Jeera Dal (Indian Cumin-Spiced Lentil Soup)

This easy jeera dal converts simple ingredients into incredible flavor! Red lentils cooked to creamy and scented with sizzling cumin, garlic, chili oil tadka. (gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free) 19 g fiber, 19 g protein!

Jeera means cumin, and dal means lentils. Together, they create a simple meal that doesn’t sacrifice flavor. This is a simple cumin-scented lentil soup that’s cozy and satisfying.

This is a simple recipe with everyday ingredients, but it makes such a delicious dal. It’s one of the simple, home-style dals that my mom used to make often.

plate of jeera dal with a side of cauliflower and potatoes

I changed it up a little to make it slightly spicier and creamier with some non-dairy yogurt. If you cook the dal long enough, it becomes creamy on its own, so if you don’t want to add non-dairy yogurt, that works just as well.

We make this simple dal with red lentils (masoor dal), along with tomato and dried fenugreek leaves. While the lentils cook, we make an amazing tadka, which is a spiced oil with cumin seeds, green chili, and garlic. That tadka takes the dal to the next level!

This jeera dal is delicious served with your favorite Indian sides or sabzi! In the photo above, I’m serving it with my simple gobi aloo matar.

Why You’ll Love Jeera Dal

easy to make with simple ingredients
30-minute recipe with tons of flavor
while the lentils simmer, make the quick cumin spiced oil
naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free

jeera dal in the pan after cooking and adding the spiced oil

For the Spiced Oil (Tadka)

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Make the dal.

Wash the lentils well to remove any dirt or excess starch, then drain them.
Add the lentils to a saucepan along with the chopped tomato, dried fenugreek leaves, turmeric, salt, and the water or vegetable stock. Partially cover the pan, and cook over medium heat until the lentils are cooked to your preference. This can take anywhere from 11 to 20 minutes. Stir occasionally, and check whether the pan is drying out too much. Add more water or stock, as needed.
Once the lentils are cooked, stir them briskly so they begin to break down and make the dal a bit creamy. How much you stir depends on the texture you prefer. If you like a traditional creamy dal, cook the lentils longer and stir until they break down almost completely. If you prefer more texture, stop cooking once the lentils are tender and mix lightly without completely breaking down the lentils.
For extra creaminess, stir in the non-dairy yogurt, cook for 1 minute, and then switch off the heat.

Meanwhile, make the tadka.

To make the spiced oil, heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and cook until they have changed color significantly. This can take anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on your pan and stove.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the garlic and green chili and cook for about 30 seconds, or until the garlic starts to turn golden. Add the asafoetida/hing, if using, and immediately switch off the heat. Then, stir in the Kashmiri chili powder.
Immediately pour the hot tadka over the dal. Lightly mix it in. You want some of the spiced oil to remain floating on top, because it makes the dal look beautiful, but you also want to stir some of it into the dal, so it adds all of those delicious flavors into the soup. Garnish with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve immediately with rice, roti, or naan, alongside an Indian vegetable dish such as aloo gobi, aloo gobi matar, cabbage and peas, or an okra and onion stir-fry.

How long you need to cook the lentils depends on your pan, stove, and preference. It also depends on how old the lentils are. Older lentils will take longer to soften.
This simple dal is naturally gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free, as long as you omit the non-dairy yogurt or choose one that is soy-free and/or nut-free.

Calories: 332kcal, Carbohydrates: 47g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Sodium: 692mg, Potassium: 775mg, Fiber: 19g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 495IU, Vitamin C: 14mg, Calcium: 87mg, Iron: 6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Ingredients

split red lentils – Also called masoor dal, these cook up quickly on the stovetop and are the base for this jeera dal recipe.
tomato – Adds color, moisture, and umami.
dried spices – For the dal, you. need dried fenugreek leaves, turmeric, and salt. For the tadka, you need kashmiri chili powder. You can also add hing/asafoetida to the tadka, if you like.
water or stock – To cook the lentils.
oil – To toast the cumin seeds and sauté the aromatics for the tadka.
cumin seeds – Whole cumin seeds add an aromatic flavor to the spiced oil.
garlic – For even more flavor!
non-dairy yogurt – Optional, for even creamier dal.
garnishes – Top the jeera dal with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.

💡Tips

Don’t skip washing the lentils! You don’t want them to be too starchy or gritty.
Keep an eye on the dal as it is cooking. Depending on your pan, stove, and lentils, you may need to add some extra water/stock during the cooking process.
How long you need to cook the lentils depends on your pan, stove, and preference. It also depends on how old the lentils are. Older lentils will take longer to soften.

How to Make Cumin Dal

Wash the lentils well to remove any dirt or excess starch, then drain them.

Add the lentils to a saucepan along with the chopped tomato, dried fenugreek leaves, turmeric, salt, and the water or vegetable stock. Partially cover the pan, and cook over medium heat until the lentils are cooked to your preference. This can take anywhere from 11 to 20 minutes. Stir occasionally, and check whether the pan is drying out too much. Add more water or stock, as needed.

adding the remaining dal ingredients to the pan

Once the lentils are cooked, stir them briskly so they begin to break down and make the dal a bit creamy. How much you stir depends on the texture you prefer. If you like a traditional creamy dal, cook the lentils longer and stir until they break down almost completely. If you prefer more texture, stop cooking once the lentils are tender and mix lightly without completely breaking down the lentils. For extra creaminess, stir in the non-dairy yogurt, cook for 1 minute, and then switch off the heat.

adding non-dairy yogurt to the dal for extra creaminess

To make the spiced oil, heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and cook until they have changed color significantly. This can take anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on your pan and stove.

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the garlic and green chili and cook for about 30 seconds, or until the garlic starts to turn golden. Add the asafoetida/hing, if using, and immediately switch off the heat. Then, stir in the Kashmiri chili powder.

adding kashmiri chili powder to the tadka

Immediately pour the hot tadka over the dal. Lightly mix it in. You want some of the spiced oil to remain floating on top, because it makes the dal look beautiful, but you also want to stir some of it into the dal, so it adds all of those delicious flavors into the soup. Garnish with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.

What to Serve with Jeera Dal

Serve jeera dal with rice, roti, or naan, alongside an Indian vegetable dish such as aloo gobi, aloo gobi matar, cabbage and peas, or an okra and onion stir-fry.