Kristin Maxwell
Last updated on
Pressure Cooker Lentil Soup
A delicious, hearty Lentil Soup is just 30 minutes away when you use your Pressure Cooker!
Happy New Year friends! Each year on January 1 we celebrate with a hearty bowl of Lentil Soup. My grandma used to cook this family favorite on her stovetop for hours, but now we have this awesome Pressure Cooker (aka Instant Pot) that cooks our favorite good luck soup in a fraction of the time.
Why is this considered a “good luck” soup? Italians eat lentils on New Year’s for wealth and prosperity because the flat beans were believed to resemble Roman coins, and now it’s a tradition that’s followed around the world. Our soup is made with salty ham, because my grandma also believed in the superstition that pork was also good luck. Pigs root forward as they eat, as opposed to the back-scratching of chickens and turkeys and so is considered a symbol of progress, of moving forward in the New Near rather than backward.
We look forward to these traditions each year, even long after my grandma passed nearly 10 years ago. My kids love this thick, rich soup just as much as the grown-ups do, and we eat it year round, not just at New Year’s. The ham bone adds tons of flavor, and getting one that’s got a good amount of meat on it gives you some meat to shred right into the soup. We usually pick one up at the Honeybaked Ham store. Of course you can use a ham bone from your local grocery store along with some diced up ham (this is a great use for leftover ham!). Being the good Germans we are, we enjoy our slathered over a hot bowl of Spatzle, but you can enjoy the soup on it’s own just as much. Don’t forget to add a dollop of sour cream for richness!
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Ingredients
- 1 meaty ham bone plus extra diced ham, if desired
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 1 large carrot sliced (about ¾ cup)
- 1 large stalk celery sliced (about ¾ cup)
- 1 clove garlic finely chopped
- 4-6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 lb dried lentils
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- sour cream and fresh parsley for topping if desired
Instructions
- *Add more or less chicken broth depending upon what consistency you prefer. 4 cups will yield a thicker, more stew like soup, and 6 will be a thinner, brothier soup.
Pressure Cooker directions
- Place all of the ingredients into the pressure cooker and lock the lid. Set to high pressure for 20-30 minutes. If the lentils aren't cooked enough when you check them, set again for another 10 minutes.
- Remove ham and cut the meat off the bone. Return to soup.
- Spoon into bowls and stir in about a tablespoon of sour cream, if desired. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
Stovetop directions
- Place all of the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for about an hour, until lentils are tender. Remove ham and cut the meat off the bone. Return to soup.
- Spoon into bowls and stir in about a tablespoon of sour cream, if desired. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
For more delicious soup recipes, try these:
White Bean , Kale & Sausage Soup
 
 
 
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Delicious! I’ve made several variations of lentil soups but never as easy as in a pressure cooker! I loved this basic recipe, I did add a can of chopped tomatoes, and after natural release, 2 handfuls of chopped kale, lovely flavor, beautiful color as well!
Awesome feedback Tona! Thanks for stopping by.
I have made this (almost)exactly like the recipe states probably 10 times or so. It is absolutely delicious. Oftentimes I don’t have parsley, so I leave it out, and if I’m using chicken broth that isn’t low sodium, I leave out the salt. That’s it! My whole family loves it. Thank you for posting!
Awesome feedback Tina! Thanks for stopping by.
How many calories per serving ?
Love this site
Thank you Midge!
I made this for our supper tonight and it was delicious. I did a natural release. I didn’t have any ham or a ham bone, so it used smoked turkey sausage (cooked rope sausage). I cut it up and added when the soup was all done and gave it a couple of minutes to warm up.
After cooking time, do I manually release pressure or let it release naturally?
You can do it either way, based on your preference.
Where is everyone getting the ham bones? What happens if I want to make this NOT after Christmas dinner?
Ask your butcher or deli section at the grocery store. If you happen to have a Honeybaked Ham store, I know you can get them there.
Kristen mine was a big pot of mush n I did 4 c broth n 20 min. Was I supposed to soak lentils overnight?
No they don’t soak overnight. I’m sorry yours didn’t turn out! We use this same recipe several times a year. Without being in the kitchen with you it’s difficult for me to troubleshoot.
This looks so yummy and comforting! I just bought an instant pot so I can’t wait to give this recipe a try!