This Lentil Dal with Spinach Sauce is one of the most delicious, soul-satisfying plant-based, Indian meals! This version is fragrant, flavorful and packed with nutrients- think of this like Saag Paneer, but substituting black lentils instead of the cheese! Super tasty and healthy. See 30-Second Video!
This recipe for Spinach Lentil Dal, which I’ve nicknamed “Emerald Dal” because of its beautiful, rich color, was such a comforting meal to make this week. Somehow it feels so grounding and nurturing. Not only is it wholesome and nutritious, but it is also bursting with authentic Indian flavor -and honestly, I can’t wait to make it again!
To make this Lentil Dal with Spinach Sauce, you’ll need a full pound of spinach. You can use frozen spinach if you like but fresh spinach is in the season I am taking advantage of it.
How to make Emerald Dal | 30-second video
How to make Spinach Lentil Dal
Step 1: Chop the onion, garlic, ginger and chili pepper. If you like heat, add more chili pepper.
Step 2: Saute the onion garlic & chili pepper in ghee and add the spices. Feel free to use coconut oil, but ghee truly elevates this dish.
Here I’m using black mustard seeds, cumin seeds and garam masala which you can make at home.
Step 3: Then add the fresh spinach, a little water, cover, and wilt over low heat for just a few minutes.
A pound of spinach will wilt down into about 2 cups- if that.
Step 4: Blend the spinach sauce with a little water to form a spinach puree. It doesn’t need to be smooth unless you prefer it that way. Look how bright and green it is!
Step 5: Pour the spinach sauce back into the pan- and don’t overheat this or you will lose the gorgeous color!
Step 6: Then fold in the cooked lentils I add somewhere between 3-4 cups of cooked caviar lentils. And I love these little black lentils most of all because they cook so quickly!!!
TIP #1: I cook lentils using the pasta method. Cook in ample salted water until tender, then strain. That way you don’t have to have exact measurements with the water to lentil ratio. It is very forgiving!
TIP #2: Using 3 cups of cooked lentils (instead of 4) will lend a “saucier” (more flavorful) dal which I prefer. But if you have 4 people in your family, I’d just add another cup of lentils. 🙂
Step 7: Then stir in a little plain yogurt which will add creaminess and a touch of tanginess.
Step 8: Taste. Adjust salt and heat to your liking. You want this slightly salty if serving over rice. A little squeeze of lemon or lime juice is nice here too!
Tip #3: Remember, do not overheat the spinach lentil dal or you’ll lose that lovely vibrant emerald color!
Tip #4: At the same time as I’m making the dal- I’m also pan-searing naan bread, and cooking basmati rice to go with it.
Spinach Lentil Dal- lovingly called Emerald Dal here at home…a simple and tasty combo that can be made in 30 minutes if you cook the lentils ahead!
Yes, you can eat it like lentil soup if you prefer. 🙂
What to serve with Lentil Spinach Dal?
- Basmati rice
- Naan Bread
- Indian Potatoes and Cauliflower
- Instant Pot Tikka Masala
- Raita!
- Mint Chutney
- Indian Butter Chicken
- Rajasthani Potatoes
- Authentic Chai!
- Chai Cookies!
You may also like:
- Palak Paneer!
- Indian Fried Rice
- Indian Shepherds Pie
- Frankies (Bombay Burritos)
- Naan Bread
- Indian Basmati Rice
- Raita
Enjoy the grounding, nourishing Spinach Lentil Dal this week and let me know what you think in the comments below!
xoxo
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Spinach Lentil Dal Recipe
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 3-4
- Category: vegetarian, main, legumes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Spinach Lentil Dal Recipe- an Indian lentil recipe with a flavorful spinach sauce that is full of flavor and nutrients and that can be made in 30 minutes. Serve with Basmati Rice, and naan bread!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons ghee (or coconut oil, but ghee will elevate)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, rough chopped
- 2 tablespoons ginger, finely chopped
- 1 medium jalapeno, finely chopped (or 1 serrano) this is mildly spicy, add more if you like.
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 lb BABY spinach (fresh or frozen)
- 20 fresh mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves
- 2 tablespoons water (if using fresh spinach)
- —–
- 3/4 cup water
- —–
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt (or vegan yogurt)
- 3 –4 cups cooked black lentils (or aka caviar lentils, beluga lentils or French green lentils) about 1 1/2 cups dry lentils.
- 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste!
Instructions
- If cooking black lentils and basmati rice, start them first (see notes)
- Make the Spinach Sauce: Sautee the onion in ghee, in a large pan, over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, then add garlic, ginger and chilies. Saute until fragrant and golden. Add the fennel seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and garam masala and stir two minutes. Lower heat to low. Add the fresh spinach, fresh mint, fenugreek and 2 tablespoons water. Cover pan, 2-3 minutes, letting spinach wilt. Give a few stirs. Don’t overcook!
- Blend Spinach Sauce: Place the wilted spinach mixture in a blender and add the 3/4 cups of water. Pulse and few times (hold the lid down tight). If you want a smooth sauce, blend until smooth. I left a little texture here. Pour it back into the pan, set on low heat. Don’t overheat or you will lose the pretty color.
- Combine: Stir in the yogurt, lentils and salt. Taste. Adjust salt to your liking, adding more if necessary! You want this slightly more salty because you are serving over rice which will mellow it out a lot. For more heat add a pinch of cayenne or chili flakes. To “up” the flavor even more, add a bit more garam masala spice to taste. If you want a little acidity a tiny squeeze of lemon is nice.
- Serve with the basmati rice and naan bread!
- Emerald Dal will keep up to 4 days in the fridge.
Notes
Cook black lentils according to package or try the pasta cooking method: simply boil 1 1/4 cups dry lentils in 6 cups of salted water until just tender, strain. The size of lentil will determine cooking time. Little black lentils take 20-30 minutes. Feel free to sub other whole lentils for the black lentils.
SPINACH: If using fresh spinach, be sure to use baby spinach, as mature spinach and their stems can be bitter.
Yes, you can sub coconut oil or butter for the ghee- but in my opinion, the ghee really elevates and adds so much flavor.
Feel free to bump up the spices and heat (add more chilies and spices).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ¼ cup
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 5.1 g
- Sodium: 694.7 mg
- Fat: 9.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 49.7 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 22.3 g
- Cholesterol: 19.9 mg
Very yummy!! I’ve made this recipe 3 times. I had the best results with slightly less baby spinach- about 9-10 oz. I like the sauce creamy, and super fresh spinach made it a little too fibrous. I leave the spinach in the fridge for a couple days before use. I also add a little extra ginger and an additional red chili pepper. I’m so glad I found this recipe!
this was so easy to make and soooo delicious! THANK YOU! I will be making it again for sure!
If you strain the lentils you are removing the nutrition from it.
You can use yello mung daal instead of black. Its lot more creamier
I love this, so delicious, hearty, and the sauce is such a gorgeous green color!
Hi Sylvia,
I came across your website the other day and am so excited.
So many recipes that I can’t wait to try!
I recently got an interest cooking Indian food. After reading what you had to say about it, I went to a local spice store, bought all fresh spices to make the garam masala and threw away the old. I made your Emerald dal and our family loved it! So healthy and hearty. It tasted authentic. The flavor was perfect. Not too spicy.
I can’t wait to try more of your recipes! ❤️
Glad you enjoyed.
Not sure where to find the video link? Was it removed?
Refresh the page and scroll down a bit. 🙂 Sometimes if you have adblocker on, it will prevent it form popping up
Can I use black urad (matpe) in place of black lentils?
Thanks!
Is that a split black lentil? If so I worry about them getting mushy? If not split, should be fine!
We made this for dinner last night with homemade naan. Great recipe. Thanks!
Soooo delicious! I subbed out the black lentils for sprouted green lentils and added an extra jalapeño for an extra kick! So delicious!!!
A new family staple!
Followed the recipe exactly and it is SO bitter. Any suggestions how to save it?
That is so strange Tracie. I’m sorry and I’m not sure what would make it bitter? Did you use baby spinach?
It was also quite bitter for me. I’m not sure why. I did use baby spinach.
Not sure what would cause that- sorry Brandon.
This dish has come out nothing like the photo. I’ve used the exact measurements and followed the instructions.
I’m sorry about that Helen. Can you be more specific about what was differnt? How were the flavors?
This turned out delicious !!! Going into my favorite recipe book!
Not really a fan of this dish but it was edible. With that being said this will be the first and the last time I will be making this dish.
Oh dear. Sorry not for you I guess.
Followed the recipe (except for almost over-toasting the spices) and the result was very flavourful. My friends were delighted I had enough to share.
I love the recipe – I’ve adapted it by tripling the amount of spinach and increasing the spices. This way, it’s more spinach than lentils. I agree the black hard lentils are key – other types will turn to mush so be sure to not over cook them and check them frequently.
delicious! loved it! my fiance loves saag paneer, but is lactose intolerant, and she adores this variation.
This was easy to make and delicious.
I didn’t have mustard seed so I subbed ground dried mustard and it was fine.
I also omitted the yogurt b/c I didn’t have any on hand & it was still great.
We’ve recently turned veggie, and are always looking for interesting recipes, this is a go-to regularly now, thank you! 🙂
Great recipe! I increased the spices though. 🙂
Fabulous! What a winner! This is a go back to recipe. I love your blog Sylvia. I’ve tried so many of your recipes and they’re all so very good. Thanks.
Thanks so much Lucy!
Fabulous! What a winner! This is a go back to recipe. I love your blog Sylvia. I’ve tried so many of your recipes and they’re all so very good. Thanks.
I found this to be kind of bland. I also made a few substitutions and revisions, though – I added a squirt of citrus at the end that helped it a lot, so I may need to make it again and play with it!
Delicious and easy weeknight recipe. So flavorful and comforting. I didn’t have mint but will definitely include it next time around. Thank you!
FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This recipe was fantastic thank you so much! Will be a weekly meal here! Thank you!