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Gloriously golden Red Lentil Dal {vegan + gluten-free}

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This gloriously golden red lentil dal is the ultimate in comfort food. Fragrant, creamy and utterly delicious this simple dal recipe will be on the table in under 30 minutes!

Red lentil dal recipe - this gloriously golden vegan dahl is the ultimate in comfort food | DeliciousEveryday.com

Dal, daal, dhal or dahl, whatever you call it is one of my ultimate comfort foods.

It also seems to be one of those polarising foods.

Some people, like me, love dal for its comforting hug in a bowl qualities, while others deride its simplicity. That and the fact that its made from lentils.  But dal’s simplicity is the main part of its charm.

If you belong to the camp that believed dal was difficult to make at home, let me tell you it isn’t. In fact, this red lentil dal is ready in under 30 minutes.

The other charming thing about making this simple red lentil dal recipe is the beautiful aromas that fill the air. The earthiness of cumin, the slight citrus notes of coriander seeds and the sweetness of cinnamon begins the act of comforting you before you even take a bite.

Red lentil dahl with coconut milk - ready in 30 minutes this beautiful golden dahl is the ultimate in comfort food | DeliciousEveryday.com

We all know the health benefits of turmeric, and this dal is lovely and golden thanks to a generous helping of turmeric. Some of the health benefits of turmeric include:

  • it’s a powerful natural anti-inflammatory – when I suffered recent back pain instead of taking anti-inflammatory medication I took turmeric tablets which worked just as well.
  • apparently, it helps ward off Alzheimer’s
  • contains anticancer properties
  • has a positive effect on cholesterol which also helps reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke

While naan is a fabulous accompaniment to this turmeric dal I like to make flatbreads as they are quick and don’t require time to rise. I use this recipe here and slather it with garlic butter. Along with steamed basmati rice and fresh coriander (cilantro) and

Along with steamed basmati rice and fresh coriander (cilantro) and squeeze of lemon it’s the ultimate satisfying meal.

For a lighter lunch-time version of this red lentil dahl, I like to serve it with a side of watercress or rocket (arugula) or oven baked kale chips in place of rice.

So tell me, do you like dal? What is your favourite version?

This golden vegan 30-minute turmeric red lentil dal is packed with turmeric and totally delicious!Click To Tweet

Vegan Red lentil dal - served with steaming rice and naan bread this vegan dahl is the ultimate in comfort food | DeliciousEveryday.com

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5 from 6 votes
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Red Lentil Dal

A wonderfully fragrant dal spiked with turmeric and spices.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian, vegan
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 380 kcal
Author Jennifer Schmidt

Ingredients

  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 tbs grated ginger
  • 1 red chilli deseeded and finely chopped
  • 1 tomato finely chopped
  • 2 tbs coriander (cilantro) roots and stalks finely chopped
  • 6 leaves curry
  • 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 3 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 lemon juiced

Instructions

  1. Place a large pot over your smallest burner set to a medium heat. Add the olive oil (you can also use coconut oil or ghee) and the onions, ginger, chilli, tomato and coriander roots. Add a couple of pinches of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are sweet and golden, around 5 minutes.
  2. Add the curry leaves and mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to pop add the rest of the spices and garlic. Cook until fragrant. Add the lentils, stock and coconut milk and when it starts bubbling reduce the heat to low.

  3. Let the dal bubble away for 20 minutes or so or until the lentils collapse and the dal becomes beautifully creamy. Taste and adjust the seasonings as necessary and add a squeeze of lemon.

Nutrition Facts
Red Lentil Dal
Amount Per Serving
Calories 380 Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 31%
Sodium 44mg 2%
Total Carbohydrates 40g 13%
Protein 14.5g 29%
Vitamin A 3%
Vitamin C 43%
Iron 37%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition Facts
Red Lentil Dal
Amount Per Serving
Calories 380 Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 31%
Sodium 44mg 2%
Total Carbohydrates 40g 13%
Protein 14.5g 29%
Vitamin A 3%
Vitamin C 43%
Iron 37%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This gloriously golden vegan red lentil dal is the ultimate in comfort food. Packed with turmeric this delicious meal is ready in under 30 minutes!

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Comments

  2. I made this for a “bring vegetarian dish”plate party .I made double the recipe. I had no yellow mustard seed so used black mustard seeds.I added a fair bit of salt to boost the flavors. There was a massive buffet table of food at this party,but my dish was all eaten.That’s because this recipe is absolutely delicious ! Thanks so much . 5 yums out of 5.

    Reply

  3. Wow! This was amazing. I’m usually a recipe rebel, using them as baselines, because I find that I always need to amp the flavor profiles. Seriously, not on this one. After reading through the ingredients I was so impressed and intrigued by the combination of spices that I decided to make as is. Well I used green lentils and coconut oil (instead of olive oil) as that is what I had on hand. I made it for company and served it with a paleo naan bread. The taste was so dramatic and the flavor profile was layered. Thank you so much for this recipe. My husband loved it, my guest was really impressed (lol), and I’m now slightly addicted to this recipe. This recipe was my introduction to your website and I look forward to looking through your other recipes!!

    Reply

  5. I love cooking with lentils but I’ve never made dahl before. This recipe looks really tasty. I’m going to try making it. Lots of wonderful health benefits too!
    Just one question: Do you stir the lemon juice into the dahl at the final stage of cooking or do you simply squeeze it over the top when serving it?

    Reply

  8. I just made this the other night, I couldn’t find any curry leaves where I live (Stockholm) so instead I used 1 small lime rind and it worked perfectly. It was so easy to do and except for the ginger I already had all of the ingredients at home. This is my favourite recipe! Thank you!!

    Reply

    • I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Alicia! The lime rind is a great substitute. Next time, if you have some handy, you might like to throw in some bay leaves as well as this will also help replace some of the flavour that the curry leaves impart. 🙂

      Reply

      • I am now making it again for the fourth time for a vegan dinner party and I finally found some curry leaves in a Indian store. Now onto my vegan naan bread.And again Love, love, love this recipe!!

  9. I just made this for dinner, and it is FANTASTIC! Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful recipes. This one is going to be a regular.

    Reply

  10. The Dahl must be good my Husband has asked me to make it twice in one week. But can’t take all the credit if it wasn’t for Jennifer’s wonderful receipe. So thank you for the receipe. I love this website.

    Reply

  11. Thank you so much, I have been making a different version of red dahl which is ok but not very exciting to me. I just made your version for the first time – DELICIOUS! So much more flavorsome, the cinnamon is a revelation YUM YUM YUM, and even better my 7yr old son liked it too!

    Reply

  12. Dal is so good for you. I cannot imagine anyone not liking it. I may be a little biased as my husband is from India. He would love your version.

    Reply

  15. I love dahl. Or dal. Or dhal. 🙂 Love the spices you’ve used and how quick and easy it is too.

    Reply

  16. Sometimes the simplest foods are the tastiest. I love cooking lentils too, they are not only healthy and delicious, but also filling, which means you won’t be tempted to have one too many snacks after your meal. Your recipe is easy to follow and looks amazing.

    Reply

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