Instant Pot lentil soup with sausage has incredibly rich flavor. A combination of brown lentils with Italian sausage, tomatoes and herbs makes a pot of soup that's hearty and satisfying.
Looking for more lentil soup recipes? Try crockpot lentil soup or the best stovetop lentil soup
Lentil lovers should also try slow cooker lentil Sloppy Joes and lentil bolognese.
Looking for more Italian sausage recipes? Try sheet-pan polenta & sausage.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: In your Instant Pot, sauté onion, garlic and Italian sausage and until the sausage is barely pink, about 5 minutes.
Step 2: Add the remaining ingredients: canned tomato, carrots, salt, thyme, bay leaf, broth, water and lentils.
Step 3: Cook for 12 minutes on high pressure. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then release the remaining pressure.
Step 4: Mix well. Add salt and fresh herbs to taste.
Recipe Questions & Answers
Yes, this lentil soup is still delicious without sausage. You can also try my recipe for vegetarian Crock Pot lentil soup, which includes Instant Pot instructions.
Yes, but make sure to use raw ground sausage, or even just raw, ground meat. Pre-cooked, sliced sausage won't work because it will overcook in the pressure cooker and it won't add flavor to the soup.
No. Both red and black lentils require different cooking times. This soup recipe works best with either brown or green lentils.
Types of Lentils
Brown lentils: This recipe uses either brown or green lentils, which are interchangeable and the most common and easiest to find in grocery stores. They are often used in soups, but can also be used in salads.
French or "Puy" lentils are a more expensive variety of green lentils. The texture is slightly firmer than regular green lentils.
Red and yellow lentils break down quickly and become soft and mushy. For this reason, they're usually used in soups with a creamy texture or in Indian dishes like daal. Follow this recipe that teaches how to cook red lentils.
Black lentils (sometimes called beluga lentils) are a shiny black color and hold their shape very well. They have a texture that is more firm than brown and green lentils. For this reason they are often used in lentil salad, although they can be used in soup too. You can use your Instant Pot to make Instant Pot black lentils, or cook the lentils on the stove.
More Bean Soup Recipes
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Lentil Soup with Sausage Recipe
I love cooking lentil soup in my Instant Pot because it cooks the lentils perfectly every time. Instant Pot lentil soup with sausage has incredibly rich flavor and is a hearty and satisfying meal.This recipe makes a big batch of soup, and you can enjoy the leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day.
Total Instant Pot Cooking Time: 20 minutes to come up to pressure + 12 minutes cooking time + 5 minute release
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 33 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped onion (1 medium onion)
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage (raw, loose ground meat)*
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 14-ounce can chopped or pureed tomatoes
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups dried brown or green lentils
- ½ teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 small bay leaf
Optional: Chopped fresh herbs, to garnish the cooked soup (parsley, basil or oregano)
*If you can only find raw Italian sausage links in casings, then simply cut the casings open and squeeze out the sausage meat.
Instructions
- Drizzle olive oil into the Instant Pot. Press the saute button. I like to saute on the "low" setting so the pot doesn't get too hot.
- Add the onion, sausage and garlic. Saute, breaking the sausage into small pieces with a spatula or a wooden spoon, until the sausage is barely pink, about 5 minutes. Be careful that the sausage doesn't stick or burn to the pot.
- Press "cancel" to turn the saute function off. Add the remaining ingredients: canned tomato, carrots, salt, thyme, bay leaf, broth, water and lentils. Stir well.
- Cook on high pressure for 12 minutes. The pot will take about 20 minutes to come up to pressure.
- When the cooking time is done, let the pressure release naturally for at least five minutes before turning the steam valve to venting. If you turn it sooner than five minutes, some of the soup might splatter up out of the valve, which is a bit messy.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with herbs.
Notes
If you want the lentils to be very soft, then cook the soup for 18 minutes. Cooking the lentils for 18 minutes gives the soup a creamier consistency.
You can use a different type of sausage, but make sure to use raw ground sausage, or even just raw, ground meat. Pre-cooked, sliced sausage won't work because it will overcook in the pressure cooker and it won't add flavor to the soup.
Jen says
Meaty sausage and earthy lentils are a perfect combination. Lentils are so easy to cook in an Instant Pot!