This easy vegan dahl is one of the simplest one-pot dishes. It’s very inexpensive to make and perfect for when you are looking for something low fat but filling for dinner.
If you are cooking for a crowd or just want to add some extra nutrition, roast some extra veggies to serve on top or add in some chickpeas or your protein of choice.
As for the nutritional profile – with all the red lentils, it’s packed with fibre and iron. Red lentils are also high in folate, magnesium and potassium. The spinach adds extra Vitamin K, Vitamin C as well as being a great source of plant-based calcium.
What ingredients do you need for an easy vegan dahl:
- Coconut oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Fresh ginger
- Red chilli
- Sea salt
- Ground cumin
- Ground turmeric
- Garam masala
- Black mustard seeds
- Dry red lentils
- Tinned chopped tomatoes
- Vegetable stock
- Spinach
- Fresh coriander
- Lime juice
It’s simply a case of sautéing the vegetables and then adding everything to a large pan to bubble away. Super easy and super satisfying, this should become a firm favourite.
Try it for yourself and let me know what you think in the comments below.
Storage & Shelf Life
Allow the dahl to cool to room temperature and transfer to an airtight container.
Store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Freezing:
- Portion into freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipe Tips
- The lentils cook down and make this really creamy. However, if you want to be extra indulgent you can replace 400ml of the stock with coconut milk. I I quite like the simplicity of just cooking it with stock but this is another option to try.
- If you want more of a curried lentil soup, you can add more stock for a runnier consistency. The dahl also thickens the longer you leave it so you may want to add more stock if you are cooking in advance and reheating.
If you enjoyed this easy vegan dahl recipe, why not try:
Spicy Lentil Soup with Easy Garlic Croutons
Cauliflower, Potato & Lentil Curry
Easy Vegan Dahl
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 large onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- Small piece of fresh ginger
- ½ red chilli
- 1½ tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp black mustard seeds
- 400 g dried red lentils (2 cups)
- 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes (14oz)
- 1½ litres of vegetable stock (6 cups)
- 200 g fresh spinach (7oz)
- Small bunch of coriander chopped
- Juice of a lime
Instructions
- Finely chop the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli. In a large pan, heat up the oil and fry the onion for 10 mins, adding the ginger, garlic and chilli for the last couple of minutes.
- Add all the spices and salt and stir through for a minute or two. Add the lentils, tomatoes and stock and let it simmer for 50-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are cooked.
- Stir through the spinach, coriander and the juice of a lime and season to taste.
Notes
-
- This dahl freezes very well and will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- It will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Super simple to make and very tasty. Probably the best one I’ve made in fact. Great store cupboard dinner.