Lentil Curry

Lentil curry is a creamy, flavorful, and nutritious meal that is easy to make in one pot in 30 minutes with simple ingredients.

You’ll love this recipe because of its rich, velvety texture and bold, fragrant flavors.

It requires minimal effort and is perfect for meal prep or a wholesome, warm, and delicious weeknight dinner.

Our lentil curry is an Indian-inspired dahl, a dish made with split red lentils.

Like our chickpea curry, chana masala, potato curry, and cauliflower curry, lentil curry is a tasty and deeply satisfying meatless meal.

It’s perfect for those who love rich and harmonious South Asian flavors.

Split red lentils are cooked in a rich, savory sauce with fragrant spices, coconut milk, and canned tomatoes.

The mix of spices adds plenty of taste and enrich the dahl with vitamins and antioxidants.

Serve it on basmati, brown, or cauliflower rice, or have it with naan, roti, or your favorite flatbread.

Uh, and don’t forget a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of thick yogurt.

Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Red lentils

We recommend split red lentils or huller red lentils for this curry.

They cook fast in 20 to 30 minutes and turn creamy, giving the dish an irresistibly rich and smooth dahl texture.

Also, they have slightly nutty and sweet notes, and most people love them.

You can substitute split-yellow lentils for red ones.

You can use green or brown lentils if you want a curry with an earthier flavor and more bite. But remember that they’ll take longer to cook, and the curry will be less creamy.

For more information about lentils, you can consult our guides on how to cook lentils and how to cook red lentils.

Flavor base

We use olive oil, onion, garlic, and ginger.

Those ingredients release aromas as they sauté, enriching your curry and packing it with flavor.

While olive oil is not authentically Indian, it works wonderfully in Indian recipes, and it’s healthier than other oils, so we recommend it.

Substitute coconut oil, mustard oil, avocado oil, or another vegetable oil for olive oil.

You can make this dish oil-free and just dry-fry onion, garlic, and ginger in the pan.

Spices

We recommend curry powder, ground cumin, red pepper flakes (or cayenne pepper), ground coriander, turmeric powder, garam masala, black pepper, and salt.

You don’t have to use all the spices but try using as many of the ones we list as possible for a more aromatic and authentic red lentil curry.

Other spices that work well in this recipe are curry leaves and mustard seeds.

Vegetable broth

We cook the lentils in vegetable stock to add flavor, but you can also use plain water, which is more traditional in Indian home cooking.

You can add more or less broth based on your preferences, making it thick, creamy, or soupy.

Crushed tomatoes

You can use a can of crushed, diced, and even chopped-up whole peeled tomatoes.

Substitute finely diced fresh tomatoes for canned ones.

Coconut milk

We recommend full-fat coconut milk, which comes in a can or a tetra-pack carton box.

Coconut milk adds creaminess and a velvety, rich mouthfeel. It also softens the spices, and it’s delicious with red lentils.

Substitute low-fat coconut milk, heavy cream, or non-dairy heavy cream for coconut milk.

To make this recipe without coconut milk, I recommend increasing the amount of vegetable broth and reducing the amount of spices, as the spices’ flavor will be overpowering.

Serves well with

Lemon: Cut some lemon wedges and squeeze them over the lentil curry before eating it. You can also substitute lime wedges.

Fresh cilantro: Cilantro or fresh coriander is traditional in a curry, but some people can’t eat it. If you don’t like cilantro, you can use flat-leaf parsley or thinly sliced green onions.

Brown rice: Boiled. Substitute Jasmine rice or basmati rice.

Thick yogurt: We love adding a dollop of Greek-style yogurt to the curry. You’ll love the hot-cold combination.

Tadka: A flavored oil often drizzled on top of curries and other Indian dishes.

1. Make the flavor base

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven.

Add chopped onion and sauté it gently for 3 minutes. The onion should get soft and shiny but not burn or turn brown.

Add grated garlic, ginger, 2 teaspoons of curry powder, 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds or ground cumin, and ⅓ teaspoon of chili flakes.

These are already enough to make a good curry.

But if you want the best curry, add 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 2 teaspoons of ground coriander, and a few twists of black pepper.

Lightly toast the spices on medium heat, stirring for a short minute, until they release their fragrant aroma.

If the pan gets too dry, add 2 tablespoons of water.

Oil-free? To make the lentil curry without oil, add the chopped onion to a cold pan. Then, put the pan on medium to low heat and let it warm up slowly. The onion contains natural oils that will come out when heated up. Move the onion around the pan and let it cook for a couple of minutes. Then add two garlic cloves, grated or minced, and about an inch or 2 cm of grated ginger. Stir until the garlic and ginger release their aroma; it should take about a minute. Then, turn the heat to low and add the spices.

2. Add the lentils

Add 2 cups of vegetable stock, a can of crushed tomatoes, and a can of coconut milk, which will mellow the spices in the curry and create a velvety and creamy texture and beautiful orange color.

Put 1 cup of split red lentils into a strainer and have a quick look for small stones.

Rinse the lentils under running water, add them to the pot, and season with a teaspoon of salt and a few twists of black pepper.

Note: Black pepper facilitates the absorption of turmeric’s antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.

3. Let it simmer until creamy

Stir well, cover with a lid, and bring to a boil.

Now remove the lid and cook on a gentle simmer until the lentils are soft (about 20 minutes).

Stir occasionally and add more broth if necessary to reach your desired consistency.

As a final step, stir in a teaspoon of garam masala and let the vegan lentil curry cool down for 5 minutes before serving it.

Note: If you use whole red lentils, they take a few minutes longer to cook, so add more broth.

Tip: You can cook lentil curry more or less according to your preference. You can keep the lentils with some bite or cook them thoroughly for a soupier, porridge-like texture.

You can serve red lentil curry as a main dish for lunch or dinner.

You can top the curry with freshly chopped cilantro—or flat-leaf parsley if you don’t like cilantro—and a generous squeeze of lemon juice.

It’s delicious with basmati rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, naan bread, or other types of homemade flatbread.

We also like to add a dollop of Greek-style yogurt, and if we have guests over, we might serve it with Tadka to drizzle on top.

Variations

Cauliflower and lentil curry: add bite-size cauliflower florets with the lentils. You might also need to add slightly more vegetable broth.

Broccoli and lentil curry: Add broccoli florets to the lentils and cook until fork tender. You might need to add more vegetable broth.

Use different spices and veggies: Feel free to swap the spices and add various vegetables, such as bell peppers, spinach, frozen peas, and sweet potatoes.

Storage

Make ahead: Lentil curry is an excellent recipe for meal prep. It keeps well in the fridge and freezer, and its flavor improves on the second day.

Refrigerator: Let the curry cool down, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freezer: Let it cool down completely, then transfer to a freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw: Defrost lentil curry in the fridge over several hours or in the microwave following the thawing function instructions of your microwave manufacturer.

Reheat: Microwave for a few minutes or in a saucepan with water.

Similar Recipes

INDIAN RECIPES: Vegan curry, chana masala, sweet potato curry, navratan korma, chana saag, chana dal, moong dal, mung bean soup, tofu tikka masala, vegan butter chicken.

LENTIL RECIPES: Lentil salad, lentil pasta, curry lentil soup, Moroccan carrot salad, lentil soup, lentil tabbouleh, lentil bolognese, cauliflower lentil salad, lentil sweet potato salad, lentil patties, zucchini boats, and lentil loaf.

For more lentil ideas, check out our compilation with 25+ lentil recipes.

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