Coconut Lentil Curry
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This easy-to-make creamy coconut lentil curry is a vegan recipe that makes a perfect meatless Monday dinner. 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.
One reader, Rae, says, “This is one of my staple recipes. So easy to make and delicious. Everyone likes it! ★★★★★”
This lentil curry recipe has been a reader favorite for years. And with almost 1500 reviews, you can bet it will be your favorite, too! It’s a flavorful vegan recipe made with kitchen-staple ingredients and is one of my family’s favorite dinner recipes.
You guys, this is what curry dreams are made of. This beauty is made in one pot, and it’ll take less than an hour to reach coconut curry heaven. The flavor starts with toasted cumin and coriander seeds, along with plenty of garlic, ginger, turmeric, and a touch of cayenne. Brown lentils (though you can also use green) simmer in tomatoes and coconut milk until tender and creamy, then fresh cherry tomatoes and cilantro are stirred in at the end to brighten everything up. It’s simple, satisfying, and the kind of recipe you’ll find yourself making on repeat.
We eat this curry year-round. No 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 that’s true or not, if you put a bowl of hot curry in front of any of us and it’s a bazillion degrees outside, we’ll still eat it. And really, how could you not?
The original lentil curry 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 with brown lentils
- Cilantro gets piled on high.
- Cherry tomatoes get thrown in during the last few minutes of cooking (because heck, why not?)
Lentil curry variations
While my family loves this recipe exactly as written, it’s also very versatile and easy to play with. Here are some additions that we’ve tried, and a few that our readers have tried:
- Add some more veggies: Sweet potatoes, mushrooms, red peppers, or broccoli are great. And spinach stirred in at the end is nice, too.
- More protein: Cubed chicken or tofu is a wonderful addition.
- Skip the coconut: iI you’re not a coconut fan, you can use whipping cream instead.
- Make it into soup: Add some extra water or some chicken or vegetable stock to turn this into soup.
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:
Store, reheat, and freeze
This is one recipe that tastes even better the next day, AND it freezes excellently. 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 meals on hand.
In the fridge – This curry will keep well for up to 4 days in a sealed container.
In the freezer – Transfer the cooled curry to freezer-proof containers and keep it in your freezer for up to 4 months.
To reheat – 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.
Watch the lentil curry video
This coconut lentil curry recipe is ridiculously simple to make. Five bucks says that 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 real. It’s so simple to make that we made a video so you can see just how easy it will be to sit down with a big bowl of lentil curry.
Creamy Coconut Lentil Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon 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 (see notes)
- 1-2 teaspoons cayenne powder (optional)
- 2 cups water
- 15 ounce can coconut milk
- A few handfuls of cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet (I love using my braiser) 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 cumin seeds, 1 head garlic, 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- Add the can of crushed tomatoes, ginger, turmeric, and sea salt to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the lentils, the cayenne powder (if using), and water to the pot and bring it to a boil.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
- 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 ½ – 1 cup of 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
Last step:
- After you make this recipe, take a picture with your phone and share it in the comments section below. I love seeing it when you make my recipes!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
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.
Threw everything into an Instant Pot on High for 25 min and it was DELICIOUS! Changed the seeds for their ground counterparts and added fresh serranos instead of cayenne. It was a little thin, even with green lentils, but a little cornstarch slurry fixed it right up!
So great to hear that this recipe can be made in an Instant Pot!
Do you have a recommendation of how to make in an Instapot.
I’ve never tried, but another commenter wrote, “Threw everything into an Instant Pot on High for 25 min and it was DELICIOUS!”
This recipe has quickly become a favorite in our house. I sometimes add diced eggplants to it, for extra veggies.
Good call on the eggplants! yum!
Delicious curry. Will definitely make again
I’m so happy to hear that the recipe was a hit, Marie!
Make this recipe all the time. Been a favorite for a while!
So great to hear that you make this recipe often, Andrea!
This curry has amazing flavor!! Such a good base to add in any extra veggies you want. Last time, I added an onion before step 1 and frozen spinach near the end. This time I think I’ll add chickpeas too for some more texture.
Good call on the onion and spinach!
This recipe was easy and delicious. My whole family liked it and had seconds .
Love hearing that everyone went for seconds!
I made this recipe for my son and myself. He isn’t vegan, like me, but was happy to try it.
Can honestly say, it’s one of the best meals I’ve ever made. I’m no great cook, but it is so straightforward, and easy to follow, and all the ingredients, bar the cayenne pepper, I already had. I substantially this with lemon pepper, which I tend to add to most recipes. It gave the curry just a bit of a tang, but may not be to everyone’s taste. I also added a dollop of soya coconut yoghurt, just before serving.
Absolutely delicious, and can’t wait to do it again.
So happy that you and your son loved the curry!
I made this with a few alterations; I used curry powder in place of the separate spices and added a teaspoon of vegetable better than boullion at the end for an all day cooked flavor. The cherry tomatoes add a freshness and just kind of pop in your mouth and really elevate the entire dish. So far this recipe is my favorite way to eat lentils!
Really happy to hear that you like this curry!
I really enjoyed this! It was delicious. I have been trying to cook more vegetarian meals for my family and I will definitely make this again. I read through some of the reviews and I ended up using only 2 1/2 cups of water. I also used green lentils, just because that’s what I had on hand. I was a bit nervous about the amount of garlic, I must confess, so I put about half the amount. I think I could pt more in next time. Great winter recipe. Thank you!
I know the amount of garlic seems insane. But it totally works in this recipe!
I have made this recipe countless times!! It is so easy and tastes as though you have been slaving away in the kitchen for hours ? You can even sub dried cilantro in a pinch!! It’s a keeper! Thank you soooooo much!
You’re so welcome, Pam!
Not much to say except…Delicious!!!!!!
Thanks, Christine!
this was excellent but very watery! had to boil for about 10-15 minutes to not resemble soup. next
time I will use 2 cups of water not 3 🙂 also used red lentils instead of brown, and cooked it for 20 minutes. used way less than a head of garlic, I
don’t have the patience to mince a head of garlic haha. great flavors though
Red lentils do cook a lot faster. Normally I recommend reducing the amount of water used if you use red lentils. Sounds like that’s just what you’re going to do next time! 🙂
I want to make this for my date but I really absolutely do not like the taste of cilantro… Can I leave the seeds out as well and do you have something I can use instead?
If you don’t like cilantro just omit it. And you can use ground seeds instead. 🙂
The recipe sounds delicious. There’s a big problem your video and recipe calls for turmeric instead of curry!! I was following the recipe on my phone and adding ingredients as I was scrolling down and waiting for the curry powder to appear (my mistake for not paying attention.) I still don’t know what’s going to taste like with turmeric instead of curry. I’m afraid to add curry to it. I’ll wait and taste. Please fix it! Thanks!
There is no curry powder in this recipe. Rather than using curry powder (which is just a mix of different spices) we use the individual spices instead. 🙂
This is the best lentil curry thats ever been in my stomach. Definitely deserves the most 5 stars it can get, cause everyone need to taste.
Your comment made my day! Thank you!