This easy to make Creamy Coconut Lentil Curry is a healthy vegan recipe that makes a perfect meatless Monday dinner recipe. It takes less than an hour (mostly hands-off time) to make and is packed full of delicious Indian flavors. Make extras and you'll have a giant smile on your face at lunch the next day.
It's July! It's summer! It's the season of BBQ and no cook recipes! And here I am, sharing a coconut lentil curry recipe with you. Say whaaaaa??!!
You guys, this is what badass curry dreams are made of. For reals. I'm talking one pot and less than an hour till you're in coconut lentil curry HEAVEN!
OUR LATEST VIDEOS I don't care how hot it is outside, it's always a good time for a bowl of hot curry. I mean, it's stinkin' hot in India and peeps eat curry there all the time. They must be onto something.
When I was doing the whole right of passage, backpacking around Asia thing in my early 20s, locals would always tell me that eating hot food on a hot day would cool you down. Makes no sense to me at all, but if you put a bowl of hot curry in front of me and it's a bazillion degrees outside, I'll still eat it. I mean really, how could you not?
This coconut lentil curry recipe is ridiculously simple to make. Five bucks says you're going to look at the recipe and think, “No way THIS recipe could be one of the BEST curry recipes.” But it is. For reals.
It's so simple to make that I made you a video so you can see just how easy it will be for you to sit down in front of a big bowl of curry.
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The original recipe comes from a well dog-eared cookbook of mine called, Vij's at Home. I've made some changes to the original recipe so it suits my taste:
♡ Coconut oil replaces the cooking oil (and I use MUCH less of it)
♡ Coriander seeds replace ground coriander as I love the little pop of crunch they give.
♡ Crushed tomatoes replace fresh tomatoes (so I can be lazy and not blend them)
♡ Harder to find mung beans take a hike and are replaced with brown lentils
♡ Cilantro gets piled on high.
♡ Cherry tomatoes get thrown in during the last few minutes of cooking (because heck, why not?!)
Since I originally posted this recipe, I've now made it around 324,000 times. That might be a little exaggeration, but I have made it many times. My daughter is a huge fan of this lentil curry, so I usually make a double batch and then freeze some in smaller portions so I have some quick and easy food for her on hand.
Making a big batch also means that we get lunches for days after. Curry is kind of like chili, it's even better the next day. Honestly, every time I make this I get a text from my handsome man the next day telling me how good his lunch is. Win!
Also, after getting several requests, I've now created a Crock Pot Coconut Lentil Curry recipe for you! While the original version still wins (in my books) the crock pot version is delicious and so great to come home to after a long day at work. 🙂
Watch the Creamy Coconut Lentil Curry Video!
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Healthy Vegan Curry Recipes
- Black Chana Masala
- Crock Pot Coconut Lentil Curry
- Coconut Black Lentil Curry
- Chickpea Tofu and Eggplant Curry
- Coconut Acorn Squash Curry
- Creamy Coconut Vegetarian Korma
- Loaded Vegan Butter ‘Chicken'
Creamy Coconut Lentil Curry
Prep Time: 5 mins- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Category: Dinner
Cuisine: Indian
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
This easy to make Creamy Coconut Lentil Curry is a healthy vegan recipe that makes a perfect Meatless Monday dinner recipe. It takes less than an hour (mostly hands-off time) to make and is packed full of delicious Indian flavors. Make extras and you'll have a giant smile on your face at lunch the next day.
| vegan + gluten-free |
✨ If you love this Creamy Coconut Lentil Curry as much as I do, make sure to give it a 5-star review in the comments below!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon each: cumin seeds and coriander seeds
- 1 head of garlic, chopped (10-12 cloves)
- 1 – 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons ginger, chopped
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 cup dried brown lentils
- Optional: 1-2 teaspoons cayenne powder
- 1 – 15-ounce can coconut milk
- A few handfuls of cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Heat the coconut oil in a large pot or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cumin and coriander seeds and toast until they start to brown, about 45 seconds. Add the garlic to the pot and let it brown, about 2 minutes.
- Add the can of crushed tomatoes, ginger, turmeric, and sea salt to the pot and cook, stirring the pot a few times, for 5 minutes. Add the lentils and, if using, the cayenne powder, and 3 cups of water to the pot and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 35-40 minutes, or until the lentils are soft. Stir the pot a few times to prevent the lentils from sticking to the bottom. If the curry starts to look dry, add an extra 1/2 – 1 cup of water.
- Once the lentils are soft, add the coconut milk and cherry tomatoes and bring the pot back to a simmer. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cilantro.
Kristen Stevens
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Hi, I’m Kristen! 
We have been on a strict budget so this recipe was perfect for budget. AND unexpectedly absolutely DELICIOUS. Although I will mention that we tried the coriander seeds the first time but used ground coriander subsequent times- which we actually liked more. I make a big batch and dish up dinner and then thicken the rest with a little flour and use as cob loaf filling and it’s AMAZING!
★★★★★
I’m so happy to hear you like the recipe! And such a great way to use the leftovers!
Amazing flavor, very easy to make and consistently good each time I’ve made it.
I use split red lentils because I couldn’t find brown, they cook nicely in 30 minutes. I’ve also done it twice now with a diced onion and diced carrot in the oil, cook it on medium until close to translucent then continue with the recipe steps (coriander seeds, garlic, etc.).
Doesn’t feel like you’re missing out on meat in this dish, it’s seriously tasty and filling. And cheap, holy man…lentils are dirt cheap!
★★★★★
That’s so great to know about using split red lentils. There have been a few questions here about that. Thank you for letting us know!
Delicious dish! Even my husband loved it This will become one of our faves. Thank you.
I’m so happy to hear the recipe was a hit!
OMG!! This recipe is amazing. My house smells wonderful, and I just ate two bowls of the soup. Can’t wait to share it with my family. The only change I made was reducing the salt. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit!
This is absolutely delicious!!!
Thank you so much 💝
★★★★★
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit!
First time cooking with lentils and I loved it! I just had to leave a review. I added half a green bell pepper and about half an onion, which might be why it reminded me a bit of chili (both are warm, filling, and very comforting!). It leaves a lot of room for experimenting veggie and spice wise. Served it with Basmati rice, but will probably just do some naan next time. Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
You are so welcome! And yes, definitely do naan next time. It’s soooo good with these lentils!
I love this recipe, some adjustments done ( my husband needs low salt, so I used Himalayan salt ) and the results were great. Thank you!
★★★★★
Himalayan salt is the best, isn’t it?!
Hi! I would love to make this recipe because I have 3 cans of lentils in my pantry that I need to use. Would you be able to tell me how to adjust the recipe if I want to use canned lentils?
Thanks!
I haven’t made this recipe with canned lentils (although I have it slated for recipe testing!) But I would suggest not adding the water and simply adding the lentils and coconut milk at the same time. You’ll really only need to heat them. If the curry seems a touch dry, add a splash of water. 🙂
I’m having trouble finding the seeds, can ground coriander and cumin be used? Would they be the same measurements? Thanks.
Absolutely they can! I use the same amounts when I use the ground version. 🙂
LOVE this curry! So flavourful! Even better the second day (of course).
The only substitution I made was that I used diced tomatoes instead of crushed. I pulsed tomatoes in the blender a couple times to “crush” them before use.
I was worried that there was too much liquid while it was cooking, but I just cooked it a little longer and it was fine.
I doubled the recipe and used 3 tsp of cayenne pepper, which gave it just the right amount of heat. I wish had a bigger pot to quadruple for next time! It was that good. Thanks for sharing 🙂
★★★★★
I’m so happy to hear you like it! Leftovers are the best, aren’t they?
Kristen,
The link in the recipe to the brown lentils takes you to Bob’s Mill red lentils.
Thank you for letting me know that link needed updating!
Hello,
I dont think your calorie information is correct. This gives me around 380 cal/ serving. Could you please confirm?
I double checked it and it looks correct from my end. (I use Nutrifox to calculate the nutritional information.) I do use light coconut milk rather than full fat which may be where the difference is.
How much is a serving? Like one cup or two cups?
I will have to measure next time I make this recipe. I would guess 1 1/2 cups. 🙂
Tysm
I made this, and love the flavour, but the dried brown lentils take about 4 times as long to cook as your recipe suggests they should take. Can you pre-soak/cook the lentils to reduce the cooking time, or will that mess up the flavour? Thanks 🙂
I haven’t tried this recipe with soaked lentils before but I don’t see any reason it wouldn’t work. I would err on the side of caution and add less water, topping it up if the pan looks too dry. 🙂
I was wondering what the serving size is. it only says serves 6. is that a cup???
I will have to measure for you next time I make this recipe. 🙂
Amazing recipe – thank you for creating it!
You are so welcome!
Thank you! Wonderful food
★★★★★
You are very welcome!
Suggestions for cook time and amounts of liquid if using canned lentils please.
I’ve never made this with canned lentils before. I would think you could simply add them and the coconut milk all at the same time and simply heat them. I wouldn’t add any water unless it looks like it needs a little. 🙂
Would you alter the cooking time and follow the cook times if you use red lentils vice brown? Same amount of liquid?
Split red lentils only take less than 10 mins to cook and don’t need as much liquid. I would start by adding a cup of water then add more only as needed. 🙂
My lentils aren’t cooking very well and it seems awfully liquidy, any recommendations on how to fix that for next time? Flavour is great though!
I would check the date on your bag of lentils. The only time I’ve ever had lentils not cook properly is when I started with old lentils. 🙂
Mine was the same – I’ve made it twice, and both times the lentils took about 4 times as long to cook enough to be edible – certainly not soft. I’m going to try pre-cooking the lentils or using canned lentils next time.
I’m rating it 5 , but haven’t tried it yet…it will be ready in 8 hours!
Question: What side dish can I use? No restrictions, I like meat.
★★★★★
If you eat meat, I think these lentils would make a nice side to some grilled chicken. 🙂
I made this for dinner tonight. it was ok but i did not taste any coconut flavor. what did I do wrong?
The coconut flavor isn’t supposed to be super strong. 🙂
Could you substitute red lentils for brown?
Red lentils will cook a lot faster so you’ll need to reduce the water and cooking time. 🙂
I can’t wait to try this recipe but I can’t find cumin seeds only ground cumin. How much ground cumin should I use?
You can use the same amount. 🙂
This was amazing!! Even my 3 year old loved it! Think it would freeze well or do you think the lentils would get mushy?
This freezes really well!
Hi! Love this recipe. Was wondering if you’ve ever tried to make this in the crockpot?
I have! Here’s the recipe: https://www.theendlessmeal.com/crock-pot-coconut-lentil-curry/
I just made this for dinner. It was amazingly delicious. Thank you so much, will be a go to meal from now on!
I’m so happy to hear you like the recipe!
Love this recipe! I’m a vegetarian, and always looking for new healthy yet filling recipes. This one has become a go to because of the bold flavor!
★★★★★
I’m so happy to hear you like it!
Hi. This recipe looks absolutely amazing! If I don’t have coriander will the recipe taste the same? I LOVE lentils/soup and really want to make this but didn’t realize I forgot the coriander.
It will still be great without it. 🙂
This was AMAZING!!! It was so easy and I loaded tons of veggies in the pot and it still had TONS of flavor. Well done!!
Good call on the extra veggies!
I made this for my family tonight and they all loved it! It was easy and the flavors are amazing. I’d never used whole coriander seeds before, so I wasn’t sure how that would go. But, even the boys liked the way they crunched and the burst of flavor from them. Thanks so much for the recipe. We’ll be enjoying this one again soon!
I’m so happy you like the coriander seeds! They’re my favorite part. 🙂
We loved this! Thank you. We added cherry tomatoes and roasted garlic (instead of choppped) and added sour cream to serve. We had Naan instead of rice. Based on another post, we will try adding Swiss chard or kale the next time. We will definitely make this again! Thank you!
★★★★★
Naan is my favorite with this, too!
I keep coming back to this recipe every once and a while (few times a month) and so I absolutely declare this a family favorite, kid approved too! If I add too much heat the kids just mix in yogurt, they love having leftovers at school in a thermos too so I always double the recipe since we are 5
I serve with cilantro lime rice and homemade naan 👌
I’m so happy to hear it’s a hit! And I bet it’s delicious with some yogurt mixed in!
I am a meat eating, gluten loving, non organic cook. But oh my word…..this was delicious! I used green lentils and added frozen spinach and topped with yogurt with a side of naan. I will be making this again…and again….and again!
★★★★★
That makes me so happy to hear! Hooray!!
Delicious and super easy. It’s now a staple recipe for us.
★★★★★
Thank you so much!!
Hello! I can’t find brown lentils anywhere – I can only find red, green, black and then there’s a general “lentil” that’s a beige color. Any advice as to which to use for this recipe? Thanks!!
I suspect the general lentil is probably what you want. Brown lentils are more of a dark beige color. Green lentils will also work in this recipe. If you use red lentils, you’ll need to reduce the liquid and cooking time as they cook faster. 🙂
I made this in my instant pot. I added 1 tsp Garam masala one Kashmiri pepper and a few fresh curry leaves from my tree.
2 cup water rather than 3, and 25 minutes at normal pressure. Fabulously delicious!
That’s so great to know! I just got an Instant Pot so will use your timing to make this!
Wow, somehow stumbled upon this little gem of a recipe and OMG !! The flavours are pure heaven making you want more and more. My friends loved this fish and it’ll be with me forever I look forward to trying more of your recipes however I think it’ll take a lot to top this one.
In the recipe I am yet to add coriander seeds so will source some and I use larger skinned tomatoes cut into quarters – delicious!!!
★★★★★
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit!
Would love to make this but not sure about cup measurements, could you tell me what they are in grams.
I’ve never measured the ingredients in cups. I would suggest googling the weight of the ingredients you are curious about. It’s also not a recipe you need to be exact with so if you used an 8-ounce water glass to measure that would work just fine. 🙂