If you love Indian food and food with flavour, you’ll love this vegan dal makhani recipe (aka black lentil dal). This recipe is typically made using whole urad dal or black gram that can be found in most Indian supermarkets and online. However, I wanted to use a different legume that is a bit more accessible.
For this recipe, I’ve chosen to use black beluga lentils as they’re available in most bulk food stores and supermarkets. I try and make my recipes as accessible as possible. I don’t like to use too many ingredients that you need to go to specialty stores to find.
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What can you eat with dal makhani?
When I eat out, I typically crave Italian or Indian food. I struggle to go past a good curry or a beautiful handmade pizza.
You can serve this delicious dairy-free dal makhani with the following:
- Rice
- Naan
- Roti
- Paratha (Indian stuffed bread)—something I might experiment with at some point!
- Smashed Curry Roasted Potatoes
If you can’t have coconut or don’t have any on hand, you can switch it out for cashew cream. Blend a handful of raw cashews and add enough water to just cover the cashews. Add this cream towards the end of cooking time when you add the coconut cream. That will thicken up the dal even more!
What is the difference between black beluga lentils and urad dal?
The difference between black beluga lentils and whole urad dal is that beluga lentils are more like a disk-shaped smaller lentil and the urad dal looks more like a whole mung bean—but black. They tend to cook for longer and are a little creamier. They do keep their shape very well even when cooked for an extended period of time.
So if you have urad dal handy, feel free to use that instead. You’ll need to soak them overnight and cook them a little longer than instructed in this recipe. I would add about 10-15 minutes extra.
What you see above are the black beluga lentils. There are plenty of health benefits of black beluga lentils. Here are just a few:
- They’re high in plant proteins
- Excellent source of fibre, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc and folic acid
- Rich in polyphenols
- Plus so many others!
4 LENTIL Recipes EVERYONE Should Know
FAQ
Is lentils and dal the same?
What kind of food is dal?
What is Dahl made from?
What beans are used in dal?
Is lentil dal vegan?
Lentil Dal (Masoor Dal or Lentil Curry) is a delicious, flavor-packed vegan stew that’s naturally gluten-free, high in fiber and protein, low in fat and calories, and super quick and easy to prepare. If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Scroll down to rate this recipe and leave a comment for me!
Is Dal Tadka vegan?
It gets taken over the top with the spiced oil (tadka) and tastes like pure comfort food (but is healthy, vegan, and gluten-free). And if you have my cookbook, The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook, you can find a recipe for an easy but delicious Dal Tadka in Chapter 3. What is Dal Tadka? Dal = the Hindi word for lentil.
What is vegan dal makhani?
It’s a fabulous mix of spices, coconut milk, red lentils and vegetable broth that simmers away until you’re left with a fragrant and delicious meal. If you love dal you’ll also love our vegan dal makhani. And for more easy and delicious recipes that are ready in 30 minutes or less, try our vegan chana masala.
Is lentil dal gluten free?
Lentil Dal (Masoor Dal or Lentil Curry) is a delicious, flavor-packed vegan stew that’s naturally gluten free, high in fiber and protein, low in fat and calories, and super quick and easy to prepare. Lentil Dal is a favorite weeknight meal in our home that we happily eat at least once or twice a month.