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.
What is lentil curry?
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.
Ingredients for lentil curry
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.
How to make red lentil curry
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.
Serving suggestions
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.
Questions
Unlike dried beans and chickpeas, dried lentils don’t require soaking.
However, if you use brown or green lentils and want to speed up cooking time, you can soak them in water overnight. Split red lentils cook fast and don’t require any soaking.
Learn more in our how to cook lentils guide.
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.
Lentil Curry
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
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons coriander optional
- 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.
Video
Notes
- Split red lentils: Substitute split yellow lentils or hulled red 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.
Hi !
What brand of Curry powder do you use for this recipe? My husband doesnโt like Frontier brand . Maybe the Morton and Bassett Thai Yellow Curry is good ? I believe a sweeter ,less pungent flavor of a yellow type curry would be good with red lentils and/or vegetable.stews.. What do you think?
๐ค Stephanie
Hi Stephanie,
Just clarifying here (to make sure), we use the “Indian-inspired” curry powder. Curry powder Not the paste-curries ๐
The powder you mention from Morton and Bassett contains a lot of spices, but it would certainly work in the curry. I see jalapenos and chili in the ingredients list, so it will give some heat. If you already have this in your pantry, no need to buy anything else! Just adjust for chili to make sure you don’t end up with a super spicy dish ๐
However, IF you’re looking for the generic curry powder, you can choose any brand, such as: Great value, McCormick or Double, if you’re in the US.
I hope this helps. Let me know if anything is unclear. Happy cooking! /Louise
I have been looking for a good lentil meal for a long time, and this one is by far the best I’ve ever had. Delicious.
Fantastic tasting quick weeknight meal and lunch for the rest of the leftovers. Had a bit of plain Greek yogurt on top since I like it a little spicy. Delicious and the family loved it too!
This is absolutely delicious! I canโt believe how quick it comes together and yet such pronounced flavors it delivers. This is the first time I have used Garam Masala in a recipe and it definitely had a nice presence in this dish. I think the fresh lemon juice at the end is a great addition too. This is now one of our top picks for our plant based lifestyle.
Love this! Tastes delicious. Added some chopped spinach at the end.
So easy and delicious! I used half the tomatoes, but otherwise made as is. Thanks for the easy awesome recipe!
Make this almost weekly since I discovered it over a year ago–great easy recipe!
That’s so wonderful Sara. I’m so very honoured that you’ve been with us for more than a year ๐ฅฐ
Thank you for you comment, and cooking along with us.
This recipe is truly amazing. So so so delicious. Thank you.
So happy you liked the recipe ๐
Thank you for letting us know!
Nico
I thought I made a pretty good lentil curry until I had a bash at yours! It’s absolutely delicious and has become my new go-to choice, it’s not just tasty it’s flavourful. It’s not just thick it’s creamy – and comforting, and everything it should be! Thank you for posting, I am so glad to have this in my repertoire now.
That’s great news, Victoria. I’m so delighted you like the texture and flavor of this curry ๐
Thank you for your kind comment, and have a wonderful Sunday. Kindest, Louise
This might be a silly question, but do the lentils need to be dry or canned?
Hi Lauren, It’s not silly at all!
We use dried split red lentils ๐ The dried split red lentils they cook fast and turn creamy, giving the dish a rich and smooth texture that is… irresistible ๐
Hope that helps. Happy cooking!
Kindest, Louise