Instant Pot Amish Friendship Soup–a delicious soup mix that you can make and eat now or layer in glass jars and give as gifts! With ground beef, whole grains and legumes it is hearty and will keep you full.
Note: the SLOW COOKER instructions are listed in the recipe card below

Instant Pot Amish Friendship Soup
This is a fun recipe! You can make it ahead of time as a soup mix (for yourself or to gift) or just make it immediately to consume. I was unsure how good it would taste because it doesn’t have a lot of “exciting” ingredients but it was really yummy! It was hearty and homey and tasted amazing with Reagan’s biscuits. It’s a perfect soup to eat for lunch leftovers the next couple of days too.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Ground beef–or ground turkey
- Garlic powder, kosher salt, pepper and Italian seasoning–you can make your own Italian seasoning
- Water and Better than Bouillon Beef Base–or beef broth
- Dried onions–I buy the big container from Costco. You can also use 1 cup of fresh diced onion…just add them in when you brown the ground beef.
- Brown lentils–these will cook at the same rate as the split peas and farro. The other types of lentils cook too quickly.
- Split peas–I like to buy these in the bulk section at Winco or you can find them at Smiths by the other dried grains and beans
- Farro–I found mine at Smiths by the other dried grains and beans
- Diced tomatoes–I prefer petite diced tomatoes
- Tomato sauce
- Optional: small pasta–like orzo or ditalini
Instructions
You can make this recipe in your Instant Pot or in the slow cooker. Both work great!
How to make in the Instant Pot:
- Brown the ground beef using the sauté (MORE) setting. If there is excess grease drain it off before adding in the seasonings.
- Deglaze the pot with the water.
- Add in beef base, onions, lentils, split peas, farro, tomatoes, tomato sauce and Italian seasoning. I just dumped everything into the pot and did not stir.
- Set the SOUP button to 6 minutes (if you don’t have a soup button use the pressure cook button). When time is up move valve to venting. If foam comes out then move valve back to sealing for 20 seconds and then try again to move to venting.
- If you want to add in pasta you can cook it one of two ways. The first way is to cook the pasta on the stove as per the package directions. The second way is to add the pasta into the soup and use the sauté setting. (I didn’t add pasta into my soup at all…it’s a matter of preference.)
- Ladle soup into bowls and serve.
I used a 6 quart Instant Pot but you can also make this in a 3 or 8 quart pot.
How to make in the slow cooker:
- Brown the ground beef and season it. Add the beef into the slow cooker.
- Add in the water, beef base, onions, lentils, split peas, farro, tomatoes, tomato sauce and Italian seasoning.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until grain and legumes are cooked. Remember all slow cookers cook differently so you slow cooker might take more or less time.
- If you want to add in pasta you can cook it one of two ways. The first way is to cook the pasta on the stove as per the package directions. The second way is to add the pasta into the soup at about 5 hours and let it cook on low for an hour.
- Ladle soup into bowls and serve.
This can be made in any size crockpot from 3 to 8 quarts.
How to make as a dry soup mix in a jar
If you’d like to share this Amish friendship soup in a dry soup form you’ll need a mason jar. Follow the instructions below to make and share your jar:
- In a 1 ½ pint jar, layer the split peas, lentils, 2 ½ Tbsp of bouillon granules, farro, dried onion, Italian seasoning and finally the pasta (if using). Seal the jar.
- Attach a label to the jar that has the remaining instructions on how to make the soup. It should read: Remove pasta from the top of jar to be used later. Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting. When display says HOT add in the ground beef and break it up. Brown for about 5 minutes. If there is excess grease, drain it off. Stir in 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp kosher salt and ½ tsp pepper. Add in 8 cups of water. Add in contents of jar (not the pasta). Add in a 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes and an 8 oz can of tomato sauce. Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the SOUP button to 6 minutes. When time is up move the valve to venting. If foam comes out then move valve back to sealing for 20 seconds and then try again to move to venting. Once all pressure has released, remove the lid. You can cook pasta one of two ways. The first way is to boil the pasta on the stove, drain and then add it into the Instant Pot. The second way is to add the pasta into the soup and use the sauté setting to boil until it is tender. Ladle soup into bowls and serve.
(If you’d rather leave out the bouillon granules and use Better Than Bouillon for the jarred version you can do that too. Just make sure to include the 3 tablespoons of Better than Bouillon in the instructions. You’ll add it in when you add in the water.)
Here is a printable document…
What is farro?
Farro is an ancient whole grain that has protein, fiber, nutrients, minerals, and antioxidants. Farro is similar in nutrient profile to quinoa. It’s chewy, sort of like barley and has a nutty flavor. Find farro next to other grains at the grocery store.
Can I use something other than farro? The original recipe for Amish friendship soup has barley instead of farro. The reason I switched to farro was because it cooks at the same rate as the lentils and split peas in the pressure cooker. Barley takes quite a bit longer to cook. If you’d like to use something other than farro I suggest using white rice and then using a 5 minute pressure cooking time. You can also add in cooked quinoa, barley, wheat berries or brown rice instead. But you’ll need to add these in after the pressure cooking time is over.
Can I add vegetables?
Feel free to add other vegetables such as carrots and celery into the soup. Add them in with the other ingredients. If you have more tender vegetables, like peas, you will want to add them after the pressure cooking time is over.
How to store leftovers?
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
More Whole Grain Soup Recipes…
Instant Pot Sausage Barley Soup
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Instant Pot Amish Friendship Soup
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Total Time: 21 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Description
A delicious soup mix that you can make and eat now or layer in glass jars and give as gifts! With ground beef, whole grains and legumes it is hearty and will keep you full.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 8 cups water
- 3 Tbsp Better than Bouillon Beef Base
- 1/4 cup dried onions
- 1/3 cup brown lentils
- 1/3 cup split peas
- 1/3 cup farro
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- Optional: 1/2 cup small pasta (like orzo or ditalini)
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting. When display says HOT add in the ground beef and break it up. Brown for about 5 minutes. If there is excess grease, drain it off. Stir in the garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Pour in the water and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking.
- Add in beef base, onions, lentils, split peas, farro, tomatoes, tomato sauce and Italian seasoning.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the SOUP button to 6 minutes. When time is up move valve to venting. If foam comes out then move valve back to sealing for 20 seconds and then try again to move to venting. Once all pressure has released, remove the lid.
- If you want to add in pasta you can cook it one of two ways. The first way is to cook the pasta on the stove as per the package directions. The second way is to add the pasta into the soup and use the sauté setting. (I didn’t add pasta into my soup at all…it’s a matter of preference.)
- Ladle soup into bowls and serve.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Heat a pan over medium high heat and add in the ground beef and break it up. Brown for about 5 minutes. If there is excess grease, drain it off. Stir in the garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Add the beef into the slow cooker. Then add in the water, beef base, onions, lentils, split peas, farro, tomatoes, tomato sauce and Italian seasoning.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until grain and legumes are cooked.
- If you want to add in pasta you can cook it one of two ways. The first way is to cook the pasta on the stove as per the package directions. The second way is to add the pasta into the soup at about 5 hours and let it cook on low for an hour.
- Ladle soup into bowls and serve.
Notes
Soup Mix in a Jar Instructions: In a 1 ½ pint jar, layer the split peas, lentils, 2 ½ Tbsp of bouillon granules, farro, dried onion, Italian seasoning and finally the pasta (if using). Seal the jar. Attach a label to the jar that has the remaining instructions on how to make the soup: Remove pasta from the top of jar to be used later. Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting. When display says HOT add in the ground beef and break it up. Brown for about 5 minutes. If there is excess grease, drain it off. Stir in 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp kosher salt and ½ tsp pepper. Add in 8 cups of water. Add in contents of jar (not the pasta). Add in a 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes and an 8 oz can of tomato sauce. Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the SOUP button to 6 minutes. When time is up move valve to venting. If foam comes out then move valve back to sealing for 20 seconds and then try again to move to venting. Once all pressure has released, remove the lid. You can cook pasta one of two ways. The first way is to boil the pasta on the stove and then drain. The second way is to add the pasta into the soup and use the sauté setting to boil until it is tender. Ladle soup into bowls and serve.
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
I used a 7 minute cook time using the soup button and the split peas and lentils were still hard (live in a high altitude state). Will increase to 10 minutes next time. It needed more herbs and spices which I did at the end. Cooked the orzo on the sauté feature. The soup was better the second day.
★★★★
Soup does seem to get better the next day doesn’t it?!
My pressure cooker isn’t an Instant Pot and it does not have a “soup” setting. Should I just pressure cook on high?
Yes that will be fine!
I use savoy, regular cabbage ( sliced or chopped to resemble noodles or baby bok (halved) instead of noodles.. yummy
★★★★★
I love that idea!
What would you use instead of Farro for a celiac (i.e. somebody that must strictly follow a gluten-free diet)?
If you’d like to use something other than farro I suggest using white rice and then using a 5 minute pressure cooking time.
Haven’t made yet the cooking time seems very short for split peas and lentils. Can anyone confirm that they cook in 6 minutes in an instant pot?
Yes, they do!!
It worked well for me!
Wondering if you can use the soup mix of fried beans ect? What do you think and if so how much?
I’m not sure?? What’s in the soup mix?
Karen, this soup looks so comforting. I’ve never bought farro, and when I looked it up they listed 3 kinds: whole farro, semi-pearled, and pearled. What type do you use?
Cheers
I just bought the green package at Smiths. According to the internet it is pearled which is faster to cook. I also think that most of the farro sold in USA is pearled
Thanks Karen. That makes sense. It sounds like the same pearling thing that applies with barley. Nice to have the faster cook time with farro, though (vs barley), that works with your soup 😄.
Jennie,
If you can’t find it at the store, you can order your farro & barley from Bob’s Red Mill.com