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    You are here: Home / Entrees / Red Lentil Pumpkin Dal

    LAST UPDATED: January 28, 2022 • FIRST PUBLISHED: September 17, 2015

    Red Lentil Pumpkin Dal

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Savory Indian-spiced red lentils are simmered with chunks of juicy pumpkin in this cozy pumpkin dal.

    Red Lentil Pumpkin Dal

    I'm just going to come out and say it: I'll take pretty much any excuse I can get to throw pumpkin into just about anything. And I really don't need much of an excuse, do I? Just this week I noticed some of last year's pumpkin recipes coming back to life via little traffic spurts. I take that as a sign that you guys are just as into the whole pumpkin thing as I am, so let's get rolling.

    This one just occurred to me randomly. I love pumpkin in sweet recipes, but I really love savory pumpkin, especially when teamed up with some warming spices. Pumpkin and dal seemed like the perfect match.

    Red Lentil Pumpkin Dal

    The pumpkin chunks make for a nice sweet contrast to the lentils. I'm betting when you eat this you'll find yourself digging out a pumpkin chunk to go with every bite.

    You'll need about a half of an average-sized sugar pumpkin for this, so it's the perfect recipe to hang on to for those days when you're likely to have some leftover from pie or some other recipe. If that's not so likely, or if cracking open a pumpkin is just too much of a pain for you, feel free to sub your favorite sweet winter squash. I'm sure butternut, kabocha and delicata would all be awesome in here.

    Red Lentil Pumpkin Dal

    Like this recipe? If so, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter. And please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you make it!

    Bowl of Pumpkin Dal and Rice Topped with Fresh Cilantro, Spoon on the Side
    5 from 12 votes
    Print

    Red Lentil Pumpkin Dal

    Savory Indian-spiced red lentils are simmered with chunks of juicy pumpkin in this cozy pumpkin dal.
    Course Entree
    Cuisine American, Indian
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes
    Total Time 35 minutes
    Servings 4
    Calories 342 kcal
    Author Alissa

    Ingredients

    • 1 tbsp. olive oil
    • 1 medium onion, diced
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 tbsp. fresh grated ginger
    • 1 serrano chili pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
    • 2 tsp. ground cumin
    • 1 tsp. ground coriander
    • ½ tsp. turmeric
    • ½ tsp. cinnamon
    • 2-3 dried red chile peppers, to taste
    • 2 cups vegetable broth
    • 1-14 oz. can diced tomatoes
    • 1 cup split red lentils
    • 2 cups diced sugar pumpkin, 1 inch cubes, about ½ of an average sugar pumpkin
    • ½ cup coconut milk, from a can
    • salt and pepper to taste

    For Serving:

    • fresh cilantro
    • cooked basmati rice

    Instructions

    1. Coat the bottom of a medium-sized saucepan with oil and place over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, serrano pepper (if using), cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon and dried chili peppers. Sauté 1 minute more, until fragrant.
    2. Add broth, tomatoes, lentils and pumpkin. Stir a few times to incorporate and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer until lentils and pumpkin are tender, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in coconut milk and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.
    3. Divide among bowls and serve with rice and cilantro.

    Recipe Notes

    Nutrition information does not include rice.

    Nutrition Facts
    Red Lentil Pumpkin Dal
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 342 Calories from Fat 111
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 12.3g19%
    Saturated Fat 7.2g36%
    Sodium 699mg29%
    Potassium 734mg21%
    Carbohydrates 43.3g14%
    Fiber 18.3g73%
    Sugar 7.4g8%
    Protein 17.5g35%
    Calcium 70mg7%
    Iron 5.9mg33%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    « Mexican Kidney Bean Fried Rice from The Easy Vegan Cookbook
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    About Alissa Saenz

    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors! You can read more about me here.

    I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sandra Remson says

      October 01, 2017 at 9:34 pm

      I wasn't sure from the recipe if the pumpkin was cooked or raw.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        October 07, 2017 at 11:30 am

        It's raw when you add it. :)

        Reply
    2. Janelle says

      October 29, 2018 at 5:01 pm

      I found that even after 30 minutes of cooking and adding a little more water that the red lentils were still not quite cooked. Any suggestions?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        November 04, 2018 at 2:44 pm

        Is it possible that your lentils are a bit dated? Usually red lentils cook up super fast, so that's the only thing I can think of!

        Reply
        • Molly says

          January 03, 2020 at 4:48 am

          5 stars
          So delicious! I didn’t have any fresh garlic or dried chillies so went without and it was still so good. Thank you

          Reply
          • Alissa Saenz says

            January 05, 2020 at 4:14 pm

            Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

            Reply
            • John says

              June 09, 2020 at 1:36 am

              5 stars
              Thanks for the recipe. Since saw, we share with our friends.

            • Isalyn Fitzpatrick says

              January 09, 2021 at 10:17 pm

              5 stars
              Perfect recipe! I made it exactly as you suggested and it is going to be my go to dahl from here on in. Thank you.

    3. Eileen Richards says

      November 15, 2019 at 10:36 am

      Can I use canned pumpkin? I know it won’t have the chunks and be more soupy.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        November 17, 2019 at 11:28 am

        I think that would work! The texture will be quite different and you might need to adjust the amount of spices, but I think it would be good!

        Reply
    4. Christina n peter says

      December 04, 2019 at 12:39 pm

      5 stars
      My husband who doesnt like sweet foods unless it's a dessert loved this! So did my toddler to my surprise cause it is spicy. I didnt have coconut milk and it was still delish. I also used fresh tomatoes and a kuri squash and again it was so good. Thx for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 08, 2019 at 10:50 am

        I'm so happy it was a hit with your family! Thanks so much for sharing!

        Reply
    5. Libby says

      April 06, 2020 at 1:47 am

      5 stars
      We have been making this a lot. We have an allergy to tomato and leave it out and add some extra stock. We also leave out the coconut milk for health reasons. It is still delicious. We usually add something green - like spinach. A favourite. Thanks for posting.

      Reply
    6. Robyn says

      May 16, 2020 at 2:13 am

      5 stars
      Just made this recipe and it's delicious! I soaked the lentils overnight and added more chilli. Thanks for a great dish!

      Reply
    7. Kirrie says

      June 10, 2020 at 7:04 pm

      5 stars
      Very nice. Looking forward to eating the leftovers today :)

      Reply
    8. Katie says

      July 27, 2020 at 6:38 am

      5 stars
      Fantastic recipe! We used only 1.5 cups of water and was a perfect consistency. Will definitely make again!

      Reply
    9. Loz says

      July 29, 2020 at 10:31 pm

      This was absolutely delicious! I had some roasted pumpkin so I threw that in and it was amazing! Will definitely make it again.

      Reply
    10. Priya says

      September 03, 2020 at 4:00 am

      First time I’ve cooked with Pumpkin and it was lovely! I tweaked a few ingredients and also added spinach and it’s was enjoyed by all!

      Reply
    11. mack says

      September 15, 2020 at 2:05 am

      so so nice. this is my third time making it. !!

      Reply
    12. Christina says

      November 01, 2020 at 6:24 pm

      5 stars
      I'll confess I did quite a bit of tweaking to this recipe but the main component ingredients were spot on! And not because it wouldn't be yummy without. This is a perfect example of Northern style Indian Dahl. With a onion, garlic, ginger, tomato base. I have recently begun to self study ayurveda, a 5,000 year old medical system for balance and health. Ayurveda meaning life and vegan meaning science. I am trying to cure an imbalance my husband has
      For his dosha (personal constitution its not a 1 fits all type deal) he has a bit too much heat and fire. Causing him irritability, stomach issues, rashes, and a fiery temperament. So we withheld the onions, garlic, and hot spices. Sweet tastes are very grounding and calming for pitta types..This was a great recipe we could adapt for this! We also swapped the pumpkin for sweet potato as we didnt have it, added a bit more liquid and cooked it up in the instant pot! I added a bit of cardamom powder and I had no cinnamon so added garam masala at the end. It was also very family friendly we served it with brown rice. Baby and toddler loved it! Thx for the inspiration! Dahl are so versatile and red lentils cook so quick love it!

      Reply
    13. Axel says

      March 13, 2021 at 8:07 pm

      5 stars
      OMG, this is one of our house holds favourite dahls! Have made it so many times, so good! a real crowd pleaser!

      Reply
    14. Ree says

      April 17, 2021 at 5:23 am

      5 stars
      I’m so happy I found this recipe. It really is the most loveliest Dahl. So easy and super quick to make from pantry and fridge staple items. I will make this again and again. Thank you so much!

      Reply
    15. Sara says

      November 14, 2021 at 11:09 pm

      This has been my favorite recipe since I first found it years ago. I just made it for probably the 100th time. Thanks for it :)

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors!

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