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Red Lentil Dal Recipe

Did you know that cooked lentils freeze beautifully? Our red lentil dal is cooked with traditional Indian spices and served over gorgeous green peas for an easy, hot and delicious meal that doesn’t take hours.

The top half of the image shows cooked red lentil dal in a bag, waiting for the freezer. In the middle, it says Freezer Meal Red Lentil Dal. On the bottom half is the cooked dish in a serving bowl with peas.

One of the best things about freezer meals is that on a particularly hard day, you don’t even have to think. Just take out the bag, reheat the ingredients per the instructions, and enjoy a hot, home-cooked meal. It’s always so simple. No thinking. No decisions. Remove more decisions from your busy days when you join our Freezer Meals 101 Club.

What is Dal?

A staple dish all over Asia, dal is made with lentils, spices, and herbs. You will find as many different variations of the dish as you find cooks. Easy to make, and yet full of flavor dal is a staple for good reason. It is filling, healthful, and delicious. What I love about our dal recipe is that the lentils soak up the flavors of spice so nicely.

Red Lentil Dal Recipe

Ingredients for Red Lentil Dal

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 tsp. curry powder
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. coriander
  • ½ tsp. garam masala
  • ½ tsp. turmeric
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 ½ cups split red lentils, rinsed
  • 14 oz. diced tomatoes
  • 1 large (gallon) freezer bag or reusable silicone bag

How to Make Red Lentil Dal

Cooking Instructions

  1. Heat oil over medium heat.
  2. Cook the onion 5-7 minutes.
  3. Add the garlic and ginger. Cook for 1 minute, stirring.
  4. Add the spices. Stir and cook for a minute or two.
  5. Add 1 cup of broth and mix before adding the rest of the broth, lentils and diced tomatoes.
  6. Simmer, covered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  7. Let cool completely.
  8. Place in large freezer meal bag, remove excess air. Seal & freeze.
Cooked red lentil dal in a freezer bag.

Serving Instructions

  1. Thaw overnight in the fridge. You may also thaw it directly in the sauce pan as you reheat it, but it will take longer.
  2. Reheat on the stovetop in a saucepan.
Steps to cook dal. Sautee the onions. Add spices, add lentils, and then add liquids such as broth and canned diced tomatoes. Cook.

What are lentils?

The dried seed of a legume is called a pulse, and lentils fit into this category. The edible seeds of plants and pulses are nutrient-dense superfoods. Lentils, in particular, are high in both protein and fiber.

How do I know when the lentils are cooked?

The best way to know is a taste test. The good news is split lentils cook faster than whole lentils. For our recipe, use a ratio of 2:1 for water: split lentils and cook for about twenty minutes. Taste test. If at that point the lentils are still a little crunchy, add a half cup more water, cook until it is absorbed and test again. Repeat as needed. The amount of water needed to get your lentils just right may vary slightly.

Can I make red lentil dal ahead of time?

This dish can be made and frozen for up to six months before you need it. If you plan to keep it in the fridge, it can be made up to three days early. Make sure to place it in an airtight container so that it doens’t absorb old odors. Lentils absorb both flavor and odors if let too long.

My lentils are too spicy. What can I do to reign in the heat?

You have a few different options. First, you can add a small amount of brown sugar to the sauce pan and stir it in. This can soften the spice. Second, you can try a dairy product. Add a dollop of sour cream or a drizzle of heavy cream to each serving. Third, you can add a grilled meat so that the red lentil dal is no longer the main dish.

Red Lentil Dal Recipe Ideas

Substitute with different types of split lentils. You do not have to use red lentils for this recipe. Black lentils are a particular favorite, especially with teens.

Add red pepper flakes for heat. Though not typical, you could also use diced hot peppers like habaneros with the onions to add heat.

Split lentils cook faster and more easily than whole lentils. Make sure to purchase split lentils, which have had the skins removed so that they naturally split in half.

Add veggies to the red lentil dal. You can add diced bell peppers, diced summer squash, or chopped broccoli to the skillet when you saute the onions.

Collage image shows large finished dish close up on the left with three small images on the right showing frozen red lentil dal in a bag, cooking dal, and finished but still in the skillet.

How do I store Red Lentil Dal?

Even though this dish has been cooked and then frozen once, it can still be refrigerated and reheated in the microwave after it is served because it doesn’t contain any meat. Keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within a few days or discard.

What to Serve with Red Lentil Dal

We love to serve this dish over cooked baby peas for a perfect textural contrast and flavor complement. You can add warmed naan or pita flatbread to your meal for a nice touch. We like to pick up traditional Mediterranean flatbreads from a local bakery, and that would complement this meal beautifully as well.

Because the lentils contain protein, you do not need to add meat to the meal, but you could serve it with grilled or baked chicken as more of a side dish if you wanted. Lentils and greens also go well together! Use lentils similarly to rice in a bowl with greens and meat for a delicious protein bowl.

A plate of red lentil dal served over peas in a white bowl
Red Lentil Dal
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 
Servings: 4
Calories: 316 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 1/2 cups split red lentils, rinsed
  • 14 oz diced tomatoes
Instructions
Cooking Instructions
  1. Heat oil over medium heat.

  2. Cook the onion 5-7 minutes.

  3. Add the garlic and ginger.

  4. Cook for 1 minute, stirring.

  5. Add the spices. Stir and cook for a minute or two.

  6. Add 1 cup of broth and mix before adding the rest of the broth, lentils and diced tomatoes.

  7. Simmer, covered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  8. Let cool completely.

  9. Place in large freezer meal bag, remove excess air. Seal & freeze.

Serving Instructions
  1. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, or you can thaw it directly in the sauce pan as you reheat it.

  2. Reheat on stovetop.