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!
Hi! So I made this and the consistency of the lentils was perfect. I was surprised it was a bit bland with all the spices and garlic. I added a little extra salt and did use low fat coconut milk which could have affected the taste too. When I’m not dieting I’ll try it again with full fat coconut milk.
Can you swap out the canned tomatoes with something? I’m allergic to tomatoes but this sounds delicious!
Tomatoes make up the bulk of the recipe so I don’t recommend substituting them. You can try making our lentil soup, which doesn’t have tomatoes in it.
I actually used 1 can of pumpkin instead of tomatoes and it came out great. Just tweaked the spices a bit
water is mentioned as a reply to someones question but no there seems not to be water in the recipe so ???
3 cups of water are added in step 1. It’s in the instructions. 🙂
Love how easy and tasty this meal is.
Loved the stovetop recipe, made it a few years ago and idk why I haven’t made it since!
I am currently about to attempt this version with the slow cook option in my 3 qt instant pot on high/4hr. I will try to come back and update for anyone who wants to know since I’ve never used the slow cook option! *(I did not filter thru all the comments to see if anyone else had done this because there were too many.)
Beautiful recipe, have recommended to friends to try
Can you sub curry powder for tumeric
That should work!
Didn’t come put like i thought it would but being busy, i think i miscalculated the recipe it was still amazing tho!
Hi, just wondering if it is freezer friendly?
Yes! This recipe freezes very well!
I just made this tonight and it’s so delish…should the coconut milk be unsweetened or sweetened? I used un but wonder if it’s supposed to be sweetened. 🤷🏼♀️ 🤔
Thanks!
We use unsweetened!
THANK YOU!!! This is an incredibly delicious meal – and this recipe makes a lot! I have crazy teenagers who love this – they have no clue how good it is for them – and I’m NOT telling them! This recipe goes together quickly – I typically use dried ginger (1/2 tsp) subbed in for fresh ginger. My teens put sour cream and cilantro with the lentils. Thank you so much – your recipes totally rock and this one is a fav at my house!
I made this for a shared lunch today and it was amazing!! I would totally make this again annddd was asked by my colleagues for the recipe.
Love this recipe – it’s become a go-to favourite! Question: can I omit the turmeric? We love it but it stains my daughters “invisaline” braces so I’ve avoided making it for awhile. TIA.
Yes you can!
What size crockpot/slow cooker are you using?
The crockpot used in the pictures here was quite small – maybe 3 quarts. It’s not one I have anymore so I can’t tell you for sure. It was fairly small though.
Can I slow cook on low for 19 hours? I’d start it before going to bed and wouldnt attend to it next till I got home from work the next day?
That should work just fine!
I wanted to try this but am unclear on 2 things.
1) is there water added as an ingredient? Or are the lentils just cooking in the spices and tomatoes?
2) does the coconut milk go in *after* the full cook time of 4/8 hours?
You need to add 3 cups of water in step 1. You’ll see it in the instructions. And yes, the coconut milk gets added after the lentils are cooked. If you add it at the beginning, you’ll risk it curdling. 🙂