One‑pot red lentil dhal
Comforting, spiced one‑pot dhal with red lentils and tomatoes — ready in under an hour and vegan-friendly.
This one‑pot red lentil dhal is a weeknight hero: no faff, full of warming spice, and reliably comforting. It cooks in a single pan so you get big flavour with minimal washing up.
Make it for a quick midweek supper, a batch to pack for lunches, or as part of a lazy Indian spread. It’s naturally vegan and gluten‑free, and improves if left to sit for a few hours — flavours deepen beautifully.
Ingredients
- 250 g split red lentils
- 1 brown onion — about 150 g, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves — peeled and finely sliced
- 25 g fresh ginger — peeled and grated
- 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 900 ml vegetable stock — hot
- 15 ml vegetable oil — about 1 tbsp
- 5 ml mustard seeds
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml turmeric powder
- 5 ml chilli flakes — adjust to taste
- 5 ml garam masala — added at the end
- 5 ml salt — adjust to taste
- 1 lemon — juice only
- 15 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped for garnish
Equipment
- large heavy-based saucepan or deep casserole
Instructions
Rinse the split red lentils in cold water until the water runs clear; drain well.
Finely chop the brown onion, slice the garlic cloves and grate the fresh ginger.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the mustard seeds and wait until they begin to pop — about 20–30 seconds.
Add the brown onion and cook, stirring, until soft and starting to caramelise, 6–8 minutes.
Stir in the garlic cloves, fresh ginger, ground cumin, turmeric powder and chilli flakes. Fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
Pour in the tinned chopped tomatoes and simmer for 3–4 minutes to concentrate the flavours.
Add the rinsed split red lentils and the hot vegetable stock. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover part-way with a lid and cook gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are completely soft.
Stir in the garam masala and salt, simmer uncovered for 2 minutes to meld the flavours. If the dhal seems too thick, add a splash of water or stock to loosen.
Remove from the heat. Squeeze in the juice of the lemon and stir through two-thirds of the fresh coriander. Serve topped with the remaining coriander.
Tips
- Rinse the lentils until the water runs clear — this prevents the finished dhal becoming gluey.
- Temper the mustard seeds first: they add a nutty pop but burn very quickly, so watch the heat.
- If you prefer a silkier texture, mash about a third of the cooked lentils with the back of a spoon or blitz briefly with a hand blender.
- Make‑ahead: dhal keeps well in the fridge for 3–4 days and thickens; loosen with a little hot water when reheating.
- Freeze cooled portions in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat gently.
Substitutions
split red lentils → split yellow lentils in the same quantity
Stays closevegetable oil → coconut oil in the same quantity
Noticeably differenttinned chopped tomatoes → 400 g fresh ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped and cooked a little longer
Stays closevegetable stock → water plus 1 vegetable stock cube (dissolved) — use about 900 ml
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 297
- Calories
- 17 g
- Protein
- 46 g
- Carbs
- 5 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 650 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use brown or green lentils instead of red lentils?
You can, but brown/green lentils hold their shape and need longer cooking (20–30 extra minutes) and more liquid. The texture will be chunkier rather than creamy.
Is it necessary to rinse lentils?
Yes — rinsing removes dust and surface starch, improving texture and preventing the dhal becoming overly gloopy.
How do I make the dhal creamier?
Cook a little longer and mash some of the lentils against the pot, or stir in a splash of coconut milk or a knob of butter (if not vegan) at the end.
How spicy is this recipe?
Mildly spicy — the chilli flakes can be reduced or omitted. Add chopped fresh chillies or extra flakes if you want more heat.
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