Coconut Dal with Kale is the Ultimate One-Pot Meal

When I think about the staple dishes that showed up on our kitchen table every night growing up, the formula was tried and true. There was roti, a sabzi, and a dal. Once the rotis had been eaten, a pot of rice always joined the table to finish off what was left of the dal. Dal now occupies more of a weekly rather than daily appearance in my kitchen, but I always enjoy its satisfying warmth and comfort, and love playing around with different flavors and additions.

Dal is the ultimate one-pot meal. By using a few fragrant ingredients and spices, you can imbue tons of flavor into this dish, then upgrade it however you like. In this case, I’m leaning on my craving for fresh greens as spring turns the corner by adding a big handful of kale to the pot. If you’ve been around for a while, then you know I’m always on a mission to find a way to eat my greens without eating a salad. This dish is the perfect way to get in some plant-based protein, a serving of veggies, and lots of warming flavors—all under thirty minutes.

Ingredients You’ll Need for this Coconut Dal with Kale

The ingredient list for this recipe is pretty simple, but you can play around with it based on what you have in your kitchen and what you like best!

Onion. I personally like to chop my onion extremely fine for dal, but if you prefer more texture, a rough chop works too.

Garlic. Again, very finely minced is my preference here.

Tomato Paste. I find that adding a bit of tomato paste just really helps the flavor out with a savory note. You can sub with tomato sauce if you need!

Spices. Lots of them! We’re using cumin, mustard seeds, coriander, turmeric, and black pepper, bloomed to help bring out their flavor.

Lentils. You can swap out whatever lentils you like here. I’ve used yellow lentils before, but also like black and green lentils. You could even mix based on what you have available.

Coconut milk. You can use any dairy-free milk, but coconut milk adds a nice subtle sweetness and richness.

Kale. I prefer lacinto kale for soups, stews, and dals, but you could also use spinach if you prefer.

Lemon. I love a bit of acidity for serving, so a big squeeze of lemon does the trick.

Why You Should Soak Your Lentils Before Cooking

While this recipe comes together very quickly, it is imperative that you remember to soak your lentils beforehand. There have been plenty of times where I decided to make dal and then realized I forgot to soak my lentils and my whole day is ruined. Okay, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but soaking your lentils overnight is important.

While technically you can cook lentils without soaking them (it just takes longer to cook), doing a soak makes the lentils easier to digest and allows for easier absorption of minerals. I just get a large bowl, add my lentils, and cover completely with water, leaving the bowl in the corner of my counter, covered with a towel. Then when ready to cook, I drain and give the lentils a quick rinse.

Tips for Serving and Storing Leftovers of this Vegan Coconut Dal

There are lots of fun ways to customize this dal for serving based on what you like best.

I’ll usually do a little dollop of yogurt and top with a ton of fresh herbs for this dal. If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll add some pickled onions and more bloomed spices for extra flavor. You can serve with naan, roti, or rice, or eat it on its own!

To store leftovers, keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. For reheating, I’ll just use the microwave most of the time, but you can also add to a stovetop pot and bring up to a simmer for serving.

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