Easy Lentil Curry

This Easy Lentil Curry is the perfect easy and healthy weeknight meal that can be made vegetarian, vegan and dairy-free! Skip the Indian restaurant and make this delicious Indian-style red lentil curry recipe at home in 30 minutes or less!

 

This Easy One Pan Lentil Daal Curry recipe comes together in under 30 minutes and rivals any Indian restaurant curry we’ve ever tried. It’s so comforting, delicious and flavourful, and it’s made with super basic ingredients that are easy to find at your local supermarket and keep stored in your pantry. It’s creamy, hearty, and full of warming spices, with tender vegetables and red lentils that cook down into a rich, creamy sauce. It’s vegetarian, can easily be made vegan, and it’s dairy-free too! If you love Indian food even a little bit, this Easy One Pan Lentil Daal Curry will become a healthy staple in your family’s meal plan for sure!!

We love to enjoy this easy lentil curry over fluffy Coconut Lime Rice or Cilantro Lime Rice, and a batch of our favourite homemade naan bread is perfect for dipping. It’s a versatile recipe that works great for meal prep, since the flavours deepen as it sits and leftovers reheat beautifully, even from frozen. If you’re looking for an easy lentil curry recipe that delivers BIG on flavour with minimal effort, this is the recipe you’ll come back to again and again.

If you want to make the best lentil curry you’ve ever made, do NOT skip these MUST-DOs!

This recipe is built around dried split red lentils. They cook quickly, break down into that creamy daal texture, and thicken the curry naturally. Whole lentils hold their shape and take much longer to cook, and canned lentils definitely won’t give you the same result.

Small, even pieces of onion, carrots, and bell pepper cook quickly and disappear into the curry the way you want them to. Larger chunks stay firm and can throw off the texture.

That quick “toast” step is super important for flavour building. It wakes up the turmeric and curry paste and makes the finished dish taste deeper and more restaurant-quality.

Coconut milk can separate if it boils hard, and spinach only needs a minute or two to wilt. Adding both at the end keeps the curry creamy and the spinach bright green.

This easy lentil curry is the kind of recipe that saves dinner on the nights you’re tempted to give up and order takeout. It’s warm, it’s filling, and it’s comforting, but it’s also made from basic ingredients that are easy to keep on hand. When you’ve got lentils and rice in the pantry and a couple of vegetables in the fridge, you can make an easy curry for dinner without a special trip to the store.

Split red lentils cook quickly and naturally create a creamy, thick base as they soften, so you get that classic daal texture without any blending or extra steps. The curry paste and turmeric add big flavour, the vegetables simmer right in the pan, and the coconut milk makes everything ultra rich and silky without needing to add any dairy.

It’s also one of those recipes that works for real life because it’s flexible. It can be vegan, it can be mild for kids, it reheats beautifully, it’s a fantastic freezer meal, and it makes enough for leftovers. It’s a comforting dinner that still feels wholesome, which is exactly what most of us are looking for on a busy weeknight!

1. Make it spicier – This recipe is intentionally mild because it’s a family dinner recipe. If you want heat, add chopped red chili with the onions. Leave the seeds in for more heat, remove them for a gentler spice. You can also add chili flakes or a drizzle of hot sauce at the end.
2. Use different vegetables – This is a great “use what you have” recipe. Chopped sweet potato, cauliflower, or peas can work. The key is keeping the pieces of hard veggies small so they cook in the same time frame.
3. Swap the stock – Vegetable stock keeps it vegetarian, but chicken stock works well too. Just use whatever you have on hand.
4. Change the greens – Spinach wilts quickly and blends in easily, but kale or Swiss chard can work too. Chop it finely and add a few minutes earlier so it softens fully.
5. Adjust the richness – Full-fat coconut milk gives the best creamy texture. For a lighter version, use light coconut milk.
6. Add more protein – Red lentils already provide protein, but you can also stir in a can of chickpeas with the lentils, and serve it with a side of yogurt or tzatziki for a bit of extra protein.
7. Make it extra creamy – Add a few spoonfuls of coconut cream in addition to the coconut milk for extra creaminess and richness.

To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The curry will thicken as it sits.

To Reheat: Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a splash of stock or water as needed to loosen it back up.

To Freeze: This recipe freezes beautifully. Let it cool completely, portion into freezer-safe containers, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat with a splash of liquid to restore the creamy texture.

1. Over steamed rice – This is the classic, and it soaks up the sauce beautifully. We also love to serve it with our favourite Coconut Lime Rice for extra richness.
2. With naan, pita, or crusty bread – It’s perfect for dipping and turning it into a cozy, satisfying meal. Our favourite Naan Bread recipe is perfect for serving with this easy curry!
3. As a meal-prep lunch – Pack it with rice in containers and reheat for an easy grab-and-go lunch that’s easy to reheat at work or school.
4. With simple toppings – Fresh cilantro, a little coconut cream, a squeeze of lime, or even a spoonful of yogurt (if you’re not keeping it dairy-free) adds a lot of flavour and texture.

Watch the video below to see exactly how I make this easy meal! You can find more delicious recipe videos on my YouTube channel.

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Easy Lentil Curry

This Easy Lentil Curry is the perfect Indian restaurant-quality healthy weeknight meal that's vegetarian or vegan and dairy-free! 

4.80 from 20 votes

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By Chrissie (thebusybaker.ca)

Yield 8 servings

Prep 5 minutes mins

Cook 25 minutes mins

Total 30 minutes mins

Recipe: Equipment

• ▢
  large skillet
• ▢
  chopping board
• ▢
  large knife
• ▢
  measuring cups and spoons
• ▢
  Garlic Press
• ▢
  Microplane Zester
• ▢
  liquid measuring cups
• ▢
  wooden cooking utensil

Recipe: Ingredients 

0.5x1x2x

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 2 medium onions, finely diced
• ▢ 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• ▢ 1 tablespooon mild red curry paste
• ▢ 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• ▢ 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• ▢ a pinch or two of salt and pepper
• ▢ 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
• ▢ 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• ▢ 1 1/2 cup split red lentils
• ▢ 5 cups vegetable stock (use chicken stock if you prefer)
• ▢ 1 cup full fat coconut milk
• ▢ 2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach
• ▢ fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
• ▢ extra coconut cream for garnish, if desired

US CustomaryMetric

Recipe: Instructions 

• Heat a large deep skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil.
• Add the onions, ginger, and garlic and sauté until fragrant and soft.
• Add the curry paste, turmeric, tomato paste, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine, allowing the mixture to toast slightly over the heat for about one minute. 
• Add the carrots, red bell pepper, and lentils and stir to coat in the spice mixture.
• Pour in the vegetable stock and stir well, covering the pan and allowing the mixture to come to a boil.
• Cook the lentil mixture for about 20-25 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent the bottom from burning, until the lentils are puffy and soft and begin to lose their shape. 
• Reduce the heat to low and add the coconut milk and spinach, stirring just until combined.
• Cover and allow the spinach to wilt for a few minutes in the hot curry.
• Serve over steamed rice with fresh Naan bread, your favourite crusty white bread for dipping, or bakery fresh pita bread as an easy alternative to homemade Naan. 

Recipe: Notes

Meal Prep Instructions

This recipe can be made in advance for meal prep and stored in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

Flavour Adjustment Notes

This recipe makes a very mild curry suitable for families with young children. If you’d like to add heat to this recipe according to your tastes, simply add a fresh chopped red chili pepper at the same time as the onions. Add the seeds for a spicy curry, or leave the seeds out for a medium heat.

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Healthy, Indian, Meal Prep

Keywords: Easy One Pan Lentil Daal Curry

Recipe: Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Easy Lentil Curry

Amount Per Serving (1 cup)

Calories 246 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Sodium 626mg27%

Potassium 589mg17%

Carbohydrates 30g10%

Fiber 12g50%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 10g20%

Vitamin A 5545IU111%

Vitamin C 32mg39%

Calcium 44mg4%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.