This red lentil dahl soup is made with red lentils, Indian spices, and coconut milk. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s a comforting Indian dal soup that’s perfect for any day. You can easily make it on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot!
You know how much I love making simple, easy recipes for dinner, right? This Indian lentil soup has been on repeat in my house for a while.
It’s hearty and the perfect meal, whether enjoyed on its own, with a crusty white soda bread, or a big scoop of stove top cooked white basmati rice. Red lentils are just so satisfying—whether I'm making a cozy butternut squash red lentil dal or a flavorful tortilla red lentil soup. They never disappoint me!
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Recipe?
- Made in just one pot—whether on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot pressure cooker.
- Meal prep made simple—make a big batch and freeze portions for quick, delicious meals later.
- Naturally vegan and gluten-free, perfect for everyone at the table.
- Budget-friendly pantry ingredients- all are easily found at your local grocery store.
- Homemade is not only cheaper but tastes miles better than the store-bought lentil dhal soup! ( like the one from Sainsburys)
Ingredients
See the recipe card below for detailed ingredients and measurements.
- Dried Red Lentils (Masoor Dal):Opt for split red lentils, readily available at most grocery stores. Use it to make red lentil curry and red lentil and carrot soup.
- White Onion or Shallots: I don’t recommend using red onions, as they can add color and overpower the flavors in the soup.
- Tomato: I prefer fresh vine or salad tomatoes—use whichever is handy.
- Curry Powder: I use Bolst brand curry powder, recommended by my chef friend—it's simply the best!
- Coconut Milk: Use canned coconut milk, either light or full-fat (not the coconut milk beverage).
Substitutions
- Red Lentils: You can substitute with split pea dal or even green lentils in this masoor dal soup. Keep in mind, the flavors and cooking time will change, as they take a bit longer to cook.
- Tomatoes: You can use ½ a can of tomatoes or 2 teaspoons of tomato paste as a substitute.
- Curry Powder: If you don’t have curry powder, substitute with garam masala and add ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder.
- Water: You can also sub with vegetable stock or vegetable broth if you like.
Sandhya's Top Tips
- Rinse the Red Lentils well: Wash them 4-5 times in cold water until it runs clear to remove any husks or debris.
- Use fresh, quality ingredients: Fresh tomatoes, ginger, garlic, coriander, and lemon juice make a big difference in flavor.
- Choose good-quality spices: The right curry powder can elevate the taste of your soup.
How to Make Red Lentil Dahl Soup?
Step 1: Heat oil in a pot, add cumin seeds, and let them splutter. Sauté onion, ginger, and garlic for 4-5 minutes until translucent.
Step 2: Add red lentils, tomato, potatoes, carrots, curry powder, salt, pepper, and water (or broth).
Step 3: Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer.
Step 4: Cover and cook for 20 minutes, until lentils are tender.
Step 5: Stir in coconut milk and cook for 5 more minutes. Decide if you prefer a chunky or smooth soup. For a creamier texture, use an immersion blender to blend it until smooth.
Step 6: Turn off heat. Stir in lemon juice, garnish with coriander, and enjoy!
Variations
- Spinach Dal Soup: Stir in a handful of chopped spinach towards the end of cooking, along with the coconut milk for added flavor and nutrition.
- Roasted Cauliflower Dal Soup: Roast cauliflower florets in the air fryer until golden and tender, then add it to the dal for a smoky, caramelised twist.
- Tarka Dhal Soup: For an extra burst of flavor, prepare a tarka with ghee, curry leaves, cumin, mustard seeds, and garlic (like in my red lentils tarka dal) and pour it over the soup just before serving.
- Moong Dhal Soup: Use Moong Dal instead of Red Lentils in this recipe.
Storing Leftovers
- In the fridge: This soup stores well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop or microwave until warmed through.
- In the freezer: For longer storage, freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop or microwave.
What to Serve with Lentil Dal Soup?
This soup is satisfying on its own, but for a classic pairing, serve it with stovetop-cooked white basmati rice or turmeric pilau rice (Dal Chawal). For an even heartier meal, add vegan naan bread, a refreshing kachumber salad, and some crispy poppadoms on the side.
Recipe FAQ's
You can, but the flavor and texture of the lentil soup will differ. Red lentils break down into a creamy, thick soup, while split pea dal, green lentils or brown lentils hold their shape and take longer to cook. These may also require more liquid to achieve the desired consistency. For the best result, it's best to use red lentils for creamy dal.
To make your red lentil dal soup extra creamy, cook the lentils until they’re soft and breaking apart. Just like we do in this recipe, adding coconut milk will give it a rich, velvety texture. You can also blend a portion of the soup for an even smoother consistency.
No, you don't need to cook the lentils separately. In this recipe, we cook the lentils directly in the soup with the vegetables, all in one pot. This makes the process simple and efficient—no extra steps needed!
Lentils have a mild flavor on their own, so it’s important to season them well. To avoid a bland dal soup, make sure to use a good-quality curry powder, add some chili for heat, and don't forget the fresh ginger, garlic and chopped coriander for depth of flavor. These ingredients will really bring your soup to life!
Absolutely! This Dahl soup freezes exceptionally well. Portion the soup into individual containers, label each one, and then freeze them for convenient meals on busy days.
Transform the bag of lentils to protein packed meals. Make soups, dal, flatbread, or curry! Try my favourite recipes like Tarka red lentil Dahl recipe, Butternut Squash Red Lentil Dahl, Red lentil dahl tortilla soup, Carrot and Red Lentil Soup, and Red Lentil Curry. I love BBC’s Veggie Red Lentil Moussaka and always give it personal twist.
More Vegan Indian recipes you will love
HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?
Be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a ★ rating!
Post a photo of your creation on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #sandhyaskitchen. I would love to see your pictures!
Subscribe to our weekly newsletters!
Ingredients
- 1 cup red lentils 200 g
- 2 teaspoon oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 small white onion 100 g
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 inch ginger grated
- 1-2 green chillies chopped
- 2 small tomatoes 140 g
- 1 small carrot 50 g
- 1 small potato 50 g
- 1 ½ teaspoon mild curry powder
- Salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 cup water 700 ml
- ½ can coconut milk 200 ml
- Juice of lemon
- 2 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves
Instructions
Stove Top Instructions
- Wash the red lentils in running tap water 4-5 times until clear. Also chop the onion, tomato, potato, carrot, green chilli and set aside. Prep the ginger garlic and set aside too.
- Heat oil in a pot. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.2 teaspoon oil, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- Add onion, ginger, garlic, and green chilli. Sauté until onions are translucent (4-5 mins).1 small white onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1-2 green chillies, 1 inch ginger
- Put in red lentils, diced tomato, diced potatoes, carrots, water, curry powder, salt, and pepper.1 cup red lentils, 2 small tomatoes, 1 small carrot, 1 ½ teaspoon mild curry powder, Salt to taste, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 small potato
- Bring to a boil, then simmer covered for 15 minutes until lentils are tender.
- Stir in coconut milk and cook for 5 more minutes. Decide on texture: for chunky soup, leave as is; for creamy, blend with immersion blender.½ can coconut milk
- Turn off heat, add lemon juice, and garnish with fresh coriander. Enjoy your Dahl soup!2 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves, Juice of lemon
Instant Pot Instructions
- Press Saute and set the time for 6 minutes. Heat oil in the inner pot of the Instant Pot pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds and allow them to splutter.
- Add the aromatics – onion, ginger and garlic. Sauté for 4 minutes or until the onions become translucent. If it is catching the bottom of the pan, add a splash of water.
- Add red lentils, tomato, water, curry powder, potato, carrots, salt, and pepper. Secure the lid. Pressure Cook on High for 6 minutes, followed by a Natural Pressure Release.
- Open the lid, add coconut milk and cook for 2 minutes. If you enjoy it chunky, leave it as it is or pulse it smooth.
- Finally add juice of lemon, and garnish with fresh cilantro. Enjoy your quick and delicious Instant Pot Red Lentil Dahl Soup!
Video
Notes
-
- Rinse the Red Lentils well: Wash them 4-5 times in cold water until it runs clear to remove any husks or debris.
-
- Use fresh, quality ingredients: Fresh tomatoes, ginger, garlic, coriander, and lemon juice make a big difference in flavor.
-
- Choose good-quality spices: The right curry powder can elevate the taste of your soup.
- In the fridge: This soup stores well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop or microwave until warmed through.
- In the freezer: This soup freezer exceptionally well. So I always make a big batch for later.Portion in a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop or microwave.
Sandhya Hariharan says
This red lentil dal soup combines the best of both worlds – the hearty, spiced richness of dal with the soothing warmth of a soup, making it the perfect comfort meal. It's on repeat in our house!