Lentil Curry is packed with seasoned veggies and tender lentils simmered in fire-roasted crushed tomatoes and creamy coconut milk.
Try some other favorite vegetarian curries; this Sweet Potato Curry or Vegetable Curry are two of the most popular!
The Best Lentil Curry Recipe
We’ve really been enjoying lentils lately, especially after making this life-changing Lentil Soup . Everyone in my family loves it! Because we have so many lentils, I thought last week it was time to try something new. So, I made Lentil Curry!
Lentil Curry might not look very fancy, but it’s so tasty and comforting. The spices warm you up, the lentils are filling, and the coconut milk makes it creamy. It’s a healthy meal that feels good to eat. Plus, Lentil Curry is cheap to make since lentils don’t cost much.
Ingredients In Lentil Curry
- Butter or Coconut Oil: Used for cooking the veggies, adds flavor.
- Onion & Carrot: Make the curry sweet and thick.
- Garlic & Ginger: Add a strong, spicy taste.
- Curry Paste & Powder: Give the main curry flavor.
- Spices (Garam Masala, Paprika, etc.): Make the curry warm and tasty.
- Crushed Tomatoes: Add a tangy tomato flavor.
- Lentils: The main part of the curry, make it thick.
- Coconut Milk: Makes the curry creamy and a bit sweet.
- Broth: Adds more flavor and liquid for cooking.
- Cilantro: Gives a fresh taste at the end.
How To Make Lentil Curry
- Cook Veggies: Fry onion, garlic, and ginger in a pot. Add carrot and cook until soft and golden.
- Add Spices: Put curry paste and other spices in with the veggies. Cook a little to make them tasty.
- Add Tomatoes: Put tomatoes in the pot and cook for a short time to make them sweet.
- Boil and Simmer: Put lentils, coconut milk, and broth in the pot. Boil it, then cook on low heat until the lentils are soft and the curry gets thick.
- Finish Up: Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and cilantro. These make the curry fresh and zesty.
Quick Tip
What lentils to use? While red or orange lentils are found typically in curries, I used the brown lentils I already had on hand, and highly recommend the mild, earthy flavor they lend to this curry. You’ll definitely want to use dried (not canned) lentils for this curry
Variations
Switch Things Up
- To Add Spice: Use up to 3 tablespoons of red curry paste, or add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to taste.
- Thai Flavor: Add a few teaspoons to a tablespoon of fish sauce at the end (skip for vegan/vegetarian).
- Vegan/Vegetarian Option: Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Lower Calories: Use light coconut milk instead of full-fat for a less creamy but lower-calorie option.
More Easy Vegetarian Recipes
- The BEST Vegetable Soup with pesto
- Vegetarian Enchiladas with black beans and corn
- Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie with mashed potatoes
- Roasted sweet potato Vegetarian Tacos
- Hearty Vegetarian Chili
Lentil Curry
Lentil Curry is packed with seasoned veggies and tender lentils simmered in tomatoes and creamy coconut milk.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter or melted coconut oil
- 1 and 1/2 cups finely diced yellow onion (~1 small onion; 1/2 large onion)
- 1 cup finely diced carrot (~1 large carrot)
- 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic (~3 cloves)
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoon finely minced ginger (~1-inch piece)
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste (I use Thai Kitchen which is vegetarian & mild spice)
- 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder (See Note 1)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoon EACH: garam masala, paprika, ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon turmeric
- Salt and pepper
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 cup green or brown uncooked lentils (See Note 2)
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) coconut milk (lite or regular)
- 3 cups stock or broth (Use vegetarian broth or stock to keep this vegetarian/vegan)
- 1/3 cup finely diced cilantro
- Optional: zest and juice of a lemon
- Optional: cooked basmati rice (See Note 3)
Instructions
- PREP: Measure the lentils and pick over to remove debris or shriveled lentils, and then thoroughly rinse with water. Add to a bowl, cover them in room-temperature water and let soak for 15-20 minutes. Prep the veggies: finely dice the onion and carrot; finely mince the garlic cloves and 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 of chicken or vegetable broth. 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's too thin (or lentils aren't tender yet), 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.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: I use McCormick® or Simple Truth® Organic or Great Value® Organic -- all of which are very mild. Curry powders vary in spice levels, so add slowly if you are concerned.
Note 2: I use brown lentils in this recipe; green lentils will cook the same. For canned lentils, drain and rinse them; they'll cook in about 20-25 minutes (uncovered the whole time). Red or orange lentils will cook for about 20-25 minutes (uncovered the whole time). I do not recommend using French lentils; they won't cook correctly in this curry.
Note 3: Here's how I cook basmati rice:
- Measure the basmati rice (this method doesn't work with other varieties) and rinse in a fine-mesh sieve until the water runs clear.
- Place the rice in a bowl and cover with water to soak for about 5-10 minutes.
- While the rice is soaking, fill a large pot with water and set it to a boil.
- Once the water is at a rolling boil, drain the rice and add it to the pot.
- Cook, without reducing the heat, for 5 minutes; drain and fluff with a fork.
Nutrition
Serving: 4servings | Calories: 411kcal | Carbohydrates: 43.8g | Protein: 16.3g | Fat: 21.4g | Cholesterol: 22.9mg | Sodium: 543.1mg | Fiber: 7.8g | Sugar: 6.8g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Excellent! I didn’t have a sweet potato but it was still so good.
Yay! So thrilled this was a hit! Thanks Marilyn! 🙂
By far the best lentil recipe I have made.
Lots of flavor and the aroma from the spices is divine!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much! 🙂
Loved this recipe. I’m on a second batch already.
Can this be frozen or will it make the lentils mush
We haven’t tried freezing it, but I think it’ll freeze great, especially since the base of this curry is coconut milk! Let me know if you give it a try!
What a delicious blend of aromatics and spices! I had to simmer it for almost an hour for the lentils to cook through and the curry to thicken. I can’t wait to make it again.
I am so thrilled you loved this! Thanks so much! 🙂
This recipe is very forgiving. I didn’t have lemon or cilantro, so skipped those ingredients and I also skipped the sugar. I used the spices I had on hand, which worked nicely. (Curry powder, extra hot chili powder, cardamom, cloves, and black pepper). I only had a can of regular tomatoes. It was still fantastic. I served it over stir fried cabbage. It was so incredibly 😊 good. And I did cook the whole bag of lentils, which means we will have leftovers, but not for long. Yay!! Thanks for your help to create an amazing meal.
How easy and adaptable this recipe is one of my favorite parts! I am so thrilled you loved this! Thanks RoseMary! 🙂
A really wonderful and very tasty curry.
I served it with several side dishes and papadums.
Delicious!
So glad to hear that! Thank you! 🙂
Just commented above how much I loved it but forgot to rate it – 5 stars!
Thank you Colleen!
This was delicious – great recipe, though I had to change a few things as I didn’t have stock (and didn’t have time to make any), didn’t have curry paste (so just added more dried curry powder), and didn’t have garam masala (so added a bit of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cardamon). Plus added two small sweet peppers in with carrot and doubled onions by accident. Thanks for the recipe.