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.

Red lentil curry with rice.
Creamy Lentil Curry: The One-Pot Wonder That'll Spice Up Your Week

Table of Contents

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

Ingredients for lentil curry

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.

Flavor base with onion, garlic, ginger and Indian spices.

Step 2: Add broth, tomatoes, coconut milk and rinsed lentils. Season with salt and pepper.

Lentil curry before simmering.

Step 3: Simmer for about 20 minutes, until lentils are cooked. One minute before turning heat off, stir in garam masala.

Lentil curry cooked in one pot.

Step 4: Serve with rice, a dollop of yogurt, a squeeze of lemon, and fresh cilantro.

Lentil curry in a bowl served with rice, yogurt, lemon juice, and 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.

More lentil recipes

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.

Red lentil curry with brown rice.

Lentil Curry

By: Nico Pallotta
5 from 108 votes
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.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
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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.
    Flavor base with onion, garlic, ginger and Indian spices.
  • 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.
    Lentil curry before simmering.
  • 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.
    Lentil curry cooked in one pot.
  • SERVE: Serve with basmati or brown rice, lemon juice, cilantro and/or thinly sliced scallions, and a dollop of Greek-style yogurt.
    Lentil curry in a bowl served with rice, yogurt, lemon juice, and cilantro.

Video

Creamy Lentil Curry: The One-Pot Wonder That'll Spice Up Your Week

Notes

SUBSTITUTIONS
  • 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.
 
ADD-INS
If you guys want to add more veggies to this curry, my recommendatio would be adding bite-size cauliflower florets or broccoli florets at the same time you add the lentils. You can also add a few handfuls of spinach 5 minutes before the curry is done cooking.
STORAGE
  • 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.
 
Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 serving out of four without rice and yogurt.

Nutrition

Calories: 362kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 811mg, Potassium: 867mg, Dietary Fiber: 18g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 292IU, Vitamin B6: 1mg, Vitamin C: 15mg, Vitamin E: 3mg, Vitamin K: 13µg, Calcium: 87mg, Folate: 260µg, Iron: 6mg, Manganese: 1mg, Magnesium: 92mg, Zinc: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or mention @hilltop.recipes on Instagram. We are also on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok.

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Nico and Louise in front of the Consolazione church in Todi

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5 from 108 votes (57 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




101 Comments

  2. This was muyfirst curry. Always overwhelmed about the use of spices. It is delicious. Thanks also for making it possible to adjust servings and asjustment to metrics.

    Reply

    1. Hi MM,

      We are so happy you liked the recipe and find the metric adjustments useful 🙂
      Thanks for letting us know!
      Nico

      Reply

  3. This was a lovely curry! I would probably increase the amount of spices next time but a fine start and I think you could probably customize it.

    Reply

    1. Hi Penny,
      I’m very happy you liked the curry! And of course, you are welcome to adjust the spices to your taste and liking.
      Have a great rest of your week.
      Kindest,
      Louise

      Reply

    2. A good start, but needs more of all the spices. I made it according to recipe and ate over basmati rice, only omitted tumeric, and it’s not nearly as strongly flavoured as I’m used to for Indian dishes. The flavour is good, just a smidge weak.
      Plain yoghurt and a squeeze of lemon is a must.
      Would make again as a base recipe I can alter to my tastes.

      Reply

      1. Hi Cooper,

        That’s great to hear. I am happy you liked it as a base recipe to tailor to your tastes 🙂
        Thanks a lot for your comment,
        Nico

        Reply

  4. 5 stars
    This is a very easy recipe which yields a full flavored and delicious dish! I used chicken broth, and added a can of chickpeas at the end which give a nice texture. Topped with the lemon, cilantro and yogurt – perfection! Thank you for sharing your recipe. L

    Reply

    1. Hi Lexi,
      I’m super happy you liked the curry. Thanks so much for sharing your tips, and for taking the time to leave a comment.
      Have a great rest of your week! Kindest,
      Louise

      Reply

    1. Natalie, I’m so happy to hear that you and your husband liked the curry – what a compliment that is. Thanks so much for leaving a message and have a great week ahead! Kindest, Louise

      Reply

  6. 5 stars
    Thank you for the clear instructions; as i very untalented cook I always need a lot of details when following a recipe. It was delicious!

    Reply

    1. Hi there, I’m so happy you like the instructions as well as the flavor of the curry. Plus, I’m strongly convinced you are not untalented – with the willingness to read and learn you’ll quickly become a cooking-master! Have a great day. Cheers, Nico

      Reply

    2. Hello, the video and recipe card are inconsistent. I followed the recipe card and added the coconut milk with the lentils and broth (as per Step 2) only to have undercooked lentils in the end. You must cook the lentils in the broth first before adding the coconut milk. Could you please amend this so the recipe card follows the same instructions as the video. Thank you!

      Reply

      1. Hi Brianna, so sorry, the video has been updated now 🙂
        Thank you so much for your feedback, we really appreciate it.
        All the best,
        Louise

        Reply

  7. 5 stars
    This was delicious! I didn’t have coriander and I substituted cumin and allspice for for garam masala, but it still came out great. I think the fresh lemon and yogurt really added a lot also. I will definitely make this again. Thank you for sharing it!

    Reply

    1. Hi Jean, I am very happy you liked the lentil curry – thanks so much for coming back to leave a comment. Cheers, Nico

      Reply

  9. Un’altra ricetta super! Ho usato il lime invece del limone e dà proprio quel tocco finale fantastico, grazie Nico e Louise per il vostro bellissimo blog!

    Reply