Indian lentil soup a.k.a dal soup made with lentils, vegetables, spices and herbs is a delicious, satiating and easy to make dish. Make it in a sauce pot or the instant pot following my instructions.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 3
  • Category: Side
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • ½ cup dal ((toor/ moong/ masoor dal - red lentils, read notes))
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons ghee (or butter (divided - 1 + 1, ghee helps in digestion))
  • 1 teaspoon ginger (grated (or ½ inch peeled))
  • 3 cups water or stock (to cook (½ cup more to add after blending))
  • ¾ teaspoon sea salt ((adjust to taste, cut down if using stock))
  • ⅛ teaspoon turmeric ((optional))
  • ⅓ cup carrots ((1 medium))
  • ⅔ cup pumpkin ((or carrots))
  • ⅓ cup tomatoes ((1 medium chopped, can add up to ¾ cup))
  • ⅓ cup zucchini (or bottle gourd (optional))
  • 1 teaspoon garlic (- fine chopped)
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes ((divided - ¾ tsp for tempering, ¼ tsp for garnishing))
  • ¾ to 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper (crushed)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice ((or ½ teaspoon amchur powder - dry mango powder))
  • 2 tablespoons coriander leaves (- fine chopped)

Method

  1. Rinse the lentils well at least thrice. Drain the water and set aside.
  2. Add 1 tsp to tbsp ghee or butter to the pot and melt it on a low heat. Saute ginger for 30 seconds without burning. Next add all the chopped veggies and saute for 3 mins.
  3. Transfer the rinsed lentils. Add salt and turmeric. Pour water/stock and deglaze the pot.
  4. Cooking in pot: If using a regular sauce pot, let it cook on a medium heat until mushy. Add more hot water accordingly as the lentils cook. It should take 30 to 40 mins.
  5. Pressure cooker: Pressure cook for 12 mins on high pressure or for 3 to 4 whistles on a medium heat.
  6. Mash with a masher or cool down to blend the cooked ingredients to a smooth soup. (you may use a immersion blender if you want)

How to make Dal Soup

  1. This step is optional but it sure adds aroma to the dal soup. Add 1 tbsp ghee or butter to a small pan and melt it. Add garlic and saute until a nice aroma comes out for 30 seconds.
  2. Add red chilli flakes, cumin and black pepper. Mix with the blended soup. You may adjust the consistency by adding half cup water/stock if you want.
  3. Bring the dal soup to a gentle simmer and turn off.
  4. When the dal soup cools down a bit add lemon juice and mix well. Taste test and adjust the seasoning as required.
  5. Garnish with more red chilli flakes, coriander leaves and black pepper. Serve Indian dal soup hot with crusty bread or quinoa, millets or paratha.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.