Best Vegan Spinach Dal Recipe

5 from 9 votes

A super-easy Spinach Dal (Palak Dal) made with bright, vibrant organic spinach is perfect for a comforting weekday vegan dinner.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Soaking Time40

Total Time1 5

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Allergen: Dairy free, Peanut free, Soy free

Difficulty: Easy

Servings:

Calories: 302kcal

Rinse and soak 1 cup lentils for 40 minutes. Drain the water. Add the soaked lentils and 3 cups fresh water to a pressure cooker. Close the lid and cook on medium heat for 3–4 whistles.Turn off the heat and allow the pressure to release naturally.
If you choose an instant pot to cook the lentils: Add the lentils and 3 cups fresh water to the Instant Pot. Close the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and pressure cook on High for 12 minutes. Allow natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure.

Place a pan over medium heat and drizzle 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. When the oil heats up, add cumin seeds, and cloves or lavangam. When they start to sizzle add chopped garlic, ginger and after 10-15 seconds, add green chilies(optional). Stir them for a few seconds.
2 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon coconut oil, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 3 cloves spice, ½ inch ginger
Now, add chopped onions and continue to cook until the onions turn transparent. Add turmeric powder, garam masala, coriander powder (dhania powder), chili powder, and salt. Continue to stir them well and cover the lid for about a minute. Now add the chopped spinach or add baby spinach without chopping them, add ¼ cup water and stir them well and cover the lid.
12 ounce spinach leaves, 1 onion, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon red chili powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala, Salt to taste
After about 3 minutes, add the cooked lentils and add water if it is too dry. When it starts to boil, add lemon juice, simmer down the heat and cook for about a minute. As the spinach cooks thoroughly, switch off the heat.
2 teaspoon lemon juice

This step is optional but I never skip this as it gives extra flavor and aroma to the spinach dal. Place a small pan over medium heat and add cooking oil. As the oil heats up, add pinch of hing/asafoetida, pinch of Kashmiri red chili powder, Kasuri methi, 2 dried red chilis, and saute for 15 seconds. Pour this tadka or tempering to the dal palak and let the flavors get spread to the entire dal.
3 teaspoon vegan ghee, ¼ teaspoon Kasuri methi
That’s it! Spinach Dal is ready! Serve it hot paired with rice or roti for the best tasting nutritious dinner!

Always wash and rinse the lentils before you use them in the recipes.
For this recipe, I soaked the chana dal for 30 minutes prior to cooking. That will reduce the cooking time. And lentils will be perfectly cooked.
Use prewashed and organic spinach leaves to be sure that you get them free of fertilizers and pesticides free spinach leaves.
If you use regular spinach or non-organic kind, be sure to wash them 2- 3 times.
I used homemade fresh ground spices in this dal palak recipe. Fresh ground spices give a nice aroma to dal recipes that you don’t get in packaged spice powders.
If you are using regular spinach, chop them finely and use 3 cups for this recipe.