Dal Soup Recipe

Dal Soup also known as Indian lentil soup is a simple vegetarian dish bursting with flavor and tastes truly delicious. With a hint of heat from chili flakes, the tang from lemon juice and the richness of lentils and veggies, you have a soul-nourishing soup. It is equal parts healthy and delicious!! Make it on the stove-top in a sauce pot or in the instant pot, I have the instructions for both.

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What is Dal Soup

Dal Soup is an Indian soup variety where dal is simmered with vegetables, leafy greens, spices and herbs to make a satiating dish. This soup is a good way to add some protein especially on a vegetarian or vegan diet. This is a healthy Indian dish with subtle regional variations resulting in varied flavors.

You can make Dal Soup with different kinds of lentils, seasonal vegetables, fresh and dried herbs and spices. This zesty Indian lentil soup is chockablock with nutrients and makes a nice snack meal or a light dinner option. For a complete and filling meal, serve this vegetarian lentil soup with crusty bread, cooked grains, quinoa, roti or whole grain paratha. 

About this recipe

Indian cuisine has some gems made with lentil, each tastier than the previous. This Dal Soup recipe is no different, but compared to other lentil dishes like Dal Makhani or Dal Tadka, this soup goes low on spices. The taste is subtle and you’re not hit by a dozen flavors at once.

Dal and vegetables are cooked in a cooker or in a pot with water. They are enriched with a tempering of aromatics and chili flakes. The depth of flavor comes from lemon juice. There is no coconut milk or broth used as there is plenty of flavor coming from the veggies, spices and lentils itself.

While I don’t encourage dieting, these types of protein and nutrient-rich soups are better options for those on a low-calorie diet. You feel satiated for longer and get the added benefit of eating healthy. The beauty of this lentil soup is you can switch between lentils and vegetables, and even the spices and herbs to create your own tasty twists.

This nutritious Indian style dal soup can be made with pantry ingredients and any leftover vegetables in the fridge. You probably have most of the veggies sitting in your pantry. Gather them and you can get soup ready in 30 minutes.

The best thing about cooking lentils over beans is that you don’t have to worry about soaking times. For the perfect balance and flavor the secret is not to use too many vegetables or lentils. Follow the quantiles given in my recipe. While this tastes great when pureed into a thick, creamy soup, you can also have it with chunky slices.

Ingredients & Substitutes

• Dal – Traditionally Toor dal (split pigeon peas) and Moong dal (yellow skinned mung lentils) are widely used in Indian cuisine. For this recipe, I use a mix of toor and moong dal which result in a great texture and flavor but you may substitute with red lentils/ Masoor dal.
• Veggies – Use seasonal vegetables of choice. My favorite are tomatoes, carrots, pumpkin, butternut squash, zucchini, bottle gourd and corn kernels. Leafy greens like spinach, fenugreek leaves, pea shoots, kale and mustard greens are great as well. To use leafy greens, I saute them in butter until wilted and add at the end.
• Spices – I use black pepper, turmeric, chili flakes, garlic, ginger & ground cumin for flavor. If you want swap the chili flakes for some curry powder, sambar masala or misal masala. This gives the soup a nice flavor kick.

If you love trying out more soup recipes, take a look at these
Mung Bean Soup
Barley Soup
Oatmeal Veggie Soup
Vegetable Soup
Spinach Soup

Photo Guide

How to make Dal Soup (Stepwise photos)

Prepare the lentils and vegetables

1. Add half cup dal to a colander and rinse well a couple of times. You may use red lentils – masoor dal. But I use ¼ cup each of moong dal and toor Dal. Grate the ginger and finely chop the coriander leaves. Dice the carrot, pumpkin, tomato and zucchini (if using). Keep the spices ready.

2. Add 1 teaspoon to tablespoon ghee or butter to a pot, pressure cooker or 6 Qt instant pot and heat on medium. Add more or less of butter as per your cooking preference or cook with ghee for better digestion.

3. Reduce heat to low and add ½ to 1 teaspoon of grated ginger. Sauté for 30 seconds without burning.

4. Now add the following vegetables along with ⅛ teaspoon of turmeric (if using) to the pot or cooker:

• ⅓ cup of carrots
• ⅔ cup of pumpkin (or more carrots)
• ⅓ cup of chopped tomatoes (add up to ¾ cup if desired)
• ⅓ cup zucchini or bottle gourd (optional)

5. Now add the rinsed lentils.

6. Add 3 cups of water or vegetable broth along with ¾ teaspoon of salt (use less if your broth has salt).

Make the dal soup

7. If you’re using a stove top cooker allow it to cook until you here 3 to 4 whistles. For pot version – Let it cook for 30-40 minutes on medium flame, For instant pot version – let it cook for 12 minutes.

8. Cook until the lentil and vegetables are tender and soft. Let the pressure drop naturally and open the lid. Cool down a bit.

9. Add the cooled soup mixture to a mixer or blender. Or use a immersion blender and blend.

10. Blend well to a smooth creamy puree or to a coarse texture depending on how you like it.

Make the tempering

11. Add 1 tablespoon of ghee or butter to the pot (or use a tadka pan). Saute 1 teaspoon chopped garlic until aromatic but not burnt.

12. Lower the heat and add ½ to ¾ teaspoon of chili flakes (add reduced quantity for a milder soup). Add ¾ to 1 teaspoon of cumin powder and ½ teaspoon of crushed black pepper. Stir well and saute for one minute.

13. Mix with the pureed dal soup. If you want pour half cup water/ vegetable stock/coconut milk to adjust the consistency.

14. Stir well and bring it to a gentle simmer.

15. This is the consistency we prefer.

16. Remove from heat and let the soup cool down a little before serving it warm or cold. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or ½ teaspoon of amchur powder (dry mango powder). Stir well to combine.

Garnish with 2 tablespoons of finely chopped coriander leaves and ¼ teaspoon of chili flakes. Add black pepper for more heat. Ladle equal amounts of bowl into individual bowls. Serve the soup warm or cold as desired.

Transform dal soup into a light lunch or dinner by serving with crusted bread, roti, quinoa or with paratha.

Variations

• To make it a filling main meal, serve with extra proteins like pan-fried tofu, halloumi, paneer or whole grains.
• Add vegetable broth to impart an extra flavor to the soup.
• To make dal soup vegan, use coconut or olive oil.
• To add omega-3 to your diet, add some toasted sesame, sunflower or pumpkin seeds as toppings.

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This recipe post was first published in June 2015. Updated in April 2026.