Instant Pot Lasagna Soup with Lentils

I have to be honest and say that when I first heard about lasagna soup, I had little interest in it. Most recipes I saw incorporated sausage or ground beef, and I just didn’t see the appeal. Earlier this year, however, I borrowed The Blue Zones Kitchen from my mom and came across their lentil version. I was immediately sold. 

I’ve never made it exactly as depicted in the cookbook. The first time I made it, I used the Instant Pot, which I love using for lentils, and it turned out so well that I’ve been building on it ever since. I’m including my way of making it here, but I highly encourage you to check out the cookbook as well. 

Please note: You can certainly cook this on the stove top or in a slow cooker. I like the instant pot because it saves time, but the soup will be delicious no matter which method you choose. 

The Blue Zones recipe is vegan and tops the soup with either tofu ricotta or cashew cream, neither of which I’ve made before. If you try either of these, please let me know what you think. 

I usually top mine with fresh herbs, crushed red pepper flakes, and either Parmesan or pecorino. This, I think, is my favorite way to eat it. 

I have also tried topping it with a little seasoned ricotta. This certainly makes it taste more like lasagna and is a fun addition, but not necessary. 

I’ve also simply topped it with herbs and crushed red pepper flakes, and it is still delicious.

Print Recipe

Lasagna Soup with Lentils

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Adapted from The Blue Zones Kitchen

Ingredients

• One large onion, diced
• 3 - 4 cloves of garlic, minced or grated
• About a ½ teaspoon of dried oregano
• One bay leaf (optional if using broth, but I find this adds excellent flavor if just using water)
• ½ cup of white wine
• One 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes or one 28 ounce can of whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
• ¾ cup of lentils (or, for a thicker soup, 1 cup)
• 4 cups of water or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
• Lasagna noodles
• Pecorino or ricotta for topping (optional)
• Fresh herbs for topping (such as parsley or basil)

Instructions

1

Begin by sautéing the onion in extra virgin olive oil in the instant pot (use the sauté setting). Once softened, add the garlic, a generous pinch of salt, a few grinds of pepper, oregano, and a bay leaf. Sauté for a minute or two. Add the wine and let it cook for a minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, another nice pinch of salt*, the lentils, the broth or water, and the sugar** and give everything a good stir. At this point turn the sauté setting off and secure the lid. Select pressure cook and set the timer for 18 minutes.

2

While the soup cooks, I boil the pasta in a separate pot. I usually boil a little over ¾ of the pound, but my boys eat more pasta than soup. You may find you need less.

3

When the timer goes off, I do a quick pressure release. Remove the bay leaf and taste to see if it needs more salt.

4

I like to toss the lasagna noodles with a ladle full (or two) of the soup so that the noodles don’t stick and the flavors can meld with the pasta. When serving, I place a little pasta in each individual bowl and top the pasta with the soup and toppings. So simple and so comforting!

Notes

*if using store bought vegetable broth, you may want to wait until the soup is done before adding more salt. **the sugar does not make the soup sweet, but helps balance the acidity from the wine and tomatoes