Instant Pot Mulligatawny Soup is creamy and richly satisfying with bright and spicy Indian flavors. This vegan-adaptable version is delicious as is or can easily be built upon adding chicken, more veggies and basmati rice. An easy and fast weeknight meal! With a video!
What is Mulligatawny and where did it originate?
Mulligatawny is a spiced soup that has evolved over time and is said to have originated during the British Raj, where the British clung to their desire for a soup course. However, soup was not part of traditional Indian cuisine, so a quick solution was to water down one of the South Indian dishes. The name “Mulligatawny” came from a garbled interpretation of several dishes.
The British then brought the recipe back home with them, making modifications and adaptations, adding meats and local ingredients. It became quite popular in restaurants and is still on many menus today.
Though there are many various forms and versions of this soup today, the mainstays of the original creation seem to always include curry powder, apple, and chilies.
Here is a version, made with red lentils, yams and carrots that is lusciously creamy, lightly sweet with a spicy kick. The flavors are well-rounded and warmly gratifying.
Instant Pot Mulligatawny Soup Video
In this time of seasonal transition, where signs of spring start to subtly tease, I find myself running towards the pockets of warm sunny rays. It feels so amazing to just bask in the light! Animals know! I need to take more cues from my dog who just luxuriates in the sun’s warmth without any other agenda.
I am loving more spice in my meals right now too. Give me heat in all the forms to break me out of my hibernating winter haze! Make this Mulligatawny Soup with more or less of a spicy kick, up to you!
Gather and prepare your ingredients.
Add ghee, cumin, mustard, and coriander seeds to the instant pot. Saute 2 minutes.
Add onion, garlic, ginger, whole serrano chili, and curry powder. Saute 3 more minutes.
Add carrot, yam, apple, broth, red lentils, sea salt, tomato, and coconut milk. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any stuck bits and pieces.
Set the instant pot to medium pressure for 10 minutes.
This soup keeps well in the fridge for days and flavors get even better.
Serve the Instant Pot Mulligatawny as is- or enhance with protein, basmati rice or naan bread.
Where ever you are I hope you can find some time to just simply luxuriate in the sounds and feel of the changing season, letting go of the agenda even for just a moment.
Be well!
More recipes you may like:
- Our 25 Best Instant Pot Recipes | Easy Pressure Cooker Meals
- Indian Coconut Lentil Curry
- Comforting Lentil Dal with Sweet Potatoes
- Our 25 BEST Lentil Recipes!
- Moroccan Lentil Quinoa Soup
- 35 Must-Try Indian Recipes to Make at Home
Instant Pot Mulligatawny Soup
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Indian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Instant Pot Mulligatawny Soup is so creamy and richly satisfying with bright and spicy Indian flavors. This vegan adaptable version is delicious as is or can easily be built upon adding chicken, more veggies and rice. An easy and fast weeknight meal!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 serrano chili, slit in half leaving the stem intact
- 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 yam, cubed
- 1 green apple, cubed
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1/2 cup red lentils
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 15 ounces coconut milk
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro- leaves and stems, chopped
- 1–3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Turn instant pot on saute function. Add ghee and cumin, mustard, coriander seeds. Saute 2 minutes.
- Add onion, garlic, ginger, the slit serrano chili, and curry powder. Saute 3 more minutes.
- Add carrot, yam, apple, broth, red lentils, sea salt, tomato, and coconut milk. Stir and scrape any bits stuck on the bottom. Set the instant pot to medium pressure for 10 minutes.
- Release the pressure. Stir in parsley, cilantro and lemon juice.
Serve with yogurt and naan bread or basmati rice.
Notes
Optional garnish- tempered seeds (so crunchy and flavorful!) Just before serving in a small skillet, heat 2 teaspoons ghee (or grapeseed oil), 2 teaspoons each: mustard seed, whole coriander & whole cumin. Fry a few minutes until spices darken a bit and smell heavenly.
Make more of a hearty meal; add chicken thighs or breasts (or chickpeas) to the Mulligatawny before pressure cooking, cook basmati rice in a separate pot. Serve in a bowl with soup ladled over the rice. Top with yogurt, chopped tomatoes, cashews and more fresh cilantro.
For stove top follow instructions using a heavy bottom soup pot, sautéing over medium heat. After adding all ingredients let simmer 40-50 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 387
- Sugar: 8.9 g
- Sodium: 962.4 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 22.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 36.2 g
- Fiber: 6.4 g
- Protein: 4.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
I read your recipe of INSTANT POT MULLIGATAWNY (CURRIED INDIAN SOUP). It was very easy to cook and i enjoyed it while listening soft rock music. The taste was great i would love eat this in a rainy day.
I love that you set the mood for cooking Jonas! So glad you enjoyed the soup.
Another winner! I love curry and this soup hits the spot. It’s so flavourful and addictive. We had leftover quinoa that we added to the soup. It’s nice to have all these awesome recipes to rotate through. Delish! 😋
This is one of my favorites too. Glad you enjoyed!
This was absolutely fabulous. I used an immersion blender at the end to make a smoother soup and it was delicious. Can’t wait to eat it for lunch tomorrow!
Nice, I like that idea! Glad you enjoyed!
Hi! I only have low and high settings on my instant pot, which setting is better? Do I need to adjust the time?
Thanks!
Hi Milly, I would try high for 9 minutes.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I’ve made this twice already this month and I love it! I did find the whole coriander seeds a little too much for my kiddos and myself to bite into so the second time I used ground coriander and it still tasted amazing. We also added some mango chunks as a topping and loved it.
Awesome Tawna! Glad you enjoyed it!
This is a delicious, quick and easy recipe! I added tofu, and will be making it again!
Glad you liked it Jamie!
Greetings from Scotland. I’ve recently started on a more plant focused diet for health reasons, although I’ve not switched to totally vegie or vegan diet for the present. This is the second of your recipes I have tried and found them both delicious. Thank you for sharing your skill and knowledge, it is much appreciated.
Great to hear!
Excellent. Made this for a group and they all loved it. I did stove top and served over basmati. Thanks for another delicious flavorful recipe!
Delicious- My teens haven’t tried a spicy soup before and were very pleased.
Thank you.
Can I use the spice powder instead of the seeds?
yes, for ground you use 1/2 of the measurement for whole seeds. Also be aware that ground will burn faster, so just a minute or two on the heat.
Absolutely delicious! Another favorite recipe from feasting at home. Directions were easy to follow and not at all time consuming. It tasted like I spent more time on it than I did. Thank you!
This was wonderful, Tonia! I loved the green apple. I’ve never used an apple in soup before.
so glad you tried something new and liked it!
This was a HUGE HIT! We live in big multigenerational home with kids, teenagers, parents and grandparents. Everyone LOVED this recipe!
My husband and I are vegan (or at least trying to be) and everyone else is meat lovers.
Grandma really hates beans so I didn’t expect a comment from her but she loved it! She asked if we could have it on our regular rotation!
I didn’t cook the apple.
Instead I put out toppings for everyone to choose from.
Fresh chopped apple
Coconut
Cashews
Craisins
Cilantro
We served it over rice.
I also used Coconut cream (ya gotta win the skeptics over somehow! Ha ha!)
I love this Heidi! Feels like such a success to please everyone. The topping idea is perfect!
My husband I I enjoyed the soup. I served it with chickpea flour naan from another recipe I found online.
So glad you enjoy it!
This was an easy and delicious curry. It was a nice change from most of the curries I make, really like the flavor the apple adds. I used 2 cups of broth because I like thicker soups, added a can of chickpeas and served it over rice.
Delicious! Just bought an Instant Pot and came across this recipe on Pinterest.
Do you think it would freeze well?
I have not tried it but I don’t see why not!
Made this last night and had for lunch today. Really beautiful, complex flavor with just the right amount of heat. The only thing I left out was the mustard seed since I didn’t have any. I served it over rice and topped with roasted cashews. Delicious and filling!
Good job .I really want to learn international dishes.es
I just finished making this recipe and tasting it…What a treat! Absolutely delicious. This is one I will return to. Flavors are fabulous. Will eat with rice AND naan. 🙂 I see someone else added garbonzos, which I will do as well.
WOW, phenomenal. Used Indian curry powder, Japanese yam, doubled red daal, and added can of chickpeas. When cooking rice on the side, added a cinnamon stick, two cloves, and cardamom
love your additions! glad you liked it!
I can’t wait to try this soup! The photo shows you garnished the soup with some whole spices. Is this in addition to the amount you used in the soup?
Yes. I just added notes on the recipe for the tempered spice garnish.😊
Sounds great! My instant pot is one of the originals and is high pressure only. Do you think this could work under high pressure? Reduce the amount of time? Thank you!
It’ll be fine! Maybe try 9 minutes.
Looks amazing! Are there lentils in it? See them in thee picture, but not in the ingredients. Thank you!
Yes, just updated the recipe, sorry about that!
This recipe sounds wonderful….but I do not have an Instant Pot, can it be adapted?
yes! I will put instructions in the notes.
There are red lentils in the picture but not in the ingredient list or instructions. Could lentils be added and will they be cooked in the 10 minutes of pressure?
opps! recipe adjusted now. thanks!
Do you use uncooked or come lintels?
raw uncooked lentils.