Creamy Coconut Lentil Curry
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
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.
If you love lentils, also try our black lentil curry and our crockpot lentil curry!
You guys, this is what curry dreams are made of. This beauty is made in one pot and it'll be less than an hour until you are in coconut curry HEAVEN!
We eat this curry year-round. It doesn't matter how hot it is outside, it's always a good time for a bowl of hot curry. It's stinkin' hot in India and peeps there eat curry all the time. They must be onto something.
Years ago while backpacking around India for a few months, the locals would always say that eating hot food on a hot day would cool you down. Whether or not that's true, if you put a bowl of hot curry in front of any one of us and it's a bazillion degrees outside, we'll still eat it. And really, how could you not?
Ingredients needed
- Coconut oil ā for sautĆ©ing the flavor components.
- The flavor ā cumin seeds, coriander seeds, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cayenne, and sea salt.
- Crushed tomatoes ā just open a can and pour it in!
- Lentils ā the star of the show! We use brown lentils, but green lentils work just as well.
- Coconut milk ā this is what makes the lentil curry wonderfully creamy.
- Cherry tomatoes and cilantro ā these get stirred in at the end for even more flavor.
This coconut lentil curry recipe is ridiculously simple to make. Five bucks says that you're going to look at the recipe and think, āNo way THIS recipe could be one of the BEST curry recipes.ā But it is. For real. It's so simple to make that we 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 lentil curry.
Watch the lentil curry video
The original recipe
The original recipe comes from a well dog-eared cookbook called, Vij's at Home. We've made a few changes to the original recipe so it suits our taste:
- Coconut oil replaces the cooking oil (and we use MUCH less of it)
- Coriander seeds replace ground coriander as we love the little pop of crunch they give.
- Crushed tomatoes replace fresh tomatoes (so we can be lazy and not blend them)
- Harder to find mung beans take a hike and are replaced withĀ brown lentils
- Cilantro gets piled on high.
- Cherry tomatoes get thrown in during the last few minutes of cooking (because heck, why not?)
Storage and freezing
This is one recipe that tastes even better the next day AND it freezes excellent. We'll often make a double batch just so we can freeze half of it. And if you have little ones at home, freezing small portions of this curry is a great way to have quick and healthy meals on hand.
In the fridge ā This curry will keep well for up to 4 days in a sealed container in your fridge.
In the freezer ā Transfer the cooled curry to freezer proof containers and keep it in your freezer for up to 4 months.
To reheat ā We like to reheat this curry on the stove over low heat, adding a splash of water as it thickens overnight. But you can also warm this up in the microwave.
What to serve with lentil curry
Like most curry recipes, this one is great served with basmati rice. You can also serve it with cauliflower rice to get some extra veggies on your plate!
And while this is absolutely a one-pot dinner, if you'd like a side dish, try one of these:
Recipe FAQs
Can I use red lentils to make this curry?
Red lentils cook much faster than green lentils. If you'd like to use them instead, reduce the water to 1 cup and simmer the lentils for half the time.
Can I use canned lentils?
Since canned lentils are cooked, you can simply add them to the recipe, omit the water, and warm them up.
What do the whole cumin and coriander seeds taste like?
We don't notice the cumin seeds, but you can definitely taste the coriander seeds. They give a little pop of flavor in your mouth when you bite into them. If you're worried that the flavor will be too strong, you can use ground cumin and ground coriander instead.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
After getting several requests, we've now created aĀ crockpot coconut lentil curryĀ recipe for you! While this original version still wins (in our books) the crockpot version is delicious and so great to come home to after a long day at work.
Can I add some vegetables to the curry?
Absolutely! Many people who have made this recipe have commented that they've cooked their favorite veggies right in the pot of lentils. You can try potatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, or spinach.
Creamy Coconut Lentil Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon each: cumin seeds and coriander seeds
- 1 head garlic (chopped (10-12 cloves))
- 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons ginger (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 cup dried brown lentils
- 1-2 teaspoons cayenne powder (optional)
- 2 cups water (see notes)
- 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.1 tablespoon coconut oil, 1 tablespoon each: cumin seeds and coriander seeds, 1 head garlic
- 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 the 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 Ā½ ā 1 cup of water.28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes, 2 tablespoons ginger, 1 tablespoon turmeric, 2 teaspoons sea salt, 1 cup dried brown lentils, 1-2 teaspoons cayenne powder, 2 cups water
- Once the lentils are soft and the curry is thick, 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.15 ounce can coconut milk, A few handfuls of cherry tomatoes, 1 cup chopped cilantro
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
More delicious curry recipes
Black Chana Masala
This delicious Black Chana Masala is an easy to make chickpea curry made with black chickpeas. It's bursting with flavor and is a healthy vegetarian dinner recipe.
Acorn Squash Curry
This coconut acorn squash curry is a feel-good fall and winter dinner recipe that is so delicious. It reheats great so make extra for lunch!
Vegan Butter āChicken'
This delicious vegan butter chicken recipe has tofu, peas, and corn cooked in a creamy, rich, vegan butter chicken sauce with the perfect amount of curry spice.
For more inspiration, check out all of our curry recipes!
Omg this was so easy, so cheap but tasted amazing. All 4 kids and hubby asked for seconds. This being our first lentil meal gives me the confidence to try more lentil recipes.
Really great and easy to make. I added onion chopped carrots and threw in some bok Choi right at the end. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Great call on the bok choi!
Loved the recipe except for the coriander seeds. They donāt soften, which I expected, and crunching into one was a little too overpowering and yet we lOVE all spices! Will use powdered coriander next time because itās a super flavoursome outcome. Looking for more of your recipes.
Yes, they pack a punch! I love them but my man prefers when I make this using ground coriander. š
I have just finished making this, It is so tasty. Great dish!
I’m really happy you like it!
Loved this! My meat-eating hubby was reluctant to try it but went back for seconds! I added chopped kale & spinach I needed to use up – easy way to get some more greens. And I used an extra half cup of coconut milk as I think I added too much cayenne for my taste.
That is such a great compliment! Hoot hoot!!
What would I do differently if I have lentils already cooked?
I wouldn’t add any water and won’t need to simmer them. Simply add them with the tomatoes, add the coconut milk, and heat until hot. š
This recipe was delicious!! My 4 year old gobbled it up! I will definitely be making this again, thank you!
It’s the best when the kids gobble up dinner isn’t it?!!
This turned out pretty well! I threw in a whole head of cauliflower that I roasted with turmeric, cumin, and paprika for a little textural variety. I also finished the dish with a teaspoon of garam masala near the end, continuing to simmer for another minute.
I made it with split red lentils and found that the finished dish had too much liquid for my liking (even after it cooled and thickened). If using split lentils, I’d recommend maybe cutting the water by at least a cup, which would still provide plenty of liquid for the lentils to soften in.
The coriander seeds REALLY come through in the dish; it’s a good thing I love both the spice and herb!
Good call on the cauliflower!
Will this work green lentils?
Thanks!
It sure will!
Brilliant recipe. I doubled it so our household has leftovers for the next day. I also added two onions and some mushrooms to bulk it out.
Definitely going into our permanent rotation!
Thank you
Hooray!!
Do the step change if you use powdered cumin/coriander?
Nope … keep the steps the same. š
Hi Kristen! Thank you for posting this recipe. I am very excited to make it tonight. Quick question- are we supposed to cook the lentils apart from the crushed tomatoes and garlic/coriander/coconut milk, and then combine all in step 3? Iām a little confused by the steps listed.
Nope! It’s a one pot meal. Add the lentils to the same pot you’ve cooked the garlic etc in then add the coconut milk right at the end. š
Sounds amazing to make! How long does this keep for lunches afterwards?
It will keep for at least 5 days in your fridge! It also freezes very well. š
I feel like mine is WAY too salty. And i dont mind salt! i mean, like throw it out salty! Such a bummer. Ill keep recipe bc i can tell it is good but so disappointed with the ratios…
I’m sorry to hear you found it too salty. I wonder if your can of tomatoes was really salty? If anything, I will normally add a little extra salt at the end of cooking.
Loved this recipe! Iāve made it twice. Most recently I didnāt have crushed tomatoes so I used petite diced can. Still great! My husband doesnāt like cilantro, so I omitted it but I bet that would make it even better. Thanks for a great quick meal!
I’m so happy to hear you like it! You can always sprinkle the cilantro on top of yours after you plate it. That way you don’t have to miss out!
This was a great find! Thank you for posting this. I made it last night, tweaked it a little bit to add some vegetables I needed to use from my garden. Was quick, easy, and delicious!
Good call on the extra veggies!
Thank you! This recipe is amazing. I’ve made it about four times. I’m trying to slowly get my husband used to not having meat every night. He now requests this recipe. We like it spicy so I use two teaspoons of cayenne.
I’m so happy to hear that it’s converting your husband! Hooray!!