Description
A quick and easy red lentil dahl recipe packed with warming spices, creamy coconut milk, and fresh spinach, perfect for a hearty and nutritious vegetarian meal served with rice and vegan naan.
Ingredients
Scale
Dahl
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped small
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper chili flakes
- 1 1/2 cups dried red lentils
- 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 13.5 ounce can full fat coconut milk
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- half a lemon, juiced
- 3-4 cups baby spinach
For Serving
- 4 cups cooked brown or white rice
- Vegan Naan
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large pot or pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil and sauté the chopped onion for 5 minutes, stirring frequently until softened.
- Add Garlic and Ginger: Add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the onions and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
- Add Spices: Stir in garam masala, turmeric, and red pepper chili flakes. If the mixture seems dry, add a few tablespoons of water to maintain moisture.
- Add Main Ingredients: Add dried red lentils, canned diced tomatoes with their juices, coconut milk, and vegetable broth to the pot. Stir well to combine.
- Simmer: Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally until lentils are soft and fully cooked.
- Finish and Season: Squeeze lemon juice into the pan, then stir in baby spinach until wilted. Add salt to taste, approximately 1 teaspoon.
- Serve: Serve the dahl hot with cooked brown or white rice and vegan naan bread. Enjoy your comforting meal!
Notes
- Leftover dahl keeps well in the refrigerator for about 4 days in a covered container and freezes well.
- Light coconut milk can be used for a less creamy texture; if avoiding coconut, cashew cream or unsweetened almond, cashew, or soy milk are good substitutes.
- To make this recipe in an Instant Pot: use the sauté function to cook the onions, garlic, and ginger, then add spices. Turn off sauté, add lentils, tomatoes, coconut milk, and broth, seal, and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes. Quickly release pressure, add lemon juice, and stir in spinach until wilted.
- Nutritional information does not include rice or naan.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 12 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
