We complete this week's dinner warm up for early April with a comforting bowl of Tomato Lentil Soup. Rich and satisfying, it's excellent alongside your favorite sandwiches or salad for lunch or supper. Plus it can be quickly and easily in your electric pressure cooker.
An Instant Pot or the like makes quick work of this creamy soup. The lentils and tomatoes blend together - and you can help them along with an immersion blender for a creamier soup - to bring warmth to a chilly spring day and to your table. If you want to make this a vegan meal, use olive oil, vegetable broth, coconut milk, and skip the cheese. If you don't have spinach, you can skip it entirely or use chopped kale or collard greens instead.
I love serving this sandwich with a toasted grilled cheese sandwich or something involving smoked turkey. Then again, a light salad would beautifully blend the seasons in a way that's perfect for early April too. However you choose to serve this soup that fits firmly into the comfort food category, enjoy!
Tomato Lentil Soup
- 2 tablespoons butter - or olive oil
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning - I used Trader Joe's Aglio Olio Seasoning Blend
- 1 tablespoon sun dried tomato paste
- Chili flakes, to taste
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- ½ cup red or green lentils
- 1 can (14 ounce) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 cup sun dried tomatoes, sliced
- 1 cup heavy cream - or coconut milk
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese - optional
- 8 oz. fresh spinach leaves
Melt the butter in the pot of your Instant Pot with the onions and garlic using the sauté setting. Add the Italian seasoning. Cook until the onions begin to soften and brown at the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the sun dried tomato paste and chili flakes. Cook for 2 minutes until thickened. Stir in the broth, lentils, and diced tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Set the lid on the pressure cooker and pressure cook the soup for 10 minutes on high pressure. When the cycle ends, release the pressure manually and stir the soup gently. If the soup is not smooth enough for you, you can use an immersion blender to reach the consistency you prefer at this stage.
Add the sliced sun dried tomatoes, the cream/coconut milk, and the parmesan, stirring until creamy and steamy, 5-10 minutes. Add the spinach and stir until wilted.
Ladle the soup into bowls and enjoy!
- Yields: 4-6 servings
- Preparation Time: 40 minutes