There’s something mind-blowingly sublime about this red velvet beet soup that cannot be described. Scarlet and velvety, rich in umami flavor, the whole is greater than the sum of red lentils, beets, carrots, its parts. Serve this amazing vegan soup without speaking a word.
Click here to PIN Instant Pot Red Velvet Beet Soup!
JUMP DIRECTLY TO RECIPEImagine sitting down at the communal table. A steaming bowl of strikingly bright red soup is placed before you. No one tells you what it might be. Wow this is incredible, what the heck is it? Tomato? No. Sip after sip, you savor every nuance.
I first tasted this nourishing vegan potage on a retreat where meals were enjoyed in silence—no chatter, no exclaiming how delicious, or no wondering out loud. Do you think quiet and calm enhances food?
Remarkably elegant red velvet beet soup. No preconceptions. Pretend you don’t know what or how, and enjoy with curiosity.
Red Velvet Beet Soup details:
- Soup making in a pressure cooker is quick and efficient, so that’s how I roll. Before owning an Instant Pot, I fervently promoted stovetop pressure cookers–just as fast, with fewer bells and whistles. This soup is super easy to make on the stove as well, and you’ll find those directions in the recipe.
- Fermented miso’s umami ranges in flavors and colors, textures and aromas, as varied as that of the world’s fine wines or cheeses.
- The onions sautéed in rich nutty toasted sesame oil (affiliate link) brings in yet more flavor.
- When testing this recipe, I drew pretty white squiggle of vegan sour cream on top. But you know what? The tangy cream dented the red velvet sublime WOW flavor—just a squiggle of difference changed this soup’s essence. Really. Resist the urge to add.
- Immersion blenders (affiliate link) are the other amazing timesaver for creamy soups. You stick the wand in the pot and whir away—no messy hot fuss and muss.
- I saw herb scissors (affiliate link) in action last month and quickly decided they’re my next kitchen tool–fresh herb confetti in seconds flat. Anybody recommend a brand?
- You might also like this Instant Pot creamy vegan Southwestern cauliflower soup.
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Instant Pot Red Velvet Beet Soup
This recipe includes directions for both regular stove top and pressure cooking. Velvety smooth amazingly delicious vegan soup, creamy with red lentils, and sublime with dark miso umami. Makes 6 cups, serves about 4 persons.
Servings: 5 servings.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 medium red onion chopped (about 2 cups)
- 6 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 cup red lentils rinsed and drained
- 2 carrots chopped
- 3 or 4 beets, well-scrubbed, ends and root hairs trimmed, chopped (about 2 cups chopped)
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 sprig fresh thyme optional
- 2 tablespoons red miso
- 1 ½ tablespoons chopped parsley, for garnish
- Fine sea salt, as needed, to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in the Instant Pot on Sauté. With a stovetop pressure cooker or soup pot, heat the oil over medium flame. Stir in the onion, sauté for 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the vegetable broth, lentils, carrots, beets, bay leaves and thyme.
- In the Instant Pot, manually set the time to 6 minutes. Quick release the pressure using the top vent.
- For conventional pressure cooker—bring to pressure and cook for 6 minutes. Quick-release the pressure under cold running water.
- For stove-top cooking, simmer on low heat for about ½ hour, or until the beets are very soft.
- Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprig. (see note!) Puree the soup until smooth and velvety. Puree right in the cookpot, or of you don’t have an immersion blender, puree the soup in a blender. (Do this in 3 batches, as the steam from hot soup in a full blender forces the lid off, making a huge mess. Been there, done that.)
- Put the miso in a small bowl. Add ½ cup of the pureed soup and stir to dissolve the miso well. Stir the miso mix back into the pot. Heat gently but do not boil. (See note.) Taste and add salt if you think it's needed–usually add heaping 1/4 teaspoon.
- Serve simply, garnished with chopped parsley.
Notes
- The reason you don’t want miso to boil is that boiling destroys some of the nutrition of the miso, and changes the flavor.Â
- Blending creates a little foam that soon dissipates.
- Take heed: Once, in a rush to get dinner on the table, I forgot to take out the bay leaves and thyme sprig before blending the soup. It took 10 painstaking minutes with a sieve to return this soup to its velvet texture.
- Adapted from Natural Foods Cookbook: Vegetarian Dairy-Free Cuisine.
Nutrition
Calories: 219kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 1439mg | Potassium: 628mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 4705IU | Vitamin C: 7.1mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 3.4mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @lettyskitchen or tag #lettyskitchen
Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Red Velvet Beet Soup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 219
Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Sodium 1439mg63%
Potassium 628mg18%
Carbohydrates 36g12%
Fiber 13g54%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 4705IU94%
Vitamin C 7.1mg9%
Calcium 45mg5%
Iron 3.4mg19%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
I agree–I was amazed how the cream took away from the original flavor. Maybe a tahini puree with very little lemon? · 9 October, 2017
Liz–now I’m thinking a cashew cream! Going to try it–we’re having leftover red velvet soup for dinner! · 9 October, 2017
I just got an Instant Pot and I’m so excited to try it out! This soup is like nothing I’ve ever seen. It looks so creamy and that color is gorgeous! · 9 October, 2017
Thank Marcie. Enjoy your new toy! Dinner is on the table fast with an Instant Pot! · 9 October, 2017
I can’t imagine not being able to share my thoughts after tasting such brilliant soup! You must have been itching to tell someone! What a stunning color, Letty! · 9 October, 2017
Thanks Liren. In a way, I enjoyed wondering what the heck I was tasting, slurp after slurp. 😉 · 9 October, 2017
What a fun idea for the instant pot!! · 9 October, 2017
Thank you Becky! · 9 October, 2017
I love that you included red lentils and miso in this strikingly hued soup! · 9 October, 2017
Thanks Katie, I think you’ll agree the flavor combo is amazing. · 9 October, 2017
I’m still stuck on my slow cooker and haven’ taken the pressure cooker plunge yet! LOL! BUT I would just to make these gorgeous soup! · 10 October, 2017
this sounds great! how big were the beets you used? I have one in my fridge from the farmer’s market but it’s HUGE · 10 October, 2017
Thank you Heather. Do you have a kitchen scale? Figure 1 1/2 to 2 cups chopped beets, a little less than a pound. · 10 October, 2017
This looks amazing and I am going to cook it tonight! Thanks Letty for all your great recipes! · 20 November, 2018
Thank you Kent. It’s one of my favorites! · 20 November, 2018
I loved this! My hubby..not so much. I would have given it 5 stars if he did enjoy it.
All the more for me…I think it should freeze well. · 22 February, 2019
Hi Ginna. Thanks for the note. It does freeze well. I wonder if your husband would have liked it if he hadn’t known the red color was the beets. 😉 · 22 February, 2019
This came out great and you are right the color is amazing. I was excited that I had red miso on hand to make it. It was super easy with the instantpot and a stick blender.
Had the beet greens in a smoothie today too! · 16 April, 2020
Very nice recipe and use of umami flavors, umami makes food really amazing. read more about what is umami flavor
https://www.ajinomoto.com/aboutus/umami/5_facts · 9 December, 2020
This always goes down well with guests, and we love it too. I have used a little yeast extract when I don’t have miso, and that works too. I’ve also tried swapping the carrots for parsnips which were needing to be used – delicious. Today I’m making it with sweet potato as I had one to use up. Thank you · 21 November, 2023
Thank you Verona. I love that you feel comfortable making substitutions using what you have on hand. · 25 November, 2023