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.
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.
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.
If you like this vegan lentil curry, check out these lentil recipes: low-fat vegan Shepherd's pie, lentil salad, 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!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Lentil Curry
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked lentils
- 1 cup uncooked basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic
- ½ onion
- 16 ounces tomato sauce
- â…” cup full-fat coconut milk
- 2 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
Instructions
- Cook lentils according to package directions (we cooked them for 40 minutes over medium-high heat). Drain and set aside.
- Cook basmati rice according to package directions. We cooked them for 12 minutes over medium-high heat. Drain and set aside.
- 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.
- Add the tomato sauce, coconut milk and spices and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Add cooked lentils, stir and cook for at least 15 or 20 minutes.
- Serve the lentils over the basmati rice. You can add some chopped cilantro on top.
- 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.
Julia says
This is such a great recipe, I've made it countless times and it never disappoints.
Iosune says
Hi Julia! Thanks a lot 🙂 Have a nice day!
Alice says
Loved the recipe, thank you! I have added a bit of chilli powder and a sweetener, in my case it was some date syrup.
I will definitely make it again!
Thanks again!
Iosune says
Hi Alice! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Rosemarie Lavrisa says
I plan to use this recipe and wondered if I can sub grated ginger root for the powdered ginger.
Iosune Robles says
Hi! Feel free to use powdered ginger 🙂
love-vegan says
Easy to make and great taste!
Iosune Robles says
Thank you so much 🙂 Have a nice day!
Stacy Jones-Malik says
In lieu of coconut milk I've used soy milk. It still tastes good, but the coconut milk really adds something the soy can't replicate. I also use twice as much seasoning as listed but that's just what my family prefers.
Iosune Robles says
Hi! You're completely right, coconut milk in this recipe adds an amazing taste!
Femke says
Love this dish!
Iosune Robles says
Hi! I'm so glad you loved it 🙂
Yvonne Emanuel says
I made this for tonight's dinner and it was fantastic! So easy and so few ingredients, but oh so aromatic and delicious. This will be a regular for me. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Iosune Robles says
So glad you enjoyed our lentil curry Yvonne 🙂 Have a nice day!
Alex says
Added sauteed zucchini and eggplant. I have a hard time making a good curry, but this one turned out yummy! I love the tang the tomato sauce gives it.
Iosune Robles says
So glad you enjoyed our lentil curry 🙂 Thanks for your comment!
Sada says
Another great recipe - thank you! I used canned lentils, added peas and used fresh ginger instead of ground, just because those were what I had on hand. Delicious 🙂
Iosune Robles says
Thank you so much Sada! Sounds so good 🙂
Wendy says
Thanks for the post! My kid is vegetarian, my guy is low- (simple) carb and we eat little meat, so we are always looking for good bean/dahl/lentil recipies. We made a big pot of lentils in the instapot, then used a couple scoops of this, along with the diced tomatoes that another reviewer suggested, along with 1/2 tsp of salt. I also threw in half a bag of frozen spinach (was going to use amaranth from the garden, but it got too dark!). Nice texture, nice flavor. This looks like a great base for alot of dishes. 🙂
Iosune Robles says
Hi Wendy! Yes, it is a great base for a lot of dishes 🙂 So glad you liked it!
Jean says
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, I had no idea how delicious it would be. Just finished eating it and there's not much left to save. I used fresh ginger and turmeric and left out the garam masala ('cause I didn't have any) but it was spectacular anyway! Trying to get off meat and was looking for healthy alternatives when I found you.
Iosune Robles says
Hello Jean, thank you so much for your words 🙂 Hope you enjoy all our recipes!
Jude says
Absolutely my favourite meal I triple the recipe when I make it and always have meals in the freezer.😋😋
Iosune says
Hi Jude! I'm so glad you liked it so much 🙂
Anna Sparling says
This came out great!! I used canned diced tomatoes instead of the tomato sauce and Beluga black lentils. I served it over brown rice. I made my own garam masala using this recipe. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/142967/easy-garam-masala/ I am not much of a cook and this is the first curry I have ever made but it was super easy.
Iosune says
Hi Ana! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂