Description
A quick and easy recipe for red lentil dahl, featuring aromatic spices, coconut milk, and fresh spinach, perfect for a comforting and nutritious vegetarian meal served with rice and vegan naan.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 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, warm the olive oil and sauté the chopped onion for 5 minutes, stirring frequently until softened. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking for 1 more minute until fragrant.
- Add Spices: Stir in the garam masala, ground turmeric, and red pepper chili flakes into the onion mixture. Add a few tablespoons of water if the mixture is too dry to ensure spices don’t stick.
- Cook Lentils: Add the dried red lentils, canned diced tomatoes with their juices, coconut milk, and vegetable broth to the pot. Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
- Simmer: Reduce heat to low and let the dahl simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft and cooked through.
- Finish with Lemon and Spinach: Squeeze the lemon juice into the pot, then stir in the baby spinach until wilted. Season with salt to taste, about 1 teaspoon.
- Serve: Serve the red lentil dahl hot alongside cooked brown or white rice and vegan naan bread for a complete meal. Enjoy!
Notes
- Leftover dahl can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in a covered container and freezes well for longer storage.
- You may use light coconut milk for a less creamy texture or substitute cashew cream if coconut milk is not desired. Unsweetened almond, cashew, or soy milk may also work as alternatives.
- To prepare in an Instant Pot: Use the sauté feature to cook onions, garlic, and ginger, then add spices. Turn off the sauté, add lentils, tomatoes, coconut milk, and broth. Seal and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Quick release pressure, add lemon juice, and stir in spinach to wilt. Serve as directed.
- Nutritional information provided is an estimate and excludes rice and naan.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
