This easy & oil-free lentil turnip dhal comes together in less than 30 minutes. Serve it over basmati or brown rice for a delicious and healthy weeknight dinner.
When I was an Au Pair in the U.S. I lived with an indian host family. Before that, I was used to eating Schnitzel and other German "delicacies", so as you can imagine the Indian meals my host mum served every night were totally new to me - but I loved them. During the week we often ate rice or rotis with spiced vegetables - and dhal.
Have you ever tried dhal? Dhal is an Indian dish made of lentils and various spices - so kind of a curry.
And if I remember correctly dhal (or dal) actually means lentils. They are so many different types of dhal with different types of lentils but I like to keep it simple by using red lentils. Red lentils cook really fast compared to other varieties and they soften up quite a bit, giving the dhal a wonderful consistency.
Dinner in less than 30 min with hardly any work - sounds great, right?
Spices are essential in the Indian cuisine. For this comforting vegan turnip dhal recipe I kept it quite simple by adding cumin, coriander, garam masala, a bit of cayenne and turmeric.
And if you happen to have some at home, go ahead and add a few curry leaves. I buy my spices at Asian stores as they are usually cheaper there compared to regular supermarkets.
Usually, I make my dhal only with a few spices and tomatoes. But for this recipe I tried something new. How does dhal with turnips sound?
Turnips are often underrated, but their mild sweetness and tender texture make them a perfect addition to dhal. They're also rich in fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants, making this dhal not only tasty but also packed with nutrients.
Last but not least, let's add some coconut milk, cause coconut milk makes everything creamy and rich - like this turnip dhal. Along with the dhal, cook up some brown or basmati rice and enjoy this warming hearty dish for dinner.
This dal recipe is also great for meal prep!
Variations
- Swap the Veggies: If you don't like turnips or kohlrabi feel free to use potatoes, carrots or other root vegetable instead.
- Add Greens: For extra nutrition, stir in a handful of spinach or kale during the last few minutes of cooking.
- Vary the Spices: If you prefer a smokier flavor, add a dash of smoked paprika or swap garam masala with curry powder.
- Make it Thicker: For a thicker, stew-like consistency, reduce the amount of water and add more coconut milk.
More Indian-Inspired Recipes
If you are a fan of curries and the Indian cuisine, check out these other recipes from my blog:
Vegan Butter Chicken // Ayurvedic Kitchari // Jackfruit Packoras // Golden Curry Rice
I hope you’ll give this turnip dhal a try. If you do, let me know in the comments below. And don’t forget to rate the recipe. You can also tag a photo (#veggiejam) to show me your creation on instagram. I love to see your pictures of my recipes.
Recipe
Easy Vegan Turnip Dhal
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This easy & oil-free lentil dhal with turnips comes together in less than 30 minutes. Serve it over basmati or brown rice for a delicious and healthy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp curry leaves (optional)
- 2 roma tomatoes
- 2 kohlrabi or turnips*
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ⅛ - ¼ teaspoon cayenne**
- ⅛ tsp turmeric (optional)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup red lentils (160 g)
- 1 ¾ cups water (450 ml)
- ¾ cup full-fat coconut milk (175 ml)
- fresh lemon or lime juice
- rice for serving
Instructions
- Mince the garlic. Peel and dice the turnips. Wash the tomatoes and dice them as well.
- Add 3-4 tablespoon water to a pot, add the garlic and curry leaves, if using, and sauté for 2 min.
- Add the tomatoes and cook for 1 min. Then, transfer the diced turnips to the pot, stir and cook covered for 2-3 min.
- In the meantime, rinse and drain the lentils. Add the lentils, spices, water and coconut milk to the pot and bring to a boil. Then, simmer slightly-covered on low for 17-20 min.
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice and season with more salt if needed.
- Serve over brown or basmati rice. Store leftovers in the fridge.
- As the dhals may thicken in the fridge, add a bit of water when reheating it on the stove.
Notes
*You can also use potatoes or carrots or other vegetables in place of the turnips.
**If you don't want it to be a bit spicy, go with ⅛ teaspoon cayenne or leave it out
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 237.8 kcal
- Sugar: 3.9 g
- Fat: 8.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 6.7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 24.5 g
- Fiber: 6.3 g
- Protein: 11.3 g
This post is also available in de_DE.
Genevieve M says
This sounds really good! Turnips are so underrated and yet they are one of the cheapest, tastiest, and most available roots at the grocery store. So happy to see them in a recipe that doesn't start with mashing them with loads of oil or butter.
Melanie J says
Thank you! I agree!! I actually don't know many dishes with turnips. I think it works really well in this Dhal recipe.
Genevieve M says
I made this for supper last night and it was a total hit! Neither my husband or daughter knew that the main veggie was turnips so for someone trying to get their family to diversify from potatoes this is a really great recipe. I added a bit of ginger and fresh grated turmeric in with the garlic at the beginning and subbed veggie stock for the water, it was very flavourful. I will definitely be making this again!
Melanie J says
Great to hear that it's a "kid-approved" dish;). I'm so happy you all liked it. Next time, I'm also going to add some ginger. Great idea! Thanks, Genevieve!
Kirsten says
Question: you mention using garam masala in your post but I don't see it listed in the recipe - how much should I add?
Melanie J says
Thanks for mentioning that, Kirsten. It's in there now 😉 But I guess it even works without it, as people have tried the recipe and liked it (without the garam masala).
Bruce B. says
I loved this!!!! I don't know what made me buy turnips because I don't really like them. I had to find a recipe and yours turned up in a search. I will definitely make this again. I did cook an onion then added the garlic. The dish was perfectly spiced and the turnips were actually good. Thanks for posting this recipe!
Melanie J says
I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe, Bruce!
Keren says
Would this be ok for freezing?
Melanie J says
Hi Keren. Yes, freezing would totally work for the recipe!
Heidi says
This was a total hit with my 1 year old. She couldn't get enough! Also my curry-loving husband enjoyed it to (he added some extra Cayenne to heat it up). Thank you!
Melanie J says
Hi Heidi. I am so happy to hear that this dish is both kid- and husband-approved :)! Thank you!
Gabriela says
I know Kohlrabi and turnips are similar but is that not a kohlrabi featured in the photos? Would you consider the two interchangeable in this recipe?
Thanks!
Melanie J says
Hi Gabriela. You are correct, it's kohlrabi what you see in the photos. I have to admit, I thought 'turnip' was just the English word for the German 'Kohlrabi', but obviosuly this is not the case 😉 It should still work with both vegetables.
Karen says
What would happen if I subbed reduced fat coconut milk instead? Would it just be more watery than creamy?
Melanie J says
It might become a bit more watery but I think reduced fat coconut milk will still work just as well. Let me know if you give it a try!
Eilís says
This was delicious. So creamy! I subbed curry powder for curry leaves, veg stock for water and added a tin of tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes. I also added in a parsnip I wanted to use up.
Thank you for sharing!
Melanie J says
I am really happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Teddi says
I have made this multiple times now. It's a real winner that you just cant go wrong with. I've added it as one of my veggie staples Thanks!
Melanie J says
Thanks so much! I am happy to hear that you enjoy my dhal recipe.
Sarah says
After receiving 3 small turnips in our veggie delivery last week I was stumped what to cook having never cooked with turnips before. I found this after serving vegan turnip recipes and made it tonight. It was delicious, thank you for sharing
Melanie J says
Hi Sarah, that sounds great! Happy to hear you enjoyed my turnip dhal!
chaitanya says
I use to see lot of turnips in Irish markets and bought one this time . But no idea how to cook as a Indian I didn't even get an idea to cook turnips dhal but after seeing your recipe I didn't hesitate to make and it turned out delicious.Thanks for sharing.
Sakshi says
I want to cook, however, I wonder if I can replace red lentils with mixed lentils or yellow or green ones.
Carol Fischbach says
Thanks, I was hoping to do something a little different with the turnips from the CSA
Lisa-Marie Robinson says
Thank you for a simple, yet delicious recipe. I was anxious about the turnips as I find them bitter, but they took on the flavours so beautifully. I was also happy that I had curry leaves, as they add such an authentic flavour to the dish. It was even quicker in the Instant Pot where I cooked the rice in a separate bowl 😁, so all done at once!!
Kunal Mitra says
BTW it’s called Dal and not Dhal.
Justine says
I made some adjustments (didn’t have fresh tomatoes, so used a big can of diced, curry powder instead of leaves, didn’t have coriander and accidentally poured too much cayenne in…and my timing was probably off lol) and this was fantastic. So so good. Can’t wait to eat the leftovers for lunch AND dinner tomorrow.
Melanie@Veggiejam says
Hi Justine. It sounds like you made it your own, and I love that it still turned out fantastic! That extra cayenne probably added a nice kick! 😊 Thanks for giving it a try and sharing your feedback! Enjoy the leftovers.