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This Easy Red Lentil Dahl Recipe is a flavorful, comforting dish from Indian cuisine that is made from red lentils. This dish mixes red lentils with vegetables, fresh ginger, tomato, broth, coconut milk and a warm mixture of spices like curry powder, garam masala, turmeric, cumin and coriander.
This red lentil dahl is a thick, creamy one-pot stew that’s ready in about 50 minutes. Red lentils simmer with onion, carrot, red bell pepper, garlic, fresh ginger, crushed tomatoes and a warm spice blend, then get finished with coconut milk and a big squeeze of lemon. The lentils melt into a cozy, spoonable texture with no soaking and no blender. I make it on busy weeknights, spoon it over basmati rice with a swirl of Greek yogurt, and pack the leftovers for lunches all week.
Lentils are a staple in Lebanese kitchens, and they show up on my table constantly, from my Lebanese Lentil Soup to this dahl. My version borrows one habit from all those Lebanese lentil dishes: a generous hit of lemon right at the end. It wakes up the spices and keeps the coconut milk from tasting heavy. It’s my favorite trick, and it’s what makes this dahl taste brighter than most. Some other recipes you might like are my Chickpea Curry, Cauliflower Curry, Easy Lamb Curry, Easy Shrimp Curry, Easy Eggplant Curry, or my Red Lentil Curry.
Why We Love this Red Lentil Dahl
This red lentil dahl is so easy! Here is why we love it:
• Red lentils cook fast and break down on their own. They’re split and hulled, so they soften in about 20 minutes and naturally thicken the dahl. No blending needed.
• Blooming the spices in oil builds deep flavor. Two minutes in the hot pot unlocks the curry powder, cumin and turmeric so the dahl tastes layered, not dusty.
• Coconut milk goes in last. Adding it after the lentils soften keeps it from scorching on the bottom of the pot and keeps the texture silky.
Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions
See full list of ingredients below in recipe card with exact measurements.
- Vegetables – I add a red bell pepper and carrot to the dahl. We love the flavor from those vegetables.
- Ginger – for the best flavor I like to use freshly grated ginger, but pureed, frozen or ground ginger can be used if you can’t find fresh.
- Ground spices – I use a combination of curry powder, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper and black pepper to flavor the dahl, along with salt to season the lentils.
- Tomato – I add tomato paste to add depth of flavor and thicken the sauce, as well as a can of crushed tomatoes.
- Lentils – I use dry red lentils, which I pick through and rinse thoroughly before adding to the pot. I like the texture of the red lentils but you could also use yellow, green or brown in their place.
- Coconut milk – I use full fat coconut milk which gives the dahl a thicker consistency.
Recipe Modifications
- Lentils: I’ve used red lentil in this recipe as they cook quickly. However, you can substitute with green or brown lentils, you will just need to cook them longer.
- Vegetables: You can add in other vegetables to the dahl if you wish, try adding celery, mushrooms or green beans.
- Greens: greens would be a great addition to dahl. Try fresh spinach, kale, swiss chard or arugula.
- Spices: the blend of spices I’ve used add flavor, but if there’s a spice that you don’t like simply leave it out. If you don’t have garam masala, try adding a cinnamon stick, and a pinch each of ground nutmeg and clove.
- Chili: If you like spice and heat in your dahl add jalapeños or chilis when sautéing the vegetables. You also could add some chili powder, or chili flakes along with the dry spices.
How to Make This Red Lentil Recipe
Step 1. Sauté the vegetables: In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, red bell pepper, carrot and chilies (if using) and sauté 4 to 5 minutes, until the onion softens. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, until fragrant.
Step 1. Sauté the vegetables: In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, red bell pepper, carrot and chilies (if using) and sauté 4 to 5 minutes, until the onion softens. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, until fragrant.
Step 2. Cook the spices: Now add the fresh ginger, curry powder, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, coriander, cayenne red pepper, salt and pepper and continue to sauté for another 2 minutes to help the spices bloom. Stir in the tomato paste and continue to sauté for 2 minutes.
Step 3. Simmer the lentils: Pour in the vegetable broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the rinsed red lentils and crushed tomatoes and stir well. Bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the lentils are almost soft.
Step 4. Add the coconut milk: Stir in the coconut milk and lemon juice and simmer uncovered on low for 5 to 7 minutes, until the dahl is thick and creamy.
Step 5. Garnish and serve the dahl: Garnish with crushed red pepper, fresh cilantro and a swirl of Greek yogurt. Serve over basmati rice and a side of naan bread.
Make Ahead: dahl is a great make ahead dish and will taste even better if left to sit as flavors will meld together and intensify. This works great for meal prep.
Recipe Tips
- Rinse the Lentils: always rinse lentils before adding them to the pot, as this helps to remove any dust or excess starch.
- Puree: You can either leave this dahl thick like a stew which is how I eat it but you also can puree it more to create a thinner soup.
- Type of Lentils: I think that red lentils or yellow lentils work best in dahl. I like the way they cook and the texture they create in the soup/stew. If you want to use brown or green you will have to cook those longer.
- Timing: make sure you pay attention to the lentil and how long you cook them. You want them to be soft but not mushy.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Adding the garlic before the onion. Garlic burns fast and turns bitter. Soften the onion and vegetables first, then add the garlic for just 1 minute.
- Skipping the rinse. Unrinsed lentils foam up in the pot and can taste dusty. Rinse until the water runs mostly clear.
- Not stirring during the simmer. Red lentils settle and stick to the bottom. Give the pot a stir every 5 to 7 minutes.
- Cooking the lentils into paste. Start checking at 20 minutes. They should be soft and starting to break apart, but you should still see some lentil shape.
- Panicking when it thickens. Dahl keeps thickening as it sits, especially overnight. Stir in a splash of broth or water to loosen it.
What to Serve with Red Lentil Dahl
Basmati rice and warm naan are the classic pairing, and they’re how I serve it most nights. A few other ways we eat it:
- Toppings bar for the kids: Greek yogurt, cilantro, chili flakes and lemon wedges on the side so everyone builds their own bowl.
- A crunchy salad: Something fresh like cucumber salad or [fattoush] balances the creamy dahl.
- Curry night: Serve it next to my [Chickpea Curry] or [Cauliflower Curry] for a big vegetarian spread.
- Over roasted vegetables: Spoon leftovers over roasted sweet potatoes or cauliflower for a quick lunch.
Storage Tips
- Leftover: store leftover lentil dahl in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: once cooked and cooled, place the dahl into an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly in the refrigerator overnight and warm up on the stove when ready to enjoy.
- Reheating: to reheat leftovers place into a pot and warm up to piping hot on the stove. Add a splash of broth or water if the dahl look too dry.
Recipe FAQ
No. Red lentils are split and hulled, so they soften in about 20 minutes without soaking. Just pick through them for small stones and rinse them in a fine mesh strainer until the water runs mostly clear. Rinsing removes dust and surface starch that causes foaming.
Yes. Swap in an equal amount of broth for a lighter dahl, or stir in a few spoonfuls of Greek yogurt off the heat for creaminess. Coconut milk gives the richest, thickest result.
You can, but the texture changes. Green and brown lentils hold their shape and need 35 to 45 minutes to soften, so add extra broth and expect a chunkier stew. Yellow split lentils are the closest swap for red.
Too thick usually means it simmered uncovered too long or sat in the fridge. Stir in broth a splash at a time. Too thin means it needs a few more minutes uncovered on low to reduce.
Yes. Sauté the vegetables, garlic and spices on the stove first for the best flavor, then add everything except the coconut milk and lemon to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Stir in the coconut milk and lemon for the last 15 minutes. I also have a Slow Cooker Lentil Soup if you love hands-off lentils.
More Lentil Recipes
Vegetarian
Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup
Vegetarian
Red Lentil Curry
Mediterranean
Lemon Lentil Soup Recipe
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Easy Red Lentil Dahl Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small yellow or sweet onion, diced
- 1 small red bell pepper, seeds removed and diced
- 2 chilies or jalapeños, diced {optional}
- 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups dry red lentils, picked through and rinsed
- 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk
- 1 lemon, juiced (or 1 lime)
- For serving (optional), fresh cilantro, Greek yogurt, crushed red pepper flakes, cooked basmati rice, naan
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the onion, red bell pepper, chilies (if using) and carrot and sauté 4 to 5 minutes, until the onion softens.Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Now add the fresh ginger, curry powder, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, coriander, cayenne red pepper, salt and pepper and continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes to help the spices bloom.
- Stir in the tomato paste and continue to sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add the vegetable broth to the pot and scrape up any vegetables and browned pieces from the pot. Add the red lentils and crushed tomatoes and stir well.
- Bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the lentils are almost soft.
- Stir in the coconut milk and the lemon juice and simmer for another 5 to 7 minutes on low until the dahl is thickened. Garnish with crushed red pepper, fresh cilantro and a swirl of Greek yogurt. Serve over basmati rice and a side of naan bread.
Notes
- Don’t skip the rinse: Rinse the lentils until the water runs mostly clear to prevent foaming.
- Thickness: Dahl thickens as it sits. Loosen with a splash of broth or water when reheating.
- Make ahead: Make up to 2 days ahead. The flavor gets even better as it sits.
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze cooled dahl for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’ve needed to substitute some ingredients, I don’t eat tomatoes for instance, and, it’s always worked out really well!
Glad to hear that!
Loved the combination of lentils with all these flavors. Thanks for sharing it!