15-30 min4 servingsbay leaf

Red Lentil Soup with Sumac

By Coco Morante

4 servings

10 min

Easy

Recipe Details

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 20 min

Total Time: 15-30 min

Cooking Technique: Pressure Cook

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 carrots
2 large stalks celery
1 small yellow onion
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup red lentils
4 cups Water
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons lemon juice
extra-virgin olive oil
ground sumac

I used to make this on the stove top all the time, but now I prefer to use the Instant Pot. Whip up a batch whenever you have a few minutes to spare, and it will stay piping hot until you’re ready to enjoy it. The soup is brightly flavored from the squeeze of lemon juice stirred in at the end of cooking. That addition really makes the dish, so don’t skip it! Serve the soup drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkled with sumac (a lemony Middle Eastern spice) for a fresh, peppery finishing touch.

INSTRUCTIONS

Select the Sauté setting on the Instant Pot and heat the olive oil. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and salt and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onion has softened and is translucent.
Add the lentils, water, and bay leaf and stir well.
Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing. Press the Cancel button to reset the cooking program, then select the Select the Soup/Broth setting and set the cooking time for 15 minutes at high pressure.
Let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes, then move the Steam Release to Venting to release any remaining steam.
Open the pot and stir in the lemon juice, then taste and adjust the seasoning with salt if needed.
Ladle the soup into bowls, top each serving with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of sumac, and serve right away.

Notes

If you like, add 1 teaspoon of a favorite spice blend to the soup when you add the lentils. Garam masala, ras el hanout, and berbere are three of my favorites.

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About the chef

Coco Morante

Coco Morante is a bestselling cookbook author with seven titles, including The Essential Instant Pot Cookbook and The Ultimate Instant Pot Cookbook. With a passion for cooking since childhood, Morante is known for her expertise in Instant Pot recipes and her ability to simplify meal preparation. She contributes recipes and photography to well-known publications like Simply Recipes and The Kitchn, and manages the popular Instant Pot Recipes Facebook page. Morante's approachable style has made her a trusted resource for home cooks everywhere.

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