Hearty Red Lentil Dal With Chickpeas and Squash
, Updated Aug 27, 2025
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This one-pot red lentil dal is packed with chickpeas, butternut squash and spinach and ready in just 25 minutes. A great vegan recipe that can be served as a main or side dish.
You will also love my vegan Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Red Lentil Soup
I realized the other day that this site has plenty of curry recipes, but very few that are vegetarian or vegan. This is clearly an oversight on my part since lentil dal is one of my favorite things to cook and eat!
This easy dal recipe is vegan and gluten-free, plus incredibly good for you! Lentils are naturally rich in plant-based protein and fiber, which means this curry will keep you feeling full and satisfied. They’re also packed with iron, folate, and B vitamins, making dhal a brilliant choice if you’re looking for a nourishing meat-free meal.
What is a Dal?
Dhal or dal (also daal, dail, dahl) refers both to ingredients such as red lentils, split peas and various other dried pulses and the various curries made from from them. My absolute favorite is dal makhani, a dish that is made with whole black lentils (urad) and enriched with indecent amounts of butter and cream.
This simple vegan red lentil dal is definitely more suitable for a healthy midweek meal as it is absolutely packed with plant-based goodness. Usually dhal is more of a side dish, but I have upped the vegetables here to make it more substantial and, dare I say it, a lot tastier.
You can eat it on its own, with a little coconut yoghurt, with naan bread or serve it over rice – and what’s more, it tastes even better the next day. Make a big batch to serve over a couple of days or freeze the leftovers.
Make this recipe on the stove or in your pressure cooker where it takes only a fraction of the time. Since it is quite quick anyway I prefer to make it on the stove – take a look at the recipe video to see how its done.
How to Make Red Lentil Dal
- Heat a little oil in a large casserole (or use cooking spray if you are cutting down on calories). Add the onions and sauté over low heat for 5 minutes, adding the spices, garlic and ginger towards the end.
- Stir in the cubed squash and add the hot stock. Bring the dal to a rolling simmer.
- Add the red lentils, chickpeas and tomatoes, give everything a good stir and simmer over low heat, partially covering the pot, for 15-20 minutes. By now the dhal should be thick and the squash cooked through.
- Finally, stir in the spinach, mixing it in until it wilts and add a little coconut or oat cream, if you like. Serve garnished with coriander leaves.
- For added flavor, can fry mustard seeds in neutral oil until they start to pop. Drizzle the seeds and oil over the curry before serving.
Slow Cooker instructions
This recipe is easy to make in a crockpot. Fry the onion with the spices, ginger and garlic then add to your slow cooker together with the squash, chickpeas, and tomatoes. Add the stock and give everything a good stir. Cook on low for 8 hours, stirring in the spinach and cream at the end.
Leftovers and Storage
The best thing about dal? It actually tastes better the next day as the spices have more time to mingle and deepen. Once cooled, pop any leftovers into an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to four days.
This dish also freezes brilliantly – portion into tubs or freezer bags, label and store for up to three months. When you’re ready to enjoy, reheat on the stove with a splash of water or coconut milk to loosen it up. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime before serving to wake the flavors right back up.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- You don’t need to soak the red lentils, however you do need to give them a good rinse.
- You can experiment by adding different vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots and so on.
- This is a fairly mild dal recipe. If you want to dial up the heat you could add one or two chilies and their seeds in with the onions.
- The curry will keep for up to four days in the fridge and up to three months in the freezer.
- Keep the liquid from the chickpeas (aquafaba) to make vegan chocolate mousse or vegan macarons!
I hope this easy Dal recipe brings a little extra comfort to your table whenever you want something cozy, nourishing and fuss-free. If you give it a try, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how it turned out. And if you snap a photo tag me @Instagram or TikTok so I can see your gorgeous bowls of yum!
Hearty Red Lentil Dal
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tsp neutral oil
- 1 large onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger finely grated
- 1 cup (250g) butternut squash peeled and cubed
- 4 cups (960ml) hot vegetable stock or broth
- 1 ½ cups (300g) red lentils rinsed
- 14 oz (400g) chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 4 tomatoes seeded and roughly chopped
- 3 cups (150g) spinach leaves
- ¼ cup (60g) coconut cream or full-fat coconut milk
- cilantro (coriander) to garnish
- pinch red pepper flakes to garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large casserole and sauté the onion for 5 minutes over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant.2 tsp neutral oil, 1 large onion, 3 cloves garlic
- Stir in the spices, salt, ginger and butternut squash.1 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp cayenne pepper, ¼ tsp ground coriander, 1 tbsp fresh ginger, 1 cup (250g) butternut squash
- Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a rolling simmer.4 cups (960ml) hot vegetable stock
- Add in the red lentils – they tend to become a solid mass once you rinse them so break them up with a spoon.1 ½ cups (300g) red lentils
- Add the chickpeas and tomatoes and simmer, partially covered for 15 minutes until the curry has thickened and squash is tender.14 oz (400g) chickpeas, 4 tomatoes
- Mix in the spinach until it starts to wilt and then stir in the coconut cream. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary.¼ cup (60g) coconut cream, 3 cups (150g) spinach leaves
- Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and a pinch red pepper flakes.cilantro (coriander), pinch red pepper flakes
Slow cooker method
- Fry the onion with the spices, ginger and garlic then add to your slow cooker together with the squash, chickpeas, and tomatoes.
- Add the stock and give everything a good stir. Cook on low for 8 hours, stirring in the spinach and cream at the end.
Notes
- Leftovers and Storage: Once cooled, pop any leftovers into an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. It also freezes brilliantly — portion into tubs or freezer bags and store for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, reheat gently on the hob with a splash of water or coconut milk to loosen it up.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
Lovely
This is delicious and my go-to recipe when I want lentil dal. I’ve taken to adding more squash than the recipe calls for and often put in a mixture of red and green lentils (I love the added texture the green lentils bring to the dish). Finally, we serve it with spicy chili crisp so people can adjust the heat to their preference.
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
Just made this, super easy to follow and very tasty! Everyone went back for seconds. Thank you.
We just finished this outstanding Indian dish and we loved it. Served with basmati rice and naan. The flavours are so tasty, perfect amount of heat; did use two chili peppers and added the mustard seed. Will be freezing the remainder. Thanks.
Thanks for your lovely comment, so glad you enjoyed this recipe
Making this dish tonight. How much mustard seed should I add? Thanks
1-2 teaspoons should be plenty x
Delicious 😋 so buttery and fluffy and easy to make
Thank you for this Curry Recipe! Like it very much! 🤗