Vegan Pumpkin Dal

Last Updated on April 22, 2024 by Christin Gillespie

A cozy Indian dish with a twist. This healthy Vegan Pumpkin Dal recipe is made with red lentils, canned pumpkin puree, creamy coconut milk, and is loaded with warming spices. It’s the perfect easy to make dinner on a chilly night.

Vegan curries are my favorite recipes. However, when it starts to get chilly out, that’s when I take it up a notch. To me, there is nothing better than a big bowl of warm curry on a cold evening. And since it’s pumpkin season, I just had to infuse my dal with some fall spice. 

As a result, this Vegan Pumpkin Dal recipe was created. Put simply, it is the perfect fall curry recipe. Red lentils get coated in a creamy Indian-spiced coconut pumpkin sauce to transpire the most incredible flavor profile. It’s super rich, flavorful, and filling without being too heavy.

This Vegan Pumpkin Dal is loaded with nourishing ingredients, easy to make, and best of all, it’s even better as leftovers. Needless to say, this is the perfect cozy pumpkin dinner recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Healthy Vegan Dal

• Quick & Easy: This vegan dal recipe requires one-pot & is on the table in 30 minutes.
• Loaded with Fall Flavor: Full of Indian-spice, with a sweet pumpkin twist. This dal is the best fall vegan recipe. 
• Fully Customizable: Feel free to crank up the heat with some additional spice or take it down a notch if you can’t handle the heat. The option to add extra veggies is also available too!
• Great for Meal Prep: This dish stores well in the fridge, making it a great recipe to meal prep for quick dinners throughout the week.

Ingredients

• Organic Onion: A staple for any recipe! I used a medium yellow onion, but use what you have on hand!
• Organic Garlic: Make sure to use fresh garlic and not garlic powder. This ingredient is crucial to build flavor.
• Organic Red Lentils: Red lentils are a staple when it comes to making dal. You cannot substitute black, green, or brown lentils here, because they will cook very differently. Oh and be sure to rinse your lentils before adding them to the pot. This will remove any bitterness from the lentils.
• Organic Pumpkin Puree: Probably the most crucial ingredient for this pumpkin dal. Make sure it’s pumpkin puree & NOT pumpkin pie filling (which is loaded with lots of sugar & other unhealthy ingredients you can’t pronounce). Organic pumpkin puree is simply pureed pumpkin!
• Organic Full-Fat Unsweetened Coconut Milk: This is essential to make this healthy dal recipe creamy. I don’t recommend subbing for regular non-dairy milk and be sure that your coconut milk comes from a can, not the carton. My favorite brand is Native Forest.
• Organic Spices: Curry powder, ground cumin, turmeric powder, ceylon cinnamon, sea salt, and black pepper, are the spices used to season this Vegan Pumpkin Dal. 
• Organic Cauliflower Rice & Organic Fresh Cilantro: Optional, but recommended for serving. 

How To Make

1. Sauté. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and garlic. Sauté until onions are translucent, about 3 – 5 minutes. 
2. Stir in Spices. Reduce heat to medium low and add in the spices. Stir together for 60 seconds.
3. Add Remaining Ingredients. Next add the rinsed lentils, pumpkin puree, coconut milk, and vegetable broth. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Cook. Bring dal to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer over medium low for 20 minutes. The dal should thicken up. If it gets too thick for your liking, then add an extra ½ cup – 1 cup water.
5. Serve. Divide dal between bowls, over cooked cauliflower rice, and garnish with cilantro, if desired. Enjoy!

Tips for Making this Healthy Vegan Dal Perfectly

• Organic Red Lentils: Be sure to rinse your red lentils before adding them to the pot. This will remove any bitterness from the lentils.
• Organic Vegetables: Feel free to add in even more veggies! I think carrots or bell peppers would pair deliciously! Just be sure to sauté the veggies before adding the rinsed lentils and the liquid. 
• Organic Full-Fat Unsweetened Coconut Milk: Use full-fat unsweetened coconut milk from the can, not the carton. This will ensure that your dal is creamy.
• Organic Spices: Wanting to kick it up a notch? Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to make it a spicy pumpkin dal.

Storing & Reheating

As mentioned above, this healthy dal recipe is perfect for leftovers & meal prep! Just be sure to let the dal cool completely before transferring to an air-tight glass container. 

Fridge Storage. Transfer dal to an air-tight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

Reheating. To reheat, simply transfer the dal to a large pot on the stovetop over medium heat, adding a little extra water or broth as needed until warm.

More Indian Inspired Recipes You’ll Love

• Vegan Red Lentil Dal
• Vegan Sweet Potato Dal
• Dal Nourish Bowl
• Copycat Café Gratitude I Am Humble 
• Butternut Squash Red Lentil Curry Soup

Sharing Is Caring!

If you make this recipe, please leave a review & rating below! I love hearing from you and it helps others learn more about the recipe too. Lastly, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, & TikTok for even more deliciousness & wellness tips!

Xoxo.

Christin.

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