The Best Creamy Coconut Lentil Curry

My brand new cookbook is out on Amazon! It’s called “30-Minute Plant-Based Recipes” and it’s perfect for busy vegans. Grab it now!

Easy, creamy authentic Indian curry recipe that comes together in 30 minutes! It’s delicious for lunch or dinner and makes excellent leftovers!

It almost seems like lentils were created to be made into a curry. While I like to experiment and make curries with various vegetables like potatoes, kabocha squash, and eggplant, lentils are my all-time fave.

Lentils are packed with protein with 18 g of protein per cup of cooked lentils. Can’t beat that.

Plus, curry made with lentils store and freeze wonderfully making it one of the best meal recipes.

Cooking Instructions and Techniques

First, we will be toasting spices in coconut oil. I can’t stress this enough – toasting spices allows them to bloom and become more flavorful.

Once we bloom our spices, it’s time to add garlic and ginger. Continue toasting spices along with garlic and ginger to bring out all the juicy flavors. Then add crushed tomatoes.

Then stir in lentils and cook.

Stir in coconut milk, stir and you’re done!

Lentil Substitutions and Add-ons

If you don’t want lentils on hand or want something else, here are a few yummy suggestions and add-ons:

• Any type of legumes would work: chickpeas, white beans, black beans
• Tofu
• Sweet potato
• Russet potato
• Cauliflower
• Butternut squash
• Spinach

Options to make lentil curry without coconut milk

While coconut milk is the best option to make this curry creamy that isn’t to say you can’t use anything else!

You can use any other type of dairy-free milk mixed with cornstarch. Substitute one can of coconut milk with 1 cup of non-dairy milk mixed with 1.5 tbsp of cornstarch. Cornstarch acts as a thickener and will bring creamy consistency to our curry. 

Print

The Best Creamy Coconut Lentil Curry

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Easy, creamy authentic Indian curry recipe that comes together in 30 minutes! It’s delicious for lunch or dinner and makes excellent leftovers!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: curry, lentils

Servings: 6

Calories: 370 kcal

Author: Simple Fit Vegan

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander seeds or powder
• ½ – 1 tsp cayenne powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp fresh grated ginger (sub for 1/2 tsp of powder ginger)
• 1 16- ounce can of crushed tomatoes
• 1-2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup green lentils
• 1 16- ounce coconut milk
• Parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add spices and toast for 10 seconds. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds stirring continuously.
2. Add crushed tomatoes and vegetable stock. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add lentils, turn the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Cover pot with lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 20-25 minutes until lentils are soft. Stir a few times while cooking. Add additional ½-1 cup of vegetable stock if lentils look too dry.
3. Once lentils are cooked and the curry thickens, stir in coconut milk and cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Garnish with parsley. Serve with brown rice, bulgur wheat, or naan bread.

Recipe Notes

Nutrition Information (per serving): Calories: 370 Fat: 23.5 g Saturated fat: 20.3 g Carbohydrates: 32.2 g Dietary Fiber: 14.3 g Sugar: 7.9 g Sodium: 592 mg Protein: 12.2 g

My brand new cookbook is out on Amazon! It’s called “30-Minute Plant-Based Recipes” and it’s perfect for busy vegans. Grab it now!