Instant Pot detox soup | Vegetable Lentil Quinoa soup diet is my favorite detox soup that is ready under 30 minutes. A super food one pot meal that you should make again and again if you follow healthy lifestyle and clean eating. This soup is rightly named “24 carrot gold soup ” by my family because it is truly a treasure. A simple lentil and quinoa preparation with addition of vegetables like carrots , spinach and spices like ginger , turmeric makes up this hearty soup. I would take the liberty to call it a wholesome meal . This soup is highly customizable when it comes to what veggies to use. You may add cabbage, cauliflower or any greens to this body cleansing soup.
Happiness is when you can fit into your favorite jeans post pregnancy. If you are following me then you already know that I was expecting and delivered a beautiful baby boy early this year. Since then life has been busy with two kids. Guysss I am just 5 pounds away from my pre pregnancy weight. You can totally imagine me doing the happy dance right now.
I had gained around 50 pounds this pregnancy . Once the baby was out I was still 20 pounds up and was wishing to lose it all as soon as possible.I had all these plans to go to the gym and get rid of those extra pounds. With a new-born in the house and a super active 6-year-old that seemed nearly impossible. I haven’t got the time to go to the gym but tried to do light exercises at home. That happened rarely because I felt so exhausted with exclusively breast-feeding, sleepless nights and no breather during the day time , doing chores , taking care of the kids , cooking and stuff. So whenever I got time I chose napping over exercise. I told to myself this routine isn’t working but I knew deep down that it isn’t permanent either. I knew things will get better once my little one is settled in a routine . It is just a matter of time. And after 4 months it is a little better now.
I thought if I can’t find time to exercise then at least I can watch what I eat. I can never ever crash diet or starve , that is just not me . But what I can do is include the right type and combination of food.
One thing that really helped me loosing weight without crash diet or going hungry was sticking to fresh fruits, vegetables ,nuts, milk, whole grain , lentils and beans . I do indulge in a slice of cake or a cookie few times a week because oh well I am weak on my cravings!! Nursing my baby makes me hungry all the time, I mean really hungry.I literally scream GIMME CARBS!!
My mom was here to help me out with the kids . We started making lot of One Pot Meals in the Instant Pot. We made a large batch of soups, stews, curries. Whenever I felt like snacking she used to offer me this big bowl of soup packed with beans/ lentils and vegetables that kept me fuller until next meal. And it was a big time game changer. I felt full and didn’t have a lot of cravings. If you are a nursing mom then do include lentils in your diet. It increases milk supply .
This flavorful Quinoa lentil soup recipe loaded with vegetables that I am sharing today is my current favorite one pot meal . This soup is just one of the many meals that helped me get closer to my goal. Duh!!! eating the same thing everyday is boring!!!!! I will be sharing many such tried and tested one pot meals with you in coming weeks .
What is this detox soup made of ?
Lentils – An inexpensive super food ingredient that is a must have for a clean eating diet. Lentils are super simple to cook even without pressure cooking. They cook rather quickly as compared to the beans . Lentils are nutrient dense and are low in calories. They are high in protein and are good carbs. Moreover lentils keeps you full for a longer time hence aids successful weight loss too. Lentils are good for your heart, controls diabetes and improves digestive health.I have used golden lentils here. Feel free to use red lentils . Other lentils are equally delicious but outcome in the color will differ in the type of lentils used. But who cares!!!
Quinoa– One of the most talked about super food and so easy to prepare. Quinoa is my best bet when it comes to quick and healthy meal. Powerhouse of protein and essential nutrients ,Quinoa is a must have in every household . It is rich in fiber too. In my experience my metabolism gets fired up after eating Quinoa which is great for loosing those extra pounds effortlessly. Quinoa is a grain that is complete protein and consuming it keeps you fuller for a longer time.
Fresh seasonal vegetables
You know how much I love fresh vegetables right! I have used fresh seasonal vegetables like carrots , spinach , celery and tomatoes this time plus a generous amount of fresh lemon juice. Consuming vegetables is like free food meaning they are choke full of nutrition with very little carb and negligible fat.
Well you may make this diet soup without veggies but I don’t see a reason why not to add veggies.
You may add frozen vegetables or add vegetables on hand that can stand the pressure cooking. Refer to my notes.
Spices
Adding spices to this soup not only elevates the flavor manifold but also does amazing things for your body. I have added some amazing spices to this quinoa lentil detox soup. It just makes a boring soup all the more delicious !!!
Apart from salt and pepper include some cayenne in your diet. Start by adding little as everyone can’t handle the same amount of heat. Cayenne is a must have for a detox diet as it aids digestion. It helps regulate blood sugar level , increases metabolism , has anti inflammatory properties to relieve pain.
I have even used turmeric . Turmeric not only gives this beautiful golden color to this detox soup , it also has great healing properties. It fights cancer too. Coming from an Indian household we use turmeric in our everyday cooking. The entire world is raving about it now a days because of its benefits so you should definitely give it a try if you haven’t done so yet.
This soup also has a generous amount of ginger and garlic which again does wonders to your body.
These spices play a key role in fighting seasonal allergies and strengthening your immune system too .
Quinoa + Lentil + Fresh veggies + Turmeric + Ginger + Garlic is a bomb combination for maintaining good health, skin and hair .
I love this soup for a number of reasons. This lentil quinoa detox soup is-
Super easy to make
One Pot meal
Vegan and Gluten free
Oil free
Complex carb ( Lower carbs than most of the meals out there)
Low fat
Nutrient dense
Protein rich
Fiber rich
Have healing properties
Full of flavors
A true pot of gold that you should make for yourself and your family.
I do not wish to lose weight , do I really need to make this soup?
You should definitely give this lentil quinoa vegetable detox soup a try even if you do not intend to loose weight . Because clean eating is the very first step to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Your body will thank you for going detox! It needs a day off from all the processed foods that you consume.
Did I mention that my 6-year-old loves having a small cup of this soup as a snack!! This lentil quinoa cleansing soup is ideal for kids as well as adults.
This detox meal is ideal if you are on a vegan, soy free, dairy free , gluten-free , low carb , oil free , low-calorie diet.
Make a big batch in your instant pot/ stove top pressure cooker or in a large pot and enjoy it all week-long .
Why did I use Instant Pot to make this detox quinoa lentil vegetable soup?
Because I love dump meals. I like one pot one shot (OPOS) meals that require minimum preparation and no baby sitting. A meal that is good for me as well as my kids.
A meal that requires less after clean up. And that is what Instant Pot does. I made a big big batch with only 10 minutes of preparation time. Rest was done by my IP.
Lentil quinoa detox soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup golden lentil/ yellow moong dal*
- 1 cup quinoa *
- 5 carrots medium size
- 5 celery sticks
- 4 Roma tomatoes
- 8 cups water / vegetable broth
- 2 cups baby spinach chopped *
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 tablespoon ginger grated
- 6 cloves garlic grated/ chopped/ paste
- 2 teaspoon cumin grounded
- 2-3 whole cloves optional
- 2 bay leaves optional
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 1 lemon freshly squeezed
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the lentils well 3 times under cold tap water.
- Wash quinoa according to the package if you aren’t using pre washed one.
- Dump everything called for except spinach in the pot.
- Start Instant pot Manual HIGH for 5 minutes.
- Turn the knob to SEALING . And NPR natural pressure release.
- Once the pin drops down carefully open the lid .
- At this point you can adjust the consistency of the soup .
- If you like it thin then add more stock/ water or enjoy it like a stew.
- Turn on the Instant Pot on Sauté mode and add spinach. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the spinach is wilted.
- Give a taste test and adjust spices if desired.
- Serve warm with freshly squeezed lemon.
Notes
- Use this recipe as a guideline. If you do not have certain spices mentioned simply omit or substitute with spices you have.
- Skip cayenne or use ¼ teaspoon at a time if you can't handle the heat.
- I have used Ancient Harvest pre-washed Tri-color Harmony Quinoa . Use your choice of Quinoa.
- You may substitute golden lentils with red lentils too.
- You may substitute Spinach with Kale or Swiss Chard. This recipe is oil-free, but feel free to add tad oil to sauté ginger and garlic if desired.
- You may use vegetables like peas, sweet potato, bell peppers too.
- If cutting the recipe into half or quarter , cook time in INSTANT POT will be 4 minutes on MANUAL HIGH.
- This recipe makes around 10-12 cups of soup. You may cut the recipe into half or quarter if desired. I love to make a big batch so that we can enjoy it over the week.
- Keeps well in the fridge for a week. Can be frozen in one-time use portion size pouches. Do not refreeze once thawed.
Nutrition
Other detox recipes that you may like-
Curried Quinoa sweet potato under 20 minutes –
Vegetable red lentil beta carotene booster soup-
Hope you like this recipe on Instant Pot detox soup | Vegetable Lentil Quinoa soup diet and do give it a try. I would love to hear from you. Love being here , don’t miss a single recipe. Subscribe now – it’s free and get every recipe in your inbox. Subscription box is on the home page and below every recipe post.If you have tried any of my recipes do drop in a feedback in the comment section or on my Facebook page carveyourcraving in messages section or tag me @carveyourcraving on instagram.
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I don’t have an instant pot. How can I cook this on the stove?
Hello Carol, to cook it on the stovetop follow the steps below.
1. Soak the lentils in water for at least 30 minutes. This will speed up the process.
2. No need to soak quinoa.
3. Use a big pot to cook on stovetop.
4. Follow the instructions mentioned in the recipe just a step before the lid is closed.
5. So for stovetop cooking , cook on a medium heat for 20-25 minutes until the lentil is tender.
6. You can place a lid on the top for first 10 minutes for fast cooking.
7. Stir occasionally to avoid anything sticking at the bottom or rolling over.
8. You can always add more broth or water to adjust the consistency.
Soup was delicious…… husband loved it. I cooked it stove top very easy.
Daughter called in and also loved it. Will make again.
I am glad you liked it Gloria.
This is an ultimate recipe!!!! Time saving and so delicious. Can’t wait to try other soup recipes on the blog.
Glad you liked it Hetal! Yes please do try other fuss-free recipes here. Thank you for your lovely feedback!
Can these recipes be made in regular stock or Dutch oven.i do or would like to try them
Hi Teresa, of course, you can make it in an open pot or a dutch oven. It will take a bit longer say, 15-20 minutes longer for the lentils to cook. Keep an eye, stir occasionally so that the soup doesn’t spill over once it starts boiling.
I love the soup I have made it 2 times in 2 weeks. It’s delicious and quick. Thank you
Audio started playing when I opened this web-site, so irritating!
Thank you for your comment. But this is weird, as currently, I have have no ads on my blog, not a single one. There isn’t any possibility for any autoplay. Have a nice day.
Made this on stovetop because I’m afraid of the IP my real estate lady gave me. I’ll use it someday, I’m sure!
Followed exact directions, just simmered for something under an hour. So delicious and healthy! This will definitely go into the regular rotation.
Fantastic soup. So easy to make and super flavorful.
Used stock in place of water.
Had an older version that called for 1 T of turmeric and used 1 t instead. Glad to see that has been corrected here.
Thank you for sharing this.
Delish! I would update the timing because my insta pot took almost 30 min to pressure, 5 minutes to cook, and 30 more minutes to naturally release. So took over an hour for the whole thing, not 35 minutes. But amazing recipe!
Hello Becky, the natural release should not take more than 15 minutes, sometimes the stubborn silver pin doesn’t drop down. You can gently move the black knob to the venting position if after 15 minutes of cooking the pin doesn’t drop down. 30 minutes to come to pressure sounds very long. I have no idea why? Did you double up the recipe?
Made this tonight over the stove top cause I don’t have a instapot and OMG SO GOOD!! Didn’t take long at all to prepare or cook, left it on the stove for about 30 minutes on medium and done. So easy and so tasty!! I love it so much, so flavorful. Had it a few hours ago and still feel full with no need to snack before bed at all. THANK YOU! Will be making again and again.
This is soooo good. My dad said it was one of the best soups he’s ever had. It’s definitely one I will make often.I prepared it on stove as I don’t own instapot or pressure cooker. Very much looking forward to trying other soups on this site. I added a bit of garam masala and madras curry powder and jalapeño or two. I might try a few curry leaves in it next time too. Very tasty!
I am glad you added garam masala and curry powder. Indan spices really elevate the taste of this soup. I am sure you will love the other soup recipes that I have to offer. Do try my mulligatawny soup. It is very delicious.
Just tried making this soup and it was a hit! Didn’t have any cayenne but still delicious. This will be a staple as it was quick and easy in the IP.
Hi! I saw that someone else already asked this but I didn’t see a response…sorry if you have already answered this. What is the individual serving size on this recipe? Does the 130cal apply to one cup or two cups of this soup. Thanks so much!
This recipe makes around approximately 9 -10 cups of soup. Around 10-12 servings. The nutrition info is for 12 servings. So one cup should be around 145 calories.
How often do I need to eat this to feel the difference? Can I eat other foods during the day?
Hello Kimberly, I am not a certified food expert or a dietician. I started swapping one meal with this soup and other meals were mindful as well. That includes lots of fresh vegetables, lentils, and low-carb tortillas to suit my Indian-style diet. You will get bored eating this every day so change up things and include this soup in your at least 3 times a week. I have stopped eating overly processed food. Stick to home cook meals.
I’m so excited. This is in the IP and looks beautiful! I like to modify so I threw in some broccoli, zucchini, canned stewed tomatoes (because I love them!), I used all the spice because we are spicy around here, used water with vegetable broth paste (a big ole spoonful), and am adding spinach and kale at the end with the lemon. Can’t wait!
Sounds good April, hope you liked it too.
Just started up the instant pot so haven’t tasted it yet. I know I will love it. Do you know the net carb count?
Net carb will be 16 grams per serving for this Soup.
I love your recipe! Would you mind if I share this with my family as well? it is nutritious and great for taking diet, Please keep posting, I’m looking forward to more of your post!
I loved this .soup and so did my husband. It only took 10 or 15 minutes to come to pressure.
Very good recipe. So simple and just one pot. I used 4 cups of veggie broth and 3 cups of water to make it thicker. I will definitely make it again. Next time I might try sautéing some onions 1st in a little oil and then proceed with your recipe. I love spinach, so I would probably add a little more, plus the color looks great.
Thank you for a lovely feedback Doug . Yes definitely alter the recipe as per your liking . Have a great day!
Very good soup! Thanks for the recipe. I improvised a little with dry powdered ginger and cloves as I didn’t have an alternative. I also used Campari tomatoes as I didn’t have Roma. It was great! I made it a little too spicy for my 7 year old but we loved it!
Thats nice. I loved that you made alterations to suit your taste. You may reduce the heat next time. Thank you for a lovely feedback
Looks delicious but does the recipe fit a 6qt IP? (Am new to cooking with one.)
Hi Joan , I have made this recipe in a 6 quart . So yes it does!
Hi how long does the Lentil Detox Quinoa Soup cook for in the IP and do you fast fry the garlic and ginger before? Thank you! Looks yummy!
Thank you. Everything is mentioned in the recipe card on the post.
Made this last night exactly per recipe! It was delicious. I did 1/2 broth 1/2 water. Next time I can even do less broth, as it was it short on flavor!! One thing to note-this was in the Instant Pot for exactly an hour (30m to pressurize, 5m under pressure, and then after 25m of NPR, I quick released the remainder-my family couldn’t wait any longer). So this isn’t a “quick” meal but it sure was worth it! Will make it again and again. Thank you?
Thank you for your thoughts Laura. I am sorry your family had to wait but glad that it was worth the wait. 30 minutes to pressurize is a lot. My 6 qt IP comes to pressure in 15 minutes with this recipe.
This sounds delicious thank you! I’m not a fan of cumin, (or coriander or cilantro) 🥴🤷🏽♀️. Should I just omit the cumin or maybe sub smoked paprika? Thanks!
Hey Elizabeth , the spices are totally customizable. You may use what you are comfortable seasoning it with. Smoked paprika works great for a subtle kick.
Is the lemon added along with other ingredients to cook or added only after serving?
Hello Kathy , always squeeze lemon just before you eat. Cooking lemon juice will take away all the vitamin C.
Hi there, this recipe looks awesome, however I dont use a pressure cooker. What times would you recommend stove top and slow cooker?
Thanks so much. Very happy to find your page x
Donna
Hello Donna .For making soup in crockpot / slow cooker cover and cook on high for 4.5 hours or low for 8 hours adding 1/2 cup extra water. And for stove top cook on medium to low heat between 20-30 minutes until lentil are tender. You will have to stir frequently to avoid soup to overflow from the pot. Add more stock if needed to adjust preferred consistency.
Hi khushboo,
After a nice holiday, we were really looking for some substantial meals but not overwhelming in terms of contents. Thats when I came across your detox soup.. tried it tonight & our tummies couldn’t feel happier! You know whats even better? It was made with homegrown veggies – sweet potato, celery, kale, silverbeet, beans, garlic! Tomato & capsicum happened to be store bought at this time.. 😍
Thank you so much for the beautiful recipe 😊
Wow Sharmila .. homegrown vegetables sound great. It’s my dream to have a house garden !! Thank you for a lovely feedback.
This was delicious and so easy to make. I omitted the cayenne because I’m a wimp and used canned tomatoes and frozen spinach which I added at the end and helped cool down the soup! I will be making this often. Thank you!
Hi, do you suggest a serving size is 1 cup?
Hello Sheena.It is actually 10 cups if you prefer thick and 12 cups if soup like . This soup thickens the next day so you need to dilute it with broth or water . So the serving size increases.
My family is not a quinoa fan but this soup just hit the spot.. I love that it is healthy and delicious!
Have you ever tried making this into a curry type soup? Like adding some coconut milk and curry powder? I want to try it but am not sure how with the coconut milk, and if it can all be done in one pot. Just curious! Thanks!
Hello Ariel , I have never mixed lentils with coconut milk. But from what I can imagine it would be creamy and delicious. Curry powder will taste great . Let me know how it goes!
It’s our routine lunch now. So easy and filling .
Made this soup twice already. We are just loving the burst of flavors!
Sounds good Mel!
Just wondering what the cook time would be if you just cooked this on stove top in regular pot? Thanks
The cook time would be around 30-40 minutes on low medium heat. Lentils and water/ stock needs to go first . After 15 minutes add rest of the ingredients. You might need more water or veg stock too. So adjust accordingly.
This detox soup was absolutely amazing. My husband is a picky guy (happens to be Indian), when it comes to Indian cooking. He loved it. It is now in our rotation. Thank you for sharing this family recipe.
I am so happy that you and your husband enjoyed this recipe Lisa. Thank you for a lovely feedback!
Perfect detox soup !!! My hubby loved it too !!! Will make this a routine from now on
Thank you Claire. I am glad you like it!
Yummy & healthy & tasty food recipies are been posted by carveyourcraving & all these can be made fast & most important is time saving, innovative style of making food & especially cakes in easy manner has made ur routine smooth .
3 cheers to Khusbhoo kothari.
Aww thank you so much Mitesh!
Hi Khushboo.. this looks and sounds delicious and would love to give it a try. I don’t have a IP though. How many whistles would it need if I used a regular pressure cooker? Thanks!
Hey Dhara , it is done in 3 whistles for traditional stove top pressure cooker . You will need a big cooker- – at least 15 cup cooker. If you are using small one then cut the recipe in half .
This looks amazing. Can I freeze it ?
Thank you. Yes you can. One time use portion size. Do not refreeze once thawed .