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 easy recipe because of its rich, velvety texture and bold, fragrant flavors. Serve it with naan bread or basmati rice for a deeply satisfying dinner.
Introduction
Indian-inspired curries are a staple in our kitchen. I’m not sure if it’s the fragrant spices, the creamy sauce, or the nourishing legumes. Louise and I just love them for a cozy, comforting night in 🍛.
In this one, split red lentils are cooked in a rich, savory sauce with fragrant spices, coconut milk, and canned tomatoes. If you have yellow split lentils, go ahead and make our dal recipe instead.
Uh, and don’t forget a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of thick yogurt on top. The acidity of the lemon amplifies the other flavors. The cold yogurt plays well with the hot gravy. It’s so good! A drizzle of Tadka on top (spiced Indian oil) is optional 🤤
Like our chickpea curry, chana masala and cauliflower curry, you can make this recipe for a tasty and deeply satisfying meatless meal.
Did I mention, it’s super easy to make, in about 30 minutes! It’s literally faster than ordering in.
It’s perfect for those who love rich and harmonious South Asian flavors.
Ingredients
Quantities and full ingredient list are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
Split red lentils: substitute split yellow lentils. If you only have green, brown, or French lentils you can do our curry lentil soup instead.
Oil: we recommend olive oil (yes, it’s delicious in Indian cooking and it’s healthy). Substitute coconut oil, mustard oil, or avocado oil.
Coconut milk: you can use full-fat or reduced-fat coconut milk. You can substitute heavy cream (half the quantity) for coconut milk.
How to make lentil curry
Step 1: Sauté chopped onion in olive oil. Add garlic, ginger, and spices (except garam masala) and toast for 1 minute.
Step 2: Add broth, tomatoes, coconut milk and rinsed lentils. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Simmer for about 20 minutes, until lentils are cooked. One minute before turning heat off, stir in garam masala.
Step 4: Serve with rice, a dollop of yogurt, a squeeze of lemon, and fresh cilantro.
More Easy Indian Recipes
Love Indian flavors but are afraid of lengthy recipes. Then we think you’ll love our easy Indian-inspired recipes:
For more inspiration check out our compilation with easy and delicious Indian vegetarian recipes.
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Lentils are tasty, nourishing, and versatile. Plus they cook in about 30 minutes. Here are some of our reader’s favorite lentil recipes:
For more lentil ideas, check out our compilation with 25+ easy lentil recipes.
Lentil Curry
Video
Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1 inch ginger grated
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 2 teaspoons coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder optional
- 2 cups vegetable stock or more if you prefer a soupier curry
- 1 can (15 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (14 ounces) coconut milk
- 1 cup split red lentils
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garam masala optional
Serving suggestions
- 4 wedges lemon
- 1 handful cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
- 4 tablespoons Greek-style yogurt non-dairy works too
- 2 cups cooked basmati rice or brown rice
Instructions
- MAKE FLAVOR BASE: Heat 1½ tablespoons olive oil in a large pot. Add 1 medium onion (chopped) and sauté for 3 minutes.Add 2 cloves garlic and 1 inch ginger (both grated), ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons curry powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoons coriander, and 1 teaspoon turmeric powder. Sauté one more minute. Add 2 tablespoons water if pot gets dry.
- ADD LENTILS: Add 2 cups vegetable stock, 1 can (15 ounces) crushed tomatoes, 1 can (14 ounces) coconut milk, 1 cup split red lentils (rinsed with water), then season with 1 teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper.
- SIMMER: Bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer until the lentils are cooked – about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.When cooked, stir in 1 teaspoon garam masala.Add more broth if necessary to reach your desired consistency.
- SERVE: Serve with basmati or brown rice, lemon juice, cilantro and/or thinly sliced scallions, and a dollop of Greek-style yogurt.
Notes
- Split red lentils: substitute split yellow lentils.
- Olive oil: substitute coconut oil, avocado oil, mustard oil, or another vegetable oil.
- Garlic and ginger: substitute garlic and ginger paste.
- Vegetable broth: substitute water.
- Crushed tomatoes: substitute diced tomatoes or finely chopped fresh tomatoes.
- Coconut milk: substitute reduced-fat coconut milk, heavy cream, or non-dairy cooking cream.
- Lemon juice: substitute lime juice.
- Cilantro: substitute thinly sliced scallions or flat-leaf parsley.
- Refrigerator: Up to 4 days in an airtight container.
- Freezer: Up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw in the fridge or microwave.
- Reheat: 2 minutes in the microwave or on the stovetop with added water.
This is such a GREAT recipe and we make it repeatedly! We’ve started doubling the recipe and freezing the extra. We also add several containers of sliced mushrooms and occasionally some cayenne pepper (after serving). Fire Roasted diced tomatoes are a good substitute for crushed tomatoes and give some more texture. It’s just REALLY good!
Mark, that is great news, I love that you loved i!
Yes, fire-roasted diced tomatoes are a great sub for crushed if you like a touch more texture. Thank you for taking valuable time to leave a comment here, we appreciate you 🙂
Kindest, Louise
It was a lovely easy meat free meal which we had with Naan. I added some more cumin and coriander powder to round off the flavour to our liking. My son asked for seconds so I know it went down well.
Brilliant, Amanda! Naan on the side and a little extra cumin/coriander sounds perfect. Love that your son went back for seconds! Thanks for sharing your tweaks and for cooking with us 🙂
Kindest, Louise
Just tried making thus but added potato, and carrots to my dish 😋. Because I slowly cooked my yellow lentils, it was a bit thick put very spicy
Sounds delicious. Could the coconut milk be substituted with plain yoghurt?
Hi Lorraine,
Interesting question – we haven’t tested that 🙂
BUT yes it should be possible, with a few things to keep in mind:
– Flavor difference: Yogurt is tangier and less sweet than coconut milk, so the curry will taste lighter and a bit sharper.
– When to add: Stir the yogurt in at the end of cooking, after you’ve taken the curry off the boil or turned the heat very low. High heat can cause it to split. Avoid boiling once the yogurt is in.
– If you want a creamier, richer texture closer to coconut milk, you can also whisk a spoonful of cornstarch into the yogurt before adding it. This makes it more heat-stable.
I hope this helps? Please let me know if you give it a try 😛.
BEst, Louise
We tried this recently and really enjoyed it! Super easy to make, incredibly filling, and so delicious!
Amazing
This was so delicious for something so simple! Thank you.
I’ve tried this many times and it’s delicious!
Quick and easy, absolutely delicious and healthy too! I served it with a little chutney. Thanks so much for recipe.