Red Lentil Dahl (FODMAP-Friendly)

A gently spiced, FODMAP-friendly red lentil dahl made without onion or garlic. Comforting, nourishing, and easy to make—perfect for sensitive digestion and naturally gluten- and dairy-free.

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Course: Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish

Keyword: Dairy Free, FODMAP, Gluten Free, Simple, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 30

Servings: Servings

Calories: 264kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped or grated fresh ginger
¼ teaspoon asafoetida optional, adds depth when not using onion/garlic
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock ensure gluten-free
1 cup dried red lentils rinsed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon each: ground cardamom ground cinnamon
⅛ –¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional, to taste
1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
2 teaspoons tomato paste
Green tops of 4 spring onions finely sliced (added at the end)

Instructions

Sauté the aromatics:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and asafoetida. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring to release the aromas.

Add stock and lentils:

Pour in the stock, then add the rinsed red lentils, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, cayenne (if using), and salt. Stir to combine.

Simmer:

Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the lentils are soft and broken down.

Add tomato paste:

Stir in the tomato paste and simmer for another 3–5 minutes.

Finish and serve:

Just before serving, stir in the finely sliced green tops of the spring onions. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Notes

If you do tolerate onion and garlic, you can sauté 1 chopped onion and 2 minced garlic cloves with the ginger at the start instead of using spring onion tops and asafoetida.
To make it more hearty, you can stir in a handful of spinach or cooked veggies towards the end.
If you do eat meat it's also great with diced chicken breast, you can add this after you have sautéed the ginger and brown for 2 to 3 mins before adding the lentils and stock.
This dish pairs beautifully with rice, quinoa, or gluten-free flatbread.

Nutrition