Creamy Coconut Lentil Curry
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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
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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!
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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.
This recipe looks so tasty. Love curry, especially in the winter. I find it so comforting. Thanks for sharing this recipe š
I so agree … there’s just something about winter and curries!
Made this last night to have today and I must say, never having eaten lentils before and never having cooked any type of curry, this was amazing! I did not follow the exact recipe, I used powedered versions of all the spices and not measuring anything because I’m a lazy cook, this was still so very good! Can’t wait to bring to work to share with my curry loving coworkers.
That makes me so happy to hear! I actually like that you didn’t measure anything. When I’m not making recipes for the blog, that’s exactly how I cook, too. š
Iļø was really exited for this and when Iļø tasted it was bitter. Iļø canāt explain why. Iļø measured everything. But Iļø also used everything in powder form.
That is strange! My best bet is that it was the spices. Did you taste yours to see if the ones you used had a bitter note?
Mine was bitter too. Could it be the sauce that was in the cab of crushed tomatoes?
That’s definitely possible. Have you found the brand of tomatoes you use to be bitter?
The small green stems you sometimes find in garlic tend to be very bitter. I imagine if you happen to use a head that has a lot of these stems, your curry would end up being rather bitter in taste.
Oh, and some people find turmeric to be bitter. I forgot about that one. š
Do you really use a whole bulb/head of garlic?
Yep! I know it sounds crazy, but it’s really good. Somehow it manages to not be too garlicky and just full of flavor.
I made this for supper last night and it was DELICIOUS! My husband said that he could hardly wait for lunch the next day, thank you this recipe, it will become a staple at our house.
That’s such a great compliment. Thank you!
Hi! This looks wonderful. I made too many lentils and was wondering if there’s a way to adjust the recipe so I can use already cooked lentils? Put them in later on in the recipe? Please let me know what you think! I don’t want them to go to waste!
I think you can definitely make it work with cooked lentils. I would add them after you cook the onions, tomato paste, etc then add the coconut milk and see how much of a gravy there is. Only add water until it is as thick or thin as you’d like it since you don’t need the water for cooking the lentils. It should work great!
Is the coriander and tumeric really necessary? My family hates coriander and there is no place to buy tumeric where i live
Definitely leave out the coriander if your family doesn’t like it. Is curry powder available where you live? Maybe add some of that instead of the turmeric. You can leave it out, just know that it might not be quite as flavorful.
this is the meal my brother and I chose to cook together,
and it turned out delicious.
i expected a failure since i’m not really a cooking pro,
but wow. amazing, strong flavors. i’m cooking it again this sunday,
to take it to school for lunch next week š
Thank you so much! I’m so happy to hear you and your brother liked the recipe!!
Ok lots of other people have already said this, but THIS IS AWESOME!!! I didn’t have the seeds, so I just used powdered spice. I have made this three times in the last 6 or so weeks. The flavor is delicious, and it’s very easy. I serve mine over a little brown rice. I don’t know what else to say other than, if you’re reading this recipe and these reviews, just go buy the stuff and make this. You won’t be disappointed.
Thank you so so much! It makes me so happy to hear you liked the recipe!
Thank you so much for recipe! Absolutely delicious and you are right about the big handful of cilantro!!! So much flavor.
You are so welcome!!
I only have ground ginger on hand. How much should I use instead of regular ginger?
I’ve honestly never made this dish with ground ginger so I can’t say for sure. Maybe start with a teaspoon or so and add more to taste. š
Hi, I only have powder cumin and coriander, are the quantities still the same?
Yep! Powdered will work just fine in the same amounts. š
One head or one clove of garlic? Excited to try this!
Thanks!
A whole head! It seems like a lot, but it makes the curry. š
This has become my family’s favorite meal, we have made it once a week since discoving it…we even brought it as our dish to a potluck.
Looking forward to trying your other recipes!!!
That makes me so happy to hear! Horray!!!
OMG that was amazing, I have just started ? base eating in the last week. I have always been fairly healthy but want to take it to the next level. This dish was so delicious and full of taste and flavour. I served mine with brown rice and kale. My favourite vegan dish so far…….?????
This makes me so happy!! Horray!!
I was wondering what to do with the huge bag of lentils I bought….and this turned out to be the recipe I tried! It turned out so well and super yummy too! I used red lentils and diced tomatoes as that’s what I had. Will definitely be making it again.
I’m so happy to hear the recipe was a hit!!