Instant Pot Moroccan Lentil Soup

This Instant Pot Moroccan lentil soup is just perfect for those moments you want a cosy bowl of soup, but your schedule is busy. Filled with flavour from harissa paste, spices and lemon, this Moroccan lentil chickpea soup is nourishing and super easy to make in the pressure cooker.

There's nothing better than a bowl of hearty, delicious soup on a cold day and this Instant Pot Morrocan lentil soup is warm, fragrant, and utterly delicious.

The Instant Pot is just perfect for vegan soups because it makes it easy to cook pulses and beans to perfection in a fraction of the time. Plus, you don't have to babysit your soup pot - just add your ingredients, set the pressure and press start!

The soup is hearty enough to enjoy on its own, but it also goes well with crusty bread or just with some warm pitta bread.

Ingredients and substitutions

Olive oil - You only need 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive to saute the veggies in for extra flavour. However, if you don't cook with oil, you can saute the veggies in a bit of water or stock instead.

Onion, carrot and red bell pepper - I like to dice the veggies small for this soup. You can do whatever size you like, but make sure you dice them approximately the same, so they cook evenly.

Garlic -Fresh garlic is best for this lentil and chickpea soup. Add as much as you like, too - I personally love a lot of garlic in soups like this.

Harissa paste - There are lots of styles of harissa paste out there and I used the smoked chilli one for this soup. You can use your favourite, but keep in mind that various harissa pastes may differ in the level of spiciness, so make sure you don't add too much.

Ground cumin and cinnamon - These spices add some warmth and balance to the soup, and they pair beautifully with harissa paste.

Chickpeas - A can of chickpeas adds extra protein to this Instant Pot Moroccan soup. You can also use chickpeas cooked from scratch if you like, but you'll need to soak them overnight.

Lentils - Both green and brown lentils are perfect for this soup. Don't use red lentils because they cook too quickly and will turn into mush in the Instant Pot.

Kale - I love kale in soups like this, but if you're not a fan, you can substitute it with baby spinach, collard greens and even rocket.

Lemon juice - Adding lemon juice to this Moroccan lentil chickpea soup infuses it with a lot of extra flavour. You can skip it if you don't like lemon in your soup, or increase the quantity for extra brightness.

How do you make Instant Pot Moroccan lentils soup?

Set the Instant Pot to "Saute" and add the olive oil, onion, carrot and red bell pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the veggies soften a bit.

Stir in the garlic and ginger and continue to sauté for another minute.

Next, stir in the harissa paste, ground cumin and ground cinnamon. Sauté for another minute, stirring often, then turn off the "Sauté" function.

Add the chickpeas, lentils and vegetable stock to the Instant Pot and lock the lid. Seal and cook for 15 minutes on high pressure. Allow the pressure to release naturally.

When the pin drops, remove the lid and stir in the kale and lemon juice. Set the Instant Pot on "Saute" and place the lid on the pot without locking it for a couple of minutes to allow the kale to wilt.

Season to taste and serve with your favourite crusty bread for dipping.

Recipe notes and tips

• This Moroccan lentil and chickpea soup will keep well in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop.
• You can also freeze the soup for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• You can also add some tomato paste or a can of crushed tomatoes to the soup, as well as extra veggies such as green beans or sweet potato.
• A crusty piece of bread is the best choice for this Moroccan lentil soup, but you can also serve it with pitta bread or just some croutons.

If you liked this Instant Pot Moroccan lentil soup, you might also like some of my other easy vegan Instant Pot recipes:

• Instant Pot Vegan Taco Soup
• Vegan Instant Pot Pasta e Fagioli
• Zuppa di Farro (Instant Pot)
• Vegan Wild Rice Soup (Instant Pot)
• Vegan Instant Pot Creamy Pasta
• Instant Pot Red Lentil Soup

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