lentil curry

This easy to make Creamy Coconut Lentil Curry is a healthy vegan recipe that makes a perfect Meatless Monday dinner recipe. It takes less than an hour (mostly hands-off time) to make and is packed full of delicious Indian flavors. Make extras and you'll have a giant smile on your face at lunch the next day.
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✨ If you love this Creamy Coconut Lentil Curry as much as we do, make sure to give it a 5-star review in the comments below!

Creamy Coconut Lentil Curry

coconut oil

each: cumin seeds and coriander seeds

head of garlic, chopped (10-12 cloves)

tomatoes

ginger, chopped

turmeric

sea salt

cup dried brown lentils

cayenne powder, optional

water

15-ounce can coconut milk

cherry tomatoes

cilantro

Heat the coconut oil in a large pot or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cumin and coriander seeds and toast until they start to brown, about 45 seconds. Add the garlic to the pot and let it brown, about 2 minutes.

Add the can of crushed tomatoes, ginger, turmeric, and sea salt to the pot and cook, stirring the pot a few times, for 5 minutes. Add the lentils and, if using, the cayenne powder, and the water to the pot and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 35-40 minutes, or until the lentils are soft. Stir the pot a few times to prevent the lentils from sticking to the bottom. If the curry starts to look dry, add an extra 1/2 &#8211; 1 cup of water.

Once the lentils are soft and the curry is thick, add the coconut milk and cherry tomatoes and bring the pot back to a simmer. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cilantro.

I just made this tonight and it was an easy recipe to follow.  I didn’t have cumin or coriander seeds so I just used the powder version. I also added kale at the end.  It was tasty but it was sour for me.  I like my curry on the sweet side.  I’m not sure what made it sour, maybe the crushed tomatoes.  

Delish, thank you! I like my curry fairly thick so added the milk solid only from 2 cans of coconut milk and discarded the coconut water. The whole spices added a fabulous texture. Will definitely add this to my favorites list.

Great recipe thanks! I’ll be making it again!

I’ve just made this and it really is amazing! Thank you :-) 

I love this recipe. Made it a few times at home and batch cook them. I only use 2/3 of the water as I like my curry to be thick. Thank you!

Delish! I've made this numerous times and it never gets old. Plus, I love the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Absolutely delicious! So straightforward! So tasty. Love it! 

I'm Colombian so it's tradition to eat lentils. Let me tell you, this has to be my all time favorite way to cook them! It is so yummy even when I add kale to it, my dad will eat it! 10/10 recommend this recipe even if you aren't a fan of curry or lentils.

This was so good! Easy to make, and delicious. One of those dishes that make me question why I'm not vegan.

It was runny and lacking flavour.
I made it for students from India and they had to fix it and add onion and more spice. They said u should always add onion in any indian indian style recipe.

So yummy! It’s amazing. I just added some onion because I love onion! Bravo! 

This is tasty, but there’s one thing I didn’t like, which was chomping on coriander seeds. Every few bites I’d get a pungent burst of flavor that would throw off the taste of the dish. It’s just my opinion, though.  My suggestion would be to crush them a bit with a mortar and pestle or something like it. 

Absolutely delicious! We used a chile de arbol and crushed chile instead of cayene to make it hotter. Other than that, pretty much followed your recipe. Thanks!

So easy and so delicious every single time. I’ve made the recipe exactly and it’s amazing but I made a small change because my kids get funny about textures so now I only use powdered spices and no cayenne but it’s wonderful. 

Delicious 😍 So easy to prep and make.  I used tinned lentils for extra ease! I also substituted Cayenne pepper with hot smoked paprika to compliment the natural smokiness of the lentils.

This recipe is a go-to for us. We LOVE the toasty spices - they give an amazing flavor to the dish. We're fans of big spice and heat, so we also add the full amount of cayenne pepper. Super easy and health, perfect for a Meatless Monday (or Tuesday, or Wednesday...)

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/DblQjrda.mp4

A creamy coconut lentil curry recipe that makes the ideal vegan dinner. 

Recipe video above. This will be an eye opener for you - an incredible creamy coconut curry made with just TWO spices! Hugely economical, this is essentially a streamlined version of Indian Dahl, delivering a similar intoxicating curry flavour but a whole lot less complicated.

Lentil Curry - Mega Flavour Lentil Recipe!

(3 tbsp) butter (, unsalted (sub 2 tbsp neutral oil))

garlic (, finely minced (Note 1))

ginger (, finely minced (Note 1))

onion (, finely chopped (white, yellow, brown))

curry powder (, mild

tsp tumeric powder

cayenne pepper (, optional)

salt

tsp black pepper

dried lentils (, green or brown (or any other dried lentils

400 ml / 14 oz coconut milk (, full fat)

400 grams/ 14 oz canned tomato (, crushed or diced)

(750 ml) water

coriander/cilantro (, finely chopped)

Yogurt (, optional)

Basmati rice ((or other rice))

Lentil Curry - mega flavour lentil recipe!

Saute onion: Melt butter in a pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger. Slowly cook, stirring every now and then, for 10 minutes until tinged with gold and the onion is sweet.

Cook off spices: Turn heat up to high, add curry powder and turmeric, stir for 1 1/2 minutes.

Add everything else: Add remaining ingredients and stir. Bring to simmer, then place lid on and adjust heat to low / medium low so it&#x27;s simmering gently.

Simmer: Simmer for 30 minutes, then remove lid and simmer for a further 10 minutes to reduce the sauce. {Note 2 for cook times of other lentils}

Lentils should be soft, sauce should be thickened and creamy. Too thick, add water. Too thin, simmer with lid off - thickens quickly.

Coriander: Stir through half the coriander, then taste and add more salt if needed.

Serve over basmati rice, sprinkled with more coriander and a dollop of yogurt. (Low carb option - cauliflower rice).

This creamy sweet potato and red lentil curry takes around 30 minutes to cook and is the perfect cozy recipe! It's vegan, gluten-free and super flavorful!

Creamy Sweet Potato & Red Lentil Curry

olive oil

white onion (, diced)

ginger

garlic ((about 3 cloves))

curry powder

tomato paste

red curry paste ((I like this one))

potato

red lentils

(14.5 oz) can lite coconut milk (or full fat)

vegetable broth ((or water))

Salt & pepper

Cauliflower rice

Cilantro

Heat the oil in a large skillet or dutch oven. Add the onions and cook for 2 - 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the ginger, garlic and curry powder and cook for another minute.

Once the mixture is starting to be fragrant, add the tomato and red curry pastes. Stir everything together until combined.

Stir in sweet potato and lentils and cook for another 30 seconds before adding the coconut milk. Bring this mixture to a boil then cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove the lid and stir in vegetable broth, then season with salt and pepper. Cover again and cook for another 15 minutes.

Serve warm with rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, etc., as well as some cilantro. I also love serving this with a side of sauteed spinach or kale!

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/FbZdVTge.mp4

Sweet Potato & Red Lentil Curry

Lentil Curry is packed with seasoned veggies and tender lentils that have been simmered in fire-roasted crushed tomatoes and creamy coconut milk.

Lentil Curry

unsalted butter coconut oil

onion

carrot ((~1 large carrot))

garlic ((~3 cloves))

ginger ((~1 inch piece))

red curry paste ((I use Thai Kitchen which is vegetarian & mild spice))

yellow curry powder ((See Note 1))

EACH: garam masala, paprika, ground coriander

cumin

Salt and pepper

(14.5 ounces) fire-roasted crushed tomatoes

white sugar

lentils ((See Note 2))

(14.5 ounces) coconut milk ((lite

chicken stock

lemon

basmati rice ((See Note 3))

PREP: Measure the lentils and pick over to remove debris or shriveled lentils,  and then thoroughly rinse with water. Add them to a bowl, cover them in room-temperature water and let soak for 15-20 minutes. Prep the veggie:; finely dice the onion and carrot; finely mince the garlic cloves and finely mince the ginger.

SAUTE: Add the 3 tablespoons butter or oil to a large pot. Heat to medium and once the butter is melted or oil is shimmering, add in the 1 cup onion, 1 tablespoon garlic, and 1 and 1/2 tablespoon ginger. Cook and stir for 3-4 minutes. Add in the 1 cup diced carrot. Cook, stirring occasionally for another 6-8 minutes or until everything is golden. Nothing should be overly browning or burning; if so, turn down the heat. While everything is cooking, measure out the spices.

SPICES AND TOMATOES: Add the 2 tablespoons red curry paste, 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder, 1 and 1/2 teaspoon garam masala, 1 and 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1 and 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 3/4 teaspoon turmeric. Season with salt and pepper; I add 1 and 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper. Increase the heat to high, and stirring constantly, cook for 1-2 minutes or until very fragrant. Add in the tomatoes and reduce the heat to medium. Stir and cook for 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits. Add in 1 teaspoon sugar.

LENTILS AND LIQUIDS: Thoroughly drain the lentils. Add to the pot along with the can of coconut milk and 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth/stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 30 minutes, stirring every 8-10 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for another 5-8 minutes or until curry is thick and creamy and lentils are completely tender. If the mixture thickens too much, add a splash of broth or stock and if it&#039;s too thin (or lentils aren&#039;t tender), increase the heat a bit and simmer without the lid.

FINISHING: Add in the 1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro and if desired, stir in the zest and juice of a lemon. Taste and adjust any seasonings; flavors should sing, so add extra salt,pepper or lemon juice if needed. Serve over cooked basmati rice if desired (Note 2) and enjoy hot.

Learn how to cook Instant Pot Lentil Curry (Pressure Cooker Lentil Curry) with simple, long shelf life pantry ingredients! This creamy, hearty &amp; flavorful curried lentils recipe is super easy to make &amp; done in 45 mins. Budget-friendly, filling, &amp; satisfying vegetarian meal (with vegan options).

Instant Pot Lentil Curry

(400 grams) whole lentils (green

(875 milliliters) unsalted chicken stock (or vegetable stock/water)

(24 grams) curry powder

table salt ((add

(30 grams) ghee ((substitutions: unsalted butter

(23 grams) garlic (, minced)

(220 grams) medium onion (, diced or minced)

ginger (, minced)

(15 milliliters) regular soy sauce

Saute Onion &amp; Garlic: Heat up Instant Pot using &quot;Sauté More&quot; function. Wait until the indicator says &quot;HOT&quot;. Add 2 tbsp (30g) ghee to the Instant Pot. Add in diced onions, then saute for 3 minutes. Add in minced garlic, ginger, ¼ cup (60g) tomato paste, 3 tbsp (24g) curry powder, and ½ - 1 tsp (1.4g - 2.8g) cayenne pepper, then saute for another minute. *Curry Powder Tip: Different Curry Powder vary in taste, aroma, quality. Make sure to taste &amp; adjust accordingly. Best to use High Quality Curry Powder when possible. *Spicy Level Tip: Adjust the amount of cayenne pepper according to how spicy you want your lentil curry. For reference, we used mild spicy curry powder with ½ tsp (1.2g) cayenne pepper, and it was mild-medium spiciness.

Deglaze Instant Pot: Pour in 1 cup (250ml) unsalted chicken stock, then deglaze by scrubbing all the flavorful brown bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Give it a quick mix.

Pressure Cook Lentil Curry: Add in 1 tbsp (15ml) regular soy sauce, ½ tsp table salt, then give it a quick mix. Add in 2 cups (400g) of whole lentils and 2.5 cups (625ml) unsalted chicken stock. Make sure the lentils are submerged in the liquid. *Note: If you&#039;re not using the coconut milk at the end, add in an extra ¼ cup (63ml) unsalted chicken stock here. With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. -Green Lentils: Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 10 minutes, then 10 minutes Natural Release. -Brown Lentils: Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 8 minutes, then 10 minutes Natural Release. After 10 minutes, release the remaining pressure by turning the Venting Knob to Venting position. Remove the lid carefully.

Season &amp; Add Coconut Milk: Give it a few quick stirs, then mix in ¼ cup (63ml) coconut milk. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding more salt (roughly 1 - 2 large pinches of salt). Add in more coconut milk as desired.

Garnish &amp; Serve Curried Lentils: Garnish Curried Lentils with finely chopped cilantro or green onions. Enjoy this Easy Instant Pot Lentil Curry over rice or your favorite side dishes!

Recipe video below. There are countless variations of Dal all across India. This is a northern Indian version called "dal tadka"&nbsp;that's akin to what is served in Indian restaurants. "Tadka" refers to spices sizzling in hot oil that's poured over the dal. It's dramatic and gives it a flavour bump - but is optional. I include it for company, and leave it out for midweek or if being served alongside other punchy flavoured curries.  Heat level in this recipe is mild - just a tickle. If you like it fiery, try leaving in the seeds in the chillies and/or adding some chilli powder. This is a dal that's flavourful to have as a main!

Dal (Indian Lentil Curry)

green cayenne chillies

garlic (, finely chopped)

tbsp ginger (, finely chopped (1.5cm / 3/5"))

curry leaves (, or 6 dried (Note 3))

tomato (, chopped)

tsp cumin

chana dal (, yellow split peas or other yellow lentils (Note 4

/ 1 litre water

turmeric powder

tsp garam marsala

ghee (,

cumin seeds

tsp black mustard seeds ((optional))

Fresh coriander/cilantro sprigs ((optional))

basmati rice

Soak Lentils: Rinse lentils and leave to soak in plenty of water for 1 hour. Drain in colander.

Heat ghee/oil in a heavy based saucepan over high heat. Add green chillies and fry for a minute until starting to blister.

Add onions and fry until softened.

Lower heat to medium, add garlic, ginger and curry leaves. Cook for 1 minute until garlic starts to turn golden and smells amazing.

Add tomatoes and cumin, cook until tomatoes start to break down and thicken to a paste - about 2 minutes.

Add lentils, water, tumeric and salt. Stir, bring to simmer, cover and simmer gently for 1 hour. Stir two or three times during the hour.

Remove lid and simmer gently for 30 minutes to thicken, stirring every now and then. The dal is ready when it has a consistency like porridge - some lentils should be intact but some have broken down to thicken the sauce.

Stir through garam masala at the end. Adjust salt if desired.

Pour over Tadka, if using, and stir through.

Serve Dal over rice, garnished with a sprig of coriander if desired.

Heat ghee in a small pan over medium heat until hot but not smoking.

Add cumin and mustard seeds, stir until cumin is slightly golden.

Then add chillies and cook for 20 seconds, then add eschallots and cook until tinged with gold. Don't let the spices burn!

Immediately pour into Dahl.

Tadka - Sizzling Spices (optional)

This lentil and halloumi curry is really straightforward to make, and absolutely full of flavour - halloumi curry is a revelation!

Easy lentil and halloumi curry

tbsp oil

onion,

courgette ((zucchini), diced)

mushrooms, (diced)

garlic, (minced)

120 g (~ 2/3 cup) brown lentils

400 g tin chopped tomatoes ((~ 1 1/3 cups))

375 ml (~ 1 1/2 cups) vegetable stock

tsp smoked paprika

tsp garam masala

Black pepper

Heat the oil in a deep frying pan or saucepan. Add the onion, courgette and mushrooms, and cook over a medium heat for a few minutes until fairly soft. Add the diced halloumi and garlic, and cook for a further 5 minutes until any excess water has cooked off, and the cheese and vegetables are just starting to brown slightly.

Add the lentils, tinned tomatoes and vegetable stock, along with all the spices. Mix well, then cover the pan with a lid and bring to a simmer. Leave to cook for around 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft and the curry has reached your desired consistency. For a saucier curry, or if the lentils need to cook a little longer, you can add a dash more water or stock. For a drier curry, remove the lid and cook for a few minutes to thicken.

Serve warm with your choice of sides.

This Coconut Lentil Curry is a 30 minute easy dinner idea that's healthy and full of flavor; it's a plant based recipe flavored with Thai curry paste.

Coconut Lentil Curry with Greens

brown or green lentils

leafy greens: spinach, kale, or chard

coconut milk

Thai red curry paste

black pepper

Make the rice according to How to Cook Basmati Rice (or Instant Pot Rice).

Place the lentils in a saucepan with 6 cups warm water. Bring to a low boil, then boil for about 20 minutes until tender (taste to assess doneness). Drain, then add a few pinches of salt.

Meanwhile, wash the greens, remove the stems and chop the leaves. (If using prewashed baby spinach, you can skip this step.) In your largest skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the greens and sauté for several minutes until tender and bright green.

When the lentils are done, add them to the skillet with the greens. Over medium high heat, stir in the coconut milk, Thai red curry paste, tomato paste, kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper. Cook for a few minutes until heated through and the sauce is thickened.

Taste and add a few pinches of salt if desired. Serve with rice.

The most amazing and authentic Indian dal recipe packed with flavor, so easy and nutritious. Make it rich and exotic restaurant style or simple and comforting home style. Guaranteed to be a hit always.

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