This lentil rice soup is packed with wholesome brown lentils, brown rice & veggies. It's a budget-friendly, hearty, filling soup that's easy to make with simple ingredients. You'll love this rice and lentil soup if you are on a plant-based journey. Stove-top method included!

Why you'll love this Rice Lentil Soup

This hearty soup will be your next favorite meal. A great budget-friendly plant-based soup recipe that satisfies both the taste buds and the soul!

• Brown lentils are high in lysine, an essential amino acid often lower in grains.
• This healthy lentil brown rice recipe is high in protein and insoluble fiber. It adds bulk & supports digestion.
• Brown rice is nutrient-dense, rich in antioxidants as it retains the bran and germ layer unlike white rice. It is naturally gluten-free.
• Reduces overeating due to longer satiety. Shall keep you full longer.
• This soup provides sustained energy and better overall nutrition.
• Budget-friendly soup that can feed a crowd.
• Stores & freezes well.

Ingredients & Substituitions

Find the Ingredients with actual measurements at the bottom of the post. The list below is just a reference.

• Brown Rice: You can use any long-grain or short-grain brown rice. Rinse well and soak in warm or hot water for 30 minutes. We like to use brown jasmine or Basmati rice, which is readily available online or at any grocery store.
• Brown Lentils: Pick over the lentils to remove any dirt, debris or small pebbles. Rinse well and drain.
• Aromatics: Yellow onion and minced garlic for the best flavor. You can also replace the yellow onion with shallots or leeks.
• Vegetables: Carrots, celery, green bell pepper. For a subtle sweet flavor, you may add diced red bell pepper.
• Tomatoes: We used fresh Roma tomatoes (crushed or grated). You can also use crushed tomatoes from the tin.
• Seasonings: Sweet paprika, oregano, thyme, ground black pepper and red pepper flakes for a slight kick. Skip the red pepper flakes if you are heat-intolerant.
• Himalayan pink salt according to your taste. You can also use any sea salt.
• Bay Leaf.
• Oil: Olive oil or avocado oil.
• Fresh herbs: Freshly chopped curly top parsley. You can replace the parsley with fresh cilantro or chives.
• Water or try our homemade vegetable stock.

Method

Find the detailed step by step recipe along with measurements + Video at the bottom of the post.

• Sauté veggies: Set the instant pot on sauté function. Add oil and sauté the onion & diced veggies for 2 minutes. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
• Add seasonings: Now, add the seasonings and sauté for another 30 seconds. Cancel the sauté mode. Add the soaked and drained brown rice and the rinsed and drained brown lentils.

• Deglaze pot: Add the crushed tomato. Give everything a good stir. Throw in the bay leaf. Add water and deglaze the pot very well by scraping the sides and the bottom of the pot with the help of a spatula to remove any stuck food particles or brown bits. This will help prevent the burn error.
• Pressure cook: Secure the lid of the Instant Pot and Pressure cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, followed by a 10-minute natural pressure release. Open the lid and discard the bay leaf. Stir the soup.
• Serve: Add chopped fresh parsley and serve the soup immediately.

Stovetop Method

• Sauté veggies: Set a Dutch pot or a heavy-bottomed pot on the stove top over medium-high heat. Add oil, and when the oil becomes hot, gently release the chopped onion, carrots, celery, green bell pepper, and minced garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add the seasonings and sauté for another 30 seconds.
• Deglaze pot: Add the rinsed and drained brown lentils and the soaked and drained brown rice. Then, add the crushed tomato and give everything a good stir. Throw in the bay leaf. Add water and deglaze the pot with the help of a spatula to loosen any stuck food particles.
• Cook: Place the lid of the pot and cook on medium-low heat for 20 minutes or until the rice and lentils become tender. Discard the bay leaf.
• Serve soup: Add the chopped fresh parsley and serve the soup immediately.

Expert tips

• Soak rice: Rinse the brown rice under running tap water a few times. Then soak it in warm or hot water for about 30 minutes. This helps the rice cook faster and allows it to cook evenly along with the brown lentils.
• Brown lentils: Pick through the lentils to remove any dirt, debris, or small pebbles. Rinse them under running tap water a few times, then drain using a kitchen strainer.
• Spicy soup: Add diced jalapeno along with the vegetables. You can also increase the amount of red pepper flakes to suit your taste.
• More vegetables: Diced zucchini, butternut squash, or sweet potato pair well with this soup and add extra nutrition and flavor.
• Adjust consistency: This brown rice and lentil soup thickens as it sits. When reheating, add more water or vegetable stock to adjust the consistency as needed.

How to serve

This lentil and rice soup recipe is a wholesome, complete meal all by itself. We always love to serve it with sourdough bread or a light quinoa side. However, you may try one of these sides to make it a feast.

• Crusty whole wheat Sourdough Bread.
• Stir fried veggies.
• A light salad like roasted vegetable salad.
• Moroccan couscous.
• Brown rice with vegetables.
• Air fried veggies like acorn squash, brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes, smashed brussel sprouts, roasted beets, carrots and potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower, mushrooms and onion, baby gold potatoes, roasted radishes.

Leftovers & storage

Fridge:

Store the soup in air-tight glass containers for 5 days in the fridge.

Freezer:

This soup freezes well for up to 2 months. Use freeze safe high quality glass containers to freeze the soup. Thaw the lentil and rice soup in the refrigerator overnight and than reheat.

Reheat:

Stovetop: Reheat the soup in a heavy-bottomed pot or saucepan over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Stir often. Add water or veggie stock to adjust the consistency.

Instant Pot: You can reheat the soup in the Instant Pot using the Sauté function. Stir frequently to prevent the soup from burning. Once it is hot or warmed through, serve immediately.

Microwave oven: Transfer the soup to a microwave-safe glass bowl and reheat on high until warm or hot.

MORE PLANT-BASED SOUPS MADE IN THE INSTANT POT

• Instant pot lentil soup with potatoes.
• Instant pot quinoa soup.
• Bean and potato soup instant pot.
• Potato leek soup instant pot dairy free.
• Instant pot vegetable soup with potatoes.
• Instant pot Portuguese bean soup.
• Dry Lima Beans Instant pot.
• Instant pot red lentil soup.
• Old fashioned vegetable barley soup.
• Sweet Potato and kale soup with coconut milk.
• Vegan mushroom barley soup.

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I LOVE HEARING FROM YOU! If you try this rice lentil soup recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I would love to hear how it turned out for you, or any changes you make.