Dal Palak (Spinach Dal)

Dal Palak (or Spinach Dal) is a comforting and delicious Indian curry made with red lentils, spinach, and spices. This super healthy & nutritious dish is the perfect weekday meal and also a perfect comfort food for cold winter nights. My favorite way to serve it is along with Mushroom Rice (Mushroom Pilau), Tandoori Chicken, Onion Raita, and Keema Naan Bread.

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works?
• What Is Dal Palak?
• Ingredients and Substitutes
• How To Make Dal Palak With Tomatoes and Onions?
• What To Serve With Dal Palak?
• Top Tips From the Chef
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Red Lentil Dal with Spinach

This classic Indian lentil and spinach curry bursts with flavors and has many variations. I use red lentils for this recipe as well as for my Turkish Recipes such as Mercimek Corbasi (Turkish Lentil Soup) and Mercimek Kofte (Lentil Balls). You can use split pigeon peas or yellow moong dal if you prefer.

Why This Recipe Works?

• Some recipes require cooking the lentils separately but you can skip that extra step when using red lentils.

• It is extremely easy to make with step-by-step pictures and instructions.

• This classic Indian curry is inexpensive, high in fiber, low in fat, full of nutrients, and still extremely delicious.

• It is the perfect comfort food that the whole family would love.

What Is Dal Palak?

Dal Palak is an Indian curry dish made with lentils, spinach, spices, onions, stock, and tomatoes. It is also known as Spinach Dal and is one of the most popular Indian recipes made with lentils.

This wholesome and healthy dish is also inexpensive and super delicious. The recipe for Dal Palak varies from region to region, as well as the name. My version has some non-traditional ingredients such as curry leaves and coconut milk as I love the richness they add to this hearty curry dish.

Ingredients and Substitutes

• Lentils - I use red lentils for this recipe as they cook quickly, tend to melt during cooking, and give the curry a thicker texture. Some red lentils absorb more liquid while cooking so you might have to adjust the amount of the stock. You can substitute red lentils with yellow moong dal or chana dal.

• Garlic and ginger paste - This is a great ingredient for Asian recipes. It adds an incredible spicy flavor and amazing color to the Dal and Spinach Curry. Alternatively, you can use grated garlic and ginger and add another teaspoon of turmeric.

• Spinach - I’ve used baby spinach in this recipe, you could use regular spinach as well as other greens such as kale or fenugreek.

• Ghee - I prefer using ghee or clarified butter as they elevate the flavor of the dish. You can use vegetable oil or olive oil to make this dish vegan.

• Stock - It adds great flavor to the curry. Use Basic Homemade Vegetable Stock for the vegan option. Chicken Stock (Bone Broth) also works perfectly with this dish. Alternatively, you can use stock cubes or store-bought stock.

• Coconut milk - It is optional but I strongly advise using it if you have some in hand. Coconut milk creates a nice balance by adding sweetness to spicy curry dishes.

How To Make Dal Palak With Tomatoes and Onions?

Making this delicious curry is straightforward. However, you need to follow a few simple steps to achieve the best results:

Place a Dutch oven or a pan on medium heat and start sautéing your onions with ghee. You need a bit of patience here as we want to brown the onions gently which will take about 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and ginger paste into the onions and sauté for another minute. Add the spices and seasoning, and sauté them for about 45 seconds until they get fragrant.

Add the tomatoes, red chili, and curry leaves.

Cook them for another few minutes, stirring constantly to avoid them burning.

Add the lentils, stock, and coconut milk. Give it a good stir, bring it to a boil and simmer on low heat for about 40 minutes or until the lentils are soft and the sauce has thickened.

Add the spinach and cook for five more minutes.

Adjust the consistency with more stock if too thick or by cooking the curry longer if too runny. Check the seasoning and add more salt if needed.

You can temper the curry for extra flavorings before serving.

To make the tempering, melt a tablespoon of ghee in a pan and then sauté 1 finely sliced garlic until slightly browned.

Add ½ TSP of paprika or ½ dried chili, ½ TSP of cumin seeds, and ½ TSP of asafoetida, sauté for 30 seconds and add it to your curry before serving.

What To Serve With Dal Palak?

This healthy and flavorsome curry is best when served with a bowl of Yellow Rice (Indian Turmeric Pilau Rice), Mushroom Rice (Mushroom Pilau), or Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani. You can add some delicious flatbread such as Keema Naan Bread, Pakistani Roghni Naan, or Garlic Naan.

Other side dishes to serve Dal Palak with are some crispy Onion Bhaji (Onion Pakora), cooling Onion Raita, or colorful Indian Chickpea Salad (Chana Salad).

Top Tips From the Chef

• Turn this delicious Dal Palak (Spinach Dal) recipe into a vegan/vegetarian-friendly dish by replacing ghee with oil and using vegetable stock.

• You can temper the curry for extra flavorings. To make the tempering, melt a tablespoon of ghee in a pan and then sauté 1 finely sliced garlic until slightly browned. Add ½ TSP of paprika or ½ dried chili, ½ TSP of cumin seeds, and ½ TSP of asafoetida, sauté for 30 seconds and add it to your curry before serving.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more delicious recipes made with spinach why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this hearty Indian curry dish "Dal Palak" as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂 

Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!

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