These delicious and hearty lentil tacos can be made in a pressure cooker or on the stovetop. They are so easy to make, and the warm, smoky flavors are amazing!

Have you had lentil tacos before? You won’t even miss the meat. They are so flavorful and so good!

How to Make Lentils for Tacos

The easiest way to make the filling for these lentil tacos is in a pressure cooker!

Using this cooking method is hands off and so much faster than cooking on the stovetop (although I do have instructions for that, if you need!).

1. Combine brown or green lentils, broth and simple pantry seasonings in a pressure cooker.
2. Secure the lid and valve and cook for 12 minutes.
3. Let the pressure naturally release 10 minutes before releasing the remaining pressure.
4. Stir in salsa for a boost of fresh, yummy flavor.

For the stovetop, combine the lentils, broth and seasonings in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 40 to 45 minutes until the lentils are tender. Stir in the salsa.

A Few Bonus Tips for Success

I have a few things to say. I think you should listen. (If you’ve identified a “mom voice” you are really dialed in – these two sentences are repeated often at my house – I’m not entirely sure how often the listening part happens but it doesn’t stop me from saying what I have to say. )

First, make sure to choose a brand (or homemade recipe) of broth and salsa that has great flavor. Both will have a significant impact on the overall flavor of the lentils.

Second, if you are unsure what kind of lentils to use, brown or green lentils will work best in this recipe. Red or yellow lentils break down quite a bit more and may have a mushy consistency in this recipe.

Third, make sure to season the lentil mixture with additional salt and pepper before serving, if needed!

Serving Suggestions

The flavorful lentils can be served in hard or soft tortilla shells with taco toppings of your choice and they work beautifully in taco salad, as well.

I often eat the leftover lentil mixture alongside eggs with a sprinkle of cheese for breakfast or lunch. A terrific combo!

If you are looking for meatless meal inspiration, these lentil tacos should be at the top of your list! They are so simple and fast to make, and they provide a wonderfully nutritious and hearty meal.

I promise, you won’t even miss the meat. However, if you are currently learning to embrace meatless meals (or training your family to do so ), these lentils can be combined with ground beef or cooked chicken for an extremely yummy compromise.

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Instant Pot Lentil Tacos

Yield: 12 to 15 tacos

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 12 minutes mins

Pressure Release:: 10 minutes mins

• 1 ½ cups (300 g) dried brown or green lentils, rinsed and drained
• 3 ½ cups chicken or vegetable broth (see note)
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon coarsely, ground black pepper
• 1 cup red or green salsa (preferably thick and chunky vs thin and watery)
• 12 to 15 soft or crunchy taco shells
• Taco toppings of choice

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

• In a 6-quart electric pressure cooker, combine the lentils, broth, chili powder, cumin, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper.

• Secure the lid and valve and cook on high for 12 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes before releasing remaining pressure.

• Drain off any excess liquid, if desired. Stir in salsa and season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed (this is important for flavor!).

• Optional: lightly mash the lentils, if desired.

• The lentil mixture will thicken a bit if left to sit/keep warm in the pressure cooker.

• Serve the lentils warm in taco shells with your choice of toppings.

Stovetop Variation: bring the lentils, broth and seasonings to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce the temperature to medium-low, and cook for 40 to 45 minutes until the lentils are tender. Stir in the salsa, season with additional salt and pepper, if needed, and mash the lentils, if desired. 
Broth: each brand/variety of broth will have a distinctive flavor, so make sure to use a broth that you already know you like the flavor of, as it will impact the overall flavor of the lentils. 
Salsa: see above note for broth. Same applies for the salsa. Use one you love! It is preferable to use a thick and chunky variety here so there isn’t excess liquid in the lentil mixture. 
Refrigerate or Freeze: the cooked lentils keep well in a covered container in the fridge for several days (the flavor gets even better!). They can also be frozen to thaw, reheat and serve later.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Serving: 1 taco (lentils only), Calories: 98kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 0.4g, Saturated Fat: 0.1g, Sodium: 246mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 2g

Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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This extra-flavorful Chicken Pesto Soup has the comfort food appeal that makes chicken soup such a popular dish, plus pesto and lemon juice! And you can make this fun soup with chicken and pesto in the Instant Pot or on the stove!

PIN the Chicken Pesto Soup recipe to make it later!

Chicken Pesto Soup is a recipe I came up with when I was experimenting with a chicken soup with cauliflower rice! And I do know how people love chicken with pesto. So knowing the popularity of that combination probably influenced the impulse to add pesto to this tasty soup.

And the chicken soup with pesto and lemon was really a wow for me! I made this soup in the Instant Pot, which was quick and easy. But you can easily make it on the stove, and I’ll give instructions for that. No matter which version you prefer, I hope you make this interesting soup right away!

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe with ingredient amounts.)

What pesto did I use for Chicken Pesto Soup?

I always use my Basil Pesto with Lemon if I have some in the fridge or freezer. But when I don’t have homemade pesto I love the Kirkland Basil Pesto (affiliate link) that’s sold at Costco or on Amazon.com.

How to make soup with pesto and keep the pot clean:

This is a simple recipe, but I want to give you one caution: Be sure to turn off the heat when you stir the pesto into the hot soup. If you add pesto and let the soup sit with the Instant Pot (or stove) still turned on, you’ll have melted cheese on the pot that will be a pain to scrub off. (I learned that the hard way, although it didn’t stop me from really enjoying the soup!) Another option to keep your Instant Pot or soup pot as clean as possible is stirring some pesto into each bowl of soup when you serve it

How low in carbs is this Chicken Pesto Soup?

This fun variation for chicken soup only has 5 net carbs and 22 grams of protein per serving!

Love your Instant Pot?

I use a 6 Quart Instant Pot for all my recipes made in the Instant Pot. Check out my growing collection of Instant Pot Recipes! 

How to make Chicken Pesto Soup:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

1. Take cauliflower rice out of the freezer and let it start to thaw.
2. Trim chicken breasts and cut lengthwise.
3. Finely chop onion, celery, and carrots.
4. Turn Instant Pot to SAUTE, HIGH HEAT, and melt butter; then add onion, carrots, and celery and cook 2-3 minutes.
5. Add Italian Herb Seasoning, sage, ground thyme, salt, and fresh-ground black pepper and cook a minute more.
6. Add chicken broth or stock, chicken breast strips, and soup base. 
7. Lock the lid and set Instant Pot to MANUAL, HIGH, 6 minutes.
8. Let Instant Pot natural release 10 minutes; then release the rest of the pressure.
9. Remove cooked chicken pieces to cutting board.
10. Turn Instant Pot to SAUTE, LOW and add frozen cauliflower rice.
11. While cauliflower rice cooks, shred chicken apart. 
12. After cauliflower rice has cooked about 5 minutes, add shredded chicken to the soup and cook about 3 minutes more.
13. Turn off the Instant Pot and stir in basil pesto and lemon juice.
14. Serve the Chicken Pesto Soup right away and enjoy! We served this with more Parmesan cheese to add at the table.
15. See the complete recipe below to find stovetop instructions for this recipe.

Make it a Low-Carb Meal:

One of these low-carb breads or muffins would taste great with the Chicken Pesto Soup:

Want More Low-Carb Instant Pot Soups?

Check out Low-Carb and Keto Instant Pot Soups for lots more tasty soup ideas.

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Chicken Pesto Soup is a good dinner option for any low-carb diet, including Keto. It’s also great for any phase of the original South Beach Diet.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Instant Pot Recipes to find more soups like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This tasty soup with chicken and pesto was first posted in 2021. The recipe was last updated with more information in 2026.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Instant pot lobster is the easiest way to bring a little luxury to your dinner table, no boiling pots or fancy techniques needed! In just minutes, the lobster cooks up tender, juicy, and perfectly steamed, ready to soak up a rich garlic herb butter.

Instant Pot Lobster Tail Ingredients

• Lobster Tails: Pick similar sized tails so they cook evenly. Fresh or frozen work, just thaw frozen tails in the fridge for the best texture.
• Water: Chicken broth is a great alternative and adds extra flavor as it steams!
• Butter: Use good quality unsalted butter like Kerrygold or Plugra for a rich flavor. If you use salted butter, cut back on any extra salt.
• Herbs: Fresh herbs make a big impact. If using dried, use about one third as much because they are more concentrated.

How to Make Instant Pot Lobster Tails

Lobster tails may look intimidating, but pressure cooking them makes them totally doable. It’s simple to prepare and turns any dinner or holiday meal into something really special.

1. Prepare: Add the trivet and water to the bottom of the Instant Pot.
2. Cut the Tails: Using kitchen shears, butterfly the tails of the lobster by cutting down the center.
3. Loosen the Meat: Loosen the meat, then pull the lobster meat upward.
4. Steam: Place the lobster tails on top of the trivet, shell side down, then close the lid and lock it in place. Select the “SEAL” mode, then press “STEAM” and add 2 minutes to the cook time. Manually release the steam once the lobster has cooked.
5. Whisk the Butter Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, garlic, paprika, thyme, rosemary, and parsley.
6. Brush and Serve: Brush the sauce on the perfect Instant Pot lobster tails and enjoy!

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