Golden Chickpea Dahl with Roasted Aubergine (Vegan)
This creamy delicious Golden Chickpea Dahl with Roasted Aubergine is loaded with fibre and protein and is a great recipe for a comforting dinner or lunch. Leftovers taste great, so enjoy this plant-based and gluten-free dahl for meal prep.
I love a delicious dahl recipe, and I haven’t shared one for a long time. So, here is a lentil and chickpea-based dahl, simmered in spices, coconut milk, chopped tomatoes and peanut butter for added umami rich flavour. The main recipe comes together in one pot on the hob, while you roast the aubergine chunks until tender to sit on top – these add a great textural addition to the meal, as well as extra plant points and veggie goodness. Mop this dahl up with flatbreads, naan, toasted sourdough or serve with rice or other wholegrains for a seriously comforting yet healthy recipe, ideal for lunch or dinner.
Why will I love this?
This dahl is amazing:
- Creamy, cosy, rich and comforting
- Wholesome, antioxidant-rich and nourishing
- Ideal for cooler weather
- Also great for colds and when you’re feeling like a much-needed boost
- Flavoured with ginger, garlic and curry powder
- With lentils and chickpeas for protein
- Sweet potato for chunks of goodness
- All made in one large pot
- Topped with tender roasted aubergine
- Dairy-free, egg-free and plant-based
- Easily nut-free
- Gluten-free and soya-free
- Ideal to make mid-week or for meal prep
- Will keep well in the fridge and the freezer
- Delicious all year long
- Everyone will love it
- Delicious with breads like flatbreads, naan or toasted sourdough
- Or serve with rice or wholegrains like quinoa or buckwheat
- Use other veggies
- Swap the sweet potato for carrot
- Swap the aubergine on top for broccoli
- Packs in lots of fibre and protein
- Contains at least 16 different plant points
If you already love the sound of this dahl, then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
You can see the ingredients with weights in the recipe card below and see my “shop the recipe” section for my favourite and recommended products.
For the dahl:
- Olive oil: or your preferred oil for cooking.
- Onion: I use a white onion, but red will also work.
- Garlic: crush these to add lots of flavour.
- Ginger: fresh is best for maximum flavour.
- Spices: sweet smoked paprika and medium curry powder work so well and are so easy.
- Red lentils: these turn to creamy when they are cooked low and slow.
- Sweet potato: chop this into small chunks to add extra goodness.
- Chickpeas: drain the chickpeas to add protein and fibre. I use the queen chickpeas from Bold Bean Co as they are so plump and juicy.
- Chopped tomatoes: to make it saucy.
- Coconut milk: this is a tin of coconut milk and either use full-fat for the best texture or use light.
- Peanut butter: use runny smooth peanut butter that’s 100% nuts (I love a deep roast one).
- Baby spinach: add these at the end to wilt the leaves.
- Lime: this adds some tang at the end of dahl as it cooks. You can also add some lime wedges, to serve, too
- Salt and pepper: to season.
To make the roasted aubergine:
- Aubergine: chop this into chunks and roast until tender.
- Spices: sweet smoked paprika and ground cumin for the flavours.
To serve this dahl, I like to add some dairy-free yoghurt, breads and rice.
Is this gluten-free and nut-free?
This is naturally gluten-free as long as you serve it with GF breads and grains. To make it nut-free, swap the peanut butter for tahini.
How do I make this?
This is ready in a few steps:
- Fry off the onion, garlic and ginger in a large pot: until softened.
- Add in the spices: and fry until fragrant.
- Pour in the lentils, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, coconut milk and chopped tomatoes: with the peanut butter and some added water.
- Allow to bubble away over a gentle heat: until creamy.
- Meanwhile chop up the aubergine: and toss with the oil and spices.
- Roast in the oven until tender: for 20 minutes.
- Add the spinach and lime to the dahl: and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Serve the dahl in bowls with some rice or grains, the roasted aubergines: and some yoghurt, herbs and nuts/seeds.
How long will it last?
This will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge in a sealed container or in the freezer for 1 month. De-frost the dahl and then warm up in a saucepan.
What other recipes can I try?
For more comforting meals:
- Smoky Chipotle Butterbeans with Herby Tahini
- Quick Tahini Tofu Ramen Noodles
- 15-Minute Peanut Butter Tofu Ramen
- Marry Me Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo and Beans
- Vegan Tomato Pesto Lasagne Soup
Golden Chickpea Dahl with Roasted Aubergine (Vegan)
This creamy delicious Golden Chickpea Dahl with Roasted Aubergine is loaded with fibre and protein and is a great recipe for a comforting dinner or lunch. Leftovers taste great, so enjoy this plant-based and gluten-free dahl for meal prep.
Ingredients
For the Dahl:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 white onion, small dice
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 1 thumb-size piece garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 medium carrot, small dice
- Spices: ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika and 1 tbsp medium curry powder
- 100g red lentils
- 1 medium sweet potato, cubed small
- 1 tin chickpeas, drained (drained weight 240g)
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 x 400g full-fat coconut milk
- 1 large tbsp peanut butter
To Add-In:
- 2 large handfuls baby spinach
- 1 lime, juiced
- Salt and pepper
For the Roasted Aubergine:
- 1 large aubergine
- ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp olive oil
To Serve:
- Coconut yoghurt
- Breads, rice, herbs
Instructions
- Start by preparing the dahl. Heat a large non-stick pot with the olive oil and then add the onion, garlic, ginger and carrot. Fry off for 5-8 minutes, until softened.
- Now add in the sweet smoked paprika and curry powder and season with salt and pepper. Fry off for 1 minute until smelling fragrant.
- Add in the lentils, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, chopped tomatoes, coconut milk and peanut butter. Fill up the tomato tin halfway with water and add this in, too.
- Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook with a lid on for 25 minutes, until the lentils are softened and the sweet potato is cooked through.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180Fan/200ºC and chop the aubergine into cubes. Add to a baking tray with the spices, olive oil and some salt and pepper and toss well. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, tossing halfway through, until nicely roasted.
- When the dahl is cooked, add in the spinach and lime juice and cook for 5 more minutes, to wilt the spinach.
- Serve warm with some rice or flatbreads (or other breads) and some coconut yoghurt and fresh herbs.
- Allow to cool and keep leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for 2-3 days or in the freezer for 1 month. Allow to defrost and warm back up in a saucepan.
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Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of this Golden Chickpea Dahl with Roasted Aubergine so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make these, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest so please say hello!
With dahl love x
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