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Black and Red Lentil Beer Soup

This vegan black and red lentil beer soup is quick to make, high-in-protein, plant-based, and tasty as all get out—an easy home-cooked meal. Mak in your pressure cooker or Instant Pot on those busy days.

Black and Red Lentil Beer Soup | Letty's Kitchen

With variations here and there, I’ve been making this hearty vegetarian soup since I was old enough to drink beer, about the same time I bought my first pressure cooker. Like all my soups, this lentil beer soup can be cooked in a pressure cooker. About 10 minutes of prep, 5 minutes to come to pressure, and 7 minutes in the pressure cooker–dinner in 30 minutes–wunderbar!

Ingredients for this unique lentil soup:

Beer? Beer, like it does with people, adds character and other flavorful features. Use whatever beer you have in the fridge. A nutty malty brown ale or a stout gives richest flavor, but I’ve used lighter beers, even PBR.

We’re looking to add caramel malty notes so if you don’t want to add the alcohol, substitute a non-alcohol beer, like O’Doul’s.

A spoonful of vinegar stirred in at the finish balances the red lentil and carrot sweetness, and adds a classic German sweet and sour punch.

This rustic lentil beer soup calls for both black and red lentils. The black lentils (affiliate link) stay chewy and yet soft, while the red lentils melt and disappear into the broth.

Black and Red Lentil Beer Soup | Letty's Kitchen

In one of my old recipe journals there’s a magazine clipping titled Lentil Wunderbar Soup. Wunderbar in German means wonderful, marvelous. Wunderbar lentil beer soup! (I didn’t think to note from where I cut the recipe, so who knows. If you have a clue, please write.)

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This recipe first appeared on Pressure Cooking Today, where I’m a contributor.

PS If you make this recipe and love it, please consider leaving a blog post comment. Your comments help other readers learn more about the recipe.

4 comments

  • I’ve been waiting for you to post this. So delicious. Reply · 21 December, 2016

    • Thanks Kelley! Loved sharing it with you! Reply · 24 December, 2016

  • Just made the Black and Red Lentil Beer Soup and it is wonderful! I love the slightly out of norm but totally delicious taste. This is going to be a staple for me this winter. Thanks! Reply · 28 December, 2016

    • Thanks Katie–I’m so glad you liked it. It’s one of my favorites! Reply · 29 December, 2016

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