Crockpot Lentil Curry
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Warming and comforting, this hands-off crockpot lentil curry makes enjoying a flavorful and rich curry dinner so very easy! Throw everything into your pot, set the timer, and let the delicious flavors meld. Earthy lentils absorb aromatic spices that are mellowed by the creaminess of the coconut milk and finished with bursting cherry tomatoes and fresh cilantro. Return to an effortless, satisfying curry dinner!
This crockpot lentil curry is so easy – almost too easy! You can even put all the ingredients in your slow cooker in the evening. Store it in your fridge overnight, then turn it on in the morning before you head out the door. When you come home 8-10 hours later, dinner will be waiting for you!
While the convenience factor alone is worth celebrating, it’s the irresistible fusion of flavors that truly steals the show. The crave-worthy flavors meld together slowly for a well-balanced curry that is as delicious as it is easy to prepare.
Ingredients needed
Crockpot curry lentils are made with a handful of ingredients. This is what you need:
- Brown lentils: You can use green lentils if needed.
- Coconut milk: Use unsweetened coconut milk. Light coconut milk works, or you can opt for regular to make it extra creamy!
- Other ingredients: Fresh ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne powder, can of crushed tomatoes, head of garlic, onion, water, sea salt, cilantro, and cherry tomatoes.
- Optional: Cooked rice for serving.
Adding vegetables to crockpot lentil curry
If you’re looking to add a few of your favorite veggies, you can just pop them right in the crockpot. Depending on how hard the veggie is, you can either add it at the start, or towards the end of the cooking time.
- Add at the start: Cubed potatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, or cauliflower.
- Add at the end: Spinach, kale, green beans, or peas. If you’d like your bell peppers to maintain a little crunch you can add them in the last 20-30 minutes.
What to serve with crockpot lentil curry
Serve on a bed of steaming cauliflower rice or basmati rice with some naan on the side. This lentil curry works as a standalone dish, but if you’d like to add something on the side you can make some curried carrots, chili paneer, or roasted tandoori cauliflower.
Recipe FAQs
Can I store leftover crockpot curried lentils?
You can store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. If you’d like to enjoy it beyond that, you can also stash it in the freezer for up to three months. Crockpot lentil curry freezes really well!
Can I use another type of lentil or canned lentils?
You sure can – just note that each variety of lentils will have a different cooking time. Green will have a similar time to brown, but red lentils or yellow lentils will cook much quicker, so they would go mushy if you cooked them for this long.
The same goes for canned lentils. As they are already cooked, they’d turn to mush if you tried to use them in this recipe. If you want to use canned lentils, follow our coconut lentil curry recipe, adding the canned lentils without the water and simply heating them.
How do you avoid the lentils remaining tough?
Lentils that have been sitting on supermarket shelves or in the pantry for longer will take longer to soften, so check the date and ensure they’re fresh. Add the salt towards the end of the cooking process.
What do the whole cumin and coriander seeds taste like?
The cumin seeds meld into the curry, adding flavor but not being too noticeable. The coriander seeds stand out, giving a little pop of flavor 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.
Crockpot Lentil Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups dried brown lentils
- 2 tablespoons ginger (minced)
- 1 tablespoon EACH: cumin, coriander, turmeric
- Optional: 1-2 teaspoons cayenne powder
- 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 head garlic (chopped)
- ½ medium onion (finely minced)
- 3 cups water
- 15 ounce can coconut milk
- 2-3 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 cup chopped cilantro
- A few handfuls of cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
- Optional: cooked rice for serving
Instructions
- Add the dried brown lentils, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, if using the cayenne, crushed tomatoes, garlic, onion, and 3 cups of water in your crockpot. Put the lid on and set the timer for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.1 ½ cups dried brown lentils, 2 tablespoons ginger, 1 tablespoon EACH: cumin, coriander, turmeric, Optional: 1-2 teaspoons cayenne powder, 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes, 1 head garlic, ½ medium onion, 3 cups water
- Stir the coconut milk, 2 teaspoons of sea salt, cilantro, and cherry tomatoes into the curry. Taste and add extra salt to taste.15 ounce can coconut milk, 1 cup chopped cilantro, A few handfuls of cherry tomatoes, 2-3 teaspoons sea salt
- Serve the curry on its own or over a bed of rice.Optional: cooked rice for serving
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
More lentil recipes
For more inspiration, check out all of our curry recipes!
When did you add the coconut milk?
In step 2 🙂
Easy and delicious. Definitely the right about of ginger, onion and garlic.
The only issue I had was that it was too acidic from the tomatoes and a bit bitter. Easily fixed with brown sugar.
I used Kashmiri chili powder instead of cayenne and added a lot more for some heat. I also topped with kasoori methi, but it didn’t add much.
If you make this with low-fat coconut milk like me (all I had), I’d add a couple tablespoons of butter or ghee.
Made this recently as I’m trying many new recipes with all the time I now have. Delicious mix of spices and lentils. I did omit the cherry toms and cilantro.
I have the stove top version simmering now. Btw, you have a typo, its giddy, not gitty.
Oh that’s embarrassing!
Did the curry in a slow cooker really enjoyed it, hadn’t got coconut milk so put some creamed coconut block in, definitely will be making it again ??
How much water do you need for the 1x 2x and 3x versions?
3-6-9 cups. 🙂
I’ve made both the stove top and crockpot versions of this recipe….I think I prefer the stove top. Any instant pot version?
I do, too. 🙂 No instant pot version yet, but I’m sure that it would work. 🙂
I am cooking it right now; it’s been 4 .5 hours in low, but the lentils are definitely done – I am unsure why there’s a bitter after taste, is this normal? Could it be too much tumeric? I haven’t added the tomatoes or coconut milk.
Even with the aftertaste, I love them.
Turmeric can be slightly bitter. The coconut milk should take care of that. 🙂
Ha anyone thrown chicken in it while it was cooking?
I haven’t but chopped chicken thighs or breasts I would think would work well.
Bit late to answer this but I usually add raw diced chicken for the last hour or raw prawns about 20 mins from end of cooking. Delicious. I also put a chicken stock cube in.
Thanks for coming back to let us know!!
hi there! Should I do 6 cups of water if I doubled the recipe?
I would reduce the water a little and add more only if the curry starts to look dry. 🙂
Did you really mean one HEAD of garlic (or one clove)?
That’s right! It sounds like a lot but it’s perfect in this recipe. 🙂
I am planning to make this now in the slow cooker. I am confused about the amount of garlic to add. I know you said one head. I’m a garlic lover but this does seem like a lot. How many minced cloves would you suggest? Thanks!
One head of garlic is about 8-10 cloves. 🙂
Thanks for getting back to me! I was able to find it on your stove top recipe. Getting ready to add the coconut milk and other additions soon. Does the coconut milk need to be full fat or can I use non-fat? Also, for the future, can anything else be used as a sub for the coconut milk? 😊
Full-fat coconut milk will make the curry creamier and richer tasting.- better, in my opinion. But you can definitely use non-fat to cut down on calories. I haven’t found a good non-dairy substitute for coconut milk, but regular cream would work if you eat that.
Thank you so much for getting back to me. I’ll stick to the recipe as suggested bc it was awesome the first time. Making it again this week for the family.
Love it! First time trying lentils, didn’t have time to wash them overnight, cook them, watch them. The recipe is perfect and super easy to cook and delicious 🙂 thanks so much for this!!
You are very welcome!!
This curry dish was tasty but had it’s challenges. I used green lentils that I had just purchased. They didn’t have a date, so unsure how old they were. After 8 hrs on low in my slow cooker, they still weren’t done. I added about a cup of hot water, and cooked them 2 hrs longer. At that point we had to eat. The dish had good flavor, and the lentils were cooked, but firm. I also didn’t realize that the cumin and coriander were supposed to be whole seeds until I read another comment. I just assumed the spices were ground. Served with rice I cooked in coconut water with one kaffir lime leaf added.
The spices can be whole or ground. We make it both ways, but the recipe is based on our stovetop version which uses whole spices. Good call on adding the lime leaf!
Oh so if using whole spices, do they soften over the time or still chewy when eating the curry? Or are they whole spices that are freshly ground. Sorry for my confusion?
The whole spices don’t soften – the coriander seeds have a flavorful crunch when you bite into them. I like it, but you can use ground if you’re worried that you won’t enjoy the crunch.
If you add your salt at the start of cooking, try adding it near the end instead. Salt will keep lentils tougher longer.
I had a similar issue with the lentils not cooking properly. I set them on high for four hours, but they were still crunchy. I then put them on low for four more hours, and they were finally done just right. I tasted them before I added the coconut milk and thought this had been a mistake, but after adding it, it was yummy. It needed all 3 tsp salt. I will make it again but cook longer.
Can i use dried red lentils instead as don’t have brown
Red will work, too. 🙂
Hi! Just wondering if this is just 1/2 cup of lentils or one and a half? I seem to have an awful lot of lentils! Thanks 🙂
It is one and a half cups. 🙂
I am making this now. I have been in a mood for some good lentils. I made it with chicken bone broth instead of water and added about 1/2 cup chopped Kate that I had on hand and needed to use. It smells wonderful. I will let you know how it comes out. Thank you.
I hope you like it as much as we do!