Dal Palak is a comforting North Indian-style lentil dish where simple dal is simmered until soft, then finished with a fragrant spinach tadka. It's nourishing, gently spiced, and one of those everyday meals that shows how much flavor can come from pantry staples and good technique.
Dal Palak is a classic Indian lentil dish made by combining cooked dal seasoned with turmeric and salt with spinach that's been sautéed in a spiced tempering (tadka). "Dal" refers to lentils, while "palak" means spinach.
Unlike richer dals finished with cream or butter, dal palak stays light and fresh. The spinach adds color and nutrients, while tomatoes bring gentle acidity that balances the earthiness of the lentils. It's commonly made in North Indian homes as an everyday meal - especially when you want something healthy but still comforting during the wintertime.
This is the kind of dal that only shows up at home on dinner tables: quick to make, easy to digest, and endlessly adaptable. It's not restaurant-heavy or overly spiced - just wholesome and deeply satisfying when served with steamed fluffy basmati rice or warm buttered roti.
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Why You'll love this Recipe
- Naturally light & nourishing - Split moong dal is gentle, protein-rich, and easy to digest
- Weeknight-friendly - Ready in 35 minutes of cook time without needing a pressure cooker. The type of dal we chose cooks fast with a hands-off 20 minutes of soaking the lentils first.
- Vegan-adaptable and gluten free - Use oil instead of ghee and ensure the asafoetida is gluten-free
- Perfect for meal prep - Tastes even better the next day and lasts in the fridge for up to 4 days. Also freezes well!
Ingredients - Notes and Substitutions
- Split Moong Dal - Split moong dal cooks quickly and creates a naturally creamy texture. You can grab it with the peel or no peel for a bright yellow color. You can substitute another creamy lentil like masoor dal (red split lentils) if needed, but split moong dal keeps this dish especially light.
- Spinach - Fresh spinach gives this dal its signature green color. Baby spinach or mature spinach both work - just chop it roughly.
- Roma Tomatoes - Tomatoes aren't meant to dominate here. They add subtle acidity, body, and balance, keeping the dal from tasting flat or overly earthy.
- Ghee or Oil - Ghee adds richness and aroma, but a neutral oil works perfectly for a vegan version.
- Ginger garlic paste - Or as I call it, gigi paste! This is simply a 50/50 mix of ginger and garlic that's blended into a paste. You can easily make ginger garlic paste at home in a mortar and pestle or blender, or purchase it readymade.
- Spices - Cumin seeds, coriander, Kashmiri chili powder, turmeric, asafoetida (hing), and garam masala create warmth without overpowering the dal. Kashmiri chili adds color more than heat. The turmeric is stirred in with the dal as it simmers to give it a golden color.
How to make Dal Palak
Soak ½ cup of lentils in 2 cups of water for a minimum of 20 minutes. This helps soften them and decreases the cook time.
- Step 1: Rinse the soaked split moong dal thoroughly. Add it to a pot with water, turmeric, and salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes until the dal is fully soft and slightly broken down. Lightly mash for a creamy texture.
- Step 2: While the dal cooks, heat ghee over medium heat. Bloom cumin seeds for 1 minute. Sauté the diced onion until soft. Stir in the green chili and ginger garlic paste for 1 minute. Add the diced Roma tomatoes along with the spices. Cook until the tomatoes break down and the mixture thickens slightly, about 5-7 minutes.
- Step 3: Add the chopped spinach.
- Step 4: Cook until spinach is fully wilted.
- Step 5: Pour the spinach mixture into the cooked dal. Stir well and simmer for 5 minutes so the flavors meld. Adjust salt and consistency with water if needed.
- Step 6: (Optional) Finish off with a dollop of ghee, cilantro, a squeeze of lemon juice, and ginger sticks.
Dal Palak is best served hot with:
- Steamed basmati rice
- Soft roti or chapati
- A spoon of plain yogurt or cucumber raita on the side
It also pairs beautifully with a simple sabzi or kachumber salad for a complete meal.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Cooking the spinach - You can cook the spinach until it just wilts to preserve the color or fully wilt it to cook down the flavor and let it meld into the dal.
- Mash the dal lightly for a creamy texture without turning it into purée
- Switch up the tadka - While we keep it simple and traditional, you can get creative with the tadka! You can add mustard seeds or curry leaves for a stronger flavor.
- Finish with lemon (optional) if you like a brighter finish
Storage Instructions
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water
Freezes well for up to 2 months. The color of the spinach may dull slightly but flavor remains excellent.
FAQ
Yes. Cook the split moong dal with water, turmeric, and salt on High Pressure for 8 minutes, then natural release for 10 minutes. Finish the spinach tadka separately on sauté mode or in a pan, then stir it into the cooked dal and simmer for a few minutes.
You can. Thaw and squeeze out excess water before adding it to the tadka.
Yes. Skip the onion and garlic and use asafoetida (hing) with cumin seeds for flavor. This version is commonly made in Jain and satvik households.
You can substitute part or all of the spinach with Swiss chard, mustard greens, or even beet greens. Just remove thick stems and adjust cooking time as needed.
Dal palak is traditionally made with split moong dal because it cooks quickly and stays light and digestible, but other lentils work well too. Toor dal (split pigeon peas) will give a slightly thicker, creamier texture and a more traditional North Indian dal feel. Masoor dal (red lentils) cooks very fast and creates a softer, almost silky dal. Urad dal can be used for a richer, heavier version, though it takes longer to cook. Avoid whole lentils unless pressure cooking, as they won't soften properly in the time spinach cooks.
More Dal Recipes to try
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Dal Palak (Spinach Lentils)
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup split moong dal, with or without skin
- 2 cups water
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Spinach Tadka
- 1 tablespoon ghee, or neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ red onion, diced
- ½ green chili , finely diced
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 2 roma tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ⅛ teaspoon asafoetida
- ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 10 ounces spinach, chopped
- lemon juice, to finish
Instructions
- Soak the split moong dal for 20 minutes in 2 cups of water. Rinse and drain the soaked dal well. Add to a pot with 2 cups of water, turmeric, and salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes until the dal is very soft. Lightly mash and set aside.
- While the dal cooks, heat ghee or oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and let them bloom until fragrant for 1 minute. Add the diced onion and sauté until soft and translucent. Stir in the green chili and ginger garlic paste; cook for 30-60 seconds until aromatic.
- Add the diced Roma tomatoes along with coriander, Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, asafoetida, and turmeric. Cook 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and the mixture thickens slightly.
- Stir in the chopped spinach and cook until fully wilted and tender.
- Add the spinach tadka into the pot with the cooked dal. Mix well and simmer for 5 minutes so the flavors meld. Adjust salt and consistency with water as needed.
- Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and a dollop of ghee to make it especially rich. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with steamed basmati rice or roti.
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