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    Home » MAINS » VEGAN

    Autumnal Red Lentil & Butternut Squash Dahl

    Published: October 24, 2022 · Updated: October 24, 2022 by Ieva Greber · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    It’s halfway through autumn: the cold air now pinches my cheeks outside, and I start regretting not wearing a hat every time I’m out. It’s the time of year when we start making lots of one-pot warm comforting meals. One of them is our Red Lentil and Butternut Squash Dahl, cooked in a turmeric-infused coconut and tomato stock.

    Take Me To:
    • Celebratory Dahl
    • Method
      • STEP 1: Cook The Butternut Squash
        • Alternative Butternut Squash Cooking Method
      • STEP 2: Make The Red Lentil Dahl
    • What To Serve With Butternut Squash Dahl?
    • Other Recipes For Chilly Autumn Evenings
    • Recipe Card

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    Celebratory Dahl

    Whilst we don’t celebrate Diwali ourselves, we thought we’d make a lovely warming Dahl this year in solidarity with over a billion people who celebrate the ‘festival of lights’. Three years ago, we were travelling in India when the country was preparing for the celebrations by hanging colourful lights, and arranging flowers and clay oil lamps everywhere. This year, the least we can do is cook a delicious Indian meal and reminisce about our experiences in this beautiful country.

    Butternut Squash Dahl in a small white bowl with a spoon on the side.

    Method

    To begin with, peel and dice your butternut squash. For your butternut to cook at roughly the same time as your dahl, you should aim for 1cm cubes. Thinly slice your red onion. After that, finely chop ginger and garlic.

    STEP 1: Cook The Butternut Squash

    In a large, wide-based pan, heat a splash of oil. Add half of the sliced onions and fry for 4-5 minutes on low heat until starting to soften.

    In the meantime, heat a splash of oil in a large frying pan (or two pans, if one isn’t big enough). Add diced butternut squash, and the remaining sliced red onion and season with salt and pepper. Fry on medium heat for 15-20 minutes stirring every couple of minutes.

    Butternut squash and red onion frying in a pan.

    Alternative Butternut Squash Cooking Method

    Alternatively, you can mix butternut squash, red onion, some oil and seasoning and spread in a single layer on a large baking tray. Roast in the oven at 180°C for 20 minutes, mixing a couple of times throughout the cooking. Keep an eye on the onions though, as they burn quickly in the oven.

    STEP 2: Make The Red Lentil Dahl

    Whilst butternut is cooking, continue preparing your dahl. When your onions have softened, add chopped garlic, ginger and ground turmeric, and fry for another minute until fragrant. Then, mix in rinsed lentils and crumble in a stock cube. After that, pour in a tin of chopped tomatoes, a tin of coconut milk and 200ml of water. Mix well, cover and simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes. When cooked, lentils should be tender and your dahl should have a creamy porridge-like consistency.

    Red lentils in a pan.
    Spinach being added to the lentil dal.

    When cooked, take the dahl off of the heat and stir in the spinach and juice of half a lemon. Spoon into bowls, and top with slightly browned butternut squash and crispy onion. Serve with a wedge of lemon on the side.

    Your Red Lentil and Butternut Squash Dahl is ready! What a bright and lovely dinner bowl it is! It tastes wonderful on any cold autumn or winter evening.

    What To Serve With Butternut Squash Dahl?

    This Vegetable Dahl is really rather filling and can be served as a main meal on its own. However, there are a few things that you can pair with it for the ultimate Indian feast. Why not try it with:

    • Simple Naan Bread (or Sourdough Naan Flatbread)
    • Easy 4-Ingredient Rotis | Simple Indian Flatbreads

    Other Recipes For Chilly Autumn Evenings

    If you’re looking for more ideas for comforting food for cold days, have a look at our other recipes:

    • Modern Colcannon with Poached Eggs
    • Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup
    • Spiced Carrot and Lentil Soup
    • Sweet Chilli Pepper Risotto
    • Spicy Bean Stew with Cheesy Dumplings

    Recipe Card

    Red Lentil and Butternut Squash Dahl served in a white bowl garnished with lemon on a rustic wooden table.

    Red Lentil and Butternut Squash Dahl

    It's halfway through autumn: the cold air now pinches my cheeks outside, and I start regretting not wearing a hat every time I'm out. It's the time of year when we start making lots of one-pot warm comforting meals. One of them is our Red Lentil and Butternut Squash Dahl, cooked in a turmeric-infused coconut and tomato stock.
    5 from 8 votes
    Print Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine Indian
    Servings 4 portions
    Calories 582 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 600 g butternut squash peeled and diced into 1cm cubes
    • 2 red onions thinly sliced
    • 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
    • 30 g root ginger peeled and finely chopped
    • 2 tsp ground turmeric
    • 260 g red lentils rinsed in cold water
    • 1½ stock cubes
    • 400ml tin of rich & creamy coconut milk
    • 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
    • 200 ml water
    • 100 g spinach
    • 1½ lemon

    Instructions
     

    • Heat a large pan with 3 tablespoon of oil. Add half of the sliced onions and fry for 4 minutes until softened.
    • In the meantime, in a large frying pan (you may need to use two frying pans or see Tip at the bottom of the recipe), heat 2 tablespoon of oil. Tip in diced butternut squash and scatter the remaining sliced onions. Season with salt and pepper. Fry on medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until butternut squash is soft, slightly browned and the onions are crispy.
    • Whilst butternut squash is cooking, continue preparing your dahl. To the frying pan with onions, add turmeric, chopped garlic and ginger and cook for another minute until fragrant.
    • Add rinsed red lentils, crumble in stock cubes, pour in a tin (400ml) of coconut milk, a tin (400g) of chopped tomatoes and 200ml of water. Mix well and cover with a lid. Simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes until all the stock is absorbed and lentils are cooked. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick.
    • Take off the heat, stir in spinach and juice of ½ a lemon.
    • Serve dahl in bowls, topped with fried butternut squash cubes and crispy red onion. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

    Notes

    TIP: if you are doubling the recipe or don’t have any large frying pans, you can roast butternut squash and red onion in the oven. Just spread your diced squash on baking trays, scatter sliced red onion, drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper and give it a quick mix. Cook at 180°C for 20 minutes, but keep an eye on it, as your onions can burn very quickly in the oven. 
    TIP 2: This meal freezes very well and you can simply defrost and reheat it in a microwave, so go on an make a big batch!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 582kcalCarbohydrates: 80gProtein: 24gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 542mgPotassium: 2012mgFiber: 28gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 18540IUVitamin C: 79mgCalcium: 219mgIron: 12mg
    Keyword Butternut Squash Daal, Butternut Squash Dahl, Butternut Squash Dal, Dahl Recipe, Dahl with Butternut Squash, Red Lentil Dahl
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Comments

    1. Dana

      April 07, 2021 at 5:24 pm

      5 stars
      The absolute poster meal for comfort food, right here. Love the flavors and it’s so so warming 🙂

      Reply
      • Ieva

        April 09, 2022 at 6:55 pm

        Thanks, Dana! Glad you liked it! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Dijana

      July 20, 2021 at 10:57 am

      5 stars
      Such an amazing recipe! I love how squash and lentil pairs and make this beautiful meal!

      Reply
      • Ieva

        July 20, 2021 at 7:56 pm

        We love the combination of lentils and butternut! With coconut and turmeric, it’s one of our favourite things to eat! So glad you liked it too!

        Reply
    3. Claudia Lamascolo

      May 07, 2022 at 6:32 pm

      5 stars
      This was super delicious and we loved it will make it again!

      Reply
      • Ieva

        May 08, 2022 at 5:57 am

        Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂

        Reply

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    Hi, I am Ieva – the face behind this blog. I live in North Wales with my husband Seb and our golden retriever Sawyer. It’s safe to say that I live and breathe food: from researching and reading about food to creating new recipes and growing vegetables to use in my cooking.  The great thing is, Seb appreciates all the good meals that are also essential at his worst ‘hangry’ moments! Somebody HAS to feed Seb…

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