This Red Lentil Squash Dahl Recipe Is:
- Bright
- Fresh
- Simple
- Loaded with Flavor
- Perfectly Spiced
- Sweet
- Vegan, Gluten Free, and Dairy Free
- Great for an Easy Weeknight Meal!
Make this Dahl with Frozen Vegetables For a Weeknight Win!
I used frozen butternut squash for this recipe instead of fresh – but either works perfectly in this dahl. This is a great way to transform extra butternut squash into a bright and healthy dish the whole family can enjoy. By using freezer ingredients, I can stock up when they are on sale, and use them in all kinds of great dishes. It saves me a trip to the store, and I can have amazing dahl in no time. Check out all my recipes that use Freezer Ingredients on The Herbeevore – great for those nights when you want dinner ready fast! And check out my Top 125 Plant-Based Pantry Staples for long-lasting staples that I always keep on hand.
What’s In This Vegan Butternut Squash Lentil Dahl Recipe?
- Coconut Oil: I love keeping a few jars of this organic coconut oil on hand, it’s great for cooking and also a really nice skin moisturizer outside the kitchen.
- Onion
- Garlic: I use fresh garlic when I have it, and this great jarred organic garlic when I don’t have fresh. It’s actually super convenient to have pre-chopped garlic on hand for quick and easy meal prep.
- Garam Masala: I love this amazing garam masala spice blend, which gives this dish an incredible depth of flavor!
- Pink Himalayan Sea Salt: I like to use a pink Himalayan Sea Salt in my kitchen, which has more natural minerals than plain processed table salt. It’s fairly inexpensive, so I’d recommend this salt if you’re looking for an easy way to level up your spice pantry.
- Tellicherry Peppercorns: Like the salt, it’s amazing the flavor difference you can get with really good tellicherry black pepper. Amazon has a generic brand tellicherry peppercorn which is the same price is buying pre-ground, and has a million times more flavor… so I use these really great tellicherry peppercorns, which I would definitely recommend.
- Cumin: also adds a really nice flavor to this recipe – cumin has a lightly smokey flavor found in a lot of Indian recipes.
- Red Lentils: one of my favorite legumes to stock up on! I always keep a few lbs of these on hand, they are great to throw into soups like this as they dissolve and you can’t even tell they are there.
- Butternut Squash
- Diced Tomatoes: I only use no salt added diced tomatoes, these boxed tomatoes are really great to stock up on! I like boxed tomatoes better because they are BPA free and more eco-friendly than aluminum cans. If you haven’t read about the dangers of consuming foods stored in BPA cans, head over to Nutrition Facts to read more.
- Reduced Sodium Vegetable Stock or Bouillon: I love this low sodium vegetable base for my recipes because it has a great flavor and is lower in sodium. I only develop my recipes with low sodium ingredients so the ingredients shine. You can always add salt to a recipe if it needs it, but it’s almost impossible to take it out! By starting with a low sodium broth or bouillon, you can build bright vibrant flavors and add more salt later if needed.
- Coconut Milk: I use unsweetened full-fat coconut milk, which I’d definitely recommend over lite coconut milk. The flavor makes this dish super rich and creamy without any dairy.
- Spinach
- Fresh Lime Juice
Easy Weeknight Dahl Recipe
This red lentil butternut squash dahl is what I call an Easy Weeknight Meal – which is on your table in about 30 minutes. These quick and simple recipes are perfect for those nights when you want a healthy homecooked meal but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen. I have a whole section of The Herbeevore dedicated to Easy Weeknight Meals, that are great for the whole family. From soups and stews, to pastas and proteins – a healthy meal can be on your table in no time. Even faster than ordering takeout!
How Do I Make Dahl with Butternut Squash?
- In a large pot, heat the coconut oil over low heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute for 4 to 5 minutes until the vegetables are translucent. Sprinkle in the garam masala, salt, pepper, and cumin, and mix and saute for another minute, stirring until the veggies are coated in the spice.
- Add the red lentils, butternut squash, tomatoes with juice, and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes more until the red lentils are cooked all the way through.
- Remove from heat and stir in the coconut milk and spinach. The heat from the dahl will wilt the spinach.
- Serve over fresh basmati rice, and finish the dish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Enjoy.
Other Vegan Indian Dishes You’ll Love
Get the Same Ingredients For This Vegan and Gluten Free Dahl Recipe!
As always, if you make this vegan and gluten free butternut dahl recipe be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe, and tag me @theherbeevore on Instagram so I can feature you. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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Butternut Squash Lentil Dahl (Vegan, GF)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 sweet onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Tellicherry Black Pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 cups red lentils
- 3 cups butternut squash diced
- 1 14 ounce No-Salt-Added Diced Tomatoes
- 4 cups No-Salt-Added Vegetable Stock
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the coconut oil over low heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute for 4 to 5 minutes until the vegetables are translucent. Add the garam masala, salt, pepper, and cumin, and mix and saute for another minute, stirring until the veggies are coated in the spice.
- Add the red lentils, butternut squash, tomatoes with juice, and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes more until the red lentils are cooked all the way through.
- Remove from heat and stir in the coconut milk and spinach. The heat from the dahl will wilt the spinach.
- Serve over fresh basmati rice, and finish the dish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Enjoy.
Nutrition
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