Zucchini Dal
This zucchini dal is a cozy, everyday comfort dal with hidden veggies no one will notice—an easy way to bump up nutrition and sneak in veggies!
Gardening, admittedly, isn’t my strength. I don’t quite have the passion—or the green thumb. Our neighbors, on the other hand, seem to grow everything effortlessly. Their garden is always thriving (I’ve even spotted sugarcane at one point), and one summer, they found themselves with more zucchini than they could possibly use. They generously shared their harvest with us.
That was the summer this zucchini dal came to life.
I was looking for something simple, something that could fit easily into everyday cooking without feeling repetitive. This recipe came together almost instinctively—and it stayed. Over time, it quietly became part of our regular rhythm, the kind of dish you return to without thinking too much about it.
Ingredient Notes
Zucchini - You’ll need one medium-sized zucchini, which yields about 2 cups once chopped. I leave the skin on—it adds a lovely pop of color and a bit of extra nutrition, and it softens beautifully as it cooks.
Moong dal - This is my go-to dal for everyday cooking. It cooks quickly, feels light yet comforting, and gives the dish a naturally creamy texture without much effort.
Cumin seeds & hing - These two are small but essential when cooking dal. They add depth of flavor, but more importantly, help with digestion—something that’s always been part of traditional dal cooking. Hing (also known as asafoetida) has a very distinctive aroma and is easy to find at Indian grocery stores or online.
Quick Video
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If you’re in the mood for a different kind of dal, the kale dal is creamy and comforting. The kale poriyal is an easy, healthy way to use up a lot of kale, and the Granny Smith apple and peanut rice is a delicious way to repurpose leftover rice—perfect for lunch boxes.
Zucchini Dal
Serves: 6 to 8 servings
Cook time: 25 minutes | Prep time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon hing or asafoetida
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)
3 large garlic cloves, smashed or chopped
1/4 inch piece of ginger, chopped well
1/2 to 1 jalapeno or serrano chili pepper
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 cup chopped tomato (about 2 medium)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 cup yellow moong dal (rinsed well)
2 cups chopped zucchini (about one medium), chop into 1/4 to 1/2 inch dice
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 to 2 tablespoons ghee
Method
Heat 3 tbsp oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the 1/2 tsp cumin seeds and 1/4 tsp hing, and let the cumin seeds sizzle.
Add 1 cup chopped onion, 3 garlic cloves, 1/4 inch ginger, 1/2 green chili, and a pinch of salt. Sauté over medium heat until the onions turn translucent.
Stir in 1 cup chopped tomatoes, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1/2 tsp cayenne, and 1/4 tsp turmeric. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture thickens and looks glossy.
Add the 1 cup dal, 2 cups zucchini, and 4 cups of water. Mix well and bring to a gentle boil.
Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the dal is soft and mushy. Check every 5 minutes and add more water if needed.
Uncover, remove from heat, and mix in 1/2 cup cilantro, 1 to 2 tbsp ghee and salt to taste. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve hot with rice or rotis.
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