Sri Lankan Palak Dal (Spinach Dhal)

My Sri Lankan palak dal (spinach dhal) is a comforting bowl of red lentils and fresh spinach in a creamy, spiced coconut sauce. A fellow Sri Lankan chef, Akhil, first showed me the traditional recipe, and I have added my own twist with roasted sweet potato and red pepper for a little natural sweetness and depth.

It is a simple, nourishing plant-based meal. The red lentils break down as they cook and thicken the dhal all on their own, so you end up with a rich, hearty texture without much effort.

Serve it with rice or flatbread, or try my Chana Dal Recipe next.

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Key Ingredients & Substitutions

Eighteen lines on the card, and only a handful of them are decisions. Here is what each one is doing, with what to use instead.

• Red lentils (masoor dal) They are the reason this needs no thickening. They break down completely as they simmer, so the dal thickens on its own. Instead: moong or toor dal both work and both hold their shape more, so expect a looser pot and give them longer.
• Vegetable stock It is what decides whether this is a thick dal or a soup. Stock rather than water, because the lentils have very little flavour of their own to give. Instead: water plus a little more salt, or chicken stock if you are not keeping it vegan.
• Coconut milk Full fat, stirred in after the lentils have collapsed rather than at the start. It is the thing that makes this Sri Lankan rather than Indian. Instead: light coconut milk thins it noticeably; cashew cream is the closest non-coconut answer.
• Sweet potato and red pepper Roasted on a tray rather than simmered in the pot. Roasting caramelises the edges and that sweetness is what carries the dish. Instead: butternut squash or pumpkin behave the same; carrots stay firmer, which some people prefer.
• Tomatoes Roasted whole on the same tray and mashed in with their skins slipped off. They are the acidity, and without them the coconut milk and the sweet potato make a bowl that reads as sweet. Instead: half a tin of chopped tomatoes, stirred in near the end.
• Spinach Folded in at the very end so it only wilts. Cook it any longer and you lose both the colour and the point of it. Instead: frozen spinach goes straight in from the freezer and needs no chopping; kale and chard work but want a couple of minutes longer.
• Onion and garlic Fried for a full five minutes before anything else joins them. Rushing this is the commonest reason a dal tastes flat. Instead: shallots are sweeter and finer; garlic paste works at about a teaspoon for the two cloves.
• The spices Turmeric, garam masala, cumin, chilli and a cinnamon stick go into the hot pan with the onion, not into the liquid, which is where they open up. The turmeric is doing two jobs here, colour and a little body, because its starch thickens as it simmers. Instead: curry powder for the garam masala, though it takes it towards an Indian dal.
• Oil or ghee Oil keeps the whole thing vegan and ghee makes it rounder and nuttier, so this is the one row that decides what the dish is. Instead: coconut oil leans into the coconut milk; butter is fine if ghee is what you wanted and you have none.
• Lime juice A good squeeze, added off the heat at the end. Heat drives the brightness straight back off again, which is why it is not cooked in. Instead: lemon is close enough; a splash of cider vinegar will do it at a push.

What to Serve with Sri Lankan Palak Dal (Spinach Dhal)

This is a thick dal rather than a soupy one, so it wants something underneath it and something sharp beside it. Those are really the only two decisions.

Something to eat it with

Basmati is the default, and a bay leaf and a few cloves in the cooking water are worth the ten seconds they cost. Brown basmati, quinoa and millet all work if you would rather have them, and they are better cooked in vegetable stock than in water, because none of them brings much of its own flavour to a bowl this rich.

For bread, naan is the best thing there is for scooping up something this thick. Buy it fresh and warm it through, and hold a shop-bought roti or paratha over a flame for a few seconds if you want the lighter option.

Something sharp beside it

Coconut milk and roasted sweet potato make this a sweet, rich bowl, and it is a much better plate with something cold and sour next to it. Cucumber raita is the usual answer and the one I reach for. Lime pickle does the same job harder. Mango chutney is the one to think twice about, because it leans into the sweetness rather than cutting it.

The cheapest version is a few red onions sliced as thinly as you can manage, left in vinegar with a pinch of salt and sugar for a quarter of an hour while everything else cooks.

How to Make Sri Lankan Palak Dal, Step by Step

Full quantities are in the recipe card below. Three things happen at once here - vegetables roast, lentils simmer, onions fry - so read it through before you start and get the oven on first.

1. Oven to 180C, and roast the vegetables. Toss the diced sweet potato and red pepper with oil and a pinch of salt, spread them out and roast, with the two whole tomatoes on the same tray. Roasting rather than boiling them is the point: the edges caramelise and that sweetness is what carries the dish. The tomatoes come out of their skins easily once they are soft, so slip the skins off and mash them with a fork.
2. Simmer the lentils with a cinnamon stick. Red lentils, vegetable stock and the cinnamon in a medium pot, brought to the boil then down to a simmer. Red lentils collapse as they cook, which is exactly what you want here, and the cinnamon perfumes them from the inside.
3. Fry the onion properly, then the spices. Oil or ghee in a frying pan, onion for a full five minutes until soft and golden. Rushing this is the single commonest way to end up with a dal that tastes flat. The spices go in after, and only for as long as they smell fragrant: they scorch and turn bitter in seconds.
4. Coconut milk in, then the roasted vegetables and spinach. Stir the coconut milk through the lentils, bring it back to a gentle simmer, then fold in the roasted vegetables, the mashed tomatoes and the spinach. The tomatoes are what stop the coconut milk turning the whole pot bland and sweet. The spinach only needs to wilt.
5. Finish and serve. Fresh coriander over the top if you like it, and serve with rice, naan, or on its own as a bowl.

Recipe Card for Sri Lankan Palak Dal (Spinach Dhal)

Recipe Card

Sri Lankan Palak Dal (Spinach Dhal)

Sri Lankan palak dal: red lentils simmered with coconut milk and cinnamon, with roasted sweet potato, pepper and tomato stirred through spinach.

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Prep

15 min

Cook

35 min

Total

50 min

Serves

4

Per serving

509 kcal

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4 servings

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Equipment I Use

Baking TrayMedium sized potHybrid Non Stick Frying Pan

Ingredients

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150 g red lentils 700 ml vegetable stock 400 ml coconut milk 400 g sweet potato, diced and peeled 80 g spinach, fresh or frozen 2 medium tomatoes, approximately 300g 1 red pepper, diced (about 150g) 1 medium onion, diced (around 120g) 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 tsp turmeric powder ½ tsp cumin powder 1 tsp garam masala 1 cinnamon stick, optional Pinch chilli powder, adjust to taste 45 ml vegetable oil, 3 tbsp (or use ghee instead) Dash of lime juice, around 10ml Salt to taste Fresh coriander for garnish, optional

Instructions

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1

Roast the Vegetables

Preheat your oven to 180°C.

Toss the diced sweet potato and red pepper with 15ml of oil and a pinch of salt. Spread them on a lined baking tray. Place the whole tomatoes on the same tray.

Roast for 20-25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and lightly caramelised. Once done, remove the skin from the tomatoes and mash them with a fork.

2

Cook the Lentils

In a medium-sized pot, combine the red lentils, vegetable stock, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3

Prepare the Spice Base

Heat 15ml of vegetable oil or ghee in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 5 minutes, until translucent.

Stir in the garlic, turmeric, cumin, garam masala, and chilli powder. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add a little more oil if the mixture is too dry.

Transfer this spice mixture into the pot with the cooked lentils.

4

Combine the Ingredients

Add the coconut milk to the lentils and bring everything back to a gentle simmer.

Stir in the roasted vegetables and mashed tomatoes. Mix well. Add the spinach, lime juice, and adjust the seasoning with salt and chilli powder to taste.

Simmer for a few more minutes until the spinach is wilted and the dhal reaches your desired consistency. Add a splash of water if it’s too thick.

5

Serve

Garnish with fresh coriander if desired. Serve with rice, naan bread, or enjoy it as a hearty bowl on its own.

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Chef’s notes＋

Roast the vegetables, do not boil them. The sweet potato and pepper go in the oven for a reason: it is where the sweetness and the edges come from, and a dal made with them simmered instead tastes flat however long you cook it.

The lime goes in at the end, off the boil. It is there to lift everything, and heat takes that straight back off again.

It thickens overnight. Red lentils keep drinking, so what is a soup this evening is close to a purée tomorrow. Loosen it with a splash of water or stock when you reheat rather than adding more coconut milk.

Spinach only needs to wilt. Stir it through the hot pan and take it off; it does not want cooking.

Nutrition per serving＋

509 kcalProtein 10 gCarbs 43 gFat 36 gSat fat 22 gFibre 8.8 gSugar 13 gSodium 706 mgServing 625 g

Sri Lankan Palak Dal (Spinach Dhal) · https://chefsbinge.com/sri-lankan-palak-dal-spinach-dhal/

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FAQ for Sri Lankan Palak Dal

How to Store Sri Lankan Palak Dal

In the Fridge:

• Let the dhal cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container.
• Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• The dhal will thicken as it sits - this is normal! You can add a splash of water or coconut milk when reheating to loosen it up.

In the Freezer:

• Portion the dhal into freezer-safe containers or ziplock bags.
• Store for up to 2 months.
• Pro Tip: Freeze in individual portions for easy meal prep.

Avoid Freezing Spinach Separately: Spinach can become mushy after freezing, so if you plan to freeze, consider adding fresh spinach when reheating instead.

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A Few Words from the Chef

This Sri Lankan Palak Dal is the perfect balance of comfort, nutrition, and bold flavours. With its creamy coconut base, warming spices, and the subtle sweetness of roasted vegetables, this dish is a fantastic way to enjoy lentils in a flavourful and satisfying way. Whether you pair it with fluffy rice, warm naan, or enjoy it on its own, it’s a meal that’s both nourishing and deeply comforting.

I’d love to hear how this spinach dhal recipe turned out for you! Did you try any variations? Let me know in the comments below. And if you enjoyed this dish, don’t forget to share it on social media and tag me - I love seeing your creations!

If you want another lentil pot after this one, my Chana Dal is the one I make most often, and it is linked at the top of this page.

Happy cooking!