3-Ingredient Vegan Lentil Soup
This 3-Ingredient Vegan Lentil Soup is THE easiest way to make a hearty, flavorful, and nutritious soup. Instant Pot compatible, this recipe is massively useful to have on hand.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- Instant Pot (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry lentils can be black, green, brown, red
- 4 cloves fresh garlic smashed coarsely
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil can skip, see note
- 3-4 cups water see note
- 2-3 Tablespoons miso red or white, see note
Optional Garnishes/Toppings
- avocado cut into cubes
- toasted bread or croutons
- olive oil to drizzle
- fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
If using Instant Pot
- Set the Instant Pot to "saute". Add the olive oil to the pot. Add the garlic and stir as it begins to cook. Saute until the garlic until golden brown, 3-4 minutes. (see note)
- Add the water and lentils. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure it seals. Set it to cook at pressure for 7 minutes. When the pressure cooking is done, use the natural release method.
- Stir 2 Tablespoons of miso into the soup, using a fork or whisk to make sure it dissolves, and taste the soup. If you'd like it saltier, stir in up to 1 more Tablespoon.
- Garnish as desired and serve immediately.
If cooking on the stove top
- Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the garlic. Stir and cook until the garlic is light golden brown, 3-4 minutes. (see note)
- Add the water and lentils. Turn to medium-high heat. When the water begins to boil, reduce to low heat and cover the pot. Simmer until the lentils are tender, 20-30 minutes (depends on the type of lentil).
- Stir 2 Tablespoons of miso into the soup, using a fork or whisk to make sure it dissolves, and taste the soup. If you'd like it saltier, stir in up to 1 more Tablespoon.
- Garnish as desired and serve immediately.
Notes
There is no need to soak the lentils beforehand.
If you prefer an oil-free dish, you can omit the oil. Simply skip the saute step and combine all the ingredients (minus the oil) at the pressure cooking or simmering step, as applicable.
The amount of water you use will depend on how thick you want the soup. 3 cups will yield something like a stew, while 4 cups gives you something more watery yet still substantial.
The amount of miso will depend on the type of miso and your preferred level of saltiness. Some misos are saltier than others and some people prefer a saltier soup.
The garnishes are given as examples. The soup is tasty without them.