Well this isn’t the prettiest bowl of goods I’ve whipped up…
But I am leaning into the whole fall thing so give me some credit!
I wanted to bring a cozy yet light one-pot dish to life, and this spicy lentil + veg melange fits the bill.
We’ve got protein in the form of red split lentils.
Veggies aka cauliflower, carrots and zucchini.
Andd we sure as heck have flavor!
Thanks to fragrant garam masala (a Northern Indian blend of spices—correct me if I’m wrong please), earthy ground turmeric, spicy cayenne, fresh ginger, zesty lemon and herbaceous cilantro.
Or “soapy” cilantro for some of y’all…
(Please do leave it out if that’s the case.)
Simply simmer the gang in vegetable broth and convenient crushed canned tomatoes until everyone’s tender, swirling in a flourish of coconut oat milk to tame the cayenne and add a subtle creaminess.
Spoon up a generous portion then top her off with fresh lemon, dried onions, crumbled vegan feta and more cilantro… that is if you really want to knock this feisty fall bowl out of the park.
P.S. No this is not “authentic” and I never said it was. Here’s another inauthentic pot o’ spiced lentils and veg if I piqued your interest ha.
P.P.S. Yes if you consume alliums feel free to saute up a handful of finely diced onion + a couple cloves of minced garlic along with the ginger, until soft and translucent. My stomach simply can’t hang if those guys are invited to the party.
P.P.P.S. I typically purchase a jar of garam masala from the store, but you overachievers are more than welcome to make your own of course! You may not need as much spice mix if it’s super fresh… mine had been sitting in the cupboard for a while.
P.P.P.P.S. This recipe is even better the next day after the flavors have had a chance to really mingle and get to know each other. Simply reheat covered, over medium-low heat on the stove.
Curried Red Lentils with Cauliflower & Zucchini
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
- 4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 3 cups small cauliflower florets
- 1 cup small-dice carrots
- 2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup rinsed red split lentils
- 1 1/2 cups small-dice zucchini
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut oat milk (I used Mooala, or canned coconut milk)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more for serving
- 1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro, plus more for topping
- Pink sea salt, to taste (season liberally)
- Dried onion, for topping (optional)
- Crumbled vegan feta, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium-large pot over medium-low heat, saute the ginger and spices in the oil for two minutes, stirring to avoid burning.
- Add the cauliflower, carrots, vegetable broth, canned tomatoes, and lentils. Bring to a low-boil and simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.
- Add the zucchini and coconut oat milk, then simmer for 5 minutes, or until all the vegetables and lentils are tender.
- Remove from heat, then stir in the lemon juice, cilantro, and salt.
- Top with cilantro, dried onions, and vegan feta if you wish.
- Serve with lemon wedges.