Vegan Dal Makhani

5 from 3 votes

This vegan dal makhani is made with black lentils, kidney beans and spices in a creamy coconut tomato sauce. A delicious and comforting Indian-inspired curry that you'd never guess was dairy-free!

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 30

Soak Time4

Total Time9 45

Course: Entree

Cuisine: American, Indian

Servings:

Calories: 435kcal

Author: Alissa Saenz

Ingredients

1 cup dried whole black lentils (urad dal)
½ cup dried kidney beans
3 tablespoons vegan butter
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 cup canned tomato puree
1 cup water, plus more as needed
1 ½ teaspoons garam masala
Pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon organic granulated sugar
¼ cup coconut cream, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place the lentils and kidney beans into a large pot or bowl and cover them with a few inches of water. Soak them for 4 to 12 hours.
When the lentils and beans are done soaking, drain them and place them into a large pot. Cover them with water and place the pot over high heat.
Bring the water to a boil, lower the heat, and boil the lentils and beans until they're soft, 60 to 70 minutes.
Drain the beans and lentils into a colander when they're done boiling.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the onion.
Sweat the onion for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it becomes soft and translucent.
Stir in the garlic, ginger, and cumin seeds. Sauté everything for about 1 minute, stirring frequently to avoid burning, until the mixture becomes very fragrant.
Stir in the cooked lentils and kidney beans, along with the tomato puree, water, garam masala, cayenne pepper, and sugar.
Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick. Add a bit more water if it becomes too thick while cooking. As the beans and lentils become very soft, mash some of them up with a fork or the back of a spoon.
Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the coconut cream and salt. Taste-test the dal and add more salt to taste.
Serve topped with additional coconut cream, if desired, and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.

Notes

The beans and lentils can be soaked and cooked in advance, then stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Another time saving option is to use 1 (14 ounce) can of precooked kidney beans and 2 (14 ounce) cans of precooked lentils. You probably won't find the black lentils used in this recipe in cans, but brown canned lentils will still give you a tasty (even if less authentic) dal.

Nutrition