Red Lentil Dal-ish Soup with Cauliflower and Spinach

This vegan red lentil dal is packed with fiber- and protein-rich lentils, anti-inflammatory spices, and hearty vegetables.

As odd as it may sound, this recipe was inspired by my beloved spice rack. You see, I’d always dreamt of having that Pinterest-perfect spice rack prominently displayed in my kitchen – because historically, my spice storage has been an afterthought.

They were either haphazardly packed into a too-small cabinet, or stored in a too-big drawer, with the bottles rattling around each time I opened or shut it. Not ideal…

When we moved into our current apartment, I decided to invest in this area of my kitchen life. I bought these wooden shelves from Ikea, these glass jars on Amazon, and this fuschia mini masking tape for labeling. (I get my spices in bulk from Atlantic Spice Company). And now, whenever I walk past the shelves, my inner Marie Kondo’s joy is very much sparked.

When I finally got everything labeled and organized, I realized that – thanks to various work projects over the years – I’d amassed a sizable collection of spices… and only actively used about three of them.

I started thinking of ways to experiment with the rest and the first recipe that sprang to mind was red lentil dal (sometimes dahl or daal) – an Indian lentil soup that uses lots of spices.

(“Dal” refers to lentils themselves, as well as to lentil-based dishes. There are lots of different dals in South Asia but I’m not gonna pretend to know much about them since I’m far from an expert on Indian food.)

Health Benefits of Red Lentil Dal

In Ayurveda (the ancient Indian holistic wellness system), dal is considered detoxifying and balancing – something we could all benefit from after the holiday season.

The spices – typically coriander, cumin, fenugreek, mustard seeds, turmeric, chilies, and ginger – are thought to fire up the digestive system, making lentils easy to digest. This “digestive fire” is also thought to help with toxin elimination. And ginger and turmeric, in particular, are known for their anti-inflammatory properties, which help prevent illness.

Lastly, red lentils are rich in protein and fiber. Not only does that make them filling, but fiber is essential for gut health – and gut health is essential for immunity.

The Technique

Red lentils cook super quickly – in just about 20 minutes. They break down almost entirely, resulting in a rich, creamy texture without having to add any cream/coconut milk.

A classic red lentil dal is made by simmering red lentils (“masoor dal”) by themselves, then finishing the soup with a variety of spices that were “bloomed” (warmed until fragrant) in hot oil.

I prefer to bloom the spices in the pot first and then simmer the lentils with the spices. This is just easier, and it saves me from having to clean an extra skillet. Another tweak is that I add vegetables to my dal, which makes it a more complete meal, in my opinion. 

The long list of spices here is key. They create a well-rounded, earthy, incredibly fragrant soup. I recommend investing in all of them because if Indian food is your thing, I suspect you’re gonna want to make this more than once. (Fenugreek can be hard to find on store shelves. If you can’t find it, compensate with extra cumin/coriander.)

This soup is perfect for batch-cooking for the week (and it freezes well, too). Eat it by itself or with brown basmati rice or flatbreads.

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