Easy Red Lentil Dahl

Name: Red Lentil Dahl
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or preferred oil); 1 large onion (, finely diced); 4 cloves garlic (, minced); 1 tablespoon ginger (, grated or minced (fresh, frozen or paste)); 1 tablespoon curry powder; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (, more to taste (sub 1/4 tsp cayenne)); 4 cups vegetable broth (, low sodium); 2 cups red lentils (, rinsed well and drained); 1 cup tomato purée (, jarred/canned (not paste or sauce)); 3/4 teaspoon salt (, more to taste); 14 ounces coconut milk (, canned (full-fat)); 1 lemon (, juiced (sub with lime)); 1/4 cup cilantro (, chopped ); Naan; Fresh-Cut Cilantro; Lemon Wedges; Rice ((about 3 cups cooked))

April 26, 2022 By Melissa Huggins / 32 Comments

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This Red Lentil Dahl is a full-on comfort meal that your whole family will love. It requires common ingredients, minimal prep, and it'll cook up beautifully in 30 minutes or less!

Overhead view of red lentil dahl in a gray bowl.

I'm coming right at you with another easy dinner recipe to try out and I think you're going to love it. If you've never had Red Lentil Dahl before, you're in for a treat!

It's fragrant, satisfying, and filled with soul-warming flavor! It's just as easy and flavorful as my Vegan Chickpea Curry that I posted last week. It is a great addition to your weeknight dinner rotation.

Most of us are cooking at home full-time now which can be really hard. So, I want to help make it quick, easy, delicious, and FUN! This recipe fits the bill.

Ingredients + Substitute ldeas

This is a quick overview with step-by-step photos. For the complete ingredient amounts and instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.

All ingredients to make dahl on a table top.

Garlic – I prefer fresh garlic, but if you don’t have it, you can use frozen or jarred.
Ginger – Frozen, paste, or jarred will work fine.
Curry Powder – if you don't have it, you use 1 teaspoon each of cumin, turmeric, and coriander. A few pinches of cinnamon, cardamom, and black pepper are a nice addition, too.
Crushed Red Pepper – Cayenne pepper is a great substitute. Just add a few pinches.
Tomato Purée – Crushed tomatoes or 1.5 cups of canned diced will work too. You can also dice 3 medium tomatoes and cook with their juices.
Red Lentils – You can use yellow lentils, but they will take longer to cook. Just simmer until tender.
Coconut Milk – You can use homemade cashew cream or any store-bought vegan cream that’s unsweetened. Lite coconut milk will work too. Just use 1 ¼ cups instead of the full can.
Lemon Juice – Fresh lime juice will work too.

How to make Red Lentil Dahl

See how to make this dahl recipe in just six easy steps and all in one pan.

Six process photos showing how to make the recipe in a pan.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until softened and lightly golden.
Add the garlic and ginger. Sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
Add the curry powder, cumin, and crushed red pepper. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Now add the tomato purée.
Cook the purée for about 5 minutes until it thickens up.
Add the broth, coconut milk, red lentils, and salt. Gently simmer for 15-20 minutes or until thickened and the lentils are tender.

Red Lentil Dahl Success Tips

You'll love how easy this recipe is to put together. Here are some tips to help you along:

Don't overcook the lentils or they will lose their texture and become mushy.
For a thinner consistency, add a few splashes of broth or water to thin.
Keep everything at a moderate simmer. If you boil it, the coconut milk may curdle and the liquid will cook down too fast.
If you want a thicker consistency, reduce the vegetable broth and coconut milk by ½ cup each. Note: the lentil dahl naturally thickens up as it cools down a bit.
To make this dahl kid-friendly, you can reduce or omit the crushed pepper and reduce the cumin.

Flavor Enhancing Ideas

I kept this dahl recipe simple, but it still has a wonderful flavor. Just make sure to sauté the onions well until they are lightly golden, and sauté the garlic and spices until they are fragrant. Also, make sure your spices are not expired and choose a quality brand.

If you want to add additional flavor, you can add ½ teaspoon of cumin, coriander, or garam masala to the curry powder.

This lentil dahl is mildly-spiced, so if you want more heat, you can add 1 small jalapeño or serrano pepper with the garlic and ginger. Deseed the peppers first, then dice or slice them. You can leave some seeds for extra heat.

Recipe FAQs

Can I freeze dahl?

Yes, you can, but the texture may change slightly due to the coconut milk. However, if you're cooking the dahl specifically to freeze it, you can leave out the coconut milk and add it when you thaw and reheat. It'll keep in the freezer for 4-6 months.

What do I serve with dahl?

Dahl is very hearty on its own, but it pairs nicely with rice, naan, lemon or lime wedges, and fresh-cut cilantro

This Red Lentil Dahl also goes perfectly with quinoa, salad, cauliflower rice, artisan bread, roasted or steamed veggies, Bombay potatoes, and more!

Two bowls filled with red lentil dahl and rice with naan on the side.

More Indian-Inspired Recipes To Try

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Comments

5 from 31 votes (15 ratings without comment)