This Instant Pot Split Red Lentil Dal curry is a quick, easy, and authentic Pakistani/North Indian-style Masoor dal recipe. It’s naturally gluten-free, vegetarian (or optional vegan), and cooks within minutes!

Three white bowls filled with Instant Pot Red Lentil Dal, Basmati rice, ribbons of cucumber, sliced carrots and radishes.

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“We make this weekly! My 6 year old says its his favorite food of all time. I have tried several other recipes but none compare. Thank you for sharing with us!”

Missy

The Humble Lentil

There’s a proverb in urdu/hindi, “ghar ki murghi, dal barabar”, which loosely translates (i.e. i’m butchering) to “chicken is equivalent to lentils if it’s made in your own home.”

The essence of the saying is similar to the famous idiom, “the grass is greener on the other side.” (The inability to value what’s ours seems to be a universal affliction.)

There’s something else to it though. The proverb implies chicken’s superiority to lentils, as though lentils are boring or cheap.

But lentils have a dignity of their own.

In fact, they have it all. They’re cheap, yes, but they’re also readily available and abundant. They’re in the parameters of practically everyone’s version of healthy food – full of protein, fiber, and nutrients. And they’re the best kind of comfort food – deeply satisfying, yet uplifting and easy-to-digest.

Holding a white bowl of Instant Pot Red Lentils, Basmati rice, ribbon of cucumber, sliced carrots and radishes.

Tips on Making Instant Pot Red Lentil Dal

  • Typically when making red (masoor) lentils dal/daal, there’s a ‘tarka’ or tempering of onions and spices which is poured into the cooked dal. To make this recipe in the Instant Pot, I’ve adapted my go to Red Lentil Recipe to cook the lentils alongside the prepared a tomato-onion base. Both methods are fine and authentic, and yield similar results. If you would like more Instant Pot Dal recipes, check out my Instant Pot Whole Masoor Dal (Brown Lentil Curry) and Instant Pot Pakistani Chana Dal.
  • The recipe calls for 1/2 cup lentils. This is good for 2 servings. I noticed that 1 cup would always yield extra so I made this a leftover-free version. You can always double the ingredients and keep the cooking time the same, but you’ll have to sauté for longer than directed in the recipe.

Where to find red lentils:

I’ve seen red split lentils at HEB, Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, Whole Foods, and of course at South Asian grocery stores.

Serving Suggestions

Instant Pot Red Lentil Dal goes perfectly with plain, basmati rice, roti, paratha, or anything, really. On the side, you can serve:

  • Kachumber Salad, or fresh, crunchy vegetables chopped up with a bit of salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
  • Yogurt or raita.
  • Achaar (mixed pickle).
  • More lemon or lime!

I made this red lentil dal recipe as a part of my friend Alex’s new series on her Instagram stories called ‘Pass the Dish’. Alex’s blog, The Defined Dish, won the Saveur Reader’s Choice Award in the Most-Inspired Weeknight Dinner Recipes category (I was also lucky enough to be nominated in the category).

For Pass the Dish, she brings on a diverse range of bloggers to share a healthy, wholesome dish that they grew up eating that they can pass on not only to their families, but everyone else too. If there’s one dish I feel will definitely get passed down from generation to generation, it’s dal.

More Dal Recipes You’ll Love

Instant Pot Whole Masoor Dal (Brown Lentil Curry)
Instant Pot Pakistani Chana Dal
Pakistani Urad Dal – Maash Ki Dal
My Go-To Masoor Dal Recipe (Red Lentil Curry)

Tried this recipe? If you have a minute, please consider leaving a comment telling me how it was! If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I truly love hearing from you. Thank you!

A white bowl filled with Instant Pot Red Lentil Dal, Basmati rice, ribbon of cucumber, sliced carrots and radishes and a lemon wedge.
5 (19 ratings)

Instant Pot Red Lentil Dal

This Instant Pot Split Red Lentil (Masoor) Dal curry is a quick, easy, and authentic Pakistani/North Indian-style dal recipe. It's naturally gluten-free, vegetarian (or optional vegan), and cooks within minutes!

Ingredients 

  • 1/2 cup masoor dal, red lentils
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil such as grapeseed or avocado
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 small (1/2 large) yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tsp crushed ginger
  • ½ small Serrano pepper or thai chili pepper, sliced (or whole if you prefer less heat)
  • ½ medium (~1/4 cup chopped) tomato, very finely chopped or pureed
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/8 red chili powder or cayenne, or to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups filtered water

After cooking:

Instructions 

To Wash

  • Place lentils in a small bowl and fill with water. Use your hand to swirl the dal around until the water becomes murky. Tip the bowl to take out the excess water and repeat until the water runs clear. Remove any debris, strain the dal, and set aside.

To Cook

  • Select the high Sauté setting on the Instant Pot. Once hot, add the oil, cumin seeds, and onions.
  • Sauté until the onions turn lightly golden, about 6-7 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and green chili pepper and continue to sauté for another minute until the raw smell disappears and the color of the onion deepens. Add the tomato and sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Press the Cancel button to turn off the Instant Pot. Add the spice powders (red chili, turmeric, cumin, coriander) and stir. Add in the rinsed dal and water.
  • Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing. Select the Pressure Cook or Manual setting and set the cooking time for 6 minutes at high pressure.
  • Let the venting naturally release for 5 minutes, then move the Pressure Release to Venting to release any remaining steam.
  • Open the pot and turn to Sauté mode again. Add the salt and ghee and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring often to smooth out and thicken the dal. Press Cancel to turn off the Instant Pot.
  • Add chopped cilantro, lemon juice, and garam masala (if using). Give it a stir.
  • Serve dal hot with rice, roti, naan or other bread. I like to serve it with some chopped onions, carrots or cucumber on the side.
Calories: 356kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 891mg, Potassium: 583mg, Fiber: 15g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 256IU, Vitamin C: 12mg, Calcium: 49mg, Iron: 4mg