Green Lentil Curry is easy lentil curry recipe with green or brown lentils, coconut milk and simple Indian spices. Cook on a stove, in a slow cooker or an Instant Pot, or make a freezer meal.
Lentil Curry
This green lentil curry with coconut milk, tomato paste and simple spices is an old recipe of mine that I always come back to! My family just loves how creamy and packed with delicious Indian flavors it is.
I love that it is made with lentils, which are such a great source of protein. I also love how easy it is to make and how healthy it is for my family to eat!
I recently re-tested this green lentil recipe to make it slow cooker, Instant Pot and stove top friendly.
One of my readers, who is of Indian descent, gave this lentil curry 5 stars.
Ingredients for Lentil Curry
- Lentils: Green lentils are my lentil of choice for this recipe. Brown lentils will work just fine too. You can use red lentils, if that is all you have. Just know that they fall apart during cooking which I think is better for red lentil soup.
- Coconut milk: Not all canned coconut milk is created equal. Quality is everything for creamy curry! I highly recommend to use full fat coconut milk, with clean ingredient list like coconut cream, water and guar gum at the most, and BPA free can is a bonus. Be aware that many cheaper brands contain preservatives and certain organic ones are lumpy. My favorite brands are: 365, Thai kitchen, Trader Joe’s (coconut cream) and Compliments.
- Cooking essentials: Onion, garlic and tomato paste.
- Spices: What would curry be without spices? This recipe calls for turmeric, coriander, curry powder, cumin and salt.
How to Make Green Lentil Curry
You have 3 options to cook this green lentil curry that you can find in detail in recipe card below. It depends on whether you want to come home to “an Indian restaurant”, go for a quick walk or rather quickly whip it up on the stove top while sipping on a glass of wine and listening to Frank Sinatra.
Here is a brief summary of how to cook green lentil curry on the stovetop:
- Cook onion and garlic: In a preheated dutch oven or heavy bottom medium pot, add oil, garlic and onion. Cook until golden brown.
- Add spices: Throw in turmeric, coriander, curry powder, cumin and salt. Stir frequently while cooking for another 30 seconds.
- Add remaining ingredients: Coconut milk, tomato paste, water and lentils can now be stirred in.
- Cook for 45 minutes: After bringing to a boil, cover and cook on low.
- Remove from heat: Let this delicious lentil curry stand for 5 minutes before serving!
More Tips and FAQs
- Do I have to soak lentils? You do not have to soak lentils which makes them a fast cooking legume.
- Can I use broth instead of water? Absolutely, it will add a little bit more flavor. Use vegetable broth or if not strict vegan or vegetarian, chicken or beef broth works too. Just make sure it is low sodium, otherwise curry will be too salty. If you have salted stock, do not add salt to the recipe and adjust to taste after, if necessary.
- Make sure your curry powder is fresh! It is key to the most delicious curry. I buy organic yellow curry powder from Splendor Garden on Amazon.
- Add more heat: This is mild curry recipe because that is what my kids can handle at this point. Add more curry powder and/or red pepper flakes for heat.
How to Serve, Store and Freeze Lentil Curry
Serve: This green lentil curry tastes so good on its own, but here are a few of my favorite sides.
- Salad: My absolute favorite way to serve this curry lentil stew is with a fresh salad. Think a simple lettuce salad or cucumber and tomato salad.
- Bread: Toasted naan bread or whole wheat pita goes amazing too.
- Yogurt: A dollop of plain yogurt can offset some spiciness and add creaminess. Although this lentil curry is not that spicy to keep it kid friendly.
Store and reheat: Leftovers keep fresh in the fridge in an airtight container for 5-6 days. Reheat by simmering on low with a splash of water or broth, in a small pot while covered and stirring once or twice. Shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes.
Freeze: Or you can freeze lentil curry in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw curry in a fridge overnight or on a counter for 5-6 hours. If you need dinner a.s.a.p, simmer frozen curry covered on low with a splash of water, stirring occasionally.
Freezer meal: Lentil curry can also be made into an easy freezer meal. You prep dinner from frozen in 1 minute. Isn’t that amazing?! Check out my full list of healthy freezer meals.
More Curry and Lentil Recipes
Green Lentil Curry {5 Simple Ingredients}
Ingredients
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp coriander ground
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 14 oz can coconut milk full fat
- 6 oz can tomato paste
- 2 cups green lentils uncooked & rinsed
- 3 cups water
- Cilantro and/or green onions for garnish
- Greek yogurt and avocado for serving
Instructions
- Stovetop: Preheat dutch oven or heavy bottom medium pot on low-medium heat and swirl oil to coat. Add onion and garlic, cook until golden brown (5 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add turmeric, coriander, curry powder, cumin and salt; cook for another 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
- Add coconut milk, tomato paste, water, lentils and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, cover and cook on low for 45 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.
- Slow Cooker: Preheat small skillet on low-medium heat and swirl oil to coat. Add onion and garlic, cook until golden brown (5 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add turmeric, coriander, curry powder, cumin and salt; cook for another 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
- Transfer to a slow cooker and add coconut milk, tomato paste, water and green lentils. Stir to combine, cover and cook on High for at least 3 - 4 hours or on Low for 6 - 8 hours.
- Instant Pot: In Instant Pot, add ingredients in exact same order: onion, garlic, turmeric, coriander, curry powder, cumin, salt, green lentils, water, coconut milk and tomato paste. Do not stir!
- Cover, set pressure valve to Sealing and press Pressure Cooking on High for 25 minutes. After do Quick Release to release the pressure by turning the valve to Venting.
- Serve hot garnished with cilantro/green onions.
Store and reheat: Leftovers keep fresh in the fridge in an airtight container for 5-6 days. Reheat by simmering on low with a splash of water or broth, in a small pot while covered and stirring once or twice. Shouldn't take more than 5 minutes.
Freeze: Fully cook, cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw curry in a fridge overnight or on a counter for 5-6 hours.
Video
Notes
- Do I have to soak lentils? You do not have to soak lentils which makes them a fast cooking legume.
- Can I use broth instead of water? Absolutely, it will add a little bit more flavor. Use vegetable broth or if not strict vegan or vegetarian, chicken or beef broth works too. Just make sure it is low sodium, otherwise curry will be too salty. If you have salted stock, do not add salt to the recipe and adjust to taste after, if necessary.
- Make sure your curry powder is fresh! It is key to the most delicious curry. I buy organic yellow curry powder from Splendor Garden on Amazon.
- Add more heat: This is mild curry recipe because that is what my kids can handle at this point. Add more curry powder and/or red pepper flakes for heat.
- Freezer Meal for Instant Pot: In a gallon size Ziplock bag, add all ingredients, except water and garnishes, finishing with tomato paste on top (very important for Instant Pot). Let as much air out as possible, seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Pressure cook on High from frozen with 3 cups of water for 25 minutes with Quick Release.
- Freezer Meal for Slow Cooker: Pan fry onion and garlic with spices sauteed for 30 seconds at the end. Transfer to a gallon size Ziploc bag with remaining ingredients, except water and garnishes. Let as much air out as possible, seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Then cook from frozen with 3 cups of water on Low for 9 hours or on High for 5 hours.
Nutrition
Recipes and images are a copyright of ifoodreal.com. It is against the law to republish recipes anywhere including social media, print and all world wide web. Nutritional info is provided for informational purposes only and to the best knowledge.
Si delish. Never had a curry dish before. This was creamy and savory but not overpowering. Made in instantpot, no changes too recipe.
Thanks again!
You are welcome Carolyn!
This was so delicious and super easy. Thank you for sharing!
I made it today.I can t belive it turn out to be so tasty ,without any meat at all.I have three men in the house and all liked it.Thank you ,for such a great recepie 🤗
You are so welcome! I can so relate cause I have 3 men too. Whenever they see no meat on their plates I hear “sighs” and then they usually calm down. 🙂
Thanks, this is delicious!
This is one of my favorite recipes. So delicious. I probably make it every other week but would happily eat it every other day. Even my carnivore boyfriend loves it. I use the slow cooker method and if I have carrots and celery on hand I dice that and throw it in for an added veggie boost (and then add a little more of the spices too). Thanks you so much for sharing this!
I really appreciate your positive feedback! So happy you like the recipe 🙂
Thanks! I added tofu.
I made this and it was delicious! I added a handful of spinach and kale to get some greens in. We had it with Jasmine rice. Yum!
Yay! Happy you liked it 🙂
I just stumbled across your blog and besides being impressed with this tasty sounding dish – I’m surprised we’re “neighbours”. My family is on the island too! Can’t wait to dig into your recipes.
So happy you found my site! Don’t hesitate to let me know what you think of the recipes 😉
It is on the stove top as I jot this note to you. I gave it a taste, smooth sauce, lentils are not quite cooked, but very mild not spicy enough. Should I add more curry?
You can add as much curry as you wish to your personal taste.
Great recipe! So tasty!
This was delicious! Very glad that I made a bit pot, as I have had leftovers three times since – and it is just as good four days later (maybe even better?). It is excellent with a dollop of greek yoghurt and chopped cilantro on top! I ran out of tomato paste – I only had half the amount, and it didn’t suffer at all. This will go into the regular rotation!
Glad you are enjoying it Ben!
Hi, when I bring it to the boil and cover, do I reduce the heat?
Yes.
I love this dish. It’s so delicious with the right amount of spices. Of course you can add a bit more curry powder if you like it spicy like my son and I do. This dish takes no time to make and goes a long way. Try it! You will not regret it.
Thanks for your positive feedback Ursula!
Just had this for lunch and loved it! I made it as a freezer meal and cooked in the instantpot. I will definitely make it again, and keep a few freezer meals on hand. I thought the tomato paste was a little overpowering, and will try half a can next time. I ordered some of the reusable freezer bags you recommended (but didn’t see them in your amazon storefront!). Thank you for another wonderful recipe!
You’re welcome!
This recipe was simple and soooooo delicious! My family couldn’t stop tasting from the pot. By dinnertime it was nearly gone!
Haha that’s so great to hear Galia!
I tried this for the first time and it was absolutely DELICIOUS !!! I upped my spices and used low sodium chicken broth instead of water, served it with garlic butter Naan bread. OMG !!! Definitely will be on my favourites list.
I am so happy to hear this Gwen!
Is it possible to make without tomato paste?
Technically yes but flavor wise I am not sure how it will come out.
Great
I looooooove this recipe! It’s a go-to meatless meal option for our family. The flavour is incredible. I add 1/4-1/2 tsp of cardamom and a bit more salt than called for and make on the stove. It’s even better when I have the energy to make naan bread. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
You are so welcome Kristy!
Made this last night, and it turned out delicious! Followed the recipe exactly. Paired it with some rice and homemade naan. Thanks for the easy, tasty recipe!
You are very welcome Roro!
Tastes amazing (the coconut milk – wow) & quickest meal on the planet if done in the IP. Well worth keeping the ingredients on hand, my husband could eat this every week.
That’s so great to hear Connie! Thanks for your comments.
Great lentils, the only ones I have made that my daughter eats.
So happy to hear that you (and especially your daughter) like the lentil curry recipe!
Followed recipe but was generous with spices. Delicious! Next time I will add a little heat by adding red pepper flakes and/or chili powder. Thank you for a great and easy recipe.
You are very welcome Brigitta!
I wanted to use my new pressure cooker and also make my first ever easy Indian dish! I’m glad it was this! My boyfriend said “this is the best thing you’ve ever made.” Yay!
Woohoo! Glad you and your boyfriend enjoyed the curry recipe!
My very picky 10 year old said “this is really good”
She has previously said yuck to all lentils and beans. Winning!
Winning is right Laura! So happy to hear this is 10 year old approved!
Can I use regular tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes?
Ideally has to be a tomato paste. Tomato sauce will be less flavor but you can try.
OMGOODNESS !!!!! They were delicious! I did not have corriander, however , I replaced it with fresh dill, parsley, tarragon and cilantro. So much flavor!!! Thank you!!!!!
You are so welcome Kim! Thanks for letting me know how the recipe turned out!
This looks delicious!!!! My husband absolutely hates anything coconut. Wierd, I know, lol. I was wondering if I could use evaporated or 2% milk instead? Cooking a turkey breast and just wanted a nice healthy side….forgive me Mashed Potatoes. Thanks so much, and I look forward to making this!!
I think it would work. I have never cooked with it or tasted but saw consistency and if you think it wouldn’t curdle then do it.
They say it’s a great replacement for coconut milk, because of the higher fat content in recipes. Making it tonight, we shall see.
Thanks for your recipe and input.
Let me know how it turns out!
Love it, very testy and easy to make.
Hanna! Happy you enjoyed this recipe. Have a great day!
Hi Olena, I see a two of coconut oil in the ingredient list but don’t see where to add that in the Instant Pot. Was I supposed to put the oil in the pot before the onion?
It is only for frying on the stovetop. You don’t need it in IP.
First lentil meal I have ever made. So easy, made it in the slow cooker.
Loved it.
Hi Leanne! Thank you for your review. Have a great day!
This is my all time favorite lentil curry. It honestly tastes like a comfort food that I never knew I needed. Simple and delicious!
Awe! Thank you Shelby!
First time recipe. Vegetarian so substituted the oil with no salt veggie broth & light cocunut milk. Was delicious & have added to my recipes
Yay. Happy to hear, Cynthia!
All I can say is wow and a big one at that! I was browsing the web and found your recipe and am I glad I did. The only extra thing I added were 2 tablespoons of tomato ketchup. Had mine with pumpkin mash because I couldn’t get the usual cauliflower rice I substitute for normal rice. I loved it! I have been looking for a go to easy to prep meal. This is it! Thank you so much.
You are very welcome. I am so happy to hear how much you like the recipe.
This was delicious! So easy to make, followed it exactly.
Perfect. Happy to hear, Jenn!
I made this as a freezer meal with red lentils. The whole family loved the result! However, I think next time I would use crushed tomatoes to avoid the chunks (it’s just a texture thing for me). Thanks for sharing it!
Of course. I use diced because that’s what I buy organic and cheap in bulk at Costco. Awesome!!! Happy to hear, Stella.
Have not made this yet but my daughter has several times for Vegan/Vegetarian friends and loves it. I am curious about your use of tomatoes. Is this replacing the paste or in addition to it? Other adjustments? Thank you.
So happy to hear, Suzanne. Honestly I added fresh tomatoes for a pop of colour in the pics. Tasted good as well but totally optional. Enjoy!
Made this in the Instant Pot, so quick to put together, lentils were perfectly cooked and everyone liked it.
I almost followed the recipe as written :). Used brown & green lentils, had no curry powder so eyeballed a mixture of curry spices (ground: chili, cumin, coriander, ginger, turmeric, mustard, bl pepper). When it had finished cooking I added some garam masala for extra depth of flavour. Leftovers were great.
Awesome. That works too! Glad you made it work.
I made this and was nervous about the time for the instant pot but made it as the recipe directed and it came out awesome. Delicious. Green lentil hold their shape so it didn’t turn to mush. Added some chunky carrots just cause I like them and used veg broth instead of water
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Jackie!
This is such a hearty dish! Wonderful!
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
Haven’t tried it yet but it gets 5 stars because I know I’ll love it. I’ll report back. And for anyone questioning how long to cook it, I say listen to Olena. She knows her stuff!! (Like do we disobey Waze? Not according to my past experience! Same with Olena lol!)
LOL
I’m about to try this in my instant pot – 25 min sounds like a lot (my little IP recipe book says 4-6 min for green/brown lentils). Also, I plan to at least double it (I have the larger 8qt model) and that takes longer to heat up/cool down…
Normally with a recipe like this I’d ‘saute’ the onions, garlic, spices, add the lentils & water, ‘manual’ for 4-6 min, use a natural pressure release (10 min) and then add the coconut milk & tomato paste. But now I’m torn. Do I try the IP directions indicated in the recipe above? (I don’t want to wreck supper! 🙂
Has anyone else made this in the IP??
With Instant Pot you add everything at once otherwise there is no point to use IP. Food cooked under pressure comes out more flavorful eliminating need for sauteing. Keep same cooking time for double ingredients. I wrote this recipe based on making it in my 8 quart numerous times. If you have doubts, just make it on the stove. Doesn’t matter how you cook it – it will taste the same.:)
This recipe is so delicious and warming:) I will definitely make this again!
Glad you liked it, Danika!
this recipe is excellent. it converted me to green lentils 😉 Thank you!!
You are very welcome!
If I’m making this as a freezer meal for the instant pot, do I need to add the coconut oil? Or should I just leave it out? Thanks!
Leave it out cause that’s for sautéing. Good point. I will add that.
Delicious! I had everything in the house for this and was in the mood for curry so we gave it a go. I used Trader Joe’s light coconut milk and it worked well. I also threw in some cubed sweet potato, a large seeded and chopped tomato that had to be used and spiced it up with hot sauce but otherwise followed the recipe (for a change). This really hit the spot. Thanks!
Sounds delicious!!!
This recipe is so good and so easy. I usually end up adjusting new recipes to better suit my family’s tastes but I won’t be changing a thing with this–it’s perfect as is! Thank you, Olena!
You are very welcome, Nancy!
This recipe was absolutely gorgeous
Yay! So happy to hear, Lynne! Thanks for taking time from your busy schedule to let me know you enjoyed my recipe.
Delicious and simple! I will be making this again.
Hi, I am Jennifer from Calgary and have a hard time making toast.
I have made this in the slow cooker, twice now. The first time, well uh, uh. Second time tho, perfecto. Almost. I just found it a little bland. Although quite enjoyable. Any suggestions?
Lol u r cute! Yes the best way to jazz it up are the toppings after – cilantro, lime, green onion, sour cream and cheese. Or add more spices to taste to the curry itself.
Hello,
I made this recipe the other day and it was a hit with my husband who doesn’t like green lentils. YAY!
I did make some alterations:
It’s tomato season here, so I used a large tomato in place of the paste.
I soaked my lentils for a few hours first and used the same amount of water which made this a soup.
Once the lentils were cooked, then I added the coconut milk. Coconut milk can curdle easily so I prefer to add at the end of cooking.
I used a little bit more coriander than what the recipe calls for.
Thanks for the recipe, it’s a keeper!
You are very welcome, Jozette! Glad you made it work for your tastebuds. I fing quality coconut milk like Thai kitchen doesn’t curdle.
We are always looking for new vegan recipes to try. This dish is easy to make, and the Indian spicing is delicious. We will definitely make it again.
Hello,
I recently switched to a plant based diet (still eat eggs, soooo hard to NOT do eggs for breakfast) and i have been pretty blown away with this blog recipes, they look so fancy and easy to pull off 🙂
Just one question – maybe a dumb one – the measures regarding this particular recipe refer to “tbs”.Is this a teaspoon or a tablespoon?
Thank you
Hi Tiago. So happy to hear that. Have you tried chia pudding for breakfast? I don’t eat plant-based but I rarely eat eggs for breakfast. I love chia pudding for breakfast!
As a rule of thumb, in recipes tsp=teaspoon and tbsp=tablespoon. Please let me know how you like this lentil curry recipe.:)
For the Instant Pot version, why don’t you saute the onions with spices first to get more depth of flavor, like you do with the Crockpot version? This is one of my favorite recipes! But I ditched my slow cooker after getting the Instant Pot, and wondering why you shouldn’t stir. Will it create the dreaded “burn” message?
You don’t have to sauté with instant pot because food cooked under pressure comes out more flavourful than using slow cooker or stovetop.
Yes and stir especially with tomato products cause Burn often.
Thanks for the quick response! This is one of my favorite Indian recipes (and I’m Indian!)
Wow. I guess I’m partially Indian in heart. U r welcome!
I tried this recipe for the first time and it turned out soooo good! The flavours are just unbelievable! My whole family loved it it was finished within minutes! I didn’t have tomato paste and exchanged it with tomato sauce. Thanks a lot! I’ll be trying other meals as I really love the “healthy and simple” emphasis and the fact that various prep methods are so nicely outlined.
🙂 You are very welcome. I’m so happy to convert many people to lentils. Next is tofu.:)
Hi, I know this recipe is a few years old so this is a late comment but I’m hoping you still see them! This recipe looks so great and I’m planning out some freezer meals. I’m a little confused by the freezer meal directions though because it says to follow up to the final cooking step. If this is going to be an instant pot recipe does that mean I don’t cook anything? Just throw all the ingredients together as is and freeze? What about for the slow cooker? Thanks so much in advance!!
Of course I check everything and reply and update older posts.:) Yes, it is not necessary to fry onion and garlic if using Instant Pot. Everything uncooked goes in frozen. Sorry, I will clarify that. In slow cooker, cook from frozen on Low for 9 hours or on High for 5 hours. In Instant Pot, cook from frozen for 25 minutes with Quick Release. Don’t forget to add 3 cups water before cooking. Have fun! I love freezer meals!
tbs means tablespoon Tsp is a teaspoon
Very good! Not too spicy, which I appreciate a lot! I cooked it in my instantpot for about 25 minutes, natural release.
Thanks for letting me know about the IP. I will try that!
Made the slow cooker version almost exactly, but mine needed a bit more water cooked on high after 3 hours to keep going. Added some acid at the end (lime juice) and served over quinoa. Really good. Could use some heat, if you like that.
Yes. Slow cooker is a different game. Glad you made it work for you.
question – i made red lentils and it tastes good but it’s just a mush. How is it supposed to come out – how is it meant to be eaten?
thanks! Great recipe
Hi Andrea. This is green lentil curry. Red lentils do not hold their shape as well as green. Curry supposed to come out like in my pics, with green lentils. Flavour doesn’t change though.:) You eat it with Greek yogurt and whole wheat pita or naan, toasted or warmed is recommended.
thanks! i know, i only had red lentils and really wanted to make it. Next time i’ll go with green and for now, this will be a thick soup. Which is anyway my favorite thing to eat.
🙂 Glad you are enjoying it that much!
This was a great and easy recipe!! Had multiple people try it and absolutely loved it. I made it, but added chicken which was nice touch!
This is fantastic! All I had was low fat coconut milk so that is what I used. I ended up freezing 1/2 and it was even better re heated. I ate it over fresh spinach.I have really liked all the recipes that I have made from your site. Thanks
Thank you so much, Diane!:)
I used red lentils and curry came out amazing!!!
Can you use red lentils with this recipe? I have made it with green in the past and loved it. I just couldn’t find green lentils this time!
Yes. They fall apart more but not a big deal.
I’ve made it twice, it turned out great! I want to be able to find it easily and share it with my networks. Would you please please post it to allrecipes? Its not my creation, so it doesn’t feel right copying it over myself!
Hi Ashley. I appreciate you asking and not re-publishing my content. I make a living of off recipes I publish here and giving my own recipe to allrecipes would take that income away from me. I suggest you save the recipe to your main screen if you have an iphone, you know that rectangular button with an arrow at the bottom of each page?! Then you can easily access it. Also to share, I have Facebook, Pin and Email button on every page. Glad you enjoyed the recipe and hope this helps.
I tried to make this today… it has been in the crockpot for 6 hours and it isn’t think… more like a soup! I am going to cook up some rice and pour it on that so we don’t waste it but any idea on where I may have gone wrong?
Let it cook a few more hours, you won’t need rice or waste the green lentil curry. Lentils will absorb the liquid, don’t worry!:) Crockpots differ, yours might cook food slower.
Also, have you stirred it?
I cooked it longer and it thickened – we didn’t end up eating it on rice but was still a bit more of a soup texture. I actually liked it better the next day after it was in the fridge for a bit – found it thicker. Also, I realized I soaked my lentils overnight – I’m guessing this isn’t needed!? Could it be part of the reason it was more liquidy? I did stir it a couple times – should I not have!?
I also added Sriracha sauce when I ate the leftovers and loooooved it that much more! Definitely attempting this again soon
You don’t have to soak lentils. That’s reason one your curry was soupy. Secondly, every time you open a slow cooker you let the built up steam out and you have to add about an hour of cooking time. So mystery solved. You just leave slow cooker alone and let it do its job. 🙂
Thank you!!! Going to try it again this week 🙂
I made this for the lads last night, Olena, when I had nothing in the fridge. It was superb! Thanks for the recipe!
Welcome! That is true, it’s a perfect pantry recipe!:)
Thanks for the recipe.
I’m cooking it now. I’m using evaporated milk with coconut extract.
You are welcome!
Really tasty. Easy to follow instructions and simple ingredients. I wouldn’t have thought of putting coconut milk and tomato paste together but it works really well. Really lovely taste ?
What can I use instead of coconut milk? Looks delicious ?
Sorry but nothing else. I’m sorry but really there is no substitute…
This is the best Indian food recipe I have ever seen so far. I like how you give your instruction in a very easy manner. I am an inspiring chef and I want to cook my very own curry soon.
Olena, I have been hunting for a good lentil recipe and am trying this one! Thank you.
You will be happy with it.:)
So I love curry…. I’m obsessed actually. I wonder how this would turn out without tomato paste. I just found out I have reactions to tomato paste and canned sauces as well as canned diced tomatoes. Not sure how mad my reaction is to fresh tomato as I don’t typically eat fresh tomatoes. I’ll try to remember to come back and update how it turns out ?
Never tried without a tomato paste…Maybe try to blend fresh tomatoes and add?! One or two.
Just made this in the slow cooker….yummy… and perfect for a damp windy wintry day here in St. John’s
Yay. I’m kinda tired of those days. Want summer now.:)
This is by far our family’s favorite lentil recipe – mostly because our kids, 10 and 6, can’t get enough of it!!! A dab of yoghurt and a sprinkle of fresh coriander has them asking for 2nd or even thirds!!!
I add a dash of habanero sause to mine- but I food a little spicy,
This is a MUST ADD to your recipe roledex!!
Thank you!!!
Yay! Same here. Every time I decide to cook lentils I keep coming back to this green lentil curry or a spinach lentil soup. That is it. My kids love it too! Weird but I will take it. Enjoy!
This recipe was easy to follow. I didn’t have any cumin or coriander but used chili flakes and powder with curry. Came out amazing. The best lentils I’ve made ever. I will be remaking this and freezing some for the future.
Yay! I love lentils!!! Enjoy!
Think a 10oz pack of chopped spinach would be a good addition? Trying to fit whatever veggies I have in!
Absolutely!!! Kale too!
All I have are brown lentils… I buy them at a middle eastern bakery/deli. You say any kind,green or yellow but you did not mention brown.
Hi Barbara. I have never seen or cooked brown lentils but from a quick search that I did I think you can use them. Any lentils work, the texture of final dish might be different. That is all.
Are u suppose to use cooked lentils? Wanting to make! Doing it on my stove top
No. Add uncooked.
This was super delicious, thank you! We ate it with romaine lettuce wraps, halved grape tomatoes and plain Greek yogurt!
Nice! I should do the same next time.
I’m currently making this recipe. I kept it just as the cook/author wrote the recipe, BUT I doubled the spices and added a couple dashes of cayenne as we are all fire-breathing adults around this house!! YUMMY! I love all the flavors! Pinned it to my “Veganomics” board to be referred to again and again! Thank you!
Haha. Definitely. Do the spices as you wish. I have kids and a spice- wimp husband. Glad you liked my green curry.
This was really good! I discovered I was out of curry powder so had to use tikka paste, which had all the things in it. I also fried up some chunky mushrooms with a bit of cardamom and added that near the end. Awesome! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Hi Kate. Oh my, that sounds awesome!!! Never heard of tikka paste. Sounds like smth I would like LOL.
This is a wonderful recipe! I really appreciate that you added the Dutch oven instructions because I don’t have a slow cooker. I substituted coconut cream for half the coconut milk and it was extra creamy. Super bonus- my picky 2 year old ate two huge bowls of this!!
Glad to hear that, Julia. I hear many kids love this recipe. I think because it is creamy and mild.
I make this recipe all the time – I love it. Question, can I use red lentils? I’m out of green and yellow.
Hi Darah. Glad to hear.:) Yes, any lentils. As long as you measure the same amount. The texture will be a bit different because red lentils fall apart more.
Hi – Has anyone tried substituting garam masala instead of using all the individual spices? Thanks!
Hi Kristi. I’m pretty sure you can. Add 1 tbsp and then more to taste of whatever you have on hand.
This is absolutely delicious and the BEST thing I have in months!!! Thank you!!!!!! I cooked it too long in the crock pot and it started to burn. I boiled more water and added it. my 3 year olds loved it!!!!
Hi Allyson. Flattered to hear your munchkins approved. I started my kids on whole foods early too and now have barely any problem feeding them. It does pay off.
This looks amazing, cant wait to try it! I am in the UK though and unsure what to use – here, we don’t have tomato paste in cans, we have tomato puree that comes in tubes, or passata in jars/cartons. Which do you think? Judging by the photo, I think puree is probably closer, but thought I’d ask! Thanks 🙂
Hi Rachel. Yes it is puree. I just googled the image and it says “double concentrated” on Tesco brand. I remember my mom studying in England many years ago and she shopped at Tesco. So I figured that is what you have. Passata is just strained tomatoes that wouldn’t work in this recipe.
Thanks! Thats tomorrow’s dinner plans sorted 🙂
for the stovetop method, is 45 min the correct cooking time? Just tried this as instructed, but my lentils are not soft. Like eating tiny pebbles. Should they cook longer?
Hi Rebecca. I apologize for not replying sooner but my website was down all day due to hosting issues. We are working on it this week. Yes, you can cook longer. Not sure why this happened. Usually if I bring lentils to a boil and cook them covered on low 2 they take 45 mins. Definitely not more like beans.
I love indian food so much , i never knew how easy it was . Thanks 🙂
You are welcome! I can’t say I love all Indian food but some for sure. I’m not a fan of their sweets. Just very different…I’m sure Russian sweets might look the same lol
So tasty looking! My husband recently realized he likes lentils (yes!!!) and we have everything on hand to make this lentil curry. Pinning so I don’t loose track of your recipe!
Lentils are undiscovered little gems by many men and women. I love your blog!!!
Did you soak the lentils overnight? Or did they go from dried to cooked in those 3 hours? Thanks!
No need to soak. Lentils cool way faster than beans.
I’m allergic to coconut 🙁 Are there any substitutions for the coconut milk?
I don’t think so.:(
I love this recipe! I like my indian food spicy, so I doubled each spice. I was out of cumin so replaced with two teaspoons garam masala, and I threw in a few cardamom pods. Was not overly spicy with these changes, especially since we ate it with brown rice. Thanks for the recipe.
That works great! Amount of spices are a personal taste. I find ethnic people and certain North Americans like a NICE BIG punch of spices.:) Their small kids eat more spicy foods than my husband can handle LOL
Greek yogurt or heavy cream (18%).
It’s late now. I want to make this in the morning to leave it but I don’t have coriander. Is it a deal breaker? Is there an alternative?
It’s fine. Not a deal breaker. Adds nice flavour but it’s OK. You can taste curry once cooked and add cumin instead of coriander if desired.
I am at hour 4 on low heat and there is still a lot of liquid is this suppose to happen?
Give the curry a good stir plus it will thicken with time. Unless lentils are not cooked no extra cooking time is needed.
What can be served with this? Some sort of sandwich or bread or what?
I eat curry on its own but you can serve it with whole wheat pita or bread. It is one pot meal and quite filling. My husband likes it with bread. 🙂
That looks so good!! I am making this soon.
This was amazing! I did need to add extra water and this was done in about 2 hrs on Low heat. I added 15 oz diced tomatoes in juice which added to the flavor. Thinking about adding some garam masala.
I tried these tonight and LOVED them… Was looking for different healthy recipes for the new year and this DEFINETLY fit the bill! Thank you so much for posting this 🙂
Yay! I love lentils too – cheap, fast, high in protein, great vegetarian alternative to meat, and one of my kids eats them. You are welcome!
Are the lentils cooked or uncooked?
Uncooked.
Only after buying all ingredients I realized that I need crock pot and I have never heard about it before (probably because I am from Denmark), but I am doing it old school on the stove and waiting for the result!
I am sure it will turn out fine!!! I post many crock pot recipes because many readers are working moms. Let me know how it turns out.
Im confused on green lentils..split peas or will any lentils work
No split peas! Any kind of lentils will work. Green or yellow.
This looks tasty! I’m just getting into Indian food now. My man friend would enjoy this for sure!
A simple Indian recipe for starter Jewish cooks – 5 ingredients.:)
Oh yum! I love curry. Pinning this one. Thanks Olena!
You are welcome. You can have this simmering in the crockpot, while you are whipping up your next healthy sweet creation.:)
This looks incredible! So filling and so perfect for these
cold days that are suddenly arriving!
Thanks, Steph! I’m mentally in denial of those cool days.:)
What size cans are the coconut milk and tomato paste?
14 oz and 5.5 oz respectively. Just updated the recipe. Thanks for pointing that out.
I love lentil soup, but the version I like most with green
or black lentils has sausage and some bacon in it. 😉 I love a
specific vegetarian red lentil soup, though. I even offered once to
put chicken in it for my carnivore husband, but he also prefers the
meatless version that I got on Orangette.
http://muffeeeeeeee.blogspot.com/2013/09/feeding-obsession.html
Lentil soup is my second fave after this curry now.:)