This red lentil dahl is warming, rich and nourishing, made from slow cooked red lentils mixed with coconut milk, tomato, spinach and spices. Together these ingredients make a flavourful soup-like curry dish that is vegan, gluten free, and full of protein and fibre.

What is Lentil Dahl?

The word Dahl (or dal/daal) derives from the Sanskrit verbal root dal, which means ‘to split’. While the word was originally a term used for dried, split pulses or legumes, such as lentils, peas and beans, Dahl is also the name for the thick puree-like curry, stew or soup that has long been a staple Indian dish. In fact, archaeological evidence suggests that the Indian dahl first appeared in the Indus Valley Civilization where lentils were a staple food and where Dahl was served to guests at celebratory meals.

Tips for Making Red Lentil Dahl

First things first, before you start making your dahl it’s important to soak your lentils for at least a couple of hours before you cook them. I recommend soaking the lentils in filtered water with some apple cider vinegar. Soaking lentils in water before cooking them breaks down the phytic acid, making it easier for our body to digest. Adding a splash of apple cider vinegar enhances this process further.

Lentil dahl is a pretty versatile dish, so you can experiment and add the flavours that you enjoy! For this recipe I use curry powder, turmeric, cumin, garam masala and smoked paprika, but feel free to add your own twist to the recipe. Same goes with additional vegetables or meat alternatives. I have added tomatoes and spinach to this lentil dahl recipe for some extra plant goodness, but this would go well with a range of different veggies!

If you’re looking to explore some other types of dahl, check out these recipes from Vegan Richa, Saffron Trail and Sailu’s Food.

Prepping and Storing

This is a great meal to make if you are into meal prepping. Simply store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and it will last up to 5 days. If you want to keep it for longer, this dish is also freezer friendly and can be frozen for future meals.

If you like this recipe and decide to share it on Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @theplantryco and #theplantryco, I would love to see all your recreations!

Vegan Red Lentil Dahl

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4

Equipment

Pot
Tablespoon
Teaspoon
1 cup

Ingredients

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil
1 medium brown onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp ginger, crushed
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 cup dried red lentils, soaked and drained
1 cup coconut milk
3 cups filtered water
1 tsp rock or sea salt
200g baby spinach leaves
2 tomatoes, diced

To Serve (Optional)

Coconut yoghurt
Coriander
Sesame seeds
Brown or white basmati rice
Lime

Instructions

Soak 1 cup of dried red lentils for at least two hours in 2 cups of water and 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar.
Heat 1tbsp of coconut or olive oil in pot over a medium heat.
Cook 1 diced onion until starting to brown.
Add 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 tbsp of crushed ginger, 1 tbsp of curry powder, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp garam masala and 1 tsp smoked paprika. Cook for two minutes or until fragrant.
Add soaked red lentils, 3 cups of filtered water, 1 cup of coconut milk, diced tomatoes and 1 tsp of salt. Bring to the boil and then reduce heat to low. Simmer partially covered for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to cook the lentils for another 30 minutes or until thickened and the lentils are soft (Tip: if the dahl is too thick or you’d like to serve this as more of a soup, add more water or coconut milk until you have reached your desired consistency).
Stir in spinach and remove from heat.
Serve with any or all of the optional ingredients.