Creamy, comforting, and delicious, this moong masoor dal is packed with flavors! It is naturally vegan and is high in protein and fiber. You can make this either in the Instant pot or on the stove!

This moong masoor dal makes the perfect weeknight dinner that is comforting, cozy, and satisfying! It is a delicious meatless main that even non-vegans will love.
This dal is versatile and pairs well with rice or Indian flatbreads like these plain parathas.
🤔What is dal
Dal can be directly translated to split lentils, commonly used in Indian cuisines. However, when referring to food, dal is a thick, spicy stew made from simmering lentils with various spices and aromatics.
This flavorful stew usually accompanies rice and Indian flatbreads like chapati, naan, and paratha.
Depending on the region of India, different varieties of lentils are used to make this dish. This recipe will combine moong dal (split mung beans) and masoor dal (split red lentils).
💚Why you will love this recipe
- Spicy, savory, and bold in flavors
- Healthy and is packed with fiber and protein
- Filling and satisfying
- Great for meal prep and is freezable
🌶️What you will need
📃Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Moong dal (split mung beans) and masoor dal (split red lentils) - you can find both varieties of pulses in most groceries stores.
- Lime juice - can be substituted with lemon juice. Freshly squeezed ones are preferred, but bottled juice will work as well.
- Green chilies - An optional ingredient. To reduce the spice level, deseeded your chilies before using.
- Garam masala - An optional ingredient that gives moong masoor dal more depth of flavor.
🔪How to make
Cooking lentils
Wash your lentils thoroughly until the water is no longer cloudy. Drain well.
You can either cook your lentils on the stove or in the Instant pot.
Stovetop
- In a Dutch oven or soup pot, add lentils along with 4 cups of water.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer.
- Place the lid slightly ajar, and cook for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are soft and mushy. You should skim off the foam that rises to the top if it prevents you from observing the cooking lentils.
Instant pot
- Place lentils along with 3 cups of water into the inner pot.
- Cook at high pressure for 10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for around 10 minutes, then quickly release the remaining pressure.
- Give the cooked lentils a quick stir, and it is ready to be used.
Making tadka (tempering spices)
Heat a tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan.
Once the oil is heated, add cumin seed and fry until they start to pop and sizzle. Then, add onion and saute until translucent.
Stir in garlic and ginger. Fry until fragrant. Add green and dried chilies next and fry for 1-2 minutes.
Now, add ground spices and fry for another minute. Lastly, add tomato to the pan and cook until soft.
Assembling the dish
Stir tadka into the cook lentils, adding some hot water if the dal is too thick for your liking. Your moong masoor dal is ready to be served!
✔️Helpful tips
- Be sure to thoroughly rinse your lentils a couple of times until the water is clear to remove dust and debris accumulated.
- The freshness and age of the lentils will affect their cooking time. The longer the lentils are stored, the longer it takes to cook. Old lentils can take up to 45 minutes to soften.
- If your dal is too thick for your liking, add more water, around 2-3 tablespoons at a time.
🍚How to serve
Here are some of my favorite ways to serve this moong masoor dal -
- Rice - Basmati rice, brown rice, chickpea pulao, or fried rice like this Indian fried rice
- Indian flatbreads - vegan roti, plain paratha, naan
- Vegetable side dishes - aloo gobi, Indian stir-fry, chopped salad like kachumber salad
❄️Storing suggestions
Fridge - this moong masoor dal can be refrigerated for 4-5 days in a sealed container.
Freezer - You can freeze this lentil stew for up to 3 months. I recommend portioning it into individual servings before freezing, so you will only be taking out what you need.
Reheating - Let frozen dal thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for a couple of hours. You can then heat them in the microwave or on the stove. You should add a splash of water if your dal is too thick.
❔Commonly asked questions
It is unnecessary to soak your dal before cooking, as split lentils cook pretty easily and quickly. However, if you choose to soak them, slightly reduce the cooking time by 5-10 minutes on the stove and 2-3 minutes in the Instant pot.
It is unnecessary to skim the foam as they do not affect the cooking process or the taste of lentils. However, if you find that it is making it hard to see the cooking lentils or causing the water to boil over, you will need to remove it.
You can easily remove the foam by using a metal spoon to skim the surface of the water gently.
🍽️More hearty vegan dinners
📖 Recipe
Moong Masoor Dal
Ingredients
- ½ cup masoor dal (split red lentils)
- ½ cup moong dal (split mung beans)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 medium red onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 green chili chopped (optional ingredient, deseed for less heat)
- 1-2 dried chilies halved (omit for less heat)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala optional
- 1 medium tomato diced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or lime juice
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
- Wash your lentils thoroughly until the water is no longer cloudy. Drain well.½ cup masoor dal, ½ cup moong dal
Stovetop method
- In a Dutch oven or soup pot, add lentils along with 4 cups of water.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer.
- Place the lid slightly ajar, and cook for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are soft and mushy. You might need to skim off the foam that rises to the top if it prevents you from observing the cooking lentils.
Instant pot method
- Place lentils along with 3 cups of water into the inner pot.
- Cook at high pressure for 10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for around 10 minutes, then quickly release the remaining pressure.
- Give the cooked lentils a quick stir, and it is ready to be used.
Making tadka (tempering spices)
- In a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium heat.
- Once oil is heated, add cumin seed and fry until they start to pop and sizzle. Then, add onion and saute until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 medium red onion
- Stir in garlic and ginger. Fry until fragrant, around 1 minute.3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- Add green and dried chilies next and fry for 1-2 minutes.1 green chili, 1-2 dried chilies
- Now, add ground spices and fry for another minute.½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ¼-1/2 teaspoon chili powder, ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- Lastly, add tomato to the pan and cook until soft, about 4-5 minutes.1 medium tomato
Assembling the dish
- Stir tadka into lentils, then add lemon juice and salt. Your moong masoor dal is ready to be served.1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt
Notes
- Be sure to thoroughly rinse your lentils a couple of times until the water is clear to remove dust and debris accumulated.
- The freshness and age of the lentils will affect their cooking time. The longer the lentils are stored, the longer it takes to cook. Old lentils can take up to 45 minutes to soften.
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
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