Made in one pot in just 30 minutes, this is guaranteed to be the easiest lentil dahl recipe you ever try! It’s rich and creamy, made with budget-friendly ingredients, and packed with plant protein and fiber.
Want more Indian-inspired recipes? Be sure to try my Easy Chana Masala, Vegan Biryani, Vegan Butter Chicken, and Roasted Eggplant Curry recipes while you’re here.
This easy 30-minute lentil dahl recipe tastes almost too good to be true. It features restaurant-quality flavors but is incredibly easy to make in one pot using budget-friendly ingredients!
Red lentils melt into the rich, creamy, and perfectly spiced stew while infusing this hearty meal with protein and fiber. Coconut milk tempers the spice while a handful of spinach adds a secretly healthy twist. Treat yourself to a hefty scoop with cooked rice and homemade Naan on the side, then enjoy!
What is lentil dahl?
The term, dahl (also dal, dhal, or daal), refers to dried, split pulses or legumes. It also refers to a staple Indian dish made by simmering lentils in a spiced and aromatic stew or soup. Dahl recipes vary from region to region but they almost always feature layered and nuanced flavor profiles and affordable, yet protein-rich ingredients.
How to make easy red lentil dahl
To begin, sauté the chopped onion in an oiled skillet over medium heat until it’s soft. Next, add the garlic and ginger. Let them soften before stirring in the garam masala, turmeric, and red pepper flakes.
Stir in the dried lentils, canned tomatoes and their juices, coconut milk, and vegetable broth. Bring the mixture up to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.
Continue simmering until the red lentils are soft and tender.
To finish, stir the lemon juice and spinach into the lentil stew. Cook until the spinach is wilted. Give it a taste and adjust the seasonings as needed (add salt to taste, more lemon for tang, red pepper flakes for spice, etc.).
Serve the red lentil dal in bowls with cooked brown or basmati rice and fresh naan bread on the side. Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
No, red lentils do not need to be soaked before they’re added to the pan. However, I do recommend sifting through the dry lentils first. Keep your eyes out for pebbles or specks of dirt, and be sure to discard them before cooking the lentils.
All kinds! Red and split yellow lentils work particularly well for this easy dal recipe because they take very little time to soften and practically melt into the creamy stew.
You could probably use green or brown lentils as a substitute here, but I haven’t tested it. Just know that green/brown lentils don’t soften as much as red lentils and will give the dahl more texture. They also take longer to cook, but you can mitigate this by adding more water or broth to the pot as needed.
Cashew cream is the best replacement for coconut milk. It will make the dahl rich and creamy but won’t affect the flavor (Use 1/2 cup or more, and additional broth as needed.) Unsweetened cashew, soy, or almond milk also works well for a lower fat, less rich option.
Yes, it’s easy to make red lentil dal in the Instant Pot. Using the Sauté feature, cook the onion, then the garlic and ginger. Stir in the spices, then the lentils, coconut milk, tomatoes, and broth. Lock the lid in place and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes. Do a quick release, then add the lemon juice and stir in the spinach.
Red lentil dal is perfect for meal prep and healthy lunches! The cooled leftovers stay fresh and flavorful for 3 to 4 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
You sure can. Place the leftover dahl in freezer-safe airtight containers or ziplock bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
Quick & Easy Red Lentil Dahl
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped small
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper chili flakes
- 1 1/2 cups dried red lentils
- 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 13.5 ounce can full fat coconut milk
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- half a lemon, juiced
- 3-4 cups baby spinach
For serving
- 4 cups cooked brown or white rice
- Vegan Naan
Instructions
- In a large pot or pan over medium heat, sauté the chopped onion in the olive oil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Then add the garlic and ginger and cook 1 more minute, until fragrant.
- Add the garam masala, turmeric and red pepper flakes to the pan and stir into the onion mixture. Add a few tablespoons of water if the mixture is too dry.
- Now add the dried lentils, canned tomatoes and their juices, coconut milk and vegetable broth to the pan. Stir well and turn the heat to high. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the lentils are cooked and soft. Stir occasionally.
- Squeeze the lemon juice into the pan, and stir in the spinach as well until wilted. Add salt to taste. I used 1 teaspoon.
- Serve with brown or white rice and Vegan Naan. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Leftover dahl will keep in the refrigerator for about 4 days in a covered container. It also freezes well.
- May use light coconut milk if desired, it simply won’t be as creamy. If you can’t have coconut, you may substitute Cashew Cream instead. Unsweetened almond/cashew/soy milk may work as well.
- To make it in the Instant Pot: Use the sauté feature to cook the onions, then the garlic and ginger. Add spices and stir. Turn off the Instant Pot for a moment, and add the lentils, tomatoes, coconut milk and broth. Seal and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes. Do a quick release, then add the lemon juice and stir in the spinach until wilted. Serve.
- Nutritional information is an estimate only and does not include rice or naan.
Delicious! I followed the recipe but added extra veggies (red pepper, sweet potato, mushrooms and broccoli). So good!
This was the most delicious curry I’ve ever made. I substituted the diced tomatoes for tomato paste and it still turned out lovely! Just added a bit of sugar to tone down the acidity. Thank you for this recipe; I’ll definitely be making it again!
Hi Violet. How awesome that you loved the curry! Thanks for sharing your awesome review and feedback! Wising you lots of happy cooking!
This is so flavorful and delicious! Extremely hearty meal, and nutritious.
Nora hits it out of the park again. Love all your recipes!
I appreciate you using my recipes, Shelly! This Dahl is hands down one of my favorite recipes! I’m glad you love it as well! Thanks for your terrific review and encouraging feedback! Happy cooking!
Hi, I can’t have coconut milk or cream – would your cashew milk recipe work for this? Cheers
Yes, it works very well. Thanks!
I swapped the turmeric for curry powder and used frozen spinach.
Best Dahl I’ve ever had, restaurant level. I’ll look for more recipes on your blog now! Thanks 😊
THIS!!! One of my all time faves from your site. Unbelievably easy–only 3 things to chop?!? Also healthy?? OMG–and delicious??? Witchcraft! I share this recipe all the time with folks. Brilliant. You deserve a medal for this contribution to humanity’s happiness.
Hi Brooke. Thank for your stellar review and feedback! It sure means a lot to me, and a big smile has magically appeared on my face! This recipe is also one of my all time favorites! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
I followed the recipe exactly and it was delicious. The spices etc suited our taste perfectly and it was beautifully creamy and rich.
I didn’t see the button to tap for metric measurements so I googled cups versus metric and it was fine but I’ll tap the button next time.
Hi Gina. I’m really glad you loved the Dahl. It is totally one my favorites meals! Thanks for your awesome review and feedback! Happy cooking!
How much is a serving? 1 cup?
Probably about a cup, there are 8 servings total so you’d have to divide it by 8 to know for sure.
Possibly too much liquid in this recipe? My batch was like soup, not stew. I even used less coconut milk than directed and no tomatoes. But flavor is very good, so will adjust tjis a bit in the future.
Did you use pre-cooked lentils or something? If you use dried lentils, they soak up a ton of liquid as they cook. Sometimes I need to even add more liquid because it gets too thick.
Just whipped this up and WOW! Such a cheap, tasty and hearty eat! I added capsicum and mushrooms (finely diced) for an extra hit of veg, and some curry powder and it was delicious! Will be making it again!
too much liquid in mine also.
I used dried lentils but I did rinse before hand.
A keeper, another really good recipe, thank you Nora!
You bet, Anna! This is one of my all time favorite recipes! Thanks for sharing your awesome review and feedback! Happy cooking!
Hey, I’m going to make this this week (it looks great). I see the recipe can be easily doubled or tripled, which I would do if there was a way to put it up, to get another couple meals out of it within the month.
This was magnificent 👏 and I’ve tried a lot of dahl recipes 😀 absolutely yummy thank you. I also added curry leaves
You bet, Kim! I’m thrilled you loved the Dahl! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review and feedback!
I already commented that I love this dish- but I’m having the leftovers on my lunch break right now and had to come back to say that I think the Red Lentil Dahl is the best I’ve ever eaten! Highly recommended – ten stars.
Thank you for coming back a second time! 🙂 I’m so happy you’re loving it.
This was delicious! Even my kids who are fussy eaters loved it 😍 Thank you for the recipe. This is going to be a regular in my house, I reckon!
You are welcome, Nat! I’m thrilled the Dahl was a hit with your family! Thank you for your wonderful feedback and review! Happy cooking!
Hello Nora,
Love your red lentil dahl recipe, am looking forward to making it. What is the white dressing it is topped with in the picture?
Thank you,
Joanne
Thanks, I hope you love it! It’s a bit of full fat coconut milk. I also like plain yogurt (I use dairy free) on top.
I’m assuming I can use brown lentils with this recipe, correct?
You can, the lentils will just be more noticeable and they made need a bit longer to cook. Add more liquid as needed.
Can this recipe be frozen?
Yes, it freezes very well.
I just made this dish and followed the recipe, OH-My-Goodness, SO GOOD!!! It truly reminded me of India (where I bought my spices), thank you.
I’m so happy to hear that Chandra, thank you for the review.
This turned out so good! I use store-bought minced garlic and it turned out just great.Thank you!
You bet, Hope! I’m so glad you loved the Dahl! It’s one of my favorites! Thanks for your great feedback!
This is the red lentil recipe I will be coming back to again and again. When the whole family asks for seconds that is a good sign!
Hi Carla. I love that the Dahl was a hit with your family! Thanks for sharing your stellar review and feedback! Happy cooking!
No matter the red lentil dahl recipe I come across, I always end up returning to this one. So simple and quick. No fuss, lots of flavour. I have recommended it to so many family and friends. Thanks so much for publishing
You are welcome, Adriana. Your feedback has made my day! I’m so thrilled you are loving and sharing the Dahl recipe! Thanks for your awesome review! Wishing you happy cooking!
Great recipe but lentils did not take 15 minutes.
Took about 45-1hour.
Used red and yellow spilt lentils
Made this with brown lentils and cooked for about 40-50 minutes. Still came out GREAT!
This recipe was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!! Wow. I’ll definitely be repeating it often, thank you!
Didn’t have any spinach for the recipe, but ate it with homemade saag aloo. Very tasty and simple to cook. Used reduced fat coconut milk because it as all I had and still turned out fabulous
Hi Marion. Thanks for sharing your wonderful review and cooking experience! I’m thrilled you loved it! Happy cooking to you!