Dal Soup

overhead shot of a bowl of dal garnished with coconut milk and sliced green chiles

4.97 from 26 votes

Dal soup is a simple and deeply satisfying Indian lentil soup. With heady Indian spices, this hearty vegetarian dal soup recipe is delicious and satisfying. It’s also easy to make and can be paired with rice or bread for a complete meal!

Course Soups and Stews

Cuisine Indian

Keyword dal, dal soup, indian dal, indian soup, lentil soup

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 50

Total Time 55

Servings servings

Calories 236kcal

Author Robin Donovan

Ingredients

For the soup

1 tablespoon coconut oil or use ghee
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 onion chopped
2 garlic cloves chopped
2 cups yellow lentils
1 green chili like jalapeno or serrano, sliced (seeded for a milder soup)
4 cups vegetable broth

For serving

½ teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup coconut milk

Instructions

Heat the coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed, large soup pot set over medium heat. Add the turmeric, salt, pepper, and mustard seeds and cook, stirring, for 1 or 2 minutes, until the mustard seeds begin to pop.
Add the onion, garlic, and chile and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the lentils and vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes, until the lentils are very tender and mostly broken down. Add 1 to 2 cups of water if needed to keep the soup liquid and keep the lentils from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Just before serving, stir in the coconut milk.
Serve hot, garnished with garam masala, red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley.

Nutrition