Vegan Coconut Lentil Dahl (Printable)

A creamy blend of lentils with coconut milk, spices, spinach, and lime for a nourishing, vegan main dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Lentils & Legumes

01 - 1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed

→ Aromatics

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

→ Spices

05 - 1 tablespoon curry powder
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
09 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
10 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Liquids

11 - 1 can (14 fluid ounces) full-fat coconut milk
12 - 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
13 - 1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil

→ Vegetables

14 - 3 cups fresh baby spinach
15 - 1 medium tomato, diced

→ Garnish

16 - 1 lime, cut into wedges
17 - Fresh cilantro, chopped

# How To:

01 - Heat coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent.
02 - Stir in garlic and ginger; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add curry powder, cumin, turmeric, coriander, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Stir for 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
04 - Mix in rinsed red lentils and diced tomato.
05 - Pour coconut milk and vegetable broth into the pot. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle boil.
06 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are soft and creamy.
07 - Add fresh spinach and stir until wilted, approximately 2 minutes.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
09 - Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with lime wedges and chopped cilantro.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in one pot, which means minimal cleanup and maximum coziness on busy weeknights.
  • The coconut milk makes it naturally creamy without any dairy, so even non-vegan friends ask for seconds.
  • That lime juice at the end brightens everything up in a way that feels almost magical.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the lentils—rinsing removes the starch that can make the dahl gummy instead of creamy.
  • Toasting the spices in that oil for just 30 seconds changes everything; skip this and they taste muted and flat.
03 -
  • If your dahl is too thick, thin it with broth or coconut milk a splash at a time until you reach the consistency you want.
  • Making this for someone with dietary restrictions? It's naturally vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free, which means you're already set.
Go Back