Butternut Squash and Kale Red Lentil Dahl (Vegan)
A deliciously warming and cosy Butternut Squash and Kale Red Lentil Dahl made with plant-based and high protein ingredients, this is perfect comfort food that’s naturally high in fibre, too.
Welcome back to the second recipe in my one-pot mini-series and this really cosy dahl made with tomatoes, butternut squash and kale stirred in at the end. It’s a great recipe for the colder months and is a great source of plant-based protein and fibre. And it’s a really good reason to eat red lentils, which I definitely want to be eating more of! Technically, you can serve this with the roasted squash on top which makes the recipe two pans, but it’s not essential at all.
Why will I love this?
This dahl is so good:
- Cosy, warming, rich and comforting
- Full of flavour but not too spiced
- Made with wholesome ingredients
- Nourishing on the body
- A great meal for the colder months
- Delicious at lunch or dinner
- Great for meal prep as leftovers taste even better
- Naturally a great source of protein and fibre
- Lentils and squash
- Packed with different plant points
- Delicious with rice or breads
- Dairy-free, egg-free and vegan
- Gluten-free and nut-free
- Everyone will love it
- Ready in less than one hour
- Minimal hands-on cooking time
- Minimal washing up
If you already love the sound of this recipe, 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 favourite and recommended products in the “shop the recipe” section.
For the dahl:
- Spice blend: ground coriander, cumin, mild curry powder, sweet smoked paprika,, ground turmeric and cardamom
- Butternut squash: use most of it to make the dahl and the rest for roasting and sitting on top.
- Olive oil: or your preferred oil.
- Red onion: or you can use shallots or white onion.
- Garlic: for lots of flavour.
- Ginger: fresh is best and adds tons of flavour.
- Red lentils: soak these in water first and then rinse and drain them.
- Chopped tomatoes: in a tin.
- Full-fat coconut milk: to make it creamy.
- Vegetable stock: or your preferred stock.
- Kale: use cavolo nero or curly kale. Or you can use spinach, too.
- Lime: this adds tang and lifts and spices at the end.
To serve, I like to add some swirls of coconut yoghurt and enjoy with some breads and/or rice.
Is this gluten-free and nut-free?
This is naturally gluten-free and nut-free.
How do I make this?
This is ready in few steps:
- Soak the red lentils in water: and then rinse and drain them.
- Peel and chop the butternut squash: and divide it into the cubes for the pan and the slices for the oven.
- Toss the slices in spices and roast with olive oil: until tender.
- Into a large saucepan, add the onion, garlic and ginger: and fry off.
- Add in the spices: and fry again.
- Pour in the squash, lentils, tomatoes and coconut milk: and stir well.
- Allow to cook with a lid on for about 25 to 30 minutes: until the lentils are soft.
- Stir in the kale and lime juice: and allow to wilt.
- Serve warm topped with the roasted squash: and your favourite sides.
How long will it last?
This dahl will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days and in the freezer for 1 month. Allow to defrost and warm back up in a saucepan.
What other recipes can I try?
- Creamy Tomato Spinach and Chickpea Orzo
- Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Pasta
- Roasted Sweet Potato Butternut Grain Bowls with Red Pepper Miso Dressing
- Creamy Lemon and Ginger Pata
- Smokey Black Beans with Sweet Potato Fries
Butternut Squash and Kale Red Lentil Dahl (Vegan)
A deliciously warming and cosy Butternut Squash and Kale Red Lentil Dahl made with plant-based and high protein ingredients, this is perfect comfort food that’s naturally high in fibre, too.
Ingredients
For the Spice Mix:
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp mild curry powder
- ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
- Salt and pepper
For the Dahl:
- 1 medium butternut squash*
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 shallots or 1 red onion small dice
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and grated
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 160g red lentils, soaked and rinsed**
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes (400g)
- 400ml tin full-fat coconut milk
- 250ml vegetable stock (1 cube)
- 50g kale, de-stemmed weight and chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
For the Squash on Top:
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp olive oil
To Serve:
- Toasted sourdough/naan/pitta
- Rice or other grains
- Dairy-free yoghurt
- Pickled red onions
- Fresh coriander
- White sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the spice mix in a small pot.
- Peel the squash and then chop off the ends. Chop off the rounded bottom and put to one side. With the main top, chop into small cubes, you will have 350-400g.
- Heat a large non-stock pan or casserole dish with the olive oil and add the shallots/onion, garlic and ginger and cook for 5 minutes to soften. Add in all of the spices with some salt and pepper and fry off for 1 minute.
- Add in the squash cubes and rinsed lentils and stir well so they are evenly coated in the spices. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, coconut milk and stock and stir well.
- Cover and cook over a medium-low heat for 35 minutes, stirring often so it doesn’t stick at the bottom. The lentils and squash will soften, and it will be creamy when ready.
- If making the squash on top: cut into slices and rub with the cumin and paprika and drizzle with some olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and arrange on a baking sheet. Roast in a preheated oven at 160Fan/180ºC for 25-30 minutes, flipping over halfway through.
- When the dahl is soft, add the kale and lime juice and stir well. Cook with the lid again for 5-10 minutes to soften the kale.
- When ready to serve, spoon the kale into bowls and top with some yoghurt, the roasted squash, pickled red onions, coriander, sesame seeds and some breads and/or rice.
- To save for later, allow the dahl to cool in and store in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 1 month and warm back up before eating.
Notes
*If you don’t want to make the roasted squash on top, chop all of the squash into small cubes and use 100ml more stock.
**Submerge the lentils in filtered water for 1 hour and then drain and rinse thoroughly. If you don’t have time, just rinse them thoroughly.
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Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of this Butternut Squash and Kale Red Lentil Dahl 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 – please say hello!
With dahl love x
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