This delicious, Indian-inspired Red Lentil Dahl recipe is a hearty and healthy curry that'll have you coming back for more. Packed with protein and bursting at the seams with bright flavors, this is a perfect meal for any time of year.
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Dahl (also spelled "dal" or "daal") is a multifaceted Hindi word that refers broadly to pulses (e.g. lentils, split peas and beans), as well as to this type of curry style lentil stew.
While lentils come in over 50 varieties (!!!), I have opted to use quick cooking red lentils for this recipe. Simmered until tender in an aromatic, slightly spicy tomato and coconut based curry, they are a beautiful and flavorful addition to any plant based meal plan.
Make a big batch of my Vegan Dahl today and enjoy it all week long. Perfect for serving with rice or flatbread, this is an inexpensive meal that is sure to fill your belly and your soul. Now let's get cooking!
Recommended Ingredients & Equipment
My recipe for dahl is filled with easy to find ingredients that are super affordable and highly versatile. In fact, you might already have everything on hand!
Here's everything you need:
Ingredient Notes
- Red Lentils - I love red lentils for their short cooking time and their beautiful color. This recipe will also work if you opt to use yellow or orange lentils instead; you may just need to adjust the cooking time.
- Kale - My hearty green of choice, kale adds a boost of nutrition and flavor to this dal recipe. Feel free to swap in any dark, leafy green like collards, chard or even spinach.
- Onion - I used white onion, but you can easily swap in yellow or red depending on what you have on hand.
- Ginger - When it comes to aromatics like ginger, fresh is best. To peel a knob, use a spoon for best results. In a pinch, you can swap in about ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger for every tablespoon of fresh.
- Garlic - Again, fresh is best here. But if necessary you can use ¾ - 1 teaspoon of granulated garlic instead.
- Jalapeño - Use as much or as little as you like, depending on your heat preference. If you prefer to avoid spicy foods, be sure to carefully remove the seeds and membranes of the jalapeño first, as capsaicin (the compound that tastes hot) is most concentrated there.
- Vegetable Broth - Feel free to make your own, or use my favorite store bought brand.
- Coconut Milk - This recipe calls for canned coconut milk (rather than in a carton). For a lighter option, you can use light coconut milk.
- Coconut Oil - Feel free to swap in avocado oil, olive oil, or vegan butter.
- Spices - I use a mix of curry, coriander, cumin, paprika and cayenne here. To dial back on the heat, reduce the amount of cayenne. You can also reach for a spice mix like garam masala if you don't have all of the spices on hand.
Recommended Equipment
For this red lentil dal recipe, you will need basic cooking equipment including a chef’s knife, a sauté pan, and kitchen utensils. (<<affiliate links)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One - Prep Your Veggies
Peel and mince garlic and ginger. Remove the stem, seeds and membrane, then finely chop jalapeño. Chop onion and carrot.
Pro Tip: You don't have to peel your carrots. Carrot peels have a ton of nutrients that you don't have to miss out on! Just make sure to wash and scrub the carrots before using.
Step Two - Sauté and Season
Heat the coconut oil in a skillet. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, garlic, ginger, and jalapeños for 3-5 minutes, until the onions are translucent and fragrant. Add the carrots and spices and stir to coat.
Pro Tip: If you want to reduce the calories and fat, feel free to sauté the veggies in 1-2 tablespoons of water instead.
Step Three - Add Lentils and Simmer
Place the lentils in a fine mesh strainer and thoroughly rinse. It's important not to skip this step otherwise your lentils might have a gritty dirt taste. Rinse for 30-60 seconds and let all the water drain from the lentils.
Once veggies are evenly coated, add the lentils, tomatoes, and vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the red lentils are soft. Do not cover.
Once most of the liquid has absorbed and the red lentils are cooked all the way through, add coconut milk and continue simmering for 10 minutes until you have reached the desired thickness. Stir in salt and kale. Cook for an additional minute until the kale has wilted slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serving and Storing
Serving - Red lentil dahl is best served warm over long grain, fragrant rice like jasmine or basmati. I also love serving it with some vegan naan to sop up all the goodness at the end of the bowl!
Storing - Feel free to portion out individual servings at the beginning of the week for easy grab and go lunches. Any leftovers will keep for up to a week in the fridge or up to three months in the freezer. Leftovers are always best served with fresh rice.
Tips and Tricks
- Short on time? Feel free to leave the skins on your carrots! They're packed with nutrients and will be unnoticeable in the final dish. Just make sure to wash and scrub the carrots before chopping.
- Make sure to rinse lentils. Place the lentils in a fine mesh strainer and thoroughly rinse. If you don't rinse, your lentils might have a gritty dirt taste.
- Want to amp up the heat? Leave the membranes in your jalapeño and use the whole pepper. Feel free to add extra slices of fresh jalapeño to the final dish.
- Don't like kale? Feel free to use your favorite dark leafy green of choice. Or you can omit it altogether.
Frequently Asked Questions
In a word, VERY! This yummy curry stew is packed with fiber, protein, potassium and vitamin A. It also has a relatively low calorie count for how filling it is, with each serving clocking less than 250 calories. It also just so happens to be gluten free. Bonus!
Red lentils are among my favorites for making dahl due to their quick cooking time and soft consistency. Feel free to swap in yellow or orange lentils instead, as these colorful varieties all have similar cook times.
This dish will reheat beautifully in the microwave or on the stovetop (though you may need to add a few tablespoons of water). You can also eat dahl on the go by turning it into a burrito style wrap, or use the leftovers to make dahl pancakes.
More Vegan Curries
Make sure to check out my favorite 11 vegan curry recipes from around the web as well as the entire curry and stir fry section on this website!
Red Lentil Dahl
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- ½-1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
- 1 cup carrots, chopped
- 1 tbsp. curry powder
- 1 ½ tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. coriander
- ½ tsp. paprika
- ¼ tsp. cayenne
- 1 ½ cup dried red lentils, rinsed
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
- 1 ½ tsp. salt
- 1-2 cups kale, destemmed and chopped
Instructions
- Place the lentils in a fine mesh strainer and thoroughly rinse. It's important not to skip this step otherwise your lentils might have a gritty dirt taste. Rinse for 30-60 seconds and let all the water drain from the lentils. Once veggies are evenly coated, add the lentils, tomatoes, and vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the red lentils are soft.
- Add coconut milk and continue simmering for 10 minutes until you have reached the desired thickness. Stir in salt and kale. Cook for an additional minute until the kale has wilted slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve over rice with fresh cilantro
Notes
- Short on time? Feel free to leave the skins on your carrots! They're packed with nutrients and will be unnoticeable in the final dish.
- Make sure to rinse lentils. Place the lentils in a fine mesh strainer and thoroughly rinse. If you don’t rinse, your lentils might have a gritty dirt taste.
- Want to amp up the heat? Leave the membranes in your jalapeño and use the whole pepper. Feel free to add extra slices of fresh jalapeño to the final dish.
- Don’t like kale? Feel free to use your favorite dark leafy green of choice. Or you can omit it altogether.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
Dagmar says
Hi.
May I ask are u using split or whole red lentils,?
Thank u
Susan says
I loved this recipe! Have made others and will make this again and again. Red lentils are a favorite and will continue to use this recipe. Did use spinach as had a lot in fridge.
Thanks
Kris says
I just made this and WOW! So much flavor and it was super easy to make. My non-vegan hubby loved it too. This is a KEEPER!
Molly says
Don’t you mean rinse the red lentils for 30-60 SECONDS?? This makes more sense than 30-60 minutes, but inexperienced folks may take this at face value!!! Recipe sounds good....