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Vegan Lentil Curry

This vegan lentil curry is absolutely amazing. It’s simple, exotic, spicy, tasty, creamy and has an intense coconut flavor. I like to serve it with rice.

Vegan Lentil Curry - This vegan lentil curry is absolutely amazing. It's simple, exotic, spicy, tasty, creamy and has an intense coconut flavor. I like to serve it with rice.

I’m in love with this vegan lentil curry, it’s my favorite lentil recipe, I eat it almost every week. Besides, it’s a super easy and flavorful dish. If you love Indian cuisine as mush as I do, you need to try this awesome lentil curry.

I usually eat lentils with rice, it’s a satisfying and nutritious meal, and also a great combination, so delicious! This recipe is diet-friendly, especially if you don’t add any oil.

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Vegan Lentil Curry - This vegan lentil curry is absolutely amazing. It's simple, exotic, spicy, tasty, creamy and has an intense coconut flavor. I like to serve it with rice.

I love coconut milk, it has fat, but if you include it in moderation in a healthy, balanced diet, it’s not a problem and you can make it at home, it’s so easy, you only need water and coconut (fresh or shredded). Anyway, if you don’t like coconut milk or if you prefer a lighter version use water or any other plant milk. The rest of the ingredients are pretty light and nutritious. It’s a flavorful recipe because we added so many spices (feel free to add other spices or remove any).

Garam masala is a mixture of spices very popular in Indian cuisine. If you can’t find it, just make it at home or use the spices you have on hand. The composition of garam masala differs regionally. The components of the mix are toasted, then ground together. A typical Indian version of garam masala contains: turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cumin seeds and cardamom pods, but you can also add other spices such as garlic powder, ginger, sesame seeds, mustard seeds, coriander, nutmeg, fennel or cayenne powder.

Vegan Lentil Curry - This vegan lentil curry is absolutely amazing. It's simple, exotic, spicy, tasty, creamy and has an intense coconut flavor. I like to serve it with rice.

I eat legumes at least 3 or 4 times a week and I’m always trying new legume recipes. This vegan lentil curry is a staple for me, it’s a pretty simple recipe, but it takes time, although it’s totally worth it. If you like curry, lentils and coconut, you need to try it.

Vegan Lentil Curry - This vegan lentil curry is absolutely amazing. It's simple, exotic, spicy, tasty, creamy and has an intense coconut flavor. I like to serve it with rice.

If you like this vegan lentil curry, check out these lentil recipes: low-fat vegan Shepherd’s pie, lentil salad, fat-free Spanish lentil stew, easy lentil curry and vegan sloppy joes.

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment below, share it, rate it or tag a picture @simpleveganblog on Instagram and hashtag it #simpleveganblog. We’d love to see what you cook!

Vegan Lentil Curry - This vegan lentil curry is absolutely amazing. It's simple, exotic, spicy, tasty, creamy and has an intense coconut flavor. I like to serve it with rice.

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Vegan Lentil Curry

★★★★★ 4.9 from 48 reviews
  • Author: Simple Vegan Blog
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 55 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Gluten Free, Entrées, Sides & Main Dishes
  • Cuisine: Vegan, Indian-Inspired

This vegan lentil curry is absolutely amazing. It’s simple, exotic, spicy, tasty, creamy and has an intense coconut flavor. I like to serve it with rice.

Vegan Lentil Curry - This vegan lentil curry is absolutely amazing. It's simple, exotic, spicy, tasty, creamy and has an intense coconut flavor. I like to serve it with rice.
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup uncooked lentils (220 g)
  • 1 cup uncooked basmati rice (200 g)
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • ½ onion
  • 16 ounces tomato sauce (450 g)
  • ⅔ cup full-fat coconut milk (150 g)
  • 2 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder

Instructions

  1. Cook lentils according to package directions. We cooked them for 40 minutes over medium-high heat. Drain and set aside.
  2. Cook basmati rice according to package directions. We cooked them for 12 minutes over medium-high heat. Drain and set aside.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the garlic and the onion (finely chopped) and cook them over medium-high heat until golden brown.
  4. Add the tomato sauce, coconut milk and spices and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  5. Add cooked lentils, stir and cook for at least 15 or 20 minutes.
  6. Serve the lentils over the basmati rice. You can add some chopped cilantro on top.
  7. Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

  • I like brown lentils, but any type of lentils will do.
  • Use your favorite type of rice or even other grains like quinoa or buckwheat.
  • If you want to make this recipe oil-free, just sauté the veggies in some water or oil-free broth.
  • Chopped tomatoes can be used instead of the tomato sauce.
  • If you don’t like coconut, add water or any plant milk instead of the coconut milk.
  • Use your favorite veggies and spices.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
  • Calories: 485
  • Sugar: 5.8 g
  • Sodium: 549.8 mg
  • Fat: 12.8 g
  • Saturated Fat: 7.8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 78 g
  • Fiber: 8.5 g
  • Protein: 17.8 g

 

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  1. This looks fantastic! I can’t believe it only takes 5 minutes of prep time – what a great, satisfying meal for those days you don’t really feel like making anything elaborate and involved!

    Reply

      • This recipe turned out lip-smacking delicious but I did make the following changes : I “sautéed” in vegetable broth to reduce the fat. Also, I wanted to keep the juices from the cooking of the lentils so I added the dried lentils to the sautéed veggies with three cups of vegetable broth, with the crushed tomatoes and all the spices and cooked on medium low heat until the lentils were tender. i also added 2 tbsp of curry paste and I doubled the ginger, curry and garam masala. Finally I added two tbsp of maple syrup to round out the taste and reduce acidity. I made brown rice to serve with the curry. Very tasty and just hot enough. Thanks!

        Reply

  2. This looks and sounds amazing! I’m planning to make it for dinner tonight. 🙂

    Question, though: Did you mean 16 ounces of tomato sauce? Just want to clarify. Thanks!

    Reply

  3. I made it for dinner tonight. I, for some reason, can never seem to get that delicious Indian food flavor that I’m after. I found the spices in this to be very light, somehow ephemeral. I added several shakes of more of everything. With all the various tweaking it ended up tasting like taco meat with a slight Indian influence. -sigh- At least it’s edible though. That’s more than I can say for my past attempts to find that delicious old quick and easy Indian dish.

    Reply

  4. Wow, made this tonight and it was fantastic. This is going into heavy rotation for sure!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  5. Hi! Pinned this recipe on Pinterest about a year ago — finally made it tonight… delicious!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  7. Hi, would really love to try this ( every recipe I have tried so far has been amazing <3 ), but, I'm not a massive coconut fan, can you recommend anything I could substitute for all the coconut? Thanks

    Reply

  8. Absolutely delish! I’ll definitely be adding this to my rotation. I can’t believe how simple it was to make and that I had all the ingredients already on hand.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  9. So delicious! Made this tonight for my boyfriend and I and he couldn’t stop going back to the kitchen for more. Thank you guys for all of your amazing recipes!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  10. This was absolutely amazing & so very easy!! I want a third serving (lol) but I’m using all my willpower to resist 🙂

    Reply

  13. in my opinion, a whole can of tomato sauce makes this taste pretty bland. id recommend about half the suggested, or tinker with it.

    or if you want to add a whole can, use way more spice. i tried it first with a whole can and it came out pretty good but it lacked a punch of a good, authentic, indian curry.

    still a great recipe tho!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  14. Thank GOODNESS I found this recipe! This is my first time cooking with both curry and garam masala and I have completely fallen in love. Thank you thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • Hi Lauren! I love curry and garam masala, they taste amazing and there are hundreds of recipes you can do 🙂 Thanks a lot for your comment!!!

      Reply

  15. I made this last night for dinner and it was lovely, I added a vegetable stock cube in but that was the only alteration. I wasn’t sure what to use for tomato sauce and used pasata which needed some “zhushing” up hence the stock cube.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  17. Wow. I am eating this dish right now, and it’s got great flavor and creaminess. I happened to have leftover coconut milk, cooked lentils and rice, so it whipped together in a flash AND helped me to use up leftovers. I added broccoli to get some extra veggies in today and it tastes delicious!

    Thanks for an awesome and versatile recipe. Totally pinned!

    Reply

  20. Just made this during my little guy’s nap. So easy and delicious! Always looking for ways to use turmeric because of its many health benefits. I also added about a cup of diced sweet potatoes to the onion and garlic mix. This is exotic and delicious but still mild enough to please even the kiddos. Thanks for always sharing your awesome vegan recipes!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  21. I can’t buy Tomoto Sauce where I live so I’m just wondering what are the listed ingredients on a tin?! I’m going to try this recipe using a tin of tomoto puree and I’m just wondering what needs to be added to that to substitute for the sauce?!

    Reply

    • Hi Ruth! The tomato sauce is usually made with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, onion, tomatoes, salt and sugar, but you can also use tomato puree or chopped tomatoes 🙂

      Reply

  22. This recipe didn’t quite work out for me unfortunately. The spices did not mesh well together and I agree that the tomato is overpowering.

    ★

    Reply

    • I’m sorry the recipe didn’t work for you, this is one of our most popular recipes. Have a nice day!

      Reply

  23. Made this for dinner tonight. Great flavor. Threw in a half a bag of kale that was going bad and the rest of a pack of mushrooms. Very filling and will be lunch for me and my carnivore husband tomorrow. He’s coming around one great meal at a time.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  24. Hi, Iosune! I am so what new to eating lentils. I can’t wait to try this recipe! Do you use the red or green lentils?

    Reply

  25. I just made this for the first time today, and it is amazing! It’s definitely going into my rotation of go-to meals.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  26. Just made this (with a few slight modifications to the amounts of coconut milk and tomato sauce to suit what I had on hand) and it was very good.

    Reply

  27. I tried a variation of this tonight and it came out pretty good for my first try. I removed some things, but it still tasted good, and there are even a couple of meals leftover.

    Thanks for creating this recipe blog, with simple directions and great visuals, which push me to actually cook for a change 🙂

    ★★★★

    Reply

  28. This was wonderful! I made this recipe a couple of weeks ago and doubled the amounts so that my boyfriend and I could enjoy leftovers. I used light coconut milk and added a little salt (turns out, this was unnecessary) and some fresh minced ginger. Can’t wait to make this again. Thank you for sharing the recipe!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  29. Here is lot of attractive food, I like to make it proper and wish to taste.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  30. I’m really loving the theme/design of your website.
    Do you ver run into any web browser compatibility problems?
    A handful of my blog readers have complained about my site nnot operating correctly in Explorer but looks great in Safari.
    Do you have any recommendations to help fix this issue?

    Reply

  31. Simply amazing recipe – thanks for sharing it. I skipped the oil to reduce the calories/fat & smthrew the onions into the coconut milk to cook. Yummy!!!!

    Reply

  32. This was so good! And easy! Thanks!! Next time I’ll probably add a little it more of the spices, just because we like a bit more, although lentil curry is usually pretty mild!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  33. This recipe has become one of my favorites. It is so easy to prepare and reheats well. I make this at least once a month.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  34. Just made this today….AND I am making it again tomorrow! We love it! thank you so much. This is definitely going in our book of regular weekly dinners. Easy and cheap and tasty. 🙂

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  35. I am thrilled to have found this recipe. Love the ease of putting it together, and finally, a way to use up some garam masala and curry. Worked for me just as you recommended with no changes or substitutions. Made a double batch and served it today at a dish-to-pass gathering for my 70th birthday. Got lots of praise!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  36. I made this and it tasted wonderful! Great dish!
    I did add/change a little from using my pantry (to use up, before expiring, add a little more love). And substituted rice with Bulghur (<– cracked wheat). I added- raw banana peppers (clean & seeded of course) and peanuts (for extra crunch, and it's the cheapest "nut"), and lastly some anise seed, sumac, mustard powder, paprika and a tad-bit of cinnamon/coconut sugar to help with the mild spicy peppers (I'm addict to intense flavor). I didn't have ginger. Since I made a huge heaping worth of all this, I adjusted the measurings, "eye-balled it".
    *Thank you for the recipe! Helped me start out. I made a bunch for my husband, and now he has food for the whole week. I froze some also to save for later. It does look like a fancy "dog food" haha, but tastes great!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  37. Ive just made tgis and it is yummy…i added red peppers and lomg beans as had dem in fridge and i used red split lentils..it is lovely and creamy and spice is mild which i like..will defi be making this once a week. Oh i used passata aswell…might try tinned tomoato next time. Thanks doe receipe..:))

    Reply

  38. This recipe was absolutely amazing – 5 stars!!

    I am new to veganism and this is the first recipe i have tried, i love it and will definitely be adding it to my vegan recipe collection.

    I didn’t have coconut milk on hand, so i added water as you suggested. I also did not have any garam masala, so I omitted that.

    Thank you Iosune, I cannot wait to try out your other recipes 🙂

    Reply

    • Hi Simone! Thanks a lot for your kind words 🙂 If you have any doubt about veganism, please feel free to ask, I’ll be happy to help. Have a nice day!

      Reply

    • Hi Rebecca! I used a typical Spanish brown lentils called “Pardinas”, but you can make this recipe using any kind of lentils you want 😀

      Reply

  40. I’ve had this saved for over a year on “my dinners this week” board lol. We are in the process of moving and trying to use up all the things in my cabinets. My husband was walking around not so excited I was making a vegan dish. Every one I make from Pinterest ends up a major fail. This was amazing! I’m super shocked! I didn’t have some of the spices so I did as you suggested and added cinnamon, coriander, etc. Thank you!! Yummy and free 🙂

    Reply

  41. This was amazing…just so yummy and tasty! Curries are my favorite and this one is certainly at the top of the list..thank you!

    Reply

  42. Amazing ! I made this tonight, it turned out absolutely delicious. The only tweak was that I just added a courgette that I didn’t know where else to put. I served it on pilau rice. Many thanks for a successful dinner party 🙂

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  43. Amazing! I’m always aprehensive about curry recipes because I always manage to ruin them. This came out perfect and will become a regular dish for my husband and me. Do you have any recommendations for how to make this in the crock pot?

    Reply

    • Hi Karley! I’m so glad you liked it! I’ve never used a Crock pot (it’s not very common here in Spain), so I can’t help you, sorry!

      Reply

  44. I’m 19 and ! just made this recipe and wow it was amazing!! I subbed brown rice for the white and it was still soo good.
    I’d never cooked with lentils before so it was a bit difficult gauging when they were done, but I read somewhere that they really suck up seasoning and sometimes you have to over season a bit to taste them, so i did so with this recipe.
    So glad with the results and thank you for posting! I’ve only been vegan for a few months but recipes like these really help!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • Hi Courtney! Thanks a lot for your kind words 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!!! Being vegan is easy if you find recipes you like 😀 Have a nice day!!!

      Reply

  45. I hate recipes that call for less than a full can of something (I know I’d put the remaining coconut milk in tupperware in the fridge only to throw it out a week later) so I doubled the recipe to avoid that. Also used the full bag of lentils which was probably 2 1/2 cups dry. I did not double the tomato sauce though, left that at 16 oz. Also added 2 sweet potatoes as per another commenterc’s suggestion. It is very good and very simple to make! I’m looking forward to having this for lunch all week.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  46. I made this last night and it was easy and delicious!
    I didn’t have coconut milk but had coconut oil, so I added a little of that and soy milk in an attempt to get that flavor.
    My husband loves it, he likes milder flavors than me. Next time I might divide it up and add more curry powder and a spicy kick of some kind to my portion. Any suggestions?

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  47. Hi ! This looks so beautiful and delicious and I kept fingers crossed as I made this for dinner vegan lentil curry. It tasted good. It just tasted AWESOME! It is also easy to cook. Thanks for all ur efforts to make every thing easy for us.

    Reply

  48. I tried the recipe and I really did like it, it´s so simple! I only changed few small, but maybe importnant details:
    1. when the onion and garlic were almost cooked enough, I added the spices and let them fry for a minute or two. Then I added the tomato sauce etc.
    2. I had the coconut milk AND some coconut CREAM, which I added too and the result was really smooth with soft coconut flavour.
    3. I MIXED a half of the mixture.
    Perfect!!!

    ★★★★

    Reply

  50. Thanks for the amazing recipe! I think this is my new favourite. I added some chickpeas and diced tomatoes to it. ?

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  51. This was so easy (I must admit to using tinned lentils though as well as improvising on the technique) and was soooo good. Looked better than an Indian take away – and considering my first lentil curry so happy.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  52. I love this recipe, I make it all the time!
    I only use 1/2 Tbs of coconut oil instead of the olive but other than that I follow it as written. Absolutely delicious with pappadams. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Hi Jessica! Thanks a lot 🙂 You can also make it oil-free using a little bit of water or veggie broth 😉

      Reply

  54. I can’t count the times I’ve made it, since I discovered it. It wasn’t that long ago, but I love it so much. It’s so easy, it tastes good and when you heat it up, it’s as good as the day you made it.

    I must admit, I’ve skipped the oil, onion and garlic lately, as it makes the preparation even faster.
    But I don’t miss those ingredients.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  59. Is this freezable? I only eat for one and I don’t want to eat it everyday so I was wondering if I could freeze it and have it another day 🙂

    Reply

  60. This was DELICIOUS! I made a few minor tweaks because I decided to double the recipe and use precooked lentils from Trader Joes, but it still came out perfectly. The changes I made were using the full 2.25 cup pack of lentils, using one can of tomato sauce and one can of diced tomatoes instead of doubling the amount of tomato sauce and also using the full can of coconut milk (waste not, want not lol). Thanks for such a killer recipe!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  61. Hi Iosune, just wondering about the lentils….220g I am assuming is the uncooked weight yeah? If let’s say I was using already cooked canned lentils….how many grams would I need to make your recipe?? Looks great….looking forward to making it!!! Thanks heaps, Laura ?

    Reply

    • Hi Laura! Yes, 220 g of uncooked lentils. I’m so sorry, but I don’t know how many grams of cooked or canned lentils you should add to the recipe. I’d add 1 cup of canned lentils and then I’d add more if needed. Hope the recipe works for you!

      Reply

  62. This was a great base! I didn’t have tomatoes sauce so I used crushed tomatoes instead with no issues. I added a more of each spice to kick up the flavor but found it lacking in that spiciness I like with curry so I added between 1/2-1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to up the heat. I also added half a small head of cauliflower and a can of chickpeas to the lentil mix to add protein and some variety in textures. I’ll definitely be making this again!

    Great job!

    ★★★★

    Reply

  63. I love this recipe, thank you so much for posting it. It is such a hit around my house hat I have added it to our regular dinner menu. Isntead of rice I make it with Quinoa because my sister won’t eat the Quinoa otherwise. Thank you!!

    Reply

  64. WOW! I just finished eating it and I’m in love with the recipe! I had to modify it since I didn’t have garam masala, turmeric, or ginger. I added instead: cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, and paprika. I also didn’t have coconut milk so I used a bit of almond milk with water. The result = amazing! Thanks for sharing the recipe 🙂

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  65. Hi
    I’ve just tried your recipe and is great! I didn’t have tomato sauce so I used fresh tomatoes (around 900g).
    thanks for sharing your recipe 🙂

    Reply

  67. Hi! I made this last night for my boyfriend and roommates and they loved it! I upped the spices however (just personal taste) and added a bit more coconut milk. It was very good and so easy. Thanks! Will try another one of you recipes soon!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  68. Made it for dinner today, and it was fantastic! I made it completely oil-free subbing water for olive oil and using brown basmati rice instead of white. It’s a great hearty and fulfilling dish! Thank you so much!

    P.S. LOVE your blog!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • Hi Eva! I’m so glad you enjoyed it 😀 Thanks a lot, you’re so kind. Have a nice day!

      Reply

  70. This is mouthwatering delicious! Once I had fried the onion and garlic I put them in a blender with the tomatoes and coconut milk then put back in the pan and added the lentils. It was so smooth and creamy.

    Reply

    • Hi Lisa! Thanks a lot 😀 I use Spanish Pardina lentils, but any type will do. Have a nice day!

      Reply

  73. Amazing recipe! I was looking for a vegan lentils and rice dish and found my way to your website, made the dish I didn’t tweak anything and followed the ingredient and quantities and it turned out amazing, my neighbors were outside in our garden while I was cooking and the smell lured them in and they ended up joining us all for dinner?

    Reply

  75. Thanks for this lovely recipe Iosune, it’s delicious ! Quick to whip up and it’s a great base to work from based on taste and seasonality, using various veggies. Simple yet efficient 🙂 the ingredients are easy to find and the process is quick and easy, it’s a keeper for week nights and impromptu guests. Thanks a lot!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  77. We made this for a lunch visitor today and OMW! heavenly. I took advice from Stephan’s comment and doubled up on the spices. Although there were only 3 of us, there was nothing left when our guest left!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  78. made this tonight.
    we loved it. my whole house smells like an indian restaurant now 🙂 i too doubled all the spices and added some smoked paprika, as i usually do for everything. it was very good. Thank you.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  79. This curry is is damn delicious. We’ve made it twice now, both times for friends who aren’t vegan and they absolutely loved it. The second time we doubled up on all the spices because our friend is a bit of a curry freak and likes his food hot. It’s definitely going to be a staple in our house! Thank you.

    Reply

  80. Have just made this recipe and looks delicious. I used tomato sauce but will use fresh tomatoes next time only to cut down on sugar. The tomato sauce version does taste nice as well.

    Reply

  82. So delicious and satisfying!!! I added some salt. This will be a dinner staple for sure!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  83. Garam masala is a mixture of spice and taste. Composition of Garam masala and curry makes the food even tastier and delicious. If you like semi cooked food then you can also grab few ready to cook curry in the market.

    Reply

  84. This recipe is soo easy to follow and it taste so yummy my two little girls love it ,so do I. I can’t stop sharing it. Thank you ☺

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  85. I’ve tried many curry reciepes and this is my favourite! Simple but really tasty and perfect when you’re short of time. Thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  86. Just a comment on the instructions, I’m not finding the temps to cook at other than the first couple of steps. Otherwise awesome recipe!! Thanks!

    Reply

  87. This recipe is fantastic. So quick to prepare and absolutely delicious. And nutritious as well. Tasty, creamy, just the right amount of spiciness. My whole family loved it. Thank you so much.

    Reply

  89. Excellent dish. Will definitely make it again. I did double the onion and coconut milk though. Delicious!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

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