Quick Red Lentil Dal with Garlic Naan — Ready in Under 20 Minutes
Canned lentils + 5 spices + store-bought naan = dinner decided.
When you're too tired to think but still want something that feels like a real meal, this is it. Red lentil dal is one of those dishes that tastes like it took an hour but genuinely doesn't. Using canned or pre-cooked lentils shaves the hardest part out of the equation, and store-bought garlic naan handles itself in a dry pan in two minutes flat. Expect a thick, fragrant, slightly spiced bowl of comfort — not a restaurant-level production, but absolutely satisfying on a weeknight when your brain has already clocked out.
Ingredients
- 2 unit store-bought garlic naan — plain naan works too
- 2 tbsp neutral oil or butter — vegetable oil, olive oil, or vegan butter
- 1 unit small yellow onion — finely diced
- 4 unit garlic cloves — minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 0.5 tsp turmeric
- 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper — reduce to a pinch if you prefer mild
- 1 pinch salt — plus more to taste
- 1 unit 14-oz can diced tomatoes — drained
- 2 cup canned or cooked red lentils — drained and rinsed; about one 15-oz can
- 0.5 cup water or vegetable broth — to loosen the dal to your preferred consistency
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice — bottled works in a pinch
Method
- 1 Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4–5 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
- 2 Add the minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant — don't let it burn.
- 3 Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne. Stir constantly for 30 seconds to bloom the spices in the oil.
- 4 Add the drained diced tomatoes and stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes, pressing the tomatoes down slightly with your spoon.
- 5 Add the drained lentils and water or broth. Stir everything together and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and creamy. Add a splash more water if it gets too thick.
- 6 Stir in the lemon juice and taste for salt. Adjust seasoning as needed.
- 7 While the dal finishes, heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Toast each naan for 1–2 minutes per side until warm with light char marks.
- 8 Serve the dal in bowls with the warm garlic naan on the side for scooping.
Variations
- Add coconut milk for creaminess — Swap half the water or broth for canned full-fat coconut milk. Stir it in with the lentils for a richer, slightly sweet dal. Still fully vegan.
- Even faster — skip the onion — Skip dicing the onion and use 1 tsp onion powder instead. Jump straight to blooming the garlic and spices. Saves about 5 minutes and still tastes great.
- Serve over rice instead of naan — If you don't have naan, ladle the dal over plain steamed rice or microwave rice pouches. Same flavors, equally filling.
Notes
Canned lentils are the key shortcut here — they're already cooked, so you're just building flavor. If you have a few extra minutes, a small dollop of plain yogurt or a drizzle of chili oil on top of the dal is worth it. Dal thickens as it sits, so if you're reheating leftovers, add a splash of water and stir over medium heat.
Equipment that helps
- Medium saucepan — A deeper pan prevents splattering as the dal simmers and gives you room to stir without making a mess.
- Dry skillet or cast iron pan — Toasting naan in a dry skillet gives it the charred edges that make it taste fresh rather than just microwaved.
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