This easy vegan dal recipe is just what you need when you’re craving comfort food. There’s something about the earthy flavour of yellow lentils that will give you a warm, fuzzy feeling.

This easy vegan dal only takes 10 minutes of prep time and is great for a quick weeknight dinner on a brisk autumn evening. Serve with flat bread and rice and you’ve got yourself a satisfying fiber- and protein-rich dish that will definitely fill you up!

I’ve been craving a good dal for a while now and I’m surprised with myself for not making it sooner. Even more surprised was my husband when he learned for the first time that yellow lentils exist. Indian food is definitely not as popular in Spain as it is elsewhere and I’ve slowly been introducing him to some of my Indian-inspired recipes .

So I made a trip downtown to the Asian supermarket and came back with a bag of moong dal to show him and to make this easy vegan dal recipe. (I haven’t shown him red lentils yet, it’ll probably blow his mind!)

If you’re also new to dal and wondering how to cook yellow lentils, it’s easy! They don’t need to be soaked first and cook much quicker from dried than beans.

Simply rinse them in fresh water and chuck them in a pot, cover with water and simmer over low heat for 30 – 45 minutes until they’re soft. And if you’ve got a pressure cooker, they’ll be done in no time.

Just as the lentils are finishing up cooking you can prepare your spiced oil, called tarka or tadka , to give all the yummy deliciousness to your yellow lentils. Here’s where it gets complicated as every cook does it differently and you can look at a million recipes and never see the same spice combination. So feel free to experiment or change things up according to whatever you’ve got on hand in your spice rack.

This easy vegan dal recipe is totally adaptable to your tastes. Add some tomatoes for a bit of sweetness or spinach (or other leafy green) for some extra iron. The consistency of your dal is also up to you. Adjust the amount of water to make it as thin as a soup or as thick as porridge.

Serve it as a side dish (would be great with a sandwich) or a main dish with flatbread or rice. The variations are endless and I’m sure this easy vegan dal recipe is one you’ll be making again and again!