Easy vegan Dahl
April 6, 2024

Easy Vegan Dahl

This easy vegan dahl is one of those dishes that is so simple to make. Literally add everything to a large pan and simmer until ready. The smells in your kitchen will be amazing and its packed full of plant-based goodness.
prep time5 minutes
total time1 hour 5 minutes
cook time1 hour

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

Tofu Green Thai Curry

Peanut Butter Chickpea Curry

Almond Butter Tofu Curry

Easy vegan Dahl

Easy Vegan Dahl

Helen Ridgeway Helen Ridgeway
This easy vegan dahl is one of those dishes that is so simple to make. Literally add everything to a large pan and simmer until ready. The smells in your kitchen will be amazing and its packed full of plant-based goodness.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4
Calories 218 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 large onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • Small piece of fresh ginger
  • ½ red chilli
  • tsp sea salt
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp black mustard seeds
  • 400 g dry red lentils (2 cups)
  • 400 g tin chopped tomatoes (14oz)
  • 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.
  •  

Nutrition

Calories: 218kcalCarbohydrates: 27.9gProtein: 13.9gFat: 4.9gSaturated Fat: 3.5gFiber: 5.5g
Keyword dahl, lentil curry
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

1 Comment

  1. Mike N

    5 stars
    Super simple to make and very tasty. Probably the best one I’ve made in fact. Great store cupboard dinner.

    Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

ebook recipe mockup

Recent Recipes

12 Days of Christmas Recipes

12 Days of Christmas Recipes

This 12 Days of Christmas Recipes Round-up is all about simple festive ideas. Recipes that feel special without being overly complicated to make. Each recipe is made with minimal ingredients but has maximum flavour. Think good-quality dark chocolate, nuts, nut butters...

Date & Pistachio Bites

Date & Pistachio Bites

These little Date & Pistachio Bites are a very easy treat to make.  The middle is a thick date caramel mixed with lots of nuts and nut butter. It’s all encased in a lovely, thick chocolate layer. Very simple to make, literally blend the dates with the...

Chocolate Christmas trees

Chocolate Christmas trees

These pistachio and macadamia Chocolate Christmas Trees are super easy to make and can be frozen for easy make-ahead treats. The filling is a gorgeous mixture of dates, nut butter and a selection of nuts and dried fruits. If you don’t have the Christmas tree silicone...

Butternut Squash, Coconut & Ginger Soup

Butternut Squash, Coconut & Ginger Soup

This Butternut Squash Coconut & Ginger Soup with carlin peas is a vibrant, nourishing dish that works really well now the weather is chillier. It’s also super simple to make. The base of leek, carrots, garlic and fresh ginger is sautéed before simmering with...

Almond Butter Oat Bars

Almond Butter Oat Bars

These Almond Butter Oat Bars will quickly become a staple in your snack rotation. They’re one of the easiest recipes to make and have a great balance of flavour.  These bars are made from simple, wholesome ingredients and come together with minimal effort with no...

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Salad 

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Salad 

I’m a firm believer that it’s the dressing that makes or breaks a salad bowl.  This tahini & miso dressing definitely transforms this sweet potato and black bean bowl. It tastes amazing and elevates the whole dish into something pretty special! It’s a...

Apple Pie Smoothie

Apple Pie Smoothie

This Apple Pie Smoothie has all the flavours of a homemade apple dessert, but in a nourishing, breakfast smoothie.  The combination of apples, cinnamon and vanilla makes it naturally sweet while the oats and protein powder help to keep you satisfied for longer...

Nut Free Energy Balls

Nut Free Energy Balls

If you’re looking for a school-safe snack that still delivers on flavour and nutrition, these Nut-Free Energy Balls are perfect.  Many schools are nut-free, which can make it tricky to find convenient options, but these are naturally nut-free thanks to...

ebook recipe mockup

WANT MORE INSPIRATION?

Sign up for free monthly recipes and get a copy of my free recipe ebook with my 5 most popular recipes

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Helen Ridgeway Logo green
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.