Red lentil dhal soup
Silky, spiced red lentil dhal soup — warming, vegan and quick. Brightened with coconut milk, lime and fresh coriander; ready in under an hour.
This red lentil dhal soup is the sort of midweek hero that tastes like you’ve fussed for hours but actually required very little time or drama. It’s warming, bright with lime and coriander, and silky thanks to a splash of coconut milk.
Make it when you want something wholesome and cheap that reheats beautifully — perfect for a simple supper or to batch-cook for the week. It’s vegan, freezer-friendly and very forgiving, which is exactly what busy cooks need.
Ingredients
- 250 g red lentils (masoor dal), rinsed — rinsed until water runs clear
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 5 ml mustard seeds
- 5 ml cumin seeds
- 1 large onion — finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves — crushed or finely chopped
- 2 cm fresh ginger — grated
- 5 ml ground turmeric
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml ground coriander
- 5 ml mild chilli powder or cayenne — adjust to taste
- 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 1 l vegetable stock — hot
- 100 ml full-fat coconut milk — for creaminess (can use more/less)
- 5 ml garam masala — added at the end
- 10 ml salt — adjust to taste
- 5 ml black pepper
- 15 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped, to serve
- 1 lime — juice of, to finish
- 1 dried red chilli (optional for tempering) — optional
- 15 ml extra vegetable oil (for tempering) — optional
Equipment
- large heavy-based saucepan with lid
- stick blender or blender (optional)
- small frying pan for tempering (optional)
- wooden spoon
Instructions
Place the red lentils in a sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear. Drain well.
Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and fry for 30–45 seconds until they start to pop and smell aromatic.
Add the finely chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Fry gently for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and just beginning to colour.
Stir in the garlic and grated ginger and cook for 60 seconds until fragrant.
Add ground turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander and the chilli powder. Fry for 30–45 seconds to release the spices’ aroma.
Pour in the tinned chopped tomatoes, break them up with the spoon and simmer for 5 minutes so they reduce slightly and merge with the spices.
Add the rinsed lentils and the hot vegetable stock. Stir, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 20–25 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the lentils are soft and beginning to break down.
Stir in the coconut milk, garam masala, lime juice, salt and black pepper. Simmer for a further 4–5 minutes to heat through and let the flavours marry.
If you prefer a silky soup, use a stick blender to blitz the dhal to your desired texture (careful with hot liquids) or transfer a portion to a blender and return to the pan.
Optional tempering: heat 1 tbsp oil in a small frying pan, add a dried red chilli and a pinch each of mustard or cumin seeds until they sizzle (30–60 seconds). Pour the hot spiced oil over the soup for a glossy, smoky finish.
Ladle the dhal into bowls, scatter over the chopped fresh coriander and serve with extra lime wedges. Enjoy with warm flatbreads or steamed rice.
Tips
- Rinse the lentils until the water runs clear — it avoids excessive foaming and gives a cleaner-tasting broth.
- Fry the onions slowly until soft and slightly golden; this step builds the deepest flavour in the finished soup.
- If you’re batch-cooking, undercook the lentils slightly; they thicken and soften further on chilling and reheating.
- For a lighter soup, use light coconut milk or reduce the coconut milk to 50 ml and add extra stock.
- If you don’t have a stick blender, mash roughly with a potato masher for a rustic texture.
Substitutions
red lentils (masoor dal) → split yellow lentils (mung dal) in the same quantity
Stays closefull-fat coconut milk → double cream, same quantity (makes recipe non-vegan but creamier)
Noticeably differenttinned chopped tomatoes → 2 medium fresh tomatoes, chopped and softened in the pan for 5–6 minutes
Stays closevegetable stock → water plus 1 vegetable stock cube, dissolved
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 330
- Calories
- 16 g
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 13 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 600 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Yes — brown the onions and spices first for best flavour, then transfer to the slow cooker with the lentils and stock and cook on low for 4–5 hours or high for 2–3 hours.
Can I freeze the dhal soup?
Absolutely. Cool fully, portion into airtight tubs and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the hob, adding a splash of water or stock if it’s too thick.
How do I make the soup spicier or milder?
Adjust the chilli powder or add chopped green chillies to taste. To make milder, reduce or omit chilli and rely on warm spices like cumin and coriander for flavour.
Can I use other lentils?
Red lentils break down and thicken the soup quickly. Brown or green lentils can be used but need longer cooking (30–40 minutes) and the texture will be firmer.
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