Instant Pot Mulligatawny Soup (Vegan)

Name: Instant Pot Mulligatawny Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp oil; 1 medium onion (chopped); 1 stick celery (finely chopped); 1 tbsp ginger (grated); 4 cloves garlic (grated); 1-2 green chili (finely chopped); ¾ cup red lentils ((masoor dal)); 1 tomato (chopped); 2 carrots (chopped); 2 apples (peeled, cored, and chopped); 1 tsp garam masala; 1 tsp cumin powder; ½ tsp chili powder; ½ tsp turmeric powder; ½ tsp pepper powder; ½ tsp dried thyme; 3 cups vegetable stock; ½ cup coconut milk; Salt (to taste); 2 tbsp coriander leaves ((cilantro))

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5 from 97 votes

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Mulligatawny soup is a creamy and rich curried soup. With the help of an Instant Pot, this creamy and flavorful soup can be ready in just 20 minutes with minimal effort.

This easy set-and-forget recipe is perfect for a quick weeknight meal or for entertaining guests. This hearty and satisfying soup has a thick consistency and is traditionally served with naan bread or crusty sourdough bread.

Why you will love this recipe?

This Instant Pot mulligatawny soup is packed with a blend of aromatic spices that create warm flavors that are both comforting and invigorating.
The combination of lentils and vegetables makes this soup filling and satisfying. It is perfect for a cold day.
This soup is easy to make, even if you are a beginner cook. The ingredients are readily available, and the steps are simple to follow.

Ingredients

Red lentils: Or masoor dal, which is the main ingredient of this soup.

Vegetables: Onion, celery, carrots, and tomatoes are used.

Apples: This adds a unique flavor and cannot be skipped.

Spices: The soup is seasoned with Indian spices along with dried herbs. I use garam masala, cumin powder, turmeric powder, chili powder (or cayenne pepper), and dried thyme. You can replace these powdered spices with Madras curry powder or mild curry powder.

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

Step-by-step instructions

Step showing the initial saute of aromatics in Instant Pot. — **Step 1:** Saute onion, celery stalk, ginger, garlic, and green chilies.

Step showing the addition of lentils, apple, carrot, tomato, and spices into the Instant Pot. — **Step 2:** Next, add the red lentils, apples, carrots, tomatoes, and spices.

Step showing the spice and stock addition. — **Step 3:** Add the vegetable stock and spices (garam masala, cumin powder, turmeric powder, chili powder, dried thyme, black pepper powder, and salt).

Step showing the pressure cooked ingredients. — **Step 4:** Pressure cook mode for 6 minutes on high pressure. Do a natural release of pressure for 10 minutes, then do a quick release.

Step showing the blending of soup using an immersion blender. — **Step 5:** Using an immersion blender, blend the soup for 30 seconds.

Step showing the addition of cilantro and coconut milk. — **Step 6:** Add coconut milk and fresh cilantro.

A ladle full of mulligatawny soup made in instant pot — Hearty and comforting Mulligatawyn soup made in the Instant Pot.

Expert Tips

I like to leave the soup chunky, so I don't blend it a lot. If you prefer a smooth consistency, blend the soup well before adding the coconut milk.

I use vegetable broth; however, chicken broth can also be used to make this soup. You can also add chicken thighs, cut into small pieces, to the soup.

Apples add a unique flavor and cannot be skipped. Use good quality apples that are not overripe. Granny Smith apples work best for this dish as they impart a nice tart flavor.

I am using coconut milk here. You can replace it with evaporated milk, heavy cream, or dairy-free milk. You can top the soup with some roasted cashews to add more texture and crunch to the soup.

You can replace fresh tomatoes with either tomato puree or tomato paste. For this recipe, you will need three tablespoons of tomato puree or one tablespoon of tomato paste.

Check out these recipes to make carrot and lentil soup and stuffed pepper soup.

What to serve with Mulligatawny soup?

You can serve this soup with naan or any bread of your choice. It can be served on a bed of steamed white rice. This delicious soup also tastes great just on its own.

Recipe FAQs

How to store this soup?

Any leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This soup also freezes well and can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. Reheat the soup in a saucepan over medium heat.

What lentils are used in this soup?

I am using red lentils (masoor dal) to make this soup.

More Indian soup recipes

If you tried this Instant Pot Mulligatawny 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

Comments

5 from 97 votes (77 ratings without comment)

Natasha says

January 08, 2022 at 9:32 am

Looove these cosy and delicous flavours! Looks like such a comforting meal.
Giangi Townsend says

January 08, 2022 at 9:41 am

I have all the ingredients at home to make this delicious soup. Looks amazing and I love red lentils and I love how rich the consistency it is. Thank you for sharing
Kayla DiMaggio says

January 08, 2022 at 10:56 am

We are huge lovers of mulligatawny soup over here! I have never made it in the instant pot before though! My life has just been made so much easier!
connie says

January 08, 2022 at 2:56 pm

This recipe is spectacular. So appealing and the addition of apples just drew me in! Thank you for sharing this rich & comforting dish!
Dawn Conklin says

January 08, 2022 at 10:09 pm

Wow this soup was so delicious! It is the first time I have ever tried mulligatawny soup and we all loved it. And the Instant Pot makes it even easier to prepare.
Emily Flint says

January 08, 2022 at 11:35 pm

Another fun and easy recipe for me to try from your blog! I love that you can make this in the Instant Pot! It looks amazing!
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says

January 09, 2022 at 12:58 pm

I've wanted to try making Mulligatawny soup at home and am loving the flavours in this recipe. It looks fantastic!
nancy says

January 09, 2022 at 4:17 pm

such a flavourful souP!!
Addie says

January 09, 2022 at 11:22 pm

This soup is so flavorful! Yum!
Plants delish says

January 10, 2022 at 7:23 am

This looks so tasty and comforting. I will be adding this to my "soups to do" list. I can't wait to try it.
Tavo says

January 10, 2022 at 8:53 am

I love this soup! I made it again today, and my partner loved it. It arrived in my kitchen to stay!
Michael DiMaggio says

January 10, 2022 at 9:42 am

We are huge mulligatawny soup lovers in our house. This was delicious and it was great to have an instant pot recipe!
Natalie says

January 10, 2022 at 11:43 am

Oh wow, what a beautiful soup. The color and flavor are amazing. I can't wait to give this soup a try.
nancy says

January 10, 2022 at 8:24 pm

this soup is super warming and cozy
Marinela says

January 11, 2022 at 11:19 am

This creamy mulligatawny soup is so wholesome, hearty, and full of flavor. It's the ultimate comfort meal for these cold winter days!
Choclette says

January 11, 2022 at 12:51 pm

Ooh, I have all of the ingredients needed for your mulligatawny soup. Heading down to the kitchen now and we can have it for supper. Can't wait!
Michelle says

January 11, 2022 at 2:14 pm

I love everything about this mulligatawny soup! Red lentils are always a great idea and the combination of spices did not disappoint. Great recipe!
Michelle says

February 20, 2022 at 11:27 am

Absolutely perfect!!! Will be making this on the regular 🙂 Thanks for sharing vegan recipes!!
Coco says

July 11, 2023 at 2:43 am

Absolutely wonderful! So easy to make with stuff I always have in the kitchen. I will make this again (and again).
Jennifer says

August 31, 2023 at 5:47 pm

Love this recipe. So simple to make and very flavourful