Easy Vegan Red Lentil Dal
Using just one pot and ready in under 20 minutes, this easy vegan red lentil dal is a flavorful, plant-powered meal! Serve with quinoa or rice, and save the leftovers for meal prep!
There's almost nothing I love more than being away for a weekend and coming back to a fully stocked freezer. Whenever I travel, I try to clean out my fridge before I leave and yet when I get home, I just can't seem to bring myself to go to the grocery store. No matter how early my arrival.
So when there's nothing to eat for dinner and I don't want to order takeout (because let's be real, takeout isn't that healthy and I rarely eat as healthy while I'm away), my freezer comes to my rescue.
I know a ton of you are in the same boat; either you work full time, are a full-time student, or just have those days when life just gets in the way. Having a fully stocked freezer, with meals at the ready, can be a game-changer.
Today's vegan red lentil dahl is one of the best options for this. Not only is it quick – only takes about 15 minutes – but it's also inexpensive and freezes beautifully.
It's one of those recipes that I'll double just so I can be sure my freezer is totally full of goodness.
Dals actually has two meanings. It's the term in India used for dried, split pulses (i.e. lentils, peas and beans), but it also refers to a variety of soups or stews made with these pulses.
These ingredients are a staple in Indian cuisine (as well as other countries like Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) because they are inexpensive and packed with nutrition. They're high in protein and are rich in vitamins and minerals like B, iron, and zinc.
And guess what? They're also crazy easy to make. Especially red lentils!
I actually rarely use red lentils in my house, but now that I have this vegan red lentil dal recipe in my arsenal, they're definitely going to become a pantry staple.
For this recipe, you'll need less than 10 ingredients, 15 minutes and one pot. I'm not sure dinner gets easier than that!
We're using the lentils are as our base, then simmering it in a blend of coconut milk and water to make it extra flavorful and creamy, then spicing it up with a simple spice blend. Dal is best served with either quinoa, rice, cauliflower rice (which I used here) or a flatbread.
If you go the cauliflower rice route, check your supermarket because I've been seeing frozen cauliflower rice pop up more and more (and it will save you a TON of time). And if you're going to the flatbread route, might I suggest making my quinoa pizza crust and using coconut milk instead of water and curry powder? Oh my that sounds delicious!
And did I mention this also works as a meal prep meal?
You can organize your container with the rice and dal, add in some greens and then pop it in your fridge for 3 – 4 days. You'll have lunches (or dinners) ready to go and that, my friends, is where a big batch of this will really come in handy. Stock your freezer, stock your fridge and have dinner on the table in under 15 minutes.
Yep, sounds pretty idyllic to me!
More Quick & Easy Dinner Ideas:
- Quinoa Stuffed Eggplant with Tahini Sauce
- Rainbow Vegetable Quinoa Stir Fry
- Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Boats
- One-Pot Lentils + Quinoa with Spinach
- Black Bean Quinoa Fajita Bowls
- One-Pot Mediterranean Quinoa with Spinach + Chickpeas
Easy Vegan Red Lentil Dal
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups dried red lentils
- 1 15 oz can of coconut milk, full-fat or light
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt & pepper
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil, then add lentils and coconut milk. Return mixture to a boil then reduce to simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, until the lentils have softened, then stir in spices and cook another 5.!
- Serve with quinoa, cauliflower rice, white/brown rice or flatbreads!
Nutrition
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I really want to make this, but my store doesn’t really carry coconut milk often, does soy/almond milk work alright as an alternative?
Yes! Either should work!
I just made this and it was delicious! I love that it was so quick and easy and yet it had restaurant quality taste! I also appreciate the simplicity of no chopping or peeling required as is with most recipes. 5 stars!
I’m so glad to hear that!!! xox
on your vegan red lentil dal recipe, what can you substitute coconut milk for? I really don’t like the taste, but the recipe looks good. I am just going to try lentils and quinoa.
Any other milk should be fine!
This is my first time cooking lentils and OMG…this is amazing. Came together quickly, we just added some veggies on the side. So damn good.
YAY!! So so happy you liked them Emily 🙂
Made this before it was amazing and I want to make it again now but dont have red lentils…have everything else and in my cabinets I have green lentils. Should I wait til I have the red or will green work TOO???
I would wait! They’re totally different textures so you really can’t replicate without the split red lentils 🙁
I have tried many red lentil recipes and this one is by far the best – and simplest! It was also the only one where I didnt need to add any more water. I enjoyed adding a bouillon cube to the water. The pairing with arugula is perfect!
So glad you enjoyed! Love the idea of the bouillon cube!
Yay!! Makes me so happy to hear that! xo
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I also needed more water. I’m surprised the lentils aren’t covered. That may be why the liquid needs increasing.
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Should I wash the red lentils first before adding to the recipe ?
Sure!
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I always have a serving or two on hand in my freezer for busy nights! I absolutely love this recipe. I have found that adding a few tablespoons of vegetable oil or vegan butter adds a nice richness to it, but it isn’t necessary by any means!
I’m so happy you like it, Julia! Such a great idea to add the vegan butter 🙂
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If I want to use this as a meal prep how long will it last in the fridge??
At least 4 – 5 days 🙂
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Thanks for letting me know!
hmm maybe it’s because i didn’t rinse my lentils? but mine came out a bit bitter :'(
Hmm…! They also potentially could have gone rancid if they were really old?
This was a really tasty recipe, but I am having a hard time getting the texture right. It always seems that some of the lentils don’t cook all the way or something and I end up with a grainy mixture. Any advice for getting a creamier, smoother texture? Thanks!
You could try blending it! There usually are some “chunks” — the lentils don’t entirely break down, so it will have some texture to it 🙂
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So simple to make and DELICIOUS!! the amount of liquid was perfect for me, but it did take about 30-40 min to cook. Will definitely make again!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for the beautifully simple recipe! I just made this to enjoy with roasted sweet potatoes, brown rice, veggies, spinach, and hummus for the work week ahead. I always appreciate recipes like this where I can easily draw from pantry staples to make something in a snap that will satisfy me for meals to come!
Yum! That sounds so delicious. I’m thrilled you enjoyed it 🙂
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