Simple and delicious lentil dhal made with just a few pantry ingredients. This vegan dish is healthy, cheap, and very satisfying. Red lentils are cooked with fragrant spices, and creamy coconut milk until a creamy and thick texture is reached.

This dhal is vegan and gluten-free.

Whether you’re trying to eat healthier meals, or you’re trying to frugal, this recipe is for you! It’s one of my all-time favorite meals as it’s insanely delicious, super creamy, very comforting and extremely easy to make! This dhal ticks all of the boxes!

If you haven’t heard of dhal before, it’s an Indian red lentil dish that uses split lentils. What’s so special about split lentils is that they don’t require pre-soaking and are cooked quickly resulting in a creamy consistency.

To make this dhal extra creamy, I added half a can of coconut milk and left it to simmer with the lentils. Whilst this recipe is not authentic, it’s a simple version of dhal that uses very basic ingredients that can be easily found in supermarkets accross the US and Europe.

Also known as daal, and dal, this dish is usually served with rice, chapati, naan, or papadoms. I’ve had it many times in Indian eateries and it differs in terms of texture and consistency depending on the area where the cooks come from.

Let’s dive deep into the recipe, so you too can recreate this tasty dish at your home and hopefully love it as much as I do!

Table of Contents

The ingredients

Red lentils: Use split red lentils as they cook faster and do not need to be presoaked. Lentils are rich in iron and are an excellent source of plant-based protein which makes this dish really nourishing and filling.
Coconut milk: full of important nutrients such as manganese and copper and gives a great texture and taste in this recipe.
The curry dream team: garlic, ginger, turmeric, and chili.
Cumin seeds, curry powder, cinnamon
Vegetable stock
Canola oil – you can use vegetable, corn, or sunflower oil as well.

How to make Lentil Dahl

This is a very easy recipe which you will love. Here’s how to make it:

Start by rinsing the red lentils, then drain.
Heat canola oil in a large pan and toast the cumin seeds for a minute. When they sizzle, sauté the diced onion on medium heat until soft and translucent.
Then add the grated ginger, turmeric, green chili, and minced garlic and sauté for one minute until the garlic is fragrant and turns golden.

Add curry powder, cinnamon, and salt. Cook for 20 seconds, then add the stock and the rinsed and drained lentils.
Add the coconut milk and give it a good stir. Cover with the lid and simmer for 20 minutes.
Stir the dhal every 5 minutes to make sure that it doesn’t stick to the pan.
Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro or parsley leaves. Serve with basmati rice and naan or chapati bread.

Dahl garnished with chopped fresh cilantro

How to store, freeze and thaw?

In case any Dahl is left, feel free to store it and enjoy the deliciousness later. Here’s how to do it properly:

Fridge: To keep the lentil dahl fresh and flavorful, store it in the fridge in a tightly-closed container for up to 3 days.
Freezer: To freeze, put it in a freezer-safe container or a plastic bag after being completely cooled. Make sure to leave a few inches of space as the dahl could expand as it freezes. Keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Thawing and reheating: Place the frozen dahl in the fridge overnight before reheating it. When reheating the dahl, check the liquids to make sure that the dish does not dry out.

For more delicious and nourishing recipe ideas, click here. Also, make sure to check out my other delicious Main Course recipes.

Click on this link to watch the Lentil Dahl web story

If you try this recipe, please don’t forget to rate it and share a picture on social media, tagging #NourishPlate in your posts. I would really love to see your creations. Bon appetit!