A vegan lentil curry with warm Indian spices! You will love this easy, one pot meal – the perfect plant based recipe for everyone to enjoy. Serve with rice and naan for a hearty meal.
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If you’re looking for easy vegan dinner recipes, I’ve got you covered with this simple Indian style curry!
Curry brings me back to when I traveled to the UK (England and Scotland) with some friends a few summers ago.
Over there it’s the real deal with amazing authentic dishes and flavor combinations.
There aren’t many places that serve curry like that around where I live is, but we were inspired to create an Indian style yellow curry recipe that anyone can make at home.
It’s a super simple recipe with ingredients you can find at any grocery store.
An Easy Lentil Curry Recipe
If you love Indian-style dishes, you’re going to love this. I’m betting this vegan lentil curry is going to become a family-favorite.
Lentil Curry Ingredients
- coconut oil
- yellow onion
- garlic cloves – fresh or minced in a jar is best
- freshly grated ginger – fresh is best here, but dried/ground will work in a pinch
- bunch of carrots
- crushed tomatoes (tomato puree)
- water or vegetable broth
- dried brown lentils (or green lentils)
- full-fat canned coconut milk
Spices
- mild curry powder (see notes)
- ground turmeric
- ground coriander
- gourd cumin
- cayenne pepper (optional)
- salt, to taste
Serving Suggestions
Garnish with fresh cilantro, serve with rice and naan!
Made in One Pot under One Hour
I love this recipe for a variety of reasons but one main reason being all you need is one pot! (And yes – I adapted this for a Instant Pot too!)
This lentil curry recipe comes together in just a few steps and is ready under one hour.
Step 1 – Cook down onions, garlic, carrots & spices
In large pot over medium heat (love my Staub for this), add 1 tablespoon coconut oil, onion, garlic, ginger and carrots. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in spices and salt, turn heat up to medium-high, stirring continuously for another 4-5 minutes. Add a little extra oil here as needed.
Step 2 – Add tomatoes, water and lentils
Reduce heat to medium; add crushed tomatoes, water and lentils.
Step 3 – simmer and stir
Stir to combine then bring mixture to a simmer, then cover and continue simmering for about 35-40 minutes, string every 10 minutes. After about 40 minutes, mixture should thicken a little.
Step 4 – add coconut milk
Now stir in coconut milk, continue simmering uncovered for 5 minutes on low-medium heat.
Step 5 – Let stand to thicken
Now it’s time to move the pot from the heat and let stand for 10-15 minutes, until curry has thickened more.
How to Make in the Instant Pot
Making this lentil curry in the Instant Pot (pressure cooker) is super easy as well! The main difference is you’ll need less water, and BONUS no need to stir while the lentils cook so less hands-on time!
- Add coconut oil, onion, garlic, ginger and carrots to Instant Pot. Use “Saute” mode on low heat, stirring frequently to cook down for about 4 minutes. Add in spices and salt, and a little more oil as needed, stirring continuously for another 4-5 minutes.
- Add in tomato puree, 1 and 3/4 cups water (or broth) and dried lentils. Stir until combined. Secure lid, setting valve to “sealing” and cook on “manual” mode for 13 minutes, then “natural release” pressure cooker.
- Carefully remove lid, stir in canned coconut milk and let curry stand for 10 minutes. Note: the Instant Pot Method won’t be as thick right away, so you can opt to use 1 cup of coconut milk, or just know it will thicken the longer it sits (and once it’s been refrigerated if you have leftovers.)
Adjusting the Spices
Another great thing about this recipe is you can adjust the spices to your liking. I used Watkins brand curry powder which is fairly mild. I also added additional turmeric, coriander, some cumin and cayenne for a little heat.
If you’d like, you can start with just the curry powder, then once the lentils have cooked and you’ve added the coconut milk, taste test and add more spice as you’d like.
Storing Leftovers
This recipe makes a decent batch of about 6-8 servings. Double the batch for leftovers and freeze in an airtight container, up to 6 months.
To Reheat
Allow frozen leftovers to thaw in fridge overnight, and reheat on stovetop over medium heat until warmed through.
Recipe FAQs
Is vegan lentil curry healthy?
Yes! Lentils pack an astonishing amount of protein (18g per cup), as well as plenty of fiber, iron, and potassium. Turmeric is another superstar that has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.
Can you make vegan lentil curry in the Instant Pot?
Yes, the Instant Pot recipe is a wonderful hands-off approach. Keep in mind the Instant Pot version won’t be as thick right away, so you can reduce the coconut milk to 1 cup. It will also thicken as it sits and in the fridge.
What do I serve lentil curry with?
Lentil curry is best served with white basmati rice, or brown rice, and soft vegan naan bread to sop up all those soft lentils and sauce. Make sure to garnish with fresh cilantro or fresh mint for a bright finish.
How do I store lentil curry? Can I freeze it?
Leftover lentil curry can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
More Plant Based Recipes to Love
If you make this Vegan Lentil Curry recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating on the blog! I love hearing from you, and it helps others learn more about the recipe too. Xx Ashley
Easy Vegan Lentil Curry
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons freshly grated ginger
- 1 small bunch carrots, diced (about 1 cup – see notes)
- 2 tablespoons mild curry powder, see notes
- ¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional, for some heat
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
- 1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, (or sub tomato sauce)
- 2 ¾ cups water*, or vegetable broth, see notes
- 1 cup dried brown lentils
- 1 (14 ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
Serve With
- fresh cilantro, for garnish
- rice, or quinoa or another grain
- naan
Instructions
Stovetop Method
- In large pot over medium heat (love my Staub for this), add 1 tablespoon coconut oil, onion, garlic, ginger and carrots. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in spices and salt, turn heat up to medium-high, stirring continuously for another 4-5 minutes. Add a little extra oil here as needed.
- Reduce heat to medium; add crushed tomatoes, water and lentils. Stir to combine then bring mixture to a simmer, then cover and continue simmering for about 35-40 minutes, string every 10 minutes. After about 40 minutes, mixture should thicken a little.
- Now stir in coconut milk, continue simmering uncovered for 5 minutes on low-medium heat, then remove from heat and let stand for 10-15 minutes. until curry has thickened more.
- Serve with rice, naan and more fresh cilantro.
Instant Pot Method
- Add coconut oil, onion, garlic, ginger and carrots to Instant Pot. Use “Saute” mode on low heat, stirring frequently to cook down for about 4 minutes. Add in spices and salt, and a little more oil as needed, stirring continuously for another 4-5 minutes.
- Add in tomato puree, 1.75 cups water and dried lentils. Stir until combined. Secure lid, setting valve to “sealing” and cook on high pressure “manual” mode for 15 minutes, then “natural release” pressure cooker for 10 minutes.
- Carefully remove lid, stir in canned coconut milk. Let curry stand for 10 minutes. Note: the Instant Pot Method won’t be as thick right away, so you can opt to use 1 cup of coconut milk, or just know it will thicken the longer it sits (and once it’s been refrigerated if you have leftovers.)
Video
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information
Photography by: Erin Alvarez
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