This easy red lentil dhal recipe with optional leafy greens is perfect comfort food and the ultimate one pot dish. Ready in just 25 minutes, it is supremely comforting, like a hug in a bowl. Vegan and naturally gluten free.
Red Lentil Dhal
I love the simplicity of these wholesome dishes, the absence of anything processed or packaged.
This staple of Southern Asian home cooking is as flexible as you could wish. Make your dal as thick or thin as you like, scooping thick dhal with roti, chapattis or naan. Thin it to make a sauce for vegetables or rice dishes or add more stock to make dhal soup.
This dhal is made with red lentils. It is pared down to the minimum to make the most of the flavour of the lentils, simple and delicious. Serve on its own with bread or rice, or as part of an Indian feast. Leftovers can be easily frozen or turned into soup.
Dal, Dhal or Daal?
The Hindi word dhal refers both to various types of hulled split peas or lentils and to the stews and sauces in which they feature. As often happens with transliteration from one script to another, there are different spellings. It doesn’t matter which you choose.
The red lentils I have used here are also known as masoor dhal. I suppose it may be redundant to say lentil dhal – like saying spicy spice or lentily lentils. I have, however, decided to go all belt and braces in naming this red lentil dhal recipe. At least you know what I mean!
Why You Will Love This Red Lentil Dhal Recipe
- It is delicious. That’s the most important thing, right?
- It is incredibly easy. I’ve pared the recipe down to the bare minimum and I promise, there is no fuss.
- It is supremely nourishing and comforting.
- It is frugal – cheaper than chips.
- This recipe is very adaptable, so you can vary the veg and the spicing to suit your taste.
- It’s perfect for batch cooking. Make a huge pot and freeze for those nights when you don’t want to cook.
- At less than 250 calories per portion, it’s very light.
- It’s so easy to add those all-important extra veg too!
This recipe won The Guardian readers’ recipe swap for homemade remedies way back in 2013, with Felicity Cloake describing my dal (made with kale)
Helen Best-Shaw’s quick and easy dal won my heart – both spicy enough to cut through a cold, and healthy enough to feel medicinal
Felicity Cloake, 2013
How to make Red Lentil Dhal, Step by Step
This is an easy recipe, so it is perfect for those who aren’t yet confident in the kitchen. Be bold and try it! Grab your ingredients. Check you’ve got everything before you start.
Step One – Peel and chop the onion. Put the oil in a pan and set on a medium heat. Fry the onion until it is translucent.
Step Two – Add the spices and fry for a minute, until fragrant. Stir in the lentils, coating them with the spice mixture.
Step Three – Pour over the stock and add some salt and pepper. Cover the pan and turn the heat right down, using a diffuser ring if necessary. Stir from time to time to prevent the lentils catching on the bottom of the pan.
Step Four – Add the green vegetables. Stir spinach straight in, but blanch kale or spring greens before adding. Add some more liquid at this stage if you prefer a thinner dhal or want to use it as a sauce over other veg, rice or meat.
How to blanch leafy greens
Chop or shred the greens, removing any thick tough stalks. Place in a sieve and pour a kettle of boiling water over to wilt.
Step Five – Add a squeeze of lemon juice. This lifts the entire dish, so don’t skip this stage. It’s ready to serve, either in a bowl as is, or with banana chutney, and a coconut roti to scoop it up with.
Keep your red lentil dhal in a covered pot in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze leftovers for those can’t-be-bothered days.
Hints, Tips & Variations
I love this dish as it is, perfectly comforting, pared back and oh so easy.
- Vary the spices. Swap the curry powder for garam masala.
- Grate garlic and ginger in when you are frying the spices.
- Make a tarka dhal – after cooking the onion and spice set to one side and use to top the lentil mixture.
- Add different vegetables. Try my courgette dal.
- Add extra stock to make a lentil soup.
- Pack leftovers into airtight pots and freeze.
- Don’t skip the lemon juice. You can’t taste it but it makes a massive difference to the final dish. If you have leftover lemons, juice them, pour the juice into an ice cube tray and freeze. Then just drop a frozen cube in when cooking daal.
Easy Red Lentil Dal
Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive or coconut oil (ideally unrefined extra virgin)
- 1 onion (peeled and finely chopped)
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 2 tsp cumin seeds (or nigella / onion)
- 200 g red lentils
- 550 ml vegetable stock
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 handful green leafy vegetables (spinach, shredded kale or spring greens)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pan on a medium heat. Add the onion and fry until fragrant and translucent.
- Add the spices, and fry for another minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the lentils and pour over the stock. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cover the pan and simmer over a low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring from time to time to time. If you want a soupier dhal, then add some more liquid.
- Add the green vegetables; if using, stir spinach straight in. Blanch kale or spring greens by putting them in a sieve and pouring a kettle of boiling water over them before adding them to the pan.
- Towards the end of cooking, add the lemon juice. You don't want to skip this as the lemon lifts the entire dish.
Notes
- Vary the spices. Swap the curry powder for garam masala.
- Grate garlic and ginger in when you are frying the spices.
- Make a tarka dhal – after cooking the onion and spice set to one side and use to top the lentil mixture.
- Add different vegetables. Try my courgette dal.
- Add extra stock to make a lentil soup.
- Pack leftovers into airtight pots and freeze.
- Don't skip the lemon juice. You can't taste it but it makes a massive difference to the final dish. If you have leftover lemons, juice them, pour the juice into an ice cube tray and freeze. Then just drop a frozen cube in when cooking daal.
- This recipe is 7 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion
Video
Update Notes: This recipe was originally posted in July 2012, but was rewritten and republished with step by step instructions, new images and hints & tips in March 2020.
kelly
I love a bowl of dal – this is super comforting
Jayne
Love this recipe, I love both lentils and leafy greens. This sounds delicious!
Ren Behan
A lovely recipe Helen. So supremely comforting.
Workinglondonmummy
V Nice. Am on the search for healthy without being salad so I shall be making this
Helen
Thank you.
It probably needs some rice or beans in it so it is complete protein, but hopefully the recipe is proof that simple vegan food can be tasty!
Anne
The dal looks gorgeous and golden in colour! love the added greens!
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I love a quick and easy dal, it does the job of filling you up for ages as well as tasting great. I often add spinach. Love the idea of adding other leafy greens.
Helen
Love lentils! In fact Love Lentils would be a good name for a blog.
Dal is great – thick or soupy, spicy or mild, veggie filled or not, different lentils. You could have a different type every day of the year!
Sarah, Maison Cupcake
This looks very healthy, exactly the type of thing I’d want to eat at the moment.
Camilla @Fabfood4all
My husband loves dhal and I’m afraid to say I’ve never made it, so thank you for this lovely recipe, I can now right a wrong!
girlfridaymedia
Mmm, looks lovely. I love healthy dal recipes for when I am wanting to detox but want to eat something a bit more interesting. I certainly have been over indulging recently so shall be trying this!
Fee
I love making this dish, such a wholesome and tasty meal, and so easy to make.
Diana Black
My kids love it when I make this, and I love it when they eat it. Cheap, easy to make and stacked with goodness.
Victoria
Made this at the weekend for our Friday night supper, and it was so good. Thanks, Helen. Definitely making again.
Belinda Morris
I love using lentils, and this is a great way of making a tasty dish with them.
Indie Punton
This is such a tasty meal and great value. I made a batch and froze some for later days.
zoe tait
I really love making dahl, so easy and always yummy. I often have it in a pita bread.
Rach Gillian
Love this recipe, Helen. Such a good change up from lentil soup. Great flavours and perfect for lunch or supper.
Nicole L
I make this every week and freeze batches of it to take to work. It is so tasty and full of goodness.
Victoria
I use lentils a lot, and this recipe is ideal for creating a warming and tasty meal. Good value too.
Mal
I much prefer this with the added flavour and spices than plain lentil soup. A good winter warmer.
Garry
Amazingly quick, easy, tasty and nutritious.
Given the current cost of living food issues, lentils are just a brilliant super food. I wish more people would see how great they are.
Thanks again.
Helen Best-Shaw
Thanks for commenting Garry,
I love lentils and have jars of them in the cupboard.
You may like my veggie packed lentil loaf, or my carrot and lentil soup.