This Yellow split peas dal recipe is a tasty and nutritious homemade side dish, that's super easy to make and packed with flavour. Made with yellow split peas, spices, and spinach, this vegan dal is a healthy and satisfying meal that's perfect for busy weeknights!
Cooked white basmati rice with basic daily red lentil dal is my ultimate comfort food at home. I usually make 2–3 varieties of dal and lentils a few times a week. For more simple and comforting dal ideas, I’ve put together 15+ easy Indian dal recipes you can try at home.
To make it a complete, wholesome meal, I like to add a side of vegetable dishes such as okra bhaji or brinjal bhaji, along with some plain yogurt.
One of my go-to everyday dals is yellow split pea dal and whole masoor dal. It’s vegan and incredibly easy to make. You’ll just need a bag of yellow split peas, basic Indian spices, and a few other simple ingredients—all easily available in local supermarkets.
This dal is light on the stomach, nourishing, and perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a simple, satisfying lunch. I love it because it’s fuss-free, versatile, and a staple in my kitchen all year-round.
Jump to:
- 👩🏻🍳Sandhya’s Top Tips & Tricks
- 📋Ingredients
- 🔪 How I Cook Yellow Split Peas for Dal
- 🔪 How to Make Indian Yellow Split Peas and Spinach Dal Recipe?
- How I Make Instant Pot Yellow Split Pea Dal
- 🍽 What to Serve with Yellow Split Pea Dal?
- 🧂Storing Leftover Indian Yellow Split peas Dal
- ❓Recipe FAQ’s
- More Easy Vegan Indian Dal Recipes
- Indian Yellow Split Pea and Spinach Dal Recipe
👩🏻🍳Sandhya’s Top Tips & Tricks
- I recommend using a pressure cooker (manual or electric such as the Instant Pot). This significantly reduces cooking time and eliminates the need for soaking. So its almost instant and you don't need any planning too.
- Rinse the split peas thoroughly to remove excess starch and ensure even cooking.
- Do Not add acidic ingredients like tomatoes or lemon until the dal has fully softened, as acid slows the cooking process.
- Cook the onion–tomato masala well for 10–15 minutes to build depth and achieve a truly authentic Indian dal flavour.
- Season in layers. I add salt while cooking and finish with a final seasoning to balance flavours.
- Split peas absorb a lot of liquid, so add hot water (I usually add from the kettle) gradually if the dal thickens too quickly.
- If making a large batch, portion and store rather than reheating the entire pot. Repeated reheating can spoil the dal over time.
📋Ingredients
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Yellow split pea: It is the key ingredient in this dal recipe. Readily available in packets among pulses and legumes in UK and US supermarkets.
- Onion: I use Red Onion. You can also use White or Brown onion.
- Tomato: A combination of tomato puree and fresh tomatoes. You will find tomato puree in tubes at the supermarket among the canned tomatoes aisle.
- Fresh Ginger and Garlic: Fresh makes a difference. But you can use store-bought ginger garlic paste.
- Chilli: Adjust the amount of green chilli and red chilli powder according to your taste preference.
- Basic Indian Spices: Turmeric, chilli powder, ground cumin and coriander powder. I also use asafoetida to give the dal its unique flavour. Leave out, if you can't find it.
- Greens: I like to add fresh baby spinach. You can also use any other greens such as kale, methi or dill.
- Fresh coriander
- Lemon or lime juice
- Oil: Any neutral oil, like sunflower oil or coconut oil, works. You could also use ghee for rich flavours.
🔪 How I Cook Yellow Split Peas for Dal
- On the stovetop, I add the yellow split pea, 4 cups of water, and a pinch of turmeric to a pot. I cover it and let it simmer for 30–40 minutes until the peas are tender, then whisk it lightly.
- If I’m using a pressure cooker, I go with 3 cups of water and turmeric, cook on high for 15 minutes, and let the pressure release naturally.
Tip: Soak yellow split peas in hot water for about an hour for cooking on stove top. It’s optional, but it helps them cook faster and more evenly. Then drain and rinse them before cooking.
🔪 How to Make Indian Yellow Split Peas and Spinach Dal Recipe?
Step 1: While the split peas cook, make the onion tomato masala in a separate pan. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, onion, ginger, garlic and green chilli. Cook for a few minutes on a medium-high heat. Then add tomato puree, water, and ground spices. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Step 2: Add the dal & spinach:
Add the tomatoes and cooked split peas to the onion tomato masala mixture and season with salt. Bring it to a boil and then add chopped spinach if desired. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Finally, add some lemon juice to brighten up the flavours and garnish with fresh coriander, if desired.
How I Make Instant Pot Yellow Split Pea Dal
- Cook the dal: Rinse the yellow split peas and add them to the Instant Pot with a little water. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 10–15 minutes. Whisk to a smooth consistency and thin with water if needed.
- Make the masala: Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, then sauté onion, ginger, garlic, and green chilli. Stir in chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and spices, and cook for 2–3 minutes.
- Combine: Pour the cooked dal into the masala, season with salt, and add chopped spinach if you like. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Serve: Enjoy hot with rice or naan, and garnish with fresh coriander if desired.
🍽 What to Serve with Yellow Split Pea Dal?
I love serving with cooked brown basmati rice, white basmati rice or other grains like quinoa or couscous.
You could also serve with plain naan bread, yogurt flatbread or chapatis too. They’re perfect for mopping up the dal.
🧂Storing Leftover Indian Yellow Split peas Dal
- In the fridge: Once cooled, your yellow split pea dal can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat with a splash of water in the microwave until heated through.
- In the freezer: You can freeze leftover dal. Portion in single-serve containers and freeze for up to 3 month. Defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating. Reheat on the stove directly or in microwave.
❓Recipe FAQ’s
Dried Yellow split pea is a type of lentil( hindi word for pulses) commonly used in Indian cuisine. Popularly known as dal, dahl, or dal, it is readily available in packets among pulses and legumes. in It is made by splitting yellow mung beans and is rich in protein and dietary fibre. I often use yellow split dal in dal, soups, stews, and curries. You could interchange it with recipes calling for red lentils too.
Very much. It’s a convenient way to have ready-made meals on hand. Just make sure to cool the dal to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container or freezer bag. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Yes, you can make tarka dal with yellow split peas. Traditionally, tarka dal is prepared with lentils such as masoor (red) dal or toor dal, but yellow split peas work well as a substitute. Simply replace the red lentils in your usual Tarka red lentils dal recipe with yellow split peas and adjust the cooking time, as they take longer to soften.
For stovetop cooking, use a 1:4 ratio — 1 cup yellow split peas to 4 cups water and simmer for 30–40 minutes, until soft.
For pressure cooking, use a 1:3 ratio — 1 cup split peas to 3 cups water. Cook for 15–18 minutes in a manual pressure cooker or 12–15 minutes in an Instant Pot, both with natural release.
Older split peas can take much longer to cook and often need extra water, so check the packet date. Also ensure you haven’t added any acidic ingredients (such as tomatoes or lemon) before the peas have softened, as acid slows the cooking.
More Easy Vegan Indian Dal Recipes
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow split peas 200g
- 3 cups water
- 1 tbps oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 red onion diced
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 small tomato diced
- 2 garlic cloves sliced
- 1 ” ginger grated
- 1 green chilli
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ⅛ teaspoon asafoetida hing - optional
- Salt to taste
- 1½ cup spinach or other greens chopped - 60g
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Fresh coriander chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Begin by rinsing the split peas under cold water, then soak them in water for at least 1 hour or overnight. Drain and rinse the soaked split peas.
- In a pot, add the split peas and 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the split peas are tender.
- While the split peas are cooking, heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds, onion, ginger, garlic, and green chili, and cook for a few minutes until the onion is translucent.
- Add tomato paste, ground spices, and ⅓ cup of water. Stir well and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add chopped tomatoes to the onion tomato masala.
- Once the split peas are cooked, add them to the onion tomato masala.
- Season with salt and bring it to a simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- Add chopped spinach or other greens to the pot. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until wilted.
- Stir in lemon juice and garnish with fresh coriander, if desired.
- Serve hot with rice or naan bread.Enjoy your delicious and nutritious yellow split pea dal!
Notes
Dal To Water Ratio
For stovetop cooking, use a 1:4 ratio — 1 cup yellow split peas to 4 cups water and simmer for 30–40 minutes, until soft.For pressure cooking, use a 1:3 ratio — 1 cup split peas to 3 cups water. Cook for 15–18 minutes in a manual pressure cooker or 12–15 minutes in an Instant Pot, both with natural release.
Expert Tips
- Rinse the split peas thoroughly to remove excess starch and ensure even cooking.
- Do not add acidic ingredients like tomatoes or lemon until the dal has fully softened, as acid slows the cooking process.
- Cook the onion–tomato masala well for 10–15 minutes to build depth and achieve a truly authentic Indian dal flavour.
- Season in layers. I add salt while cooking and finish with a final seasoning to balance flavours.
- Add hot water (I usually add from the kettle) gradually if the dal thickens too quickly.
- Portion and store the dal in fridge and freezer. Repeated reheating can spoil the dal over time.
Elinor S says
Found this recipe through a Google search. Oh my god it's so good. Thank you very much for sharing!!
Sandhya Hariharan says
Thank you so much, Elinor, for your lovely review. This yellow split pea dal recipe is comforting with basmati rice and really easy to make too.
Lillith says
Excellent recipe, I was out of lemons so I used lime no problem there. Very good.
Cynthia says
Oh my my 1st time making! ❤❤ The Delicious Aroma was so Delightful! Going to make homemade Naan and served with rice! Oh and the lemon set it off just right! Tyfs and ill be sharing it with friends for a Surprise Lunch Meal!
Amanda B says
Thanks Sanhya!
I made this today to extend my repertoire of dals. Absolutely love it!!! Using fresh chilli (I even braved the seeds), ginger and tomatoes was totally worth it. Definitely one to print out for my recipe collection.
Thank you from wintery New Zealand. X
Sandhya Hariharan says
You are most welcome Amanda. So glad you enjoy this really easy yellow split peas dal. Using fresh ingredients for dal takes it up by a notch every time!
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
I love this dal so much! The best I like is the rustic flavor making it so comforting! All I needed was some steaming hot rice to enjoy this delicious dal!
Yasmin says
I made this today in the instant pot. It turned out delicious! Thanks for the recipe it will definitely be on rotation in our household from now on.
Sandhya Hariharan says
Thats wonderful to know you loved making split peas dal in the instant pot. In our household, we prefer instant pot dal any day for convenience.. I can simply set the instant pot and forget it.