soup recipe, we’re developing our flavor from the winter vegetables and Parmesan cheese.
This lentil soup recipe can be made in the instant pot or on the stove top!
Of course, if you prefer a vegan variation you can simply omit the cheese or use a vegan-friendly Parmesan substitute.
How to make Instant Pot lentil soup?
-
- Set your instant pot to SAUTE function. Once preheated, add olive oil then the veggies: onion, turnip, parsnips, carrots and celery. Cook 5 minutes or until the vegetables have slightly softened.
- Add garlic, salt, pepper, bay leaf, rosemary, thyme, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese rind (if using), lentils and split peas. Stir and let cook 30 seconds.
- Pour in the vegetable stock and water. Hit cancel to shut the SAUTE function off. Press PRESSURE COOK and set to HIGH for 15 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for another 20 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.
- Stir in kale and Parmesan cheese (or vegan cheese if using). Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve with toasty warm bread, a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper if desired!
If you don't have an instant pot you can easily make this recipe on the stove top.
I've included both variations in the recipe below!
Do lentils need soaking?
The lentils are ready to go as is so no need for soaking 🙂
Do you cook lentils before adding them to the soup?
The lentils will cook in the soup, so no need to cook them beforehand!
I always store leftover cheese rinds in a zip lock bag in my freezer. They’re perfect for adding to soups and sauces and add great flavor. You can even sometimes find them in the store (I recently bought a container on my recent trip to Boston’s Eataly for about $3 a container!).
If you don’t have a cheese rind handy, no worries, simply add ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese to the soup when it’s finished.
Also, if you don’t have an immersion/hand blender, you can get one cheap on amazon (affiliate link) or simply add the liquid to a regular blender and puree until smooth.
For more cold-weather soup recipes try:
- Vegan Pumpkin Lentil Soup
- Ribolitta Soup (Tuscan Vegetable Soup)
- Pumpkin Coconut Curry Soup with Chickpeas
Winter Vegetable Lentil Soup
Winter vegetable lentil soup is an easy & healthy soup recipe made with green lentils, turnip & kale. Vegan version listed in recipe below. Made in the instant pot or stove top.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 turnip, peeled and cut into 1” cubes
- 2 parsnips, peeled and diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, about ½ lemon
- 1 parmesan cheese rind, optional
- 4 cups (32 oz) vegetable stock
- 3 cups water
- ¼ cup dried split peas
- ½ cup dried lentils
- 4 cups kale, thick stems removed and roughly chopped, or spinach/swiss chard
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese or vegan cheese
Instructions
Stove Top:
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in large stock pan or dutch oven. Add onion, turnips, parsnips, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened, about 7-9 minutes.
- Add bay leaf, rosemary, thyme, lemon juice, cheese rind, vegetable stock and water. Stir, turn heat to medium high and bring to a boil.
- Stir in lentils and peas. Turn down to low heat, cover and simmer 25-30 minutes or until lentils and peas are softened.
- Discard the bay leaf and cheese rind. Remove about 1 cup of the mixture and place in a small bowl or large cup. Using your hand/immersion blender, puree until creamy. Add back to pot and mix to combine. (Alternatively, you can also do this in a regular blender).
- Add in chopped kale, stir and cook another 3-4 minutes until wilted. Stir in Parmesan cheese.
Instant Pot:
- Set your instant pot to SAUTE function. Once preheated, add olive oil then the veggies: onion, turnip, parsnips, carrots and celery. Cook 5 minutes or until the vegetables have slightly softened.
- Add garlic, salt, pepper, bay leaf, rosemary, thyme, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese rind (if using), lentils and split peas. Stir and let cook 30 seconds.
- Pour in the vegetable stock and water. Hit cancel to shut the SAUTE function off. Press PRESSURE COOK and set to HIGH for 15 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for another 20 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.
- Stir in kale and Parmesan cheese (or vegan cheese if using). Season with salt and pepper.
Notes
*For vegan version omit Parmesan Cheese.
*To freeze, store in airtight container.
*Soup will keep up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1.5 cupsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 140Total Fat: 7.14gUnsaturated Fat: 4.91gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 560mgCarbohydrates: 15.64gFiber: 3.8gSugar: 5.68gProtein: 4.65g
Anonymous
yes! it was amazing. my husband said it was a keeper. have shared it with a couple of friends. Thank you
Wine a Little Cook A Lot
Thank you! So happy to hear you enjoyed it 🙂
Karen Fierro
I wanted you to know that I just made this for tonight's dinner. It was incredible! After a cold and icy day here in Colorado it was warm, comforting and nourishing. I love turnips and parsnips but my family - not so much. But no one said anything and asked for seconds! Good thing I doubled this recipe! Thanks for all of your delicious ideas. It makes cooking daily much more fun for me, and probably a lot less boring for my family of eaters!
Wine a Little Cook A Lot
Hi Karen, thank you so much for your feedback :). I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed the soup!