Chana Dal Veggie Soup. Easy Split Pea Soup with turmeric, spices, carrots, cauliflower, butternut squash. 1 Pot, ready within 45 minutes. Use split chickpeas (Chana Dal) or other split peas or lentils. Vegan Gluten-free Soy-free Recipe
I was trying to write this post yesterday late afternoon when the day was going down in history of the world one way or the other.
Hubbs says, life has to go on and doing things we love is where to find healing and hope. So here I am today, processing, cooking, breathing, appreciating what we have, and motivated to do so much more.
This bowl of soup with warming spices, chana dal, carrots, cauliflower, butternut squash is easy and wonderful for fall. These colors and flavors are bringing my love to you.
More Dals and Soups
Try this Lentil Chard Dal or this restaurant style Punjabi Dal Fry (video recipe). Mom’s favorite Sabut Masoor – or Brown Lentil Soup. Make a Sri Lankan Red Lentil Curry for an incredibly flavorful no garlic version. Make the dal into a meal by cooking grains with it like this Brown Rice and Lentil soup, or Mung Bean Brown rice Kitchari. As with most dals, often the lentils and beans can be used interchangeably (adjust water and cooking time depending on the lentil or bean).
Chana Dal and split peas can be notorious about cooking times. Ideally they should be soaked for some time and should cook within 30 to 40 minutes. But older batch split peas can take much longer to cook. Cook until al dente before adding the veggies. You might need more water if cooking for longer.
Gorgeous colors!
Recipe Card
Chana Dal Veggie Soup
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (96 g) chana dal split chickpeas, washed or use yellow split peas (preferably soaked for half an hour)
- 3 cups (750 ml) water
- 1 tsp oil
- 1/2 (0.5) a medium onion chopped
- 5 cloves of garlic chopped
- 1/2 inch (0.5 inch) ginger finely chopped
- 1 tsp garam masala or use 1/2 tsp cumin + 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 2 juicy tomatoes pureed or 1 1/4 cup
- 1.5 cups (273 g) or more veggies chopped small I used sliced carrots, small cauliflower florets and cubed butternut squash
- 3/4 tsp (0.75 tsp) or more salt
- cilantro and lemon for garnish
Instructions
- Combine chana dal and water in a saucepan, partially cover and cook over medium heat for 30 mins or al dente.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger and cook for 5 mins.
- Add the spices and mix in. Cook for a minute.
- Add pureed tomato and bring to a boil. Add the veggies and mix in.
- Add to the simmering chana dal or split peas. Add 1/2 to 1 cup water and salt. Mix and cook for 15 minutes or until veggies are cooked to preference.
- Add a dash of lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt and heat.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve as a soup in a bowl or over rice or other grains of choice, or with flatbread or pita bread.
Notes
Nutrition
Fawn
Fairly easy. Good hearty taste. I added 1 teaspoon cumin powder at the end to bump up the flavor some more. I used frozen cauliflower florets and frozen butternut squash chunks and a zucchini. I used jarred tomato purée. I also added some maple syrup at the end to taste, since I wanted a better balance of sour, salty, sweet. I would make this again without squash, just cauliflower and maybe carrot.
Vegan Richa Support
yum! thank you for trying it!
Meri Schroeder
Easy and healthy recipe. Love the versatility with the veggie additions; I used zucchini and carrots. A bit spicy with cayenne so next time I might scale that back.
Vegan Richa Support
perfect, cayenne’s can vary also
Gail
I know I’m late to this party. But did you ever rewrite this recipe for instant pots. I sort of lost my way in your note about how to adapt it. What goes into a bowl? And when does it get added to the IP? I made this tonight and it turned out wonderfully even though I had added the onion-garlic-ginger, spices, tomato and vegetables to the IP before pressure cooking for 6 min. Maybe that was wrong, but it worked. My vegetable was a small delicate squash, diced small.
Aubade
I made a batch in the instant pot this week and it was so delicious! I used 1/2 cup carrots and 1 cup romanesco. I will definitely make this again!! Thanks for sharing.
Aubade
I just have to tell you I can’t stop making this soup!! It is my new favorite. I’m making it for the 3rd time since I discovered it in October right now. Thanks again! 🙂
Dana
I love when you post recipes that allow for the cook to choose their own veggies. I get to use up whatever leftover bits of veggies are in my fridge at the time, plus I can make the recipe different every time.
Richa
Yay!
Robin Fetter
Made this soup earlier this week and was impressed with how simple and versatile it is. I did not add the curry paste as mentioned as a possible variation but I am certain I will give that version a try next time. The kids loved the meal which is always a plus in my book! Thanks for coming out with all of these “winners”!
Richa
yay! i like chana dal. Its nutty, not too beant and it balances well with veggies without either of them overpowering the flavors.
Karen
Another keeper for our “Easy and Delicious Soups” folder! Made with the curry paste, garam masala AND masala kala plus cayenne and salt for seasoning. Served with brown rice and paratha. Delicious!!
Richa
awesome!!
Ryan
Trying very hard to forget the week’s events. Luckily cooking helps a little 🙂 In fact, your Burmese Tofu with Spiced Madras sauce was my comfort food this week 😉
Do you happen to know which varieties of tomato are most often used in India? I have assembled a collection of Indian culinary plants but was not sure which types of tomatoes are preferred. I have found that I enjoy the best results buying the ripest romas that I can get for most dishes. One site has listed for sale a variety called “Shorba” (which appears to be named after a dish) but finding information on it has been tough.
Thanks, and thank you for brightening the internet with your wonderful recipes.
Marta
We are having this for dinner. Smells great!
“These colors and flavors are bringing my love to you. ” and we send you back ours, sincerely!
Richa
Thank you Marta. Much needed this week.
Sherry
Thank you for this recipe, it looks so comforting. Cooking and teaching cooking feeds my soul and helps me to do something concrete to nourish others healthfully and compassionately. I am ready to get back into the kitchen tomorrow. These last 2 days have been among the hardest I can remember. I am so sorry for everyone. This world needs compassion, love and understanding. Let’s spread that and the darkness cannot prevail.
Ellen Lederman
I share your sentiments about what happened this week and am apprehensive about the future. Living well is the best revenge. So a recipe like this may soothe our souls and help us be healthy for the challenges of the future.
I am so glad that we cut the cable a couple of years ago. I don’t think it would serve me to be regularly watching MSNBC. It didn’t 8+ years ago—-just got me upset and added to the polarization. Will just try to live a good, happy life in spite of elected officials. I am still grateful that we live in a democracy (republic)—it’s like Winston Churchill said: “No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried.” (Of course, he also said “the best argument against democracy is a 5 minute conversation with the average voter!”).
Mark O'Leary
How is this a soup? 3c of water cook away long before the chend chickpeas are even cooked. I added veg stock just to keep everything liquid. The only way this works is if you use canned chickpeas.
Richa
I use split chickpeas which should cook in 30 to 40 minutes just like split peas. For whole chickpeas you would need more water and longer cooking time.
If the split chickpeas did not cook, then they are probably an old batch. Sometimes split peas and split chickpeas take hours to cook to tender depending on the batch. Add veggies only when they are almost fully cooked.
Gigi
Perfect for a Virginia fall day. Will try today.
Richa, our democracy allows us to choose. I am an older person and have had winners and losers on my many ballots. The sun comes out and a new day dawns. If we don’t like things as they are, we work to change them in a civilized manner. Until then, we pray for those who won. It’s calming.
Richa
Thank you. <3 <3
Kim
Thank you for that perspective! It helps, maybe I will be able to sleep tonight…
Ginnis
Thank you. I do want to make this. We all need something warmful for the losses we are about to experience. Thank you.
lani
Thank you for posting a comfort soup..So in need to nourish my soul and body right now.
JN
Ah, it really looks like it will warm up my soul, I need it. Thank you, for giving us another recipe. I am still in shock, mourning and my fluff ball’s kisses (she senses something is not right) is the only thing that has kept me going today. I’ll make this tomo when I might feel better.
You are amazing to foster 2 dogs at the same time!!!
Richa
One of them is Chewie, our adopted pom who is almost 12 now. The first few days he was irritated, now he wants to go on longer walks too.
Karolyn
Thank you for the beautiful recipe, I look forward to trying it????