One Pot Indian Red Lentil Dal
Creamy and rich, this might be the best dal on earth. Studded with sweet potatoes and tomatoes, these tender lentils are simmered in an insanely delicious, spice-infused, coconut-curry cream. Wholly satisfying on every level!
There’s so much flavor in this dal! The coconut-curry cream is scented with ginger, garlic, turmeric, cumin, and coriander, so it warm, earthy, lemony, and smoky. There’s also a pinch of cinnamon – not enough to detect, but enough to add warmth to every velvety spoonful.
This dish is 100% vegan! It’s also incredibly satisfying, so you could easily serve it as a wholesome main dish. If desired, add some warm naan (or fluffy rice). Me? I ate an entire bowl without either of those things and was completely satisfied. If desired, you could round out the meal with a fresh green salad or steamed green vegetables too!
This one pot meal is great for any night of the week. Everything comes together in one pot (and you can bring the pot straight to the table), so this dish is easy to prepare AND easy to clean-up after!
Since everything simmers together, there’s incredible depth of flavor in this dish. Traditional Indian dishes simmer for hours, giving the herbs and spices a chance to evolve and perfume the entire dish. In this recipe, we achieve the same depth of flavor in a fraction of the time.
One Pot Indian Red Lentil Dal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger, or 1/2 teaspoon ground
- 2 cups diced, peeled sweet potatoes
- 16 ounces red lentils, rinsed and picked over to remove debris
- 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar or coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 cups vegetable broth or water, plus more if needed
- 14- ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 14- ounce can full-fat coconut milk
- Salt and ground black pepper
- Fresh cilantro leaves for serving
- Cooked rice and/or naan for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large stock pot or saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the sweet potatoes and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the curry powder, sugar, turmeric, coriander, cumin, and cinnamon and stir to coat.
- Add the broth (or water), tomatoes, and coconut milk and bring to a low boil. Add the lentils and return to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium and simmer/low boil for 25 to 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender, and the stew thickens, adding more broth or water if necessary (if the mixture seems too thick and/or is sticking to the bottom of the pan). Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Top with cilantro and serve with rice or naan.