Crockpot Lentil Curry

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 one of those recipes that feels almost too easy for how good it turns out. In fact, it’s based on my popular coconut lentil curry, which is made on the stovetop. After hearing from readers who wanted a slow cooker version, I adapted the recipe so you can enjoy those same cozy flavors with even less hands-on time.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is how effortless it is. You can even assemble everything the night before, pop the slow cooker insert into the fridge, and simply turn it on in the morning. Hours later, you’ll come home to a kitchen that smells incredible and a pot of perfectly cooked curry ready for dinner.

The ingredient list is simple, but the flavors are anything but. Coconut milk, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and plenty of spices slowly meld together as the lentils cook, creating a rich, flavorful curry with just the right amount of warmth. Finished with fresh cilantro and served over rice, it’s a cozy, satisfying meal that practically cooks itself.

A few of your questions, answered

Can I store leftover crockpot curried lentils? You can store it in a covered container in the fridge for 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 lentils will take about the same time as brown lentils, but red or yellow lentils will cook much more quickly, 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.

Tap stars to rate!

4.74 stars (139 ratings)

Crockpot Lentil Curry Recipe

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 4 hours hrs

Total: 4 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Rate Recipe Print

• Pin

Remove Ads

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!

6

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

Some people prefer a sweeter curry. If this is you, add 1-2 tablespoons of coconut sugar or brown sugar when you add the coconut milk. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 ½ cups, Calories: 388kcal (19%), Carbohydrates: 45g (15%), Protein: 17g (34%), Fat: 18g (28%), Saturated Fat: 15g (94%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 968mg (42%), Potassium: 1093mg (31%), Fiber: 19g (79%), Sugar: 9g (10%), Vitamin A: 497IU (10%), Vitamin C: 19mg (23%), Calcium: 104mg (10%), Iron: 7mg (39%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

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!

1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Black Lentil Curry

55 minutes mins

Coconut Red Lentil Peanut Soup

1 hour hr

Tomato Lentil Soup with Manzanilla Olives

1 hour hr

Lentil Bolognese (richly-flavored vegetarian pasta sauce)