Root Vegetable Dal

This easy Weeknight Root Vegetable Dal is the perfect answer to dinner this week. It’s easily customizable based on what you have on hand and makes a hearty, vegetarian soup recipe full of nourishing ingredients!

I love cookbooks. I love cooking directly from them, getting inspiration from them, and honestly just paging through them and taking in the pictures and stories. The First Mess was my favorite cookbook for years and still is one of my go-tos. Laura is a fellow Canadian and does whole, plant-based cooking better than anyone! If you’re feeling inspired when it comes to produce, you need to check out her blog and cookbook.  

I’m so excited that Laura gave me permission to share this recipe from The First Mess: Root Vegetable Dal. It’s hearty, flavorful and so easy to make. My ideal weeknight meal!

What is dal?

Dal is both an ingredient and a dish. As an ingredient, it is a type of split pea or lentil. As a dish, it is traditionally a spiced stew made from simmering the ingredient until broken down. This recipe is based off the traditional dish but adds in some root vegetables for an added nutritional boost. 

Root Vegetable Dal Ingredients

• Red split lentils
• Root vegetables of choice – I used butternut squash but you can use a combination of squash, carrots, celery root, etc. 
• Yellow onion
• Cherry or grape tomatoes
• Garlic cloves
• Fresh ginger
• Fresh cilantro
• Lemon wedges for serving
• Coconut oil
• Seasonings and spices – ground turmeric, dried chili flakes, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, salt and pepper.

How to Make Vegetable Dal

STEP 1: Add rinsed lentils, diced root vegetables, diced onion, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, turmeric and chili flakes to a large stock pot. Pour water over the ingredients and stir to combine. 

STEP 2: Bring pot to a boil over medium heat and then simmer for 40 minutes, whisking often. In the last 10 minutes, whisk the dal vigorously to encourage the breaking down of the lentils. Season with salt and pepper as needed.

STEP 3: Make the spice oil by melting coconut oil in a small sauté pan over medium-high heat. 

STEP 4: Add the cumin, coriander and mustard seeds to the coconut oil and stir to combine. When the spices are fragrant, remove from the heat. 

STEP 5: To serve, gently spoon the toasted spice oil on top of the dal or stir in to combine. Garnish with chopped cilantro and lemon wedges. Enjoy!

Root Vegetable Dal

This easy Weeknight Root Vegetable Dal is the perfect answer to dinner this week. It’s easily customizable based on what you have on hand and makes a hearty, vegetarian soup recipe full of nourishing ingredients!

• Author: Davida Lederle
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Soup
• Method: Cook
• Cuisine: Indian
• Diet: Vegan

• 1 cup red split lentils, rinsed
• 1 cup finely diced root vegetables of choice (carrots, celery root, butternut squash)*
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved**
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• pinch of dried chili flakes
• 3 1/2 cups water
• salt and pepper, to taste

For the Spice Oil:

• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (I used ground)
• 1/2 tsp coriander seeds (I used ground)
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds (I used ground)
• 1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro, for garnish
• lemon wedges, for serving

1. To a stock pot add the rinsed lentils, diced root vegetables, diced onion, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, turmeric and chili flakes.
2. Pour water on top and stir.
3. Bring pot to a boil over medium heat and then simmer for 40 minutes, whisking often.
4. In the last 10 minutes, whisk the dal vigorously to encourage the breaking down of the lentils.
5. Season with salt and pepper.

For the Spice Oil

1. In a small saute pan, melt the coconut oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the cumin, coriander, and mustard seeds (or ground in my case). Once the seeds are fragrant, remove from heat.
3. Gently spoon the toasted spice oil on top of the dal or stir in if you would like.
4. Garnish with chopped cilantro and lemon wedges.

*I used butternut squash.
**I used 1 14oz can of diced tomatoes and it worked perfectly

Keywords: Dal recipe, dal, root vegetable dal

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