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Home ยป Recipes ยป Vegetarian ยป Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Dal

Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Dal

11/22/19

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This Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Dal with lentils and coconut milk is a delicious vegan recipe – pair this Indian dish with basmati rice for a full meal!ย 

Butternut-Squash-Dal-Red-Lentils

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Ingredients in slow cooker dal

Let me talk to you about meatless meals. They're cheap, they're flavourful, they're hearty and most of the time, they're wholesome. The thing with meatless dinners is that you really need to get creative and make whatever produce you're using shine.

This Slow Cookerย Butternut Squash Dal fits my definition of a magnificent, meatless masterpiece. Made with hearty red lentils, chunks of butternut squash, loads of garlic and some baby spinach, you really can't go wrong with this dish. Oh and did I mention…the whole process is hands off thanks to a handy dandy slow cooker?

  • yellow onion
  • garlic
  • small butternut squash
  • red lentils
  • coconut milk
  • canned diced tomatoes
  • turmeric
  • curry powder
  • chili powder
  • spinach
  • cilantro

Butternut-Squash-Dal-Red-Lentilsย Butternut-Squash-Dal-Red-Lentils

How to make slow cooker dal

This butternut squash dal is a delicious, simple recipe that you can cook throughout the day while you're at work so you come home to a fast, tasty meal. Or, you can chop up the ingredients and dump in the slow cooker on Sunday while you lounge around relaxing, watching TV, reading books or exploring outside. Really, it's up to you what you do with the glorious, extra hours you'll have while waiting for this to cook.

Here's how to make it step-by-step:

  1. Add all ingredients to the slow cooker except for spinach, garnishes and rice.
  2. Cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 8 hours.
  3. Cook the basmati rice at some point while the dal is in the slow cooker – I usually do this half an hour before the dal is finished.
  4. Once dal is finished cooking, stir in spinach and then plate with rice, garnishing with sesame seeds and cilantro if desired.

Butternut-Squash-Dal-Red-Lentils

Ingredient substitutions

This is a super versatile recipe so you can change up the ingredients for this dish as you please. Here are some suggestions:

Veggies – The veggies you choose to include in this meal are up for debate. I prefer the butternut squash as it cooks slowly and adds a lovely, nutty and sweet flavour to the curry and turmeric, but I could also see any sort of bell pepper or sweet potato working well here. Add in whatever you'd like, including changing up the greens at the end.

Lentils –ย You can use brown or green lentils with this recipe instead of red lentils. Just a warning though, red lentils become softer and turn into a stew-like texture whereas the other lentils hold their shape more and absorb less liquid, which may result in more of a soupy texture.

Spices –ย Turmeric, curry powder and chili powder are used in this recipe – I highly recommend keeping the turmeric, but you can add or remove the other spices. Cumin, garam masala, cardamom, coriander and paprika would make excellent additions.

Butternut-Squash-Dal-Red-Lentils

What to serve with butternut squash dal

Garnish your meatless masterpiece with some sesame seeds and cilantro, and serve alongside some basmati rice. Pro tip: herbs are not just for garnishing. I absolutely love eating generous amounts of them alongside curries, salads, sandwiches and one pot meals, and herbs like cilantro and parsley have killer health benefits and are nutritionally dense. Consider giving a giant handful a try next time you cook up a big meal!

Here are some other serving suggestions:

  • Quinoa
  • Wild rice
  • Side salad
  • Roasted broccoli
  • Steamed cauliflower or cauliflower rice
  • Crusty bread
  • Naan or pitas, to dip

Butternut-Squash-Dal-Red-Lentils

Storing and reheating

What I especially love about this meal is that it reheats well, so you'll have leftovers for the whole week. You can keep this slow cooker dal in the fridge up to 5 days. I recommend storing in individual portion sizes in meal prep containers so that all you need to do is reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. Make sure to sprinkle some water overtop before reheating to help the dal retain moisture and not dry out.

Freezing lentil dal

Freezing this lentil dal is super easy too! Just store in glass containers with lids and either defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave, or you can reheat from frozen for 6-7 minutes in the microwave. Store the dal and the rice separately in the freezer to preserve them both properly.

Butternut-Squash-Dal-Red-Lentils

More vegetarian slow cooker recipes

  • Slow cooker African peanut stew
  • Slow cooker sweet potato lentil chili
  • Instant Pot/slow cooker minestrone

Meal prep tools

  • This is the brand of basmati rice that I use
  • I also use red lentils like these ones here
  • Get your Slow Cooker here
  • I also love theseย glass meal prep bowlsย for reheating this recipe in individual portions

Meal prep challenge

If you'd like some more help with meal planning, then you'll love my free 5-day meal prep challenge!ย Sign up for free below:

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Butternut Squash Dal

Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Dal

This Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Dal with lentils and coconut milk is a delicious vegan recipe - pair this Indian dish with basmati rice for a full meal!
4.38 from 61 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: basmati rice, butternut squash, dal, red lentils, slow cooker, spinach
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 383kcal
Author: Taylor Stinson

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 small yellow onions diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 small butternut squash cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 1/2 cups dry red lentils
  • 1 (400mL) can coconut milk
  • 1 (796mL) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp turmeric
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 2 cups spinach chopped
  • Cilantro and sesame seeds for garnish

Basmati rice

  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 1 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tsp butter
  • 1 pinch salt

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients to slow cooker in order that they are listed except for spinach, garnishes and rice.
  • Cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 8 hours. Meanwhile, cook basmati rice according to package directions in a rice cooker or on the stovetop.
  • Once dal is finished cooking, stir in spinach and then plate with rice, garnishing with sesame seeds and cilantro. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 383kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 428mg | Potassium: 1074mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 14372IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 6mg

This Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Dal with lentils and coconut milk is a delicious vegan recipe - pair this Indian dish with basmati rice for a full meal! #slowcooker #butternutsquash #dal This Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Dal with lentils and coconut milk is a delicious vegan recipe - pair this Indian dish with basmati rice for a full meal! #slowcooker #butternutsquash #dal This Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Dal with lentils and coconut milk is a delicious vegan recipe - pair this Indian dish with basmati rice for a full meal! #slowcooker #butternutsquash #dal This Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Dal with lentils and coconut milk is a delicious vegan recipe - pair this Indian dish with basmati rice for a full meal! #slowcooker #butternutsquash #dal

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About Taylor Stinson

Hey there, my name's Taylor! Iโ€™m the founder of The Girl on Bloor, a food blog where I share healthy meal prep recipes for busy people. I'm a busy city girl living in downtown Toronto on (you guessed it!) Bloor Street. I've got 10 years experience meal prepping, along with a Master's degree in journalism, and you can find my work across the internet featured on publications such as Buzzfeed, HuffPost, Women's Health, Reader's Digest and more. I also run the awesome 5-Day Meal Prep Challenge, which is a free email course and Facebook group where I share my meal planning strategies and easy meal prep tips and recipes. Be sure to check out my free beginnerโ€™s guide to meal prep and follow me on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram to get my latest recipes and meal prep tips!

Comments

  1. Bridget says

    March 24, 2020 at 11:05

    Can you make this without a slow cooker ?

    Reply
    • Taylor Stinson says

      March 24, 2020 at 12:02

      You can definitely make it on the stovetop! Add it to a large pot, bring to a boil and simmer for 30-45 min ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  2. TJ says

    June 3, 2020 at 04:23

    5 stars
    been making versions of this forever on stove, just got a slow cooker and was looking for cooking times. Thanks!
    (and apparently we are neighbors)

    Reply
    • Taylor Stinson says

      June 3, 2020 at 08:40

      I’m so happy you enjoyed, TJ ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  3. Jenna says

    September 6, 2020 at 20:01

    What would be the grams or cups equivalent of one “small” butternut squash cubed?

    Reply
    • Taylor Stinson says

      September 8, 2020 at 08:09

      Hi Jenna – it really varies. If I had to guess, maybe 2 cups?

      Reply
  4. Pam Carr says

    October 30, 2020 at 16:54

    5 stars
    Wow, this dish was delicious! I will definitely make it again. Rich and flavorful, with a pleasing texture, and very filling. I used regular lentils because my grocery didn’t have red, and I used white rice because that’s what I had in the cupboard.

    Reply
    • Taylor Stinson says

      November 2, 2020 at 07:21

      So happy you enjoyed ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  5. Sam says

    November 9, 2020 at 11:17

    5 stars
    Delicious recipe! I made it with brown lentils because I couldn’t find red, and I just used an immersion blender for a few seconds to get the right texture. Do you stir the ingredients before cooking? I see you want the ingredients added in order, so not sure if stirring would negate the order.

    Reply
    • Taylor Stinson says

      November 9, 2020 at 13:57

      I’m so happy you enjoyed, Sam! You can stir with the slow cooker, it’s just important to add the olive oil to the bottom first so nothing burns.

      Reply
  6. Trudy says

    November 18, 2020 at 11:18

    5 stars
    Thank you for this recipe! You have just got my son eating all the vegetable goodness in this! It’s lovely! I never had butternut squash before this either. I’m finding it a bit sweet, but really good.

    Reply
    • Taylor Stinson says

      November 18, 2020 at 12:41

      I’m so happy you enjoyed, Trudy ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  7. Micah says

    January 4, 2021 at 15:00

    Hi, just a heads up, the cook time is listed as 3 hours in the “heading” at the top of the recipe, but the recipe says 4 hours on high or 8 on low. Might want to update the heading.

    Reply
    • Taylor Stinson says

      January 4, 2021 at 16:54

      Thanks so much Micah! Done ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  8. Rose says

    January 9, 2021 at 16:49

    5 stars
    Very tasty! I used green lentils because that’s what I had in my pantry, but it worked out fine. Coconut milk really adds a great flavor to lentils. Thanks!

    Reply
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