Jana's Pressure Cooker Lentil Ham Soup

Create a delicious ham broth first and use it to cook the lentils along with herbs and cooked vegetables. The pressure cooker cuts down cooking time, but preserves the flavor of each ingredient.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 60 mins
• Calories: 306 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• 10 cups water
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 3 carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 ¼ teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 cups lentils
• 1 ½ pounds smoked ham shanks
• 1 teaspoon vinegar, or more to taste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place ham shanks and water in pressure cooker over medium heat. Cover and lock; bring to 15 pounds of pressure, reduce heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes. Release pressure immediately using method recommended by the manufacturer. Remove cooked ham shanks with a slotted spoon; transfer to a bowl to cool. Separate meat from bone. Transfer ham broth to a separate bowl for later use.

Step 2

Heat olive oil in the pressure cooker over medium heat; cook and stir onion, carrots, celery, and garlic until tender and reduced, about 20 minutes. Add lentils, 8 cups ham broth, thyme, and bay leaf; cover and lock. Bring pressure up to 15 pounds for 6 minutes; immediately release pressure.

Step 3

Stir tomatoes, ham, black pepper, and vinegar into soup over low heat until heated through.