Red Lentil, Coconut & Sweet Potato Dahl

I make this ludicrously tasty dahl on repeat every winter. It's a warm and creamy red lentil and sweet potato dahl made with coconut milk, fragrant spices, and a ton of fresh lime that hits all the flavor jackpots and is very healthy, too. Make a big pot of it to dip into all week, or serve it on the side of grilled meats or fish.

Jump to:

• Why you'll love this sweet potato red lentil dahl
• Ingredient notes
• How to make lentil and sweet potato dahl
• Top tips for making sweet potato dahl
• How to serve
• Wine pairing
• Equipment
• Storage
• Try these other soup recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Why you'll love this sweet potato red lentil dahl

1. It's healthy: The list of vitamins and nutrients in this sweet potato dahl is endless; it just contains so many superfoods. A proper portion of it comes in at well under 400 calories, and it is naturally vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
2. It's delicious: I like to refer to this dahl as 'stealth health' because it's simply so tasty you'd never know you were eating something so nutritious. It's thick and velvety and has so many flavors popping out at you with every bite; it's one of my favorite things to eat.
3. It's easy: There are no complex techniques; you literally need two pieces of equipment, and a toddler can follow the step-by-step instructions. I make this vegan sweet potato dahl in big batches and freeze it, so it also works well as a make-ahead recipe.

Ingredient notes

1. Red lentils: Red lentils are a protein-packed legume that's naturally low in saturated fat. They break down when cooked in water, so add a delicious velvety thickness to soups, stews, and curries.
2. Sweet potato: Use large or medium sweet potatoes because we need to peel them, and the bigger size makes that easier.
3. Butternut squash: You could use any squash in this recipe, for example, acorn or butternut. Squash is great for adding a nutty depth to curries or soups like this squash soup with crispy sage.
4. Tinned tomatoes: Use canned tomatoes without any other flavorings or added sugar. You can also use passata.
5. Coconut milk: Either full-fat or reduced-fat coconut milk will work, although full-fat will give you a super creamy red lentil dahl.
6. Vegetable or chicken stock: I use chicken stock in this sweet potato dahl with coconut milk, but if you prefer to make this a plant-based curry recipe, use vegetable stock instead.
7. Bell pepper: Any color bell pepper will do, I like to use red and yellow.
8. Shallot: I prefer cooking with shallot to onion as it's a more delicate flavor with natural sweetness but feel free to use white or red onion if it's all you have.
9. Garlic: Remove any green shoots from inside the garlic clove, as this burns easily and can taste bitter.
10. Ginger: Fresh ginger root will always taste better than ground ginger
11. Chilli: You can choose the type of fresh chili that suits you best. I use jalapenos most often, but if you prefer spicy chili, pick a chili like a habanero or scotch bonnet to add some fire!

Spice mix

1. Garam Masala: Garam masala is a spice mix rather than a spice in its own right, and it lends a beautiful warmth to curry recipes.
2. Turmeric: Known for its vibrant color and numerous health benefits, turmeric is another curry staple that tastes delicious and adds color too.
3. Ground cumin: Powdered cumin or ground cumin seeds are a cornerstone of curry making, adding that signature curry taste and earthy, aromatic flavor. If you don't have ground cumin, a teaspoon cumin seeds will do the job perfectly instead.
4. Chili flakes: I add a pinch of chili flakes, too, as they have a delicious smoky flavor that adds some more depth to the flavor profile of this red lentil dahl.

Garnish

1. Spinach: Adding spinach to stews, soups, or curries is a great way to add more fiber and nutrition at the last minute. It's full of vitamins and tastes delicious too.
2. Lime: Fresh lime juice squeezed into this coconut and sweet potato dahl is my favorite thing about it.
3. Coriander/cilantro: Cilantro is one of my favorite herbs and one of the most useful, as you can use the leaves, the stalks, and the seeds in cooking! In this dish, we use fresh cilantro leaves and stalks.

See the recipe card for all of the quantities and complete directions. If you do not have all the different spices, you can use curry powder as a backup, but I always find it tastes better when you make the spice mix from scratch.

How to make lentil and sweet potato dahl

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius/350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Peel and slice the sweet potato and squash into small 1-inch cubes. Place onto an oiled baking tray and roast for 20-30 minutes until browned at the edges.

Prepare the other vegetables. Slice the bell pepper and shallot into small pieces, and finely dice the garlic, ginger, and chili.

Fry the peppers and onion in oil over medium heat in a large saucepan or casserole until softened and then add the garlic, chili, and ginger, and continue to fry for 1-2 minutes.

Add the spices and dry fry until fragrant for around a minute.

Stir in the lentils and coat them in the spice mix.

Pour in the stock, coconut milk, and tomatoes, and bring to a simmer.

Cook for 15-20 minutes until the lentils have cooked and broken down to thicken the dahl.

Squeeze in the lime juice and stir through the spinach and chopped coriander before serving.

How to serve

A spoonful of yogurt (either plain yogurt or coconut yogurt) is a delicious way to make this sweet potato lentil dahl even creamier, and cool it down slightly if you've added a lot of spice! I also serve it with a lime wedge, some more fresh chili, and finely chopped cilantro. A bit of mango chutney is also a favorite of mine, with sweet potato curry and perhaps a piece of naan bread on the side to scoop up the sauce. Try these vegetable curry puffs as a side dish!

I sometimes stir through some frozen peas in the final 5 minutes of cooking to add even more vegetables, fiber, and nutrients to this easy dahl recipe. If you want a more intense tomato flavor, you can also add a tablespoon or two of tomato paste.

Love curry recipes and spicy food? Try this spiced eggplant masala or habanero pineapple hot sauce.

Wine pairing

A crisp, chilled glass of Gewürztraminer is always a great white wine pairing for curry and spicy dishes. It's an aromatic grape variety that has tropical tones to it, so it works well with spicy food. Alternatively, a fruity Pinot Noir can work well.

Equipment

The thing I really love about this sweet potato, red lentil, and coconut dahl is that you hardly need any equipment. I roast the sweet potato and squash on an oven tray lined with a non-stick silicon baking mat and make the curry in a large saucepan. That's it!

I do recommend buying a decent kitchen knife, though I have always used Robert Welch, which are the knives I trained with at chef school.

Storage

Store leftover sweet potato dahl in an airtight container in the fridge and consume within 3-4 days.

This dahl also freezes really well, so I tend to use this as a batch cook recipe and freeze individual portions of it.

Try these other soup recipes

📖 Recipe