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!
Dal, daal, dhal or dahl, whatever you call it is one of my ultimate comfort foods.
It also seems to be one of those polarizing 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.
And did I mention that you can make this whole dish in just one single pot? I love recipes that let me cook without messing up the whole kitchen!
If you love one-pot recipes too, make sure you grab this free printable with all my most popular one pot vegan recipes.
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?
(And don’t forget to snag your free copy of my favorite one-pot vegan recipes!)
Still hungry? Check out some of my other favorite lentil recipes like this mushroom lentil salad, this 5-minute vegan lentil salad, or this creative take on vegan moussaka.
Red Lentil Dal
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 1 red chilli deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 tomato finely chopped
- 2 tbsp 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
Ellie says
Definitely took us more than half an hour but soo delicious! Best lentil dish I’ve ever made!
Therese says
Amazing full of flavour, easy to prep and cook.
Thank you
Suzie says
I didn’t have curry leaves, and I did add cannot diced tomatoes and whole can of coconut milk with one sweet potato. it was great!
Jasmine says
Yummm! I added a can of diced tomato’s (and took out a cup of stock and the fresh tomato), I didn’t add curry leaves, and I added sweet potatoes and baby spinach. Delicious!
Amanda says
So happy I found this recipe. Everyone in the family loves it. It is now our staple recipe on the evenings that we have sporting practice. Family going every which way all over Sydney. I pop it in the slow cooker in the morning and leave it simmering all day.
Everyone comes home and dinner is warmed and ready to go for them.
Everyone loves it. Always gets the tick off from the whole family.
Nicole says
It makes me so happy to hear this! I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipe and thanks for sharing!
Roseann says
The whole family loves this! Full of flavor, and the coconut milk gives it a wonderful luxurious texture. This is now my “go to” dal recipe! Great as a main dish with basmati rice, or as a side with grilled fish.
Big THANKS for this recipe!
Carol Uden says
Absolutely delicious!!!
Amira says
I have attempted to make Dhal a number of times and have always been disappointed it didn’t turn out the delicious, comforting flavourful curry I had been pining for. Until now…This is everything you would want in a Dhal recipe, its absolutely divine. I followed the recipe exactly (curry leaves really give it that authentic flavour). I de-seeded the chilli and it was very mild which was perfect for my son – who ate the entire dowl (he is 5yrs). The balance of spices is perfect. The only thing I may do differently next time is brown the onions slightly on their own before adding the tomato as it was hard to get a caramelisation. Id also add the mustard seeds straight after id browned the onions, as they wouldn’t pop when added to the tomato mix. But that’s just being picky – it was a delicious meal, one ill add to my own recipe specials. Thank you indeed x
Nicole says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it – thanks for coming back to let me know!
anastasia says
I will make the recipe today for my friends and I.
Greetings from Greece.
Nicole says
Hope you enjoy it! And Greece is one of my favorite places in the world!
BRENDA BRUE HIGGINS says
What if I don’t have curry leaves?
Nicole says
The best substitute I’ve found for curry leaves is basil, with a dash of lime juice added.
svp says
made this on January 1, 2019. when I tasted it I knew the rest of the year would be good. nailed it!
Annie says
I have made this dish a few times now and it is absolutely define. Everyone including the hard to please kids and hubby love it. Definitely a bit in my house. Thank you for a wonderful dish!!!
Heather says
Made this tonight, just as the recipe called for and TWO THUMBS UP! This was a pretty fun recipe, a lot of new spices for me!
Nicole says
So glad you liked it!
Waltraut Knop says
I made this for dinner tonight along with Basmati rice. It was great! Compliments from all members of the family. The spices are really well balanced. Thanks for this recipe!!
Nicole says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much for letting me know!
C. Smith says
Just discovered this recipe and have made it twice in a week. You’ve even converted my meat-eating husband!
Nicole says
I’m so glad to hear that! This one is a hit with my meat-eating husband as well. 😀
Danny says
My third time making this recipe and I love it. No substitutions, by the book, with a bit mor chilli to my tasting. Only one note, maybe it’s because I double up the amounts, but this takes hours on the stove. Am I missing something?
Sandie says
I didn’t have fresh coriander or curry leaves to hand, but used the lime zest idea…gorgeous x
Jane says
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.
Nicolette says
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!!
Nicole says
Thank you so much for the kind words! I am also a bit of a recipe rebel – I love that term. 😀
Heather says
This was absolutely delicious! We love Indian food but I’ve never made Dahl from scratch before and this was so easy and a winner with my family! The hubby had seconds.👏🏼 I’ll be making this again! I followed the recipe exactly but the Dahl does need cooking much longer than 20 minutes (and I soaked my lentils overnight). Might try the pressure cooker next time.
Kim says
The BEST vegan dhal recipe I’ve ever tried. Thanks so much! I followed it to the letter and it’s so good!!
Win at The Equipped Cook says
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?
Nicole @ Delicious Everyday says
I suggest adding the lemon juice right at the end of cooking, before serving. I hope you enjoy it 😀
Trish says
This is so delicious! The flavour develops over time. Thank you for sharing Jennifer.
Nicole @ Delicious Everyday says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Trish 🙂
Nicki Escudero says
Fantastic recipe, Jennifer — it’s one of my new favorites! Thank you so much! Nicki
Nicole @ Delicious Everyday says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Nicki. It is one of my absolute favourites. I often make enough so I have left-overs for lunch the next day and instead of rice I serve them with oven baked kale chips for a bit of crunch. 🙂
Alicia says
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!!
Nicole @ Delicious Everyday says
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. 🙂
Alicia says
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!!
Muchi says
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.
Nicole @ Delicious Everyday says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Muchi!! It is a favourite in our house too. In fact we had it for dinner the other night. 🙂
Carol Leer says
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.
Nicole @ Delicious Everyday says
Thank you so much Carol! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, and that you husband enjoyed it enough to ask for it twice in one week!! 🙂
Maureen Longo says
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!
Nicole @ Delicious Everyday says
Oh Maureen, you made my day! I’m so glad you and your son enjoyed it. 🙂 It’s amazing what a few extra spices can do.
Christie says
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.
Nicole @ Delicious Everyday says
I couldn’t imagine anyone not liking it either. 🙂
Helen @ family-friends-food.com says
I’m definitely in the dal camp! My version is much simpler than this – just garlic and cumin for seasoning. Yours looks delicious though, and your photos are gorgeous 🙂
Nicole @ Delicious Everyday says
Your version sounds wonderful Helen 😀
Melissa @ My Wife Can Cook says
I have never made dal before, but all the spices with the red lentils sound amazing! Definitely need to try it out, especially since it takes only a half an hour!
Nicole @ Delicious Everyday says
You definitely need to give dal a try Melissa. It really is so easy!
Nancy | Plus Ate Six says
I love dahl. Or dal. Or dhal. 🙂 Love the spices you’ve used and how quick and easy it is too.
Nicole @ Delicious Everyday says
Thanks Nancy 🙂
Daniela Apostol says
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.
Nicole @ Delicious Everyday says
I love lentils too Daniela. It is sad that they are so often overlooked as they are so delicious and filling too! 🙂
Rosa says
A mouthwatering dish! I love red lentils and Indian food.
Cheers,
Rosa
Nicole @ Delicious Everyday says
Thanks Rosa 🙂
Kristy @ Southern In Law says
This looks perfect, Jennifer! Definitely adding this to my must make list! xo