Nourishing Red Lentil & Spinach Dahl

Craving a dish that’s as comforting as it is nourishing? Look no further than dahl.

Rooted in Indian and South Asian traditions, this healthy plant-based dish features simmered legumes, and combines the heartiness of a stew, the warmth of a curry, and the lightness of a soup.

With recipes galore for dahl, here’s my take. It features a nice blend of spices, gently tempered to enhance taste, then sautéd with aromatics and tomatoes. The lentils are simmered in vegetable stock, infusing in great flavour. To top it off, a mini mountain of spinach is mixed in, which the Registered Nutritionist in me loves, because #vegetables.

When it comes to healthy ideas for dinner for busy nights, this red lentil dahl (no coconut milk) is great to bulk-cook and freeze for speedy heat-and-eat meals. Future you will be very happy👌. For another meal-prep friendly curry, make sure to check out this scrummy Brown Lentil Curry with Coconut Milk.

Gather Ingredients

• Dried red split lentils. Our legume pick-of-the-bunch. Red lentils soften and break down when cooked, resulting in a creamy porridge-like texture. Find them in the soup, canned goods or bulk bin aisle at the supermarket.
• Vegetable stock. Use whatever’s on hand—homemade, store-bought, fresh, or a dried stock powder.
• Spices. We’re using a blend of whole cumin and mustard seeds, as well as ground turmeric and chilli flakes.
• Canned tomatoes. For a lovely tomatoey flavour base.
• Fresh baby spinach. For a nutritious boost. Baby spinach is easy to throw in the pot as is, but you can also use larger spinach leaves, cut smaller.

You’ll also need the basics: aromatics, like onion, garlic and ginger; oil to fry; lemon juice to brighten; and salt to season it all to perfection. While this is a vegan dahl, you can sub the oil for ghee (clarified butter) and enjoy a vegetarian dahl instead.

To Serve

Serve over rice, or enjoy with Indian flatbreads like roti or naan—the bread is great to scoop up the dahl. A garnish of fresh coriander, cashew nuts and a sprinkle of chilli flakes takes it up a notch.

If you have a little extra prep time up your sleeve, serve with homemade mint and cucumber yoghurt raita, a creamy, refreshing yoghurt-based side dish that’s a perfect pairing with dishes like dahl🥒.

Nutrition Q&A

What are the nutritional benefits of lentils? Known for their affordability, lentils pack a mighty nutritional punch, making them an excellent addition to your mealtime rotation. Cooked lentils offer:

• A rich source of plant-based protein. A cup provides an impressive 17.9g of protein. Incorporating lentils into meals, especially plant-based ones, will help create a more nutritionally well-rounded dish.
• High in dietary fibre. Lentils are a fabulous source of gut-loving fibre, boasting 15.6g per cup. Fibre is cornerstone to digestive health and creating a sense of fullness.
• Polyphenols galore. Lentils are rich in health-promoting polyphenols, known for their strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in the body (1).

Thanks for reading! Are you looking for more plant-based meal ideas? Try this Mexican-Inspired Chili Sin Carne with Dark Chocolate.