Instant Pot Lentil Soup (Masoor Dal Soup, Weeknight Easy)
Masoor dal with onion, tomato, and warm spices in the Instant Pot until silky, finished with lemon and coriander. Optional tadka. Includes Burn-sensor and freezer notes.
Equipment
- Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker (6-quart tested)
- Immersion blender (optional)
Ingredients
For the soup
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil or light olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 2 medium tomatoes or 400 g canned diced tomatoes with juices; finely chopped
- 1 cup split red lentils masoor dal; rinsed and drained
- 5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or mild paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- Fine salt to taste (season in two passes)
To finish
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi optional; crushed between palms
Optional tadka
- 1 tablespoon ghee or neutral oil
- 1/4 teaspoon hing asafoetida; optional
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 to 2 dried red chilies or a pinch of red chili flakes
Instructions
Rinse and drain
- Rinse masoor in a fine sieve under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Drain well so lentils do not clump on the bottom of the pot.
Sauté aromatics
- On Sauté (Normal), heat oil until shimmering. Add cumin seeds; sizzle 10 to 15 seconds until fragrant. Add onion with a small pinch of salt; cook until softened and lightly golden at the edges, stirring often.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and cook until the raw smell fades.
Build the tomato base
- Add chopped tomatoes (or canned with juices). Cook, stirring and scraping the pot base, until the mixture looks like a loose jam and the bottom feels clean when you drag a spoon across it.
- Stir in turmeric, coriander powder, Kashmiri chili or paprika, and garam masala for about 30 seconds. If anything sticks, splash 1 tablespoon water and scrape again.
Pressure cook
- Add drained masoor and broth or water. Stir once so lentils are submerged and nothing sits dry on the base. Seal the lid; set valve to sealing. Pressure cook on High for 8 minutes.
Release and adjust
- Natural release 10 minutes, then quick-release remaining steam. Stir well. Thin with hot water or broth if too thick. For extra-smooth soup, blend briefly with an immersion blender (about 10 to 15 seconds).
Finish
- Stir in lemon juice and coriander. Taste and adjust salt, heat, and tang. For optional tadka, heat ghee or oil in a small pan; add hing if using, cumin, and chili; sizzle briefly; pour over the soup in the pot or over each bowl. Serve hot.
Notes
- Burn message: keep the tomato step moist, deglaze thoroughly, and use enough thin liquid before pressure.
- Brown or green lentils are not a direct swap; they need more liquid and a longer pressure time.
- Vegan: use oil and vegetable broth; skip ghee in tadka or use oil only.
- Storage: refrigerate up to 4 days in an airtight container; freeze up to 2 months. Reheat with a splash of water and whisk.
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