This Indian Red Lentil Dal (Masoor Dal) with sweet potatoes, fragrant spices and creamy coconut milk is one of my favorite vegan weeknight dinner recipes. It only takes about 45 minutes to make a big batch and tastes even better the next day as leftovers!
I love this red lentil dal. It's so cozy, so flavorful, and honestly so easy to make! It stores well as leftovers, so it's perfect for your vegan meal prep menu.
With a flavorful base of fragrant spices and vegetables, a creamy coconut milk tomato broth and perfectly cooked red lentils, this is everything I want in a plant-based meal!
Delicious served with rice, naan or roti. It's also naturally gluten free and nut free. Lentils are also affordable and filling, making this a cost-effective vegan meal for the whole family.
Different types of dal
Dal (also spelled dahl and daal) is an Indian term that has two meanings. It directly translates to "lentils", but it also refers to a dish made with lentils.
Dal only refers to split lentils or pulses. For example, split red lentils are referred to as masoor dal, while split chickpeas are referred to as chana dal.
The ingredients in dal (the dish) differ depending on regional and traditional differences. Most dal recipes start with a base of onion, garlic and ginger, with stewed lentils, tomatoes and various spices.
Furthermore, Dal Tadka (which you may see on many restaurant menus) refers to a technique in which spices are tempered in oil or ghee to release more flavor.
There are so many delicious, incredibly flavorful, authentic dal recipes out there! Start experimenting at home to find your favorite recipes and bring a bit more flavor into your kitchen.
More dal recipes to try:
- Instant Pot Chana Dal via Cook With Manali
- Mung Bean Dal via The Last Cookie
- Vegan Dal Makhani via Cook Republic
Ingredients
We love this vegan masoor dal – it's deeply flavorful and relatively simple to prepare! Here's what you'll need:
- Vegetable Oil: it's best to use a neutral oil in this recipe, like vegetable or grapeseed oil.
- Onion
- Garlic
- Fresh ginger
- Red Lentils: you can often by red lentils in bulk at specialty grocery stores. Use leftovers in this soup!
- Sweet Potato
- Vegetable broth
- Coconut milk: opt for full fat canned coconut milk (not the stuff you get in a carton, which is much thinner!).
- Diced tomatoes: we used no salt added.
- Seasonings: curry powder, coconut sugar, salt, coriander, cumin, cinnamon and cayenne.
Instructions
This vegan red lentil dal couldn't be any easier to prepare.
Sauté the vegetables: Start by softening the onion in vegetable oil for 5-7 minutes. Then, add the garlic and ginger and continue cooking for a few minutes.
Add sweet potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add red lentils and all spices and stir well to coat vegetables.
Simmer: Add vegetable broth, tomatoes, and coconut milk. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until the lentils and sweet potatoes are tender and the stew has thickened.
Serve with cooked white or brown rice, naan or roti. Top with fresh cilantro. Enjoy!
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-6 days.
You can store in the freezer for up to 6 months. To reheat, defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then gently simmer at low heat until warmed.
More lentil recipes you'll love:
Lentils are rich in plant-based protein, making them an excellent addition to any vegan meal plan. Try these recipes next!
- Lentil Sweet Potato Curry Soup
- Mujadara (Lentils, Rice & Caramelized Onions)
- Lentil Vegetable Stew
- Moroccan Carrot and Lentil Salad
- Lentil Shepherd's Pie
- Lentil Bolognese
If you make this Vegan Red Lentil Masoor Dal, we’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below! We also love to see your creations on Instagram – tag us at @crowded_kitchen so we can see what you’ve been cooking.
Print📖 Recipe
Red Lentil Dal (Masoor Dal)
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Indian Red Lentil Dal (Masoor Dal) with sweet potatoes, fragrant spices and creamy coconut milk is one of my favorite vegan weeknight dinner recipes. It only takes about 45 minutes to make a big batch and tastes even better the next day as leftovers!
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp minced garlic (2 cloves)
- 2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
- 3 cups of diced sweet potato
- 1 ½ tbsp curry powder
- ½ tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 tsp fine grain kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ¾ tsp ground coriander
- ¾ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp cayenne
- 2 cups red lentils
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes (we used no salt added)
- 1 14 oz can full fat coconut milk
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
- Cooked rice or naan for serving
Instructions
- Add oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 5-6 minutes, until it starts to soften. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes.
- Add sweet potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add red lentils and all spices and stir well to coat vegetables.
- Add vegetable broth, tomatoes, and coconut milk. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until the lentils and sweet potatoes are tender and the stew has thickened.
- Serve with cooked white or brown rice, naan or roti. Top with fresh cilantro. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Bowl with rice
- Calories: 568
- Sugar: 8.7 g
- Sodium: 955.1 mg
- Fat: 22.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 76.6 g
- Fiber: 11.3 g
- Protein: 19.9 g
Emma says
Literally one of my favourite recipes I've ever tried, I've made it a million times for years. Perfect flavour, I'd tried a few dal recipes and this is the only one I'll ever need. Have passed this on to tons of people as well! Great for meal prep. Thank you!
Lexi says
Thank you so much for your kind review, I'm so glad to hear that!
Sarah says
This is probably our favorite recipe from your site! We almost have it every week. It is so easy to make and tastes even better the next day!
Lexi says
Thank you so much much, Sarah! So glad you love this recipe!
ANGELA says
Absolutely fantastic! Such a lovely, full and warming flavour. Highly recommend for those who would like homemade dal. Easy dinner, even easier if made night before as flavours blend perfectly overnight. Just with some naan,or some rice if you like. Definitely will be made on rotation 🙂
Thank you for a great recipe!
Jessica says
Delicious!!! And it makes a ton. I made a batch for meal prep and I was looking forward to lunchtime everyday. One batch was enough for a full week of lunches with extra for one night of dinner. Amazing flavors, fantastic recipe!
Lexi says
Oh yay, I'm so glad you enjoy this recipe! Thanks so much for your comment.
betsy says
No lie, i make this twice a month and eat it for lunch most days.
Lexi says
It's so great for lunch! Thanks so much for your comment 🙂
Finnley says
I made this for dinner last night, and it was absolutely delicious! Couldn't have asked for a more flavourful or filling dinner 🙂
Victoria says
I really loved the spice palette of this daal! If I could change anything, I would omit the coconut sugar. I think I was a tad overzealous with the sweet potato (2 whole sweet potatoes, diced, which is probably closer to 3.5 cups?) so this recipe was a bit too sweet for me! Could the mass of ingredients like potatoes be included in future recipes? I think it would prevent mistakes like mine. Thanks a lot in any case; I really appreciate your vegan recipes!! 🙂
Mariuxi says
Wow! I made this today because I was craving some warm dal during the lockdown. So delicious! We absolutely loved your recipe. And it’s so easy as well. Best comfort dish I’ve made in a while. A small tip: towards the end of the cooking time, I found the dal was getting too thick so I added half cup of coconut milk and half cup of broth. Perfect consistency.
Sarah says
This is probably my favourite recipe from the blog. The whole family loves it and it's so easy to make!
Lexi says
Yay, one of our favorites, too!!
Leslie says
This is such a fabulous meal- especially on a cold fall evening. My husband and I can’t wait to have the leftovers for lunch this week. Thank you for sharing!
Lexi says
So glad you enjoyed, Leslie! Thank you so much for your comment!
Adam says
Absolutely fabulous recipe! Full of flavour, absolutely delicious
Lexi says
Thank you so much, so glad you enjoyed!
Shea says
I just made this, and I’m trying not to burn my mouth because I don’t want to wait until it cools down to eat it!! It’s delicious!
Lexi says
Yay, so glad to hear that!! Thanks so much for your comment, Shea!
Patti says
Just made it tonight for the first time. Easy and very flavorful. Had rice and naan with it. Just a wonderful dish. Thanks!
Lexi says
Hi Patti, thrilled to hear that! So glad you enjoyed and appreciate your comment!