• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Champagne Tastes®
  • About
  • Travel
    • Food Travel
    • Outdoor Adventure
  • Recipes
    • Garden To Table
    • Seafood
    • Camping Recipes
    • Ferment
    • Backyard Foraging + Wild Game
    • Cooking Basics
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • Garden To Table
  • Seafood
  • Ferment
  • Foraging + Wild Game
  • Cooking Basics
  • Camping Recipes
  • Outdoor Adventure
  • Food Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Dinner » Main Dishes

    Red Lentil Dal

    Published: Jan 31, 2018 · Modified: Nov 29, 2022 · 8 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    This vegan Red Lentil Dal is an easy and delicious spiced red lentil dish.  It can be served alone as a soup, or as a side dish along with rice.

    This vegan Red Lentil Dal is an easy and delicious spiced red lentil dish.  It can be served alone as a soup, or as a side dish along with rice.

    Red lentil dal in a white serving dish

    Have you tried cooking lentils?

    Maybe you've seen them at the grocery store and thought--

    Are those beans?

    Are those tiny pebbles that someone put in a bag to trick me?  

    Is this some kind of food fraud?"

    Well, my friends, they're a legume.  

    And they're quite tasty.

    They work wonderfully as a "meaty" component in soup, but can also stand on their own. 

    And they come in a rainbow of colors, each of which has its own taste and cooking time. 

    Check out this guide for lentil cook times at IndiaPhile.

    This recipe for Red Lentil Dal uses red lentils-- a gorgeous lentil that falls apart when cooked, and is perfect for this easy Indian side dish!

    What is Dal?

    Dal is a term used in Indian cuisine for lentils. 

    If you order dal at an Indian restaurant, you'll usually get a bowl of spiced, cooked lentils. 

    Different types of dal (or lentils) have different flavors and textures.

    Want more easy Indian recipes? Try making these: masala omelette, slow-cooker vegetable masala, and paneer saag with feta

    Red Lentils spilled on a counter, with a measuring cup resting in them
    Red Lentils

    Red Lentil Dal

    My favorite kind of dal uses red lentils.

    Red lentils are easy to find, and should be stocked at most grocery stores.

    This lentil dish is seasoned with a either garam masala or tandoori masala-- two Indian spice mixtures which should also be fairly easy to find. 

    I buy mine at Whole Foods or Kroger, but you can also buy garam masala online.

    Making Red Lentil Dal

    To make this easy dal, you'll sauté onions along with the spices. 

    Then, you'll add in some fire-roasted tomatoes, and finally the lentils and water. 

    Simmer everything until the lentils are cooked through and soft. 

    Serve this easy dish alone as a soup, as a side dish, or served over rice for a more filling meal.

    Want to serve this red dal with basmati rice? Learn how to cook basmati rice in the microwave!

    Red lentil dal in a serving dish

    Want more LEGUMES?  Try these: French Lentils with Dijon Vinaigrette, Beluga Lentil Salad, Vegan Split Pea Soup

    Red lentil dal in a white serving dish
    Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    5 from 4 votes

    Red Lentil Dal

    This vegan Red Lentil Dal is an easy and delicious spiced red lentil dish.  It can be served alone as a soup, or as a side dish along with rice.
    Author: Sarah Trenalone
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time40 minutes mins
    Total Time45 minutes mins
    Course: Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Indian
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 233kcal
    Freezer Friendly?
    Yes
    Will It Keep?
    3-4 Days (Fridge), 6 Months (Freezer)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 onion, diced
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • 2 teaspoons garam masala Optionally, substitute tandoori masala spice mix (see Recipe Notes for a homemade version)
    • ¼ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes (use more or less for desired spice level)
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
    • 15 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes Or swap 1-2 tomatoes, diced
    • 1 cup red lentils (rinse and check for pebbles)
    • 3 ½ cups water
    • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
    • To Serve: basmati or jasmine rice (optional)

    Instructions

    • Heat oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat.  
    • When the oil is hot and begins to ripple, add onion, salt, garam masala (or tandoori spice mix), red chili flakes, and cayenne.  Sauté 3-4 minutes, until the spices are fragrant and the onions are translucent. 
    • Add garlic, sauté 1-2 minutes.
    • Add tomatoes, and simmer another 4-5 minutes. Add lentils and water. Bring to a boil, then cover pan and reduce heat to medium-low. 
    • Simmer until most (but not all) of the water has absorbed and the lentils soften, about 20 minutes. Add turmeric. Taste and add extra salt if desired.
      Serve dal warm, alone or with rice.
    • Leftovers:
      Store leftovers in the fridge, and use within 3-4 days.
      Make Ahead and Freeze:
      Let lentils cool to room temperature, and freeze for up to 6 months.

    Notes

    Serves 4 as main dish, 8 as side dish
    To Substitute Homemade Tandoori Spice Mix: Blend 2 TB cumin, 2 TB garlic powder, 2 TB paprika, 4 tsp ginger, 1 TB coriander, 2 tsp cardamom, and use 2 TB of mixture in place of pre-made spice mix
    Recipe Adaptions:
    • Change the spice: Substitute berbere (an African spice blend) for garam masala or tandoori masala
    • Make it less spicy: Omit the cayenne and/or red pepper flakes
    • Make this dal heartier: Add 4-5 diced Yukon Gold potatoes to the pan when you add the lentils
    • Turn this dal into soup: Add 4-5 diced Yukon Gold potatoes to the pan when you add the lentils.  Add 4 cups of water instead of 3 cups.  Add 2 or 3 large handfuls of fresh spinach to the dal about 5 minutes before the lentils are done cooking.
    • (NOT VEGAN) Add eggs: Crack 2 - 4 eggs into the lentils about 4-5 minutes before they're done cooking.  Keep the pan covered. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 233kcal (12%) | Carbohydrates: 36g (12%) | Protein: 13g (26%) | Fat: 4g (6%) | Saturated Fat: 1g (6%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 762mg (33%) | Potassium: 484mg (14%) | Fiber: 16g (67%) | Sugar: 5g (6%) | Vitamin A: 533IU (11%) | Vitamin C: 7mg (8%) | Calcium: 74mg (7%) | Iron: 4mg (22%)
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!

    More Main Dishes

    • Pesto pasta salad in large bowl with spoon.
      Basil Pesto Pasta Salad
    • Campfire pasta marinara in bowl.
      Campfire Pasta Marinara
    • pan-seared catfish on a serving plate.
      Pan-Seared Catfish
    • broiled lobster tails in a serving dish with butter.
      Broiled Lobster Tails

    About Sarah Trenalone

    Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. She's a photographer, food writer and traveler, and is certified in Backcountry Kitchen and Backcountry Navigation from the Colorado Outward Bound School and Identifying Wild Plants from Backpacker.

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Comment: Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Comments

    All commentsI made thisQuestions
    1. Kate

      May 25, 2016 at 7:13 pm

      Do you think this would make a good chip dip?! Maybe pour it over some nachos?

      Reply
      • champagne-tastes

        May 25, 2016 at 8:27 pm

        Nachos.. I'm not sure. Maybe? But you could totally dip tortilla chips into this- I do it all the time and it's delicious!

        Reply
    2. Molly Kumar

      May 27, 2016 at 12:08 am

      5 stars
      This is such a home run for me - I'm addicted to lentils and can't imagine a day without them. The masala spiced lentils looks so comforting and yummy!

      Reply
    3. Alison Houtz

      February 04, 2018 at 4:25 pm

      5 stars
      I was looking for something new to make and saw champagne tastes red lentil dal on IG. I decided to make it, since I had all the ingredients. I made it exactly as it is written and it was too spicy for my tastes; however my daughter loved it and gave it an 8 out of 10 stars, and my husband 9 out of 10. I don’t know if this is technically correct to do, but to tone it down on the spiciness, I ate mine with jasmine rice and mozzarella cheese and a baked red potato. Then, I really liked it! I’m sure Raita would be awesome with it as well!

      Reply
      • champagne-tastes

        February 04, 2018 at 5:41 pm

        Yay! I’m so glad you guys loved it! And whatever made it work for you was exactly the right way to eat it ???? (Definitely try the less spicy version without the cayenne and red pepper flakes and see how you like it!)

        Reply
    4. michele

      February 11, 2018 at 11:39 am

      5 stars
      My favorite thing to order at a neighborhood place was dal.....now I can make it them at home! These made such a perfect meal for a cold Saturday evening! (Can I tell you how excited I was when Whole Foods had the red lentils?!?!). We especially loved the kick of the fire-roasted tomatoes!

      Reply
      • champagne-tastes

        February 11, 2018 at 11:40 am

        I’m so happy you loved it! I actually ate these last night too- so perfect for cold rainy nights!

        Reply
    5. Alisha Trenalone

      November 26, 2022 at 5:46 pm

      5 stars
      I made this tonight after realizing that I really wanted to expand my repertoire of curries. (They're so perfect for wintertime eating!) I made the soup version of this, and also added eggs as described in the recipe notes, which actually felt like a bit of an adventure because I've never poached anything before 😆 It turned out fantastic, and we all loved it. Definitely going on the regular rotation of meals. Very easy and flavorful. Also a very affordable meal to put together.

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    bio

    Hi, I'm Sarah! I'm a traveler who loves to eat.   Follow along to join me on my next adventure-- in food or on the road.

    Learn More →

    Currently Trending

    • San marzano sauce in a pan
      San Marzano Sauce (Classic Marinara)
    • pan-seared rockfish on a plate
      Pan-Seared Rockfish
    • pan-seared red snapper on plates
      Pan-Seared Red Snapper
    • crab butter sauce on a platter with crab legs
      Crab Butter Sauce

    Footer

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Supplemental Privacy Notice For California Residents
    • Supplemental Privacy Notice For Nevada Residents

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Recipe and Photo Reuse Terms + FAQ

    Copyright ©2015-2023 Champagne Tastes
    All Rights Reserved.