Instant Pot Red Lentil and Quinoa Soup

Are you ready for soup? This Instant Pot red lentil and quinoa soup is thick, spicy, and creamy! (of course any soup you can make in the Instant Pot can be made on the stove top with more liquid and longer cooking time-see notes for directions below)

My Backyard 

The leaves on the trees are starting to turn beautiful shades of reds, oranges and yellows, the temperature is cooler, and the sky is a little grayer here in the beautiful Bucks County, Pennsylvania area. It's officially fall, and I'm in the mood for comforting soup! I really don't need an excuse to eat soup, I love it all year round!

Red Lentils cook quickly and kind of melt into the pot. Quinoa cooks quickly as well and adds a little textured heartiness to the spicy brew. With potatoes and carrots, this soup was a very satisfying comforting everyday meal!

We went to visit my mother-in-law outside of her independent living facility very late afternoon on Thursday. She wanted to take a walk to a nearby park, so we took the walk but we got back home much later than I anticipated. 

Dinner In a Hurry!

It was close to 7:00 PM by the time we pulled into our driveway, and I was hungry and feeling edgy. What a blessing to have an Instant Pot. I was able to throw everything in, set the timer for 11 minutes, walk away, relax, and wait for my filling nourishing bowl of soup without having to stir or supervise it to prevent burning or watch for spills. The best part was that we had plenty of leftover soup that we could eat for lunch on another day!

This simple delicious fall recipe is oil-free, gluten-free, vegan, and parve.

If you have an Instant Pot, use it ! 

For those who have an Instant Pot and don't use it, get it out and make this simple easy recipe! 

I also make Turkish red lentil soup in a tomato base and Egyptian red lentil soup which is just carrots, red lentils, and delicious ethnic spices. 

Notes: **Red lentils absorb liquid and the next day your soup may be quite thick or even turn to paste. Simply add some water or broth to thin it out again. I sometimes feel that my red lentil soups are a never ending pot. 

Ingredients: 

1 and half cups of red lentils, washed well

1 cup of quinoa (I used multi-colored), washed well

1 cup of sliced carrots

1 cup of cubed potatoes 

4 cups of vegetable broth

3 cups of water

1 teaspoon of cumin

1/2 teaspoon of turmeric

1/8 teaspoon of cracked black pepper

1/4 teaspoon of ground hot pepper (or more-your choice)

Optional: 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice  (can squeeze some into your soup bowl after you taste the soup if need or desired)

Directions:

Add everything to the Instant Pot. Secure lid, close steam valve, and set timer for 11 minutes. When done, allow to sit for 5 minutes and then release steam according to the manufacturer's instructions. When steam is fully released, remove lid and serve.

Notes: If you want to cook this recipe in a pot on the stove top, just add an additional 1-2 cups of water and cook for about 25-30 minutes covered. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and burning.

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