Rich and hearty, this Red Lentil Recipe is great as a main dish! Warming delicious, and excellent to make ahead, or for a quick weeknight dinner!
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I love making this Red Lentil Dhal. The health factors alone make it a winner, but the color and the complex flavors are kind awesome too.
With fiber, protein, minerals and vitamins this red lentil recipe is the best Dhal recipe – it’s low in calories and fat! It IS a vegetarian recipe, but truly if you have a houseful of meat-eaters, you’ll still make them all happy with this dinner.
It’s been pretty cold here in Phoenix! Although I’m not all THAT busy, I really love having something warming and comforting in the fridge ready to go. This Red Lentil Dhal recipe fits the bill perfectly.
Made ahead, it has time to develop really deep flavors, but is still awesome the same day of cooking. It’s a quick and easy one to make after a long day, and is a favorite for everyone.
If you love Indian recipes like we do, you’ll enjoy my Garlic Naan Bread and my Chickpea Spinach Curry.
I make a double or triple batch of this – my husband works nights, so takes a pile of this in his thermos for “lunch” at work. Vegetarian, Vegan AND Gluten-Free (not that we follow any of these dietary restrictions), which is helpful if you have friends or family who have these needs.
Why you’ll love this Red Lentil recipe
- It is excellent for meal prepping
- It is super budget friendly
- It is quick and easy to make!
Tips
Variations for Red Lentil Dhal:
- Add some extra garlic, and ginger if you want to increase the spicy flavor without the heat.
- Add a bit of cayenne, boost the heat!
- Use brown lentils, or a blend of both red and brown for a different look
You might wonder why a girl from New Zealand, living in the USA is bringing you a typically Indian inspired dish? Well… New Zealand is a HUGE melting pot of cultures, so I actually grew up eating a wide variety of cuisines.
From many Asian and Pacific countries, Auckland has them all! This just happens to be a personal favorite of mine! This is the best dhal recipe ever, because it’s super easy and packs a real punch in the flavor department and has a short cooking time. Anything under 30 minutes is a winner for me!
Plus, it’s SO pretty in color, right?
I hope to bring you many more recipes for the foods I grew up eating in the future!
Ingredients:
This is an overview. The full list of ingredients and quantities is found in the printable recipe card below.
Spices
- Chili powder. Okay, this one is important. In the USA chili powder is a blend of spices and is NOT pure chilies (aka cayenne or ancho)
- Curry powder. Grab a jar of this and keep it on hand!
- Turmeric. Lots of health benefits, and makes the dhal the pretty color that it is.
- Cumin seeds. You can of course sub ground cumin in for whole seeds.
For the Dhal
- Onion. Regular white onion, diced finely
- Garlic. minced
- Vegetable stock. Make your own! You can use vegetable broth, or water if that is what you have. Chicken Stock also works (but it won’t be vegetarian if that matters to you).
- Fresh cilantro. This will add a fresh flavor at the end.
How to make this recipe:
This is an overview. The full list of ingredients and quantities is found in the printable recipe card below.
- Start by blending the spices, and setting them aside.
- Heat oil in a large dutch oven or skillet.
- Cook the onion until it softens, then add the garlic and cook over medium heat for about a minute.
- Add the spices and mix well – they’ll get super fragrant!
- Add bay leaves, red lentils and stock, then cook the lentils until they are tender.
- Finish with some fresh cilantro.
- Devour
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Spiced Red Lentil Dhal
Ingredients
Spices
- 2 teaspoons prepared chili powder
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
- 2 teaspoons whole mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds (whole, can sub ground cumin)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large diced onion
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup red lentils
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- salt
- 3 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)
Directions
- Combine 2 teaspoons prepared chili powder, 1 tablespoon curry powder, 2 teaspoons turmeric, 2 teaspoons whole mustard seeds, and 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, in a small bowl, and set aside.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high.
- Add 1 large diced onion, and cook until softened. Add 2 cloves minced garlic, and cook a minute longer.
- Add the spices and continue to cook, stirring, for 2 mins.
- Add 2 bay leaves, 1 cup red lentils and 2 cups vegetable stock and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Turn the heat down, and simmer, partially covered for about 15-20 minutes.
- Lentils should be tender and the liquid mostly absorbed.
- Remove from heat, taste then add salt and stir in the 3 tablespoons cilantro.
- Devour.
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Notes
- Add some extra garlic, and ginger if you want to increase the spicy flavor without the heat.
- Add a bit of cayenne, boost the heat!
- Use brown lentils, or a blend of both red and brown for a different look
Nutrition Facts
Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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