Vegan Lentil Curry is flavorful, rich in nutrients, and totally satisfying! With crunchy carrots, sweet onions, and bell peppers this lentil dish delivers texture and taste! Plus, it’s ready in only 30 minutes!
Lentils are a staple in plant-based kitchens. Why? They’re nutrient-dense, full of plant protein, easy to prepare, and versatile. You can flavor them to work in many different types of world cuisine.
I use lentils in Mediterranean recipes, Mexican dishes, and twists on classic American fare. Today, I’m adding Indian spices to create a rich, thick, flavorful lentil curry recipe.
Lentil recipes are great to make when planning your vegan prep meals for the week! You can make a large batch and use them in various recipes.
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- 30-minute one-pot meal
- Chock full of veggies
- High in plant protein
- Filling and satisfying
- High in fiber
- Rich flavor
- Not too spicy
Ingredients and Notes
Lentils: There are many different types and colors of lentils. Not every type of lentil is right for every dish. There are red, brown, yellow, green, and even black lentils. Each has a different texture and slightly different flavor. See my Lentil Tacos post for more information on the different types of lentils. For this recipe, I used red lentils. You could also use yellow lentils. Both are smaller in size than green or brown lentils and cook more quickly.
Vegetable Broth: You can use store-bought broth or you can make your own. For a creamier texture, you can add 2 cups of vegetable broth, and 2 cups of coconut milk.
Vegetables: I used diced carrots, diced onion, diced tomatoes, and diced red bell peppers. But you can trade these out for other veggies you prefer or have on hand. Red bell peppers give off a hint of sweetness that pairs nicely with your sweet onion. Add some chopped sweet potatoes for a hearty texture.
Herbs and spices: Minced garlic, freshly grated ginger, curry powder, cumin, salt, and pepper get mixed together to bring out all of the delicious flavors in this dish. The spices are what really make this dish so delicious! I also add fresh cilantro for garnish. If you don’t have curry powder, you can use 1 tablespoon of turmeric.
Vegan Lentil Curry Instructions
Step 1: Sauté onions in ¼ cup of vegetable broth for 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and ginger. Sauté for an additional 2 minutes over medium heat.
Step 2: Add chopped carrots and bell peppers. Add remaining vegetable broth, and diced tomatoes and bring to a boil.
Step 3: Add rinsed and drained lentils. Stir to combine. Simmer with the lid on for 15-20 minutes or until the lentils are soft.
Step 4: Reduce heat. Add spices: curry powder, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with brown rice or quinoa and top with fresh chopped cilantro.
Variations and Substitutions
Add More Vegetables: Create a cauliflower curry by adding 2 cups of cauliflower florets, or a broccoli curry by adding 2 cups of broccoli florets.
Leafy Greens: Add a few cups of spinach or kale to give the curry more texture and added vitamins such as A, K, B, and C.
Spice Substitutions: If you don’t have curry powder, you can make make your own curry by combining coriander, cumin, turmeric, ground ginger, dry mustard, ground cinnamon, cardamom, and cayenne pepper. Here is a simple curry powder recipe.
Health Benefits of Lentils
High in Plant Protein: Lentils are an excellent source of plant protein making them a staple in a vegan diet. I cup of cooked lentils contain about 18 grams of protein.
High in Fiber: Lentils are high in fiber which helps with digestion, and keeps you feeling full for longer periods, making it less likely you’ll reach for a snack.
Polyphenols: Lentils are a good source of polyphenols which are known to help with inflammation as well as antioxidants that may have cancer-prohibiting properties.
Low in Fat and Calories: Lentils are naturally low in fat and calories. 1 cup of cooked lentils has only 230 calories and less than 1 gram of fat.
Nutrient Rich: Lentils are a good source of B vitamins, iron, magnesium, zinc, and potassium. Iron in particular is sometimes lacking in a vegan diet, so making lentils a regular staple of your diet will help maintain healthy iron levels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lentils are inexpensive legumes that are packed with nutrients and plant protein. If you’re new to plant-based eating, or an old pro, lentils are a great source of vitamins and nutrients that are low-cost and delicious.
It’s not necessary to cook lentils prior to adding them to your curry. Lentils absorb liquid. So when you add the lentils to your broth it will absorb most of the liquid creating a thick stew-like consistency that’s perfect for putting on top of rice or quinoa, or sopping up with vegan whole wheat naan.
If you prefer a thinner consistency I recommend preparing the lentils in a separate saucepan before adding them to the pot with the veggies, broth, and spices.
If you are pre-cooking the lentils prior to adding them to your dish, here’s how to do it. Rinse and drain 1 cup of lentils. Bring 4 cups of water or vegetable broth to a boil. Add rinsed and drained lentils. Bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover. Simmer for 5-8 minutes. Remove from the heat. Drain excess water. Stir in your curry or another dish. Cooking time will vary depending on the type of lentils you use. This cooking time is for red or yellow lentils. Green or brown lentils will require a longer cooking time.
👩🍳 Serving Suggestions
You can enjoy this lentil curry like soup or stew! It’s a hearty and filling dish without any additions. It’s an excellent lunch of dinner. If you want to take it up a notch consider serving it with the following additions…
- Brown Rice
- Quinoa
- Cauliflower Rice
- Vegan Naan
- Vegan Yogurt or Sour Cream
- Fresh Chopped Herbs
- Chopped Cashews
- Fresh Lemon Juice
Storage
Refrigerate Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5-7 days.
Freeze: Allow the curried lentils to cool down completely before storing them in a freezer-safe container for up to 2-3 months.
Reheat: Transfer frozen lentils to the refrigerator to defrost overnight. Reheat on the stovetop.
Expert Tips
- Use precooked green lentils to save time. I prefer the yellow or red lentils as they have a softer texture which I like in this dish.
- There are many varieties of lentils. Some require a longer cooking time. Be sure to read the package instructions for the lentils you purchase if you do not use red or yellow lentils. Green lentils will require a longer cooking time.
- Purchase lentils in the bulk section of your grocery store to save money.
- For meal prep, prepare the lentils in advance, and mix them into the sauce and vegetables to save you time when you’re ready to serve.
- If serving with brown rice, prep ahead of time to save time, or prepare the rice in the ninja foodi or instant pot to save time.
More Lentil Recipes
More Curry Recipes!
Recipe
Vegan Lentil Curry
Ingredients
- 1 cup red or yellow lentils rinsed and drained
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup carrots chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
- 1 cup red pepper diced
- ¾ cup sweet onion diced
- 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 1 ½ tablespoon curry powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Sauté onions in ¼ cup of vegetable broth for 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and ginger. Sauté for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add chopped carrots and bell peppers. Add remaining vegetable broth, and diced tomatoes, and bring to a boil.
- Add rinsed and drained lentils. Stir to combine. Simmer with lid on for 15-20 minutes or until lentils are soft.
- Reduce heat.Add spices: curry powder, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook an additional 3 minutes until heated through. Serve with brown rice, or quinoa and top with fresh chopped cilantro.
Video
Notes
- Use precooked green lentils to save on time. I prefer the yellow or red lentils as they have a softer texture which I like in this dish.
- There are many varieties of lentils. Some require a longer cooking time. Be sure to read the package instructions for the lentils you purchase if you do not use red or yellow lentils. Green lentils will require a longer cooking time.
- Purchase lentils in the bulk section of your grocery store to save money.
- For meal prep, prepare the lentils in advance, and mix them into the sauce and vegetables to save you time when you’re ready to serve.
- If serving with brown rice, prep ahead of time to save time, or prepare the rice in the ninja foodi or instant pot to save time.
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5-7 days.
- Freeze: Allow the curried lentils to cool down completely before storing them in a freezer safe container for up to 2-3 months.
- Reheat: Transfer frozen lentils to the refrigerator to defrost overnight. Reheat on the stovetop.
Jet
Yum
Julie H.
I made this recipe and it was really yummy! The only thing I would do differently is to decrease the curry powder to half. If was a little heavy on the curry and made it too strong.
Alison Corey
Hi Julie! Thanks so much for your input. I sure do love my curry seasoning, so I can see how it might be a little strong for some.
Irina
You are buying me with this 30 minute recipe! Love your curried lentils! Looks and sounds so easy and delicious! It is worth trying:)
Chris Collins
These Vegan Curried Lentils are PERFECT for Veganuary! Can’t wait to try them 🙂
Jo
Lentils are one of my favourite foods ever and they really come alive in this recipe. Beautifully spiced, simply perfect!
Anita
This lentils curry is so good, and oh so easy. I’m not a vegan, but I truly enjoy my meal with this. 🙂
Kushigalu
Drooling over this delicious and flavorful vegan curry. I will try this out soon. Yum!