Yellow Lentil Soup | Moong Dal Soup (Stovetop and Instant Pot)

Yellow Lentil Soup (Moong Dal Soup) is an easy-to-make, oil-free, nutritious comfort food ready in less than 25 minutes. This soup is prepared using split yellow lentils and basic spices from your kitchen.

About the recipe

• Moong dal soup (yellow lentil soup) is dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free. The style of preparation is similar to that of pongal or moong dal khichdi, but in this soup recipe, we do not add any tempering or rice.
• You can have this soup as one complete meal or as an appetizer. It is a very flexible recipe that can be made using any lentil. You can check more on Indian lentils here. 
• No onion and no garlic is used, and you can prepare this even for vrat, fasting days, and Navratri. 
• I already have a traditional lentil soup recipe that you can make with split red lentils or any of your choice. Plus, you can also check for stovetop, instant pot, one-pot instructions, and variations. 

This split yellow lentil soup, also called Indian moong dal soup, is the simplest and easiest recipe you will ever make. The combination of ingredients makes it one of the best and most refreshing soups for cold weather (winter season).

Ingredients

Lentil: I have used split yellow lentil (split moong dal) to make this soup recipe. You can use any lentil of your choice. You can check the picture of all lentils and their English names here.
Flavor: Green chilies, pepper powder, curry leaves and ginger.

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Moog dal soup in a pressure cooker

• Wash the moong dal in water 2-3 times until the water runs clear.
• Add the washed moong dal, green chilies, black pepper powder, curry leaves, ginger, salt, and 3 cups of water in a pressure cooker.
• Cover it, add the weight, and pressure cook for two whistles. One whistle on high flame and another whistle on medium flame or until the moong dal is mushy. Turn off the flame and let the pressure drop naturally.
• Now whisk the cooked dal, adjust the consistency with water if needed and boil for 2 - 3 minutes.
• Serve hot and enjoy with toasted bread, naan, chapati, etc.

Yellow lentil soup in instant pot

• Add the split yellow lentil, green chilies, black pepper powder, curry leaves, ginger, salt, and 3 cups of water to your IP and mix well.
• Cover your IP lid with a pressure valve to seal.
• Set on high pressure for 5 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then release any pressure manually.
• Open the lid and check for taste and consistency. If adding water to adjust consistency, turn on the saute mode and boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off your IP.
• Serve hot and enjoy with crackers, roasted sweet potatoes, etc.

Add-ons

• You can temper the soup with tablespoon of coconut oil or ghee and 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds.
• For more flavor, add a pinch of turmeric and hing (asafoetida) to the soup.

Tips

• 1 cup of any lentil will need 3 cups of water or 2-3 inches of water above the lentil in a pot to get a medium-thick consistency. Once it is cooked, you can adjust it with more water if desired. 
• You can also cook the moong dal in the pot in the stovetop, but the time it takes to cook will double. To reduce the cooking time, you can soak it for 2 or 3 hours. 
• Vary the amount of green chilies and pepper powder as per your taste.
• This soup thickens as it gets cooler. So adjust it to the desired consistency by adding water whenever you are ready to serve.
• Any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Adjust the consistency and heat it just before serving. 

More Lentil (Dal) Recipes

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Recipe card

Yellow Lentil Soup | Moong Dal Soup (Stovetop and Instant Pot)

Kushi

Yellow Lentil Soup or Moong Dal Soup is an easy-to-make, oil-free, nutritious comfort food ready in less than 25 minutes. This soup is prepared using split yellow lentils and basic spices from your kitchen.

5 from 15 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 17 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American, Indian

Servings 4

Calories 175 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  Pressure cooker
• ▢
  Instant Pot

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 cup Split yellow lentil or Moong dal
• ▢ 1 to 2 Green chilies chopped
• ▢ ½ to 1 teaspoon Black pepper powder
• ▢ 1 leaflet Curry leaves chopped
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Ginger grated
• ▢ Salt to taste
• ▢ Water as required

Instructions

 

Moog dal soup in a pressure cooker

• Wash the moong dal in water 2-3 times until the water runs clear.
  1 cup Split yellow lentil or Moong dal
• Add the washed moong dal, green chilies, black pepper powder, curry leaves, ginger, salt, and 3 cups of water in a pressure cooker.
  1 to 2 Green chilies chopped, ½ to 1 teaspoon Black pepper powder, 1 leaflet Curry leaves, 1 tablespoon Ginger grated, Salt, Water
• Cover it, add the weight, and pressure cook for two whistles. One whistle on high flame and another whistle on medium flame or until the moong dal is mushy. Turn off the flame and let the pressure drop naturally.
• Now whisk the cooked dal, adjust the consistency with water if needed and boil for 2 - 3 minutes.
• Serve hot and enjoy with toasted bread, naan, chapati, etc.

Yellow lentil soup in instant pot

• Add the split yellow lentil, green chilies, black pepper powder, curry leaves, ginger, salt, and 3 cups of water to your IP and mix well.
• Cover your IP lid with a pressure valve to seal.
• Set on high pressure for 5 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then release any pressure manually.
• Open the lid and check for the taste and consistency. If adding water to adjust consistency, turn on the saute mode and boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off your IP.
• Serve hot and enjoy with crackers, roasted sweet potatoes, etc.

Notes

• 1 cup of any lentil will need 3 cups of water or 2-3 inches of water above the lentil in a pot to get a medium-thick consistency. Once it is cooked, you can adjust it with more water if desired. 
• You can also cook the moong dal in the pot in the stovetop, but the time it takes to cook will double. To reduce the cooking time, you can soak it for 2 or 3 hours. 
• Vary the amount of green chilies and pepper powder as per your taste.
• This soup thickens as it gets cooler. So adjust it to the desired consistency by adding water whenever you are ready to serve.
• Any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Adjust the consistency and heat it just before serving. 
• You can temper the soup with tablespoon of coconut oil or ghee and 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds.
• For more flavor, add a pinch of turmeric and hing (asafoetida) to the soup.

Nutrition

Calories: 175kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 12gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 41mgPotassium: 469mgFiber: 15gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 39IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 4mg

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Note: We originally posted this vegan yellow lentil soup recipe in Jan 2016. It has now been modified in Oct 2023 with Expert Chef Tips, FAQs, Storage Instructions, etc.