Easy Red Lentil Dahl | Masoor Dal Recipe (Vegan Curry)

A creamy Red Lentil Dahl which is comforting, hearty, flavorful, and delicious. The recipe is vegan, gluten-free, healthy, and easy to make. This Masoor dal curry is done in 30 minutes and therefore perfect as a weeknight dinner and meal prep.

Comforting Red Lentil Dahl

Comfort food is my absolute favorite and I can never say no to curry! Therefore, I created a new recipe for red lentil dahl (also known as Masoor dal curry). The recipe is creamy and rich because of the canned coconut milk, however, you can use any other plant-based milk for a low-fat/low-calorie version.

I love this dal because it is:

1. A quick and easy vegan weeknight dinner
2. Creamy, flavorful, and comforting
3. Easy to make with simple wholesome ingredients

What Is Dal?

Dal (also spelled dhal, daal, dahl) is a term used for dried, split pulses. Dal also refers to Indian lentil soups which are important staple foods in South Asian countries, especially India. Masoor dal is actually a tiny red/orange lentil that cooks fast and doesn’t require any soaking.

How To Make Red Lentil Dahl?

This dal is super easy to make and doesn’t require a lot of effort. Check the video below to see all the instruction steps.

• Rinse lentils under running water.
• Chop the onion, garlic, ginger, bell pepper, and carrot.
• Heat oil in a pot and sauté onion for about 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, carrot, and bell pepper.
• Add all spices, sweetener, the lentils and 3 cups of vegetable broth or water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Finally, add coconut milk and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the desired thickness of the dahl is reached.
• Season with black pepper and salt. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
• Serve warm with basmati rice, potatoes or flatbread and garnish with fresh herbs.

Add Veggies Of Choice

If you aren’t a fan of carrots, you can also use sweet potato or pumpkin. Other veggies that you could add to this curry are spinach, zucchini, eggplant or tomatoes.

I prefer using canned coconut milk, however, you could also use soy cream, oat cream or cashew cream to make the dal creamy, and flavorful.

Masoor Dal Curry With Simple Ingredients

This red lentil dahl contains only simple ingredients which are as follows:

• Dry red lentils
• Carrot
• Bell pepper
• Onion
• Garlic cloves
• Fresh ginger
• Vegetable broth or water
• Canned coconut milk
• Ground cumin
• Curry powder
• Sweetener of choice
• Ground turmeric
• Paprika
• Sea salt and black pepper
• Red pepper flakes

Find the exact measurements below in the recipe card!

Health Benefits Of Curry

I found a great site that describes the health benefits of curry:

Turmeric is the spice that gives curry powder its yellow color and praised around the world for its medicinal qualities. The curcumin found in turmeric has both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Curcumin also protects against heart disease and may prevent certain cancers.

Another primary ingredient of curry powder is ground-up coriander or cilantro seeds. Coriander seeds have blood sugar lowering effects and may help those with diabetes manage their blood sugar levels better. Coriander also acts as a digestive aid and is proven to aid those with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) lower the severity and frequency of their symptoms. It’s also shown to promote bone health and reduce cholesterol levels.

The other key component that makes up a large percentage of any curry powder recipe is cumin. Cumin, like coriander, promotes digestion and may help with diabetes. Cumin is also a rich source of plant-based iron.

To learn more about the health benefits of curry, visit this site.

This Red Lentil Dahl Is:

• Vegan (dairy-free)
• Naturally gluten-free
• Hearty
• Healthy
• Creamy
• Satisfying
• Flavorful
• Comforting
• A great weeknight dinner
• Easy to make with simple ingredients

Should you give this red lentil dahl a try, please leave a comment and rating below and don’t forget to tag me in your Instagram or Facebook post with @elavegan and #elavegan because I love to see your remakes! 🙂

If you like curry dishes, definitely also check out the following vegan recipes:

• 1-Pot Lentil Dal
• Sweet Potato Curry
• Chickpea Eggplant Curry
• Vegetable Curry With Coconut
• Vegan Gumbo
• Thai Coconut Curry Soup

Print Recipe

5 from 7 votes

Masoor Dal Tadka (Red Lentil Dahl)

A creamy Red Lentil Dahl which is comforting, hearty, flavorful, and delicious. The recipe is vegan, gluten-free, healthy, and easy to make. This Masoor dal curry is done in 30 minutes and therefore perfect as a weeknight dinner and meal prep.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: creamy, curry, dal, dhal, lentils

Servings: 6

Calories: 302kcal

Author: Michaela Vais

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dry red lentils (300 g)
• 1 large finely diced carrot (*see recipe notes) (about 200 g)
• 1 small bell pepper
• 1 large onion chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 heaped tbsp fresh ginger minced
• 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 cups vegetable broth or water (720 ml)
• 1 cup canned coconut milk (*see recipe notes) (240 ml)
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1/2 tbsp sweetener of choice
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp paprika
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/3 tsp red pepper flakes optional

Instructions

• Rinse lentils under running water.
• Chop the onion, garlic, ginger, bell pepper, and carrot.
• Heat oil in a pot and sauté onion for about 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, carrot, and bell pepper.
• Add all spices, sweetener, the lentils and 3 cups of vegetable broth or water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Finally, add coconut milk and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the desired thickness of the dahl is reached.
• Season with black pepper and salt. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
• Serve warm with basmati rice, potatoes or flatbread and garnish with fresh herbs.

Video

Notes

• You can also use sweet potato or pumpkin instead of carrot.
• It's possible to use any plant-based cream (like soy cream, oat cream, etc) instead of canned coconut milk. You could also use plant-based milk (e.g. almond milk, cashew milk, etc.) for a low-fat/low-calorie version. In my opinion, this dal tastes best with coconut milk.
• The recipe serves 6. Nutrition facts are for one serving.

Nutrition Facts

Masoor Dal Tadka (Red Lentil Dahl)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 302 Calories from Fat 87

% Daily Value*

Fat 9.7g15%

Carbohydrates 35g12%

Fiber 8.1g32%

Sugar 5.8g6%

Protein 14g28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition

Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 9.7g | Fiber: 8.1g | Sugar: 5.8g

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