Slow-Cooked Black Lentils with Kidney Beans

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-14 · Updated 2026-04-14

A traditional Punjabi dal where black lentils and kidney beans simmer for hours in a fragrant tomato and butter sauce until tender and deeply flavorful. This indian (vegetarian) ready in about 125 minutes pairs rinsed black lentils, soaked overnight kidney beans, large, finely chopped onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 300 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup, rinsed black lentils
• 1/2 cup, soaked overnight kidney beans
• 1 large, finely chopped onion
• 2 medium, chopped tomatoes
• 1 inch, minced ginger
• 3 cloves, minced garlic
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cups water
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup butter

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a pot, combine 100g rinsed black lentils, 100g soaked kidney beans, 150g chopped onion, 200g chopped tomatoes, 10g minced ginger, 10g minced garlic, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, and 1/2 tsp salt. Add 720ml water.
2. Step 2: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 90 minutes until lentils and beans are very tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Step 3: While simmering, heat 30ml ghee in a pan over medium heat. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Step 4: Add the cooked lentil and bean mixture (with liquid) to the pan. Stir in 60ml heavy cream and 60g butter. Cook for 10 minutes on low heat, stirring frequently.
5. Step 5: Stir in 1/2 tsp garam masala and adjust salt if needed. Cook for 5 more minutes until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Do not boil vigorously after adding cream.