Jamie Oliver Butternut Squash Dal and Paneer

This delicious Jamie Oliver Butternut Squash Dal and Paneer is a quick and hearty vegetarian meal that’s both creamy and comforting. Packed with nutritious lentils and topped with crispy, golden paneer, this dish is easy to make with common ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. I made this for a weeknight dinner and the leftovers were even better the next day. (inspired by Jamie Oliver)

Ingredients Needed

Homemade Paneer:

• 2 litres (8 cups) whole milk
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar

Dal:

• 1 butternut squash (1.2kg / 2.6lbs)
• Olive oil
• 5cm piece of ginger (about 2 inches)
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 bunch (15g / 0.5oz) coriander
• 2 tsp chilli flakes
• 2 heaped tbsp jalfrezi curry paste
• 300g chopped mixed onion, carrot & celery
• 2 x 400g tins plum tomatoes
• 1kg red split lentils
• 16 uncooked poppadoms
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tbsp black mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds

How To Make Jamie Oliver Butternut Squash Dal and Paneer

1. Make the Paneer: Bring milk to a boil in a large pot. Once rising, turn off heat and add vinegar. Let it sit for 5 minutes to curdle. Warm again briefly, then strain through a cloth-lined colander. Squeeze out moisture, salt, wrap, and press at least 1 hour or overnight.
2. Roast the Squash: Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Halve and deseed squash, rub with oil, salt, and pepper. Roast skin-side up for 1 to 1.25 hours until golden and soft. Set aside.
3. Cook the Dal: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large casserole pan. Fry chopped ginger, garlic, coriander stalks, half the chilli flakes, and curry paste for 2 minutes. Add chopped veg and cook 10 mins until softened. Stir in tomatoes and lentils. Add 3L water or whey mixture. Bring to boil, simmer, snap in 4 poppadoms, then bake for 40 minutes until thickened.
4. Finish the Dal: Break squash into chunks and stir most into dal. Reserve some for topping.
5. Temper the Spices: Heat sunflower oil in a pan, add fenugreek, mustard, cumin seeds, and remaining chilli flakes. Fry until popping, then pour over dal.
6. Fry the Paneer: Slice and fry paneer in oil for 2 mins per side until golden.
7. Serve: Dish up dal with fried paneer, reserved squash, fresh coriander, and puffed microwave poppadoms.

Why I Love This Recipe

This dal is rich and filling, but totally plant-based and packed with flavour. The crispy paneer is an irresistible topping and the squash gives it natural sweetness. It’s great for batch cooking too!

Recipe Tips

• Set the paneer overnight for best texture.
• Control the heat by adjusting chilli flakes and paste.
• Don’t skip roasting for deep squash flavour.
• Crisp the paneer until golden for contrast.
• Poppadoms add crunch — microwave for ease!

How To Store This Jamie Oliver Butternut Squash Dal and Paneer

• At Room Temperature: Cool within 1 hour.
• In the Fridge: Store dal and paneer separately for up to 3 days.
• In the Freezer: Freeze cooled dal for up to 1 month. Paneer is best fresh.
• Reheating: Warm dal in a pot with a splash of water, stirring until hot. Fry or microwave paneer separately.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• Can I use store-bought paneer? Absolutely. Just slice and fry as directed.
• Can I make this vegan? Yes! Use tofu instead of paneer and a plant-based milk for the dal.
• Do I need poppadoms? Not essential, but they add a fun texture!
• How spicy is this? Medium—reduce chilli if you like it mild.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/12th of the recipe)

• Calories: 513
• Total Fat: 14.5g
• Saturated Fat: 5.3g
• Total Carbohydrate: 73.6g
• Dietary Fiber: 7.9g
• Sugars: 18g
• Protein: 30.4g

Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:

• Jamie Oliver Stuffed Chicken Skewers
• Jamie Oliver Piccalilli, Pork & Apple Pies
• Jamie Oliver Charred Aubergine Parmigiana
• Jamie Oliver Chilli Con Carne Meatballs