This quick and simple, one-pot yellow lentil dal is hearty, flavorful, budget-friendly, and totally satisfying with rice and/or naan – perfect for busy nights and meal prep!
I’ve already shared recipes for a cozy green lentil dal and creamy red lentil dal – now meet their golden cousin: yellow lentil dal/dahl. Made with moong dal, these curried lentils are mild yet nutty, creamy, and easy on the stomach. Better yet, this recipe skips the extra steps of preparing a tadka, but still packs in plenty of flavor for a quick and easy midweek dinner.
Made with simple and inexpensive pantry staples in one pot, this one-pot lentil dal is a simple yet nutritious, delicious, comforting, and satisfying side or main. It’s packed with fiber and plant protein, and is naturally gluten-free, vegan, meal-prep friendly, and freezes like a dream. It’s proof that even simple ingredients can make something truly dal-lightful (pun intended)!
You might also enjoy cozy Kitchari (Ayurvedic moong dal recipe), vegan lentil soup, creamy eggplant chickpea curry, or sweet potato curry.
The Ingredients and Substitutes
- Neutral oil: Like coconut oil or vegetable oil. To omit oil, use 2-3 tbsp broth/water.
- Yellow lentils: Use split moong dal (mung beans) or toor dal (pigeon pea lentils). Chana dal (split chickpeas) also work.
- Vegetables: Carrots, and tomatoes (fresh or canned, crushed tomatoes- 1-2 tbsp tomato paste works in a pinch) form a flavorful yellow dal base. Spinach adds nutrients and bulk.
- Aromatics: Garlic and onion create a flavorful curry base.
- Seasonings: Add depth to this moong dal recipe with simple pantry spices like ground ginger, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and garam masala (or curry powder)- plus salt and black pepper.
- Vegetable broth: Use regular or reduced-sodium broth (liquid or stock cubes + water).
- Coconut milk: Full-fat canned coconut milk makes a creamy, naturally dairy-free yellow lentil dahl. Soy, oat, or cashew cream work, too.
Optionally garnish the yellow lentil curry with fresh cilantro, lemon wedges, and yogurt/cream.
Recipe Variations
- More spice: Add chili, cayenne powder, or red pepper flakes.
- Seasonings: Try cinnamon, ½-1 tsp mustard seeds/cumin seeds, or 1-2 curry leaves.
- Lemon: Add a squeeze when serving for brightness.
- For golden lentil soup: Increase the broth (and seasonings, if needed).
- Vegetables: Bulk up this Indian lentil stew with broccoli, cauliflower, bell pepper, peas, etc. Finely diced sweet potato, butternut squash, or pumpkin also works.
- Add a tadka: Method mentioned in my red lentil dal recipe.
Please read the recipe card below for the full ingredients list, measurements, complete recipe method, and nutritional information.
How to Make Yellow Lentil Dal
- First, sort and rinse the lentils, removing any shriveled lentils/debris. Also, peel and finely chop the carrot and onion, and mince/grate the garlic.
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan, then sauté the onion, carrots, and tomatoes until softened (5-7 minutes).
- Add the garlic, ground ginger, cumin, turmeric, coriander, and garam masala. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the lentils and veg broth, stir, cover, and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Stir in the coconut milk, simmer for 5-10 minutes, then add the spinach, letting it wilt.
- Finally, try it and add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Serve comforting yellow lentil dal with steamed rice (white or basmati rice) or quinoa and breads like vegan gluten-free naan, chapati, or roti. Simple side salads like vegan raita or a simple vegetable side salad will also taste delicious!
Storage Instructions
Store: Store yellow dal leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for between 4-5 days.
Freeze: For up to three months in freezer-safe containers. Then, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat: On the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave (1-2 minutes). Add more water if it’s thickened too much.
FAQs
Could I use yellow split peas?
Yes, but the cooking time and liquid ratio will vary. Refer to the package instructions.
Can I make yellow lentil dahl in an Instant Pot?
I recommend using the sauté function first, then adding the lentils and broth. Cook on MANUAL high pressure for 5 minutes. Let pressure naturally release for 5 minutes, then ‘quick release’. Stir in the coconut milk, garam masala, spinach, and salt & pepper. Enjoy.
Top Recipe Tips
- For more flavor: Just like with nuts and grains, toasting lentils in a dry skillet until aromatic will add depth to the curried lentils dish.
- Cooking time may vary: Based on the type and age of the lentils. Monitor and adjust if needed, adding extra liquid if necessary.
- For thicker/thinner dal: Mash some lentils for a thicker dal with a creamier consistency. Add extra water/broth for a thinner one (or for yellow lentil soup!).
- Season to taste: Taste and adjust the spices of the cooked dal.
More Vegan Curry Recipes
If you try this easy yellow lentil dal recipe, I’d love a comment and ★★★★★ recipe rating below. Also, please don’t forget to tag me in recreations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan #elavegan—I love seeing them.
The Best Yellow Lentil Dal Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) dried yellow split lentils (or split moong dal)
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 small (150 g) carrots finely diced
- 3-4 small (150 g) tomatoes diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tsp ground ginger (or 2 tsp fresh)
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 3 cups (750 ml) low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup (240 ml) canned coconut milk
- 2 cups (60 g) fresh baby spinach
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- You can watch the video for visual instructions.First, sort and rinse the lentils, removing any shriveled lentils/debris. Also, peel and finely chop the carrot and onion, and mince/grate the garlic.
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan, then sauté the onion, carrots, and tomatoes until softened (5-7 minutes).
- Add the garlic, ground ginger, cumin, turmeric, coriander, and garam masala. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the lentils and veg broth, stir, cover, and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Stir in the coconut milk, simmer for 5-10 minutes, then add the spinach, letting it wilt.
- Finally, try it and add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
„Simple and Delicious Vegan“ Cookbook by ElaVeganCLICK HERE to order!If you are using Pinterest, feel free to pin the following photo:
So delicious AND you can use a few shortcuts to make it with pantry staplea. Last time I had no fresh tomatos and used canned just fine and this time I used frozen chopped spinach and it tasted great. I did have to add morw of the spices after adding the spinach-but that could be because the frozen spinach adds more liquid which waters down the flavor maybe. Thanks for the one pot recipe! Love it for dishes
Thank you so much 😊💛
I love that you made it work with pantry staples, that’s exactly the kind of flexibility I love in recipes. Canned tomatoes and frozen spinach are both great shortcuts 👍
And yes, frozen spinach can release extra liquid, so adding a bit more spice makes perfect sense 😊
So happy you’re enjoying the one-pot recipe. Thanks for sharing! 💛
Excellent post! You’ve shared some truly valuable tips. I completely agree—it’s essential for any blogger to focus on helping their audience. When visitors find genuine value in your content, they’re much more likely to return and even recommend it to others. Thanks again for sharing such helpful insights. Wishing you a great day ahead!
What is considered a serving size on your nutrition chart?
Hi Debbie! My nutrition calculator estimates one serving as roughly one quarter of the entire cooked recipe, which comes out to about 350–400 grams per serving.
It’s a bit tricky to give an exact number because some of the cooking liquid evaporates, and that amount can vary depending on the pot, heat level, and how long it simmers. After testing, though, the full pot usually yields around 1400–1600 grams total, so dividing that by four gives you the serving size above.
Hope that helps! 😊
How do I add butternut squash to this? How do I prepare the butternut squash? When do I add it in?
Use about 1 to 1 ½ cups (150–250 g) diced butternut squash.
Option 1: Sauté it together with the onion, carrot, and tomato in step 2.
Cut it into small cubes so it softens quickly.
Option 2: Roast the squash first:
– dice it
– toss with a little oil + salt
– roast at 200°C / 400°F for 20–25 minutes
Then add it in step 5 together with the coconut milk.
It melts in and makes the dal extra creamy and slightly sweet.
If you add a lot of squash, you may need a splash more broth.
Squash adds sweetness, so taste at the end and adjust salt/spices.
Such an easy recipe! And delicious, fabulous flavor. I’ll be making this one over and over
So happy you loved it! Thanks a lot for your kind words — I’m glad it’ll be a repeat recipe for you!
Simply delicious! And it’s incredibly easy to make.
Hi Ramon! I’m so happy you liked it! Thanks for trying the recipe and leaving a feedback. 🙂
Love your comment! Cooking lentils definitely has a mind of its own sometimes. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe and had fun with it – kitchen adventures are the best! Thanks so much for the laugh and for trying it out 💛
luv yellow lentles..fils me up.longer
That’s awesome, Marlene! Yes, yellow lentils are super filling, packed with protein and fiber, and they keep you satisfied for hours. 🙂
This recipe is incredibly easy and flavorful! The step-by-step instructions are helpful, and the variations give great ideas for customization. Will definitely try it with different veggies next time. Perfect for a quick, satisfying vegan meal!
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback! 🙂 I’m really happy you enjoyed the dal. Different veggies are always a fun twist – I’d love to hear which ones you try next!
I used Moong Dal, and 15 minutes after adding them to the pot in step 4, most of the liquid was gone but the lentils were still very hard. So, I added more vegetable stock and had to cook for least 20-25 minutes more before the lentils were soft enought to eat. But, as you said, at that point most of the liquid was gone leaving the only liquid in the dish being the one cup of coconut milk that was added. The resulting consistencey was nothing like what I saw in the video, nor the consistency that I wanted. So I had to again add more vegetable stock. After all of that, the final product was tasty..
Hi Jeff, thanks for your feedback. The cooking time and liquid can definitely vary depending on the type of lentils. Just to clarify, did you use split moong dal (that’s what I used) or whole moong dal? Split cooks much faster, while whole takes quite a bit longer.
Thanks for this recipe! It’s easy to make and delicious!
You’re so welcome! I’m really happy you liked it. 🥰
I don’t have yellow lentils, can I use the brown (green?) ones???
Hi Hetty! Yes, you can, but keep in mind that the cooking time will be longer since brown and green lentils are firmer. The texture will also be a bit different – not as creamy as with yellow lentils. Just adjust the cooking time and add more liquid if needed. 🙂