Easy Red Lentil Dal

4.92 from 24 votes

This red lentil dal recipe is thick, creamy, and full of Indian spices. The ultimate vegan comfort food, made in one pot using pantry staples, and ready in 40 minutes! Gluten-free, vegan, and meal prep friendly.

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 211kcal

Author: Denise Bustard

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil or ghee
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoons ginger minced
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups stock
1 ½ cups red lentils
15 oz can of diced tomatoes including juices

Instructions

Sautée - Heat oil in a medium sized pot over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook for 5-7 minutes, until soft.
Make a space in the onion and add the minced garlic and ginger. Add a bit of extra oil if needed. Cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
Add Spices - Add all the spices: curry powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala, turmeric and salt. Stir to coat onions and cook for 1-2 minutes, until spices are fragrant. Be careful not to burn: stir occasionally and keep an eye on them.
Combine - Add around 1 cup of stock, and use a spatula to scrape all the bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the rest of the stock, the lentils and diced tomatoes.
Simmer - Stir, cover, bring to a simmer, then cook (covered), for 30 minutes. You will want to stir occasionally to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Serve - Serve with rice and naan bread.

Video

Notes

Serving size is a rough estimate and represents ⅙ of the batch.

Storage

Fridge - portion out with rice into 2 cup meal prep containers. Store in the fridge in airtight containers for up to 4 days.
Freezer - portion into reusable plastic freezer jars. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw - thaw completely in the fridge.
Reheat - reheat until steaming hot in the microwave. Enjoy!

Nutrition