Palak daal is one of those storecupboard meals that earns its place in any regular rotation. Quick, cheap, nutritious, and genuinely satisfying — this lentil and spinach curry comes together in under 30 minutes from ingredients you probably already have. Lentils bring protein, fibre, potassium, and iron; spinach adds vitamins and colour; and a spoonful of chutney at the end lifts the whole thing somewhere unexpected. This easy daal recipe is the kind of cooking that makes you wonder why you'd ever bother with a takeaway.

Red lentils — the storecupboard staple at the heart of this palak daal recipe.

How to Make Palak Daal

Ingredients — serves 2–3

400g jar pre-cooked brown or red lentils

400g frozen spinach, defrosted

400g tin chopped tomatoes, liquidised

1 red onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped

1-inch piece cinnamon or cassia bark

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp homemade aromatic garam masala

150ml vegetable stock

2 tbsp chutney of your choice — Dark and Sticky Fig and Grape Chutney works beautifully

Fresh lemon juice

Bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped

1 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

Naan bread, to serve

Method

Heat the oil in a deep-sided frying pan over medium heat. Fry the onion until soft, then add the garlic and fry for one minute.

Stir in the garam masala and fry gently for one minute. Add the cassia bark and bay leaf.

Stir in the liquidised tomatoes and stock. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in the lentils and heat through gently, then do the same with the spinach.

Stir in the chutney. Remove from the heat, drizzle with lemon juice, season to taste, and sprinkle with fresh coriander.

Serve with naan bread.

This palak daal recipe is part of my Curry Recipes hub — a complete collection of curries, spice blends, chutneys, and curry-adjacent dishes from Casa Adora and beyond. It also features in my Gut Health Recipes collection — real food from a rural Andalucían kitchen, built around fermented foods, high-fibre pulses, wholegrains and prebiotic-rich ingredients.

Find more recipes and food adventures here.

Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef