Red Lentil Dal {Instant Pot / Stove Top}

This Instant Pot red lentil dal can also be made on the stovetop. It’s an easy vegan dinner recipe that’s full of flavor. Serve with a side of rice, naan, and a side salad!

Hi friends!

I’ve got a warm and comforting vegan recipe to share with you today! It’s made with simple ingredients but packed with flavor thanks to all of the spices.

Added bonus- the flavor develops as it sits, making it perfect for leftovers.

What Is Red Lentil Dal?

Red lentils are also known as masoor dal. Red lentils are split and have their outer skin removed which means they cook very quickly and don’t need to be soaked prior to cooking.

The term dal is typically used when lentils are split and when they are turned into a soup or stew.

Red Lentil Dal Nutrition // Red Lentil Dal Health Benefits

Red lentils are a great source of plant-based protein. They’re also high in fiber and can help you meet your daily fiber goals. In addition, lentils are a good source of iron, potassium, and manganese.

Red Lentil Dal Water Ratio

The typical ratio for cooking red lentils is 1 cup lentils to 3 cups water or broth.

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Red Lentil Dal Variations

Red Lentil Dal No Coconut Milk

Can you make this recipe without coconut milk? Yes! If you’re not a fan of coconut milk, you can leave it out. You’ll just need to add some more broth until you achieve your desired consistency.

Red Lentil Dal with Vegetables

I make this recipe with carrots and tomatoes, but the beauty of this recipe is that it’s super flexible. You could easily add more vegetables like cabbage, peas, green beans etc if you want to!

Spicy Red Lentil Dal

To make this lentil dish spicier, feel free to add some cayenne pepper, a diced jalapeno or serrano pepper, or even some dried red chili peppers.

Red Lentil Dal Ingredient Substitutions

If you don’t like spinach, you can leave it out or try substituting kale. If you don’t have garam marsala, try curry powder. If you don’t have turmeric, you can add a little extra cumin as well as some paprika or sub-curry powder.

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How To Cook Red Lentil Dal

Instant Pot Red Lentil Dal

This recipe works really well in the Instant Pot. Just use the saute function initially, then add the bulk of the ingredients and cook for 10 minutes, and then release the pressure after 5 minutes and add the remaining ingredients.

Stove Top Red Lentil Dal

You can also easily make this recipe in a Dutch oven on the stovetop, and it cooks in about the same amount of time.

Slow Cooker Red Lentil Dal

Personally, I don’t think this recipe works great in the slow cooker. I prefer it to have a little texture and have found if it cooks too long, the lentils totally break down, and it becomes more like a soup.

You could try it if you want to, but you may need to keep an eye on it the first time you cook it to make sure it doesn’t require any extra liquid. You would need to cook on low for 6 hours or so, and I would add the coconut milk at the beginning instead of the end.

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Vegan Red Lentil Dal Ingredients

This recipe is really simple and requires just a few pantry ingredients. The only thing you may need to do is stock your spice cabinet if you don’t frequently cook Indian cuisine. You’ll need:

• Red Lentils – Their red color makes these easy to find at most grocery stores.
• Garlic and onion – Add tons of flavor
• Fresh ginger – Peel the skin off and finely mince just like garlic. Or use garlic paste.
• Broth – I use vegetable broth for this recipe
• Carrots- Dice them fairly small, so they cook along with the lentils. They help add some texture to the dish.
• Coconut milk –
• Diced tomatoes
• Baby spinach – stir this into the hot dish a few minutes before serving and the heat from the dish will help it wilt

How To Make Red Lentil Dal

To make the red lentil dal, you’re going to saute the garlic, onions, carrots, and ginger with spices for a few minutes, then add the lentils and broth.

Bring to a boil and let simmer or cook in the instant pot. After the lentils are cooked, stir in the tomatoes, spinach, salt and sugar.

Serve over rice with some naan! Delicious!

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Best Simple Red Lentil Dal Recipe

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Easy Vegan Red Lentil Dal FAQs

How to store red lentil dal?

Cool and store in a glass container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

What’s the best way to reheat red lentil dal?

You can reheat your dal in a pan on the stovetop or microwave.

Can you freeze red lentil dal?

Yes! Cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container like Souper Cubes and freeze (affiliate link). You can defrost it in the microwave, on the stove, or in the refrigerator.

Want more lentil recipes? Try:

• Vegan Red Lentil Curry
• Instant Pot Lentil Taco Salad
• 20+ Healthy Green Lentil Recipe
• 15+ Easy Red Lentil Recipe
• Red Lentil Pancakes

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Easy Vegan Red Lentil Dal

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–