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    Home » Recipes » Indian Soups

    Vegetable Millet Soup Recipe (Instant Pot)

    Published: Nov 5, 2021 · Modified: Sep 16, 2023 by Shilpa Kerur · This post may contain affiliate links. 7 Comments

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    5 from 84 votes
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    Millet soup is a delicious soup made with foxtail millet. Made in an Instant Pot, this soup is ready in 30 minutes (with only 10 minutes of hands-on time). This gluten-free one-pot meal can be served as a wholesome dinner and is perfect for cold nights. It also makes a great savory breakfast the next morning, keeping you full longer.

    instant pot millet soup

    Why you will love this recipe?

    • Millet vegetable soup is versatile and can be customized to suit different tastes and dietary preferences. You can add a variety of vegetables, herbs, spices, and proteins to create a flavor profile that appeals to you.
    • This Instant Pot millet soup has a comforting quality that can make it a satisfying meal option.

    Ingredients and Substitutes

    Foxtail millet: I use foxtail millet in this recipe. Other varieties of millet, like pearl millet, little millet, barnyard millet, and proso millet, can be used to make it.

    Moong dal: (yellow lentils) This adds thickness to this hearty soup but is an optional ingredient and can be skipped.

    Spices: I use garam masala, black pepper, and cumin powder.

    See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

    Optional ingredients and variations

    • I have skipped whole spices in this recipe. However, you can add bay leaf along with onions for this soup. Just remove it before blending.
    • You can skip green chilies and use red pepper flakes instead.
    • Other veggies that can be added to this soup are bell pepper, zucchini, mushroom, broccoli, cauliflower, spring onion, and sweet potatoes.
    • Use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth in this recipe.

    Step-by-step instructions

    Saute onion, tomato, and spices.

    Step 1: Set the Instant Pot in saute mode and heat the olive oil. Add onion and saute for 2-3 minutes (until it is translucent).

    Step 2: Add ginger, garlic cloves, and green chili. Saute for one minute. Add tomato, cumin powder, garam masala, salt, and vegetables (carrot, peas, beans). Saute for one minute (images 2 and 3).

    Step 3: Next, add the soaked millet and moong dal (step 4).

    Pressure cook and blend.

    Step 4: Add the vegetable stock and mix well. Deglaze the pot to make sure there are no stuck brown bits (image 5).

    Step 5: Set the Instant Pot in Soup mode and cook for 20 minutes. Do a natural release of the pressure (image 6).

    Step 6: Blend the soup using an immersion blender. Whisk the yogurt well and add it to the soup (images 7 and 8). Finish with a dash of pepper powder.

    millet soup made in instant pot
    Hearty and delicious millet vegetable soup is ready to be served.

    Expert Tips

    Soak the foxtail millet overnight. At a minimum, soak it for 3-4 hours so that it can get cooked quickly.

    Stock adds flavor and depth to the soup. You may use water to make it, but the soup will not be as delicious.

    I have used carrots, peas, and green beans to make the millet soup. You can vary the type of vegetables used and their quantities as per your liking.

    It is important to whisk the yogurt well before adding it. Also, add yogurt only after cooking the soup to prevent it from curdling.

    Also, check out this post to make a German lentil soup recipe. Click here for more one-pot meal recipes.

    What to serve with millet soup?

    Millet soup can be enjoyed on its own as a complete meal, but if you're looking to serve it with accompaniments, here are a few options:

    Bread: Serve it with crusty bread or a whole-grain loaf.

    Salad: Pair millet soup with a refreshing salad to add some crunch and freshness to the meal.

    Roasted Vegetables: Serving roasted vegetables alongside millet soup for a well-rounded meal. Roasted root vegetables like roasted carrots, roasted sweet potatoes, and roasted beets can add a nice sweetness and texture contrast to the soup.

    Recipe FAQs

    What is foxtail millet?

    Foxtail millet is a gluten-free grain widely used in India. It is called kangni or kakum in Hindi, navane in Kannada, korra in Telugu, thinai in Tamil, and kang in Gujarati. This grain can be cooked similarly to rice and is a good substitute for rice. It is widely used in India, China, and Africa.

    Can I make this soup in a stovetop pressure cooker?

    Yes. Follow this recipe and cook for 3 whistles in a stovetop pressure cooker.

    Which variety of millet works for soup?

    I use foxtail millet in this recipe. Other millets like pearl millet, little millet, barnyard millet, and proso millet also can be used to make the soup.

    Is this millet soup vegan?

    This recipe is not vegan, as I am using yogurt. To make it vegan, you can skip yogurt or use cashew yogurt.

    instant pot millet soup

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    If you tried this Millet Soup Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ? star rating and let me know how it went in the ? comments below.

    Recipe card

    millet soup.

    Instant Pot Millet Soup

    Millet soup is a delicious soup made with foxtail millet. Made in an Instant Pot, this soup is ready in 30 minutes (with only 10 minutes of hands-on time). This gluten-free one-pot meal can be served as a wholesome dinner and are perfect for cold nights.
    5 from 84 votes
    Print Pin Rate Google logo Add Preferred Source
    Author: Shilpa Kerur
    Course: Main Course, Soup
    Cuisine: Indian
    Servings: 8
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot

    Ingredients

    • ¾ cup foxtail millet
    • ¼ cup moong dal (yellow lentils)
    • 2 teaspoon oil
    • 1 small onion finely chopped
    • ½ inch ginger grated
    • 1 clove garlic grated
    • 1 green chili finely chopped
    • 1 small tomato finely chopped
    • ½ teaspoon cumin powder
    • ½ teaspoon garam masala (use store-bought or homemade garam masala)
    • ¼ cup peas
    • 1 small carrot chopped
    • 5-6 green beans chopped
    • 5 cups vegetable stock
    • 1 cup yogurt whisked
    • Salt to taste
    • ½ teaspoon crushed pepper
    • 1 tablespoon coriander leaves chopped
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    Instructions

    • Soak foxtail millet for 3-4 hours
    • Set the Instant Pot in saute mode and heat oil
    • Add onion and saute for 2-3 minutes (until it is translucent)
    • Add ginger, garlic, and green chili. Saute for one minute
    • Add tomato, cumin powder, garam masala, salt, and vegetables (carrot, peas, beans)
    • Saute for one minute
    • Drain the water from the soaked millet. Wash the moong dal
    • Add the soaked millet, moong dal, and vegetable stock. Mix well
    • Secure the lid of the IP and set it to soup mode. Cook for 20 minutes
    • Release the pressure naturally and open the lid
    • Blend the soup using an immersion blender
    • Whisk the yogurt well and add it to the soup
    • Add crushed pepper and coriander leaves
    • Millet soup is ready to be served

    Video

    Notes

    Soak the foxtail millet overnight. At a minimum, soak it for 3-4 hours. This will not only help reduce the phytates but it will also be cooked quickly.
    Stock adds flavor and depth to the soup. You may use water to make it, but the soup will not be as delicious.
    I have used carrots, peas, and green beans to make the millet soup. You can vary the type of vegetables used and their quantities as per your liking.
    It is important to whisk the yogurt well before adding it. Also, add yogurt only after cooking the soup to prevent it from curdling.
    Calories: 193kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 893mg | Potassium: 226mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2078IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Share it Today!Mention @easyindiancookbook or tag #easyindiancookbook!

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      Indian-Style Vegetable Barley Soup (Instant Pot)
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      Gujarati Kadhi Recipe
    • palak soup.
      Spinach Soup / Palak Soup
    • curried butternut squash soup.
      Curried Butternut Squash Soup (Instant Pot)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 84 votes (77 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Natalie says

      November 08, 2021 at 7:13 am

      5 stars
      I haven't cooked millet in ages. Thanks for the reminder. I will definitely give your recipe a try soon. This looks delicious.

    2. Kayla DiMaggio says

      November 08, 2021 at 7:34 am

      5 stars
      This millet soup was so cozy and delicious! A home run for sure!

    3. Marinela says

      November 08, 2021 at 7:50 am

      5 stars
      This nourishing millet soup is such a comforting and amazingly satisfying meal for the fall or winter season. Love its rich and creamy texture with all the healthy ingredients in it. Thanks for the recipe.

    4. Tavo says

      November 08, 2021 at 9:24 am

      5 stars
      I love cooking with millet but never thought of making soup! It turned out delicious! Thank you!

    5. Emily says

      November 08, 2021 at 12:25 pm

      5 stars
      This Instant Pot Millet Soup is so tasty and is perfect for fall and winter! Thank you for sharing the recipe!

    6. Katie says

      April 04, 2022 at 8:52 am

      5 stars
      Such a delicious soup! 10/10 definitely making again!

    7. nancy says

      April 04, 2022 at 6:36 pm

      5 stars
      soothing and good for the tummy

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