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Lentil dal in a black bowl.
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4.97 from 33 votes

Red Lentil Dal

This delicious red lentil dal is high in protein, perfectly spiced and highly flavorful. It's also ready in 30 minutes, perfect for easy weeknight meals.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Entree, Gluten-Free, Savory
Cuisine: Vegan
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 6
Calories: 444kcal
Author: Alison Andrews

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 Medium Onion White, Yellow or Brown, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Crushed Garlic
  • 1 tsp Minced Ginger
  • 2 tsp Turmeric
  • ½ tsp Coriander Powder
  • ½ tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Curry Powder Mild or Spicy
  • 2 cups Dried Red Lentils (400g)
  • 14 ounces Canned Chopped Tomato (400g)
  • 3 cups Vegetable Stock (720ml) or Broth
  • 14 ounces Canned Coconut Milk (400ml) Full Fat, Unsweetened
  • 2 Tbsp Coconut Sugar
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

For Serving (Optional):

Instructions

  • Add the olive oil to a pot along with the chopped onions, crushed garlic and minced ginger and sauté until the onions are softened.
  • Add the turmeric, coriander powder, cinnamon, curry powder and red lentils and sauté the lentils in the spices briefly and then add the canned chopped tomato, vegetable stock and coconut milk.
  • Bring it to a simmer and then turn down the heat and cover the pot and leave to simmer, checking it and stirring regularly, until the lentils are cooked. Keep an eye out as they cook fast*.
  • Add in some coconut sugar (for flavor balance) and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve with basmati rice and fresh chopped cilantro with some poppadoms on the side (optional). 

Video

Notes

  1. The coconut sugar can be replaced with light brown sugar or other sugar if you don't have coconut sugar on hand. This is just for flavor balance and doesn't make the dish sweet, however you can also omit it if you prefer.
  2. Be very careful not to over-cook your lentils. Red lentils cook so fast and just a few extra minutes can take them from perfectly cooked to over-cooked mush. They take about 10-15 minutes to cook from the point that the pot has come to a simmer.
  3. Nutritional information is for the dal only and excludes rice. 
  4. Keep leftovers stored in the fridge in a covered container for 4-5 days. It is also freezer friendly. 
  5. This recipe was first published in January 2018.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serve | Calories: 444kcal | Carbohydrates: 55.3g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 17.3g | Saturated Fat: 10.2g | Sodium: 511mg | Fiber: 5.4g | Sugar: 9.5g