This hearty vegan lentil curry is the perfect weeknight meal. It’s creamy, filling, easy to make and loaded with flavor.
Vegan lentil curry is wholesome, super delicious and high in protein and fiber. All that good stuff.
It’s super easy and pretty quick too, and you can have dinner on the table in less than an hour with this meal.
If you have leftovers, you’ll be happy too because leftovers are divine for lunch the next day.
And making this is a walk in the park.
Even if you’re a cooking newbie this recipe will be easy for you. It’s super forgiving and even if you make a few mistakes, it’ll be okay!
And if you love a good curry you’ll also love our butternut squash curry and our vegan chana masala.
How To Make Vegan Lentil Curry
You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.
Add chopped onions and garlic to a pot with olive oil and spices and sauté until the onions are softened. Add dried lentils and toss them up with the onions and spices.
Add canned chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock and canned coconut cream (or coconut milk) and stir it in.
Bring it to a simmer and then turn down the heat, and simmer until the lentils are soft and cooked.
Add fresh basil leaves.
Stir in the basil leaves until just wilted. Add coconut sugar (for flavor balance) and salt and pepper to taste.
Your lentil curry is ready to serve!
How To Serve Lentil Curry
Serve with or without basmati rice, as you like it! I’m a fan of the rice, so rice it is for me. Cauliflower rice would be great with this too.
Some fresh basil leaves and slices of fresh lime are also great to serve with this. If you’d like something on the side then a loaf of crusty bread to mop up the sauce is always a winner. Or bake a loaf of whole wheat bread.
This recipe easily serves 6 for a filling and delicious meal.
Storing and Freezing
Keep leftovers in the fridge and reheat as needed. Leftovers keep very well for 4-5 days in the fridge.
It’s also freezer friendly for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
More Vegan Lentil Recipes
- Vegan lentil soup is an ultra simple 6-ingredient recipe that is so creamy you will wonder if there is actually cream in it, but there isn’t!
- Red lentil dal is ready in 30 minutes and super delicious and satisfying.
- Lentil bolognese is super hearty and veggie-packed.
- Vegan dal makhani is rich creamy and restaurant quality.
- Lentil ragu makes the best hearty pasta dish!
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
Vegan Lentil Curry
Ingredients
For the Lentil Curry:
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Onion White, Yellow or Brown, Chopped
- 1 teaspoon Crushed Garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Mild Curry Powder
- ½ teaspoon Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 1 ½ cups Dried Brown Lentils (300g)
- 28 ounces Canned Chopped Tomatoes (800ml, 2 cans)
- 3 cups Vegetable Stock (720ml)
- 14 ounces Canned Coconut Cream (400ml, 1 can) Unsweetened
- 2 cups Fresh Basil
- 1 Tablespoon Coconut Sugar or Light Brown Sugar
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper to taste
For Serving:
- Basmati Rice
- Fresh Basil
- Fresh Lime
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a pot with the onion, crushed garlic, curry powder, cumin, coriander powder, turmeric and cayenne pepper and sauté until the onions are softened.
- Add in the dried lentils and toss them with the onions and spices.
- Add the chopped tomato, vegetable stock and coconut cream. Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat, cover the pot and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft and cooked – around 35-40 minutes.
- When the lentils are cooked add in the fresh basil and stir in until just wilted. Add the coconut sugar and stir in. Add sea salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve with rice, fresh basil and some slices of fresh lime.
Video
Notes
- Coconut cream can be replaced with canned, full fat, unsweetened coconut milk.
- You can switch the fresh basil to baby spinach if you prefer.
- Store leftovers in the fridge in a covered container for 4-5 days. It’s also freezer friendly for up to 3 months.
- Nutritional information is for the lentil curry only and does not include rice.
Hi, how would I adjust this if I canted to use canned lentils? Thank
Hi Menique, it would probably be around 3 cans of drained lentils. However, I’m not sure how well that would work in this recipe, because the dried lentils cook in the vegetable stock and the coconut milk so they absorb some of that while they are cooking. Using canned lentils might result in it being too saucy. So you might need to reduce some of the vegetable stock but you’d have to play around with the ratios. Another curry we do have that already uses canned lentils though is our vegan sweet potato curry. 🙂
I attempted this recipe, but I feel I did wrong. Mine looks too watery, do I leave uncovered?
Hi Tim, it may be that the lentils are not yet cooked properly? They expand a lot when cooked. Just see if they are soft and tender, it may be that it’s too early in the process. You can uncover the pot and let it cook off as well. But generally it shouldn’t be watery at all once the lentils are cooked.
Made this tonight absolutely amazing. I used spinach instead of basil and added one chopped sweet potato and two chopped large carrots. Mine was super sweet on its own ( must have been the coconut cream?) so I didn’t add sugar And I doubled the cayenne to add heat. I probably used 1-2 tsp of salt to help cut the sweetness as well as a lime wedge. Over all everyone in the house enjoyed it.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing! If you make it again, just make sure the coconut cream is unsweetened. All the best! 🙂
Loved it, but is there any way to avoid the fat in coconut milk….but still get the flavor and creaminess?
Hi Janet, I have made this with a light coconut milk that has significantly less fat (but it does still have some) and it still works great. It’s not as rich but it still works.
I didn’t think I would like the curry taste, so I was ready to make just 1/2 the recipe. I am so glad I made it as listed. The only thing I did not have was coconut cream, so I used a can of the coconut milk. I skipped the sugar, also. I will definitely make it again as my meat eating husband really liked it. Thanks for sharing.
Awesome! Thanks so much for sharing Colleen!
Great recipe, my housemate and I had a great time with it 🙂
Awesome! Thanks for sharing Joe! 🙂
Can I use red lentils instead of the brown ones?
Thank you.
Hi Norma, red lentils tend to fall apart/get mushy when cooked, whereas the brown ones don’t. This is why red lentils work great for a soup or for making dal. Not necessarily a problem for this curry, just letting you know that if you do use them this will happen.
OMG. Truly one of the best dishes I have ever eaten. Thank you
Yay! That is just awesome! Thanks so much Terry! 🙂
Delicious ! I used spinach instead of basil my family loved it!
Awesome thanks Elsie! 🙂
This is an excellent dish, and easy to make. The only change that I made the second time around was cutting the coconut sugar in half. But of course, sweetness, is a personal preference.
Awesome! Thanks Chris. 🙂
Can I use spinach instead of basil?
Sure! 🙂
I make this recipe a few times a month in my instant pot. I don’t add the coconut cream/milk until the rest is done. I just stir it in and it cools it down enough to eat right away. Over rice of course. I always add extra veggies, like a cup or two of mirepoix, or some cauliflower or potatoes or a mix of all. I love it. It’s so filling and SO delicious!!
Awesome! Thanks for the great review! 🙂
I’m about to make this recipe. Any suggestions on making the lentils easier on the digestion?????.
Hi Kat, you can soak them for 4 hours before cooking them, this can help with digestibility. All the best! 🙂
Amazing recipe we have made it twice already! We do a little less spice, no sugar and green lentils and it’s become a weekday staple! It also does keep in the fridge well and reheats perfectly. Thanks so much!
So glad you like the recipe Elizabeth! Thanks so much for posting and the awesome review! 🙂
I’m making this tonight and I’m very excited! I have some coconut milk lying around, do you think I could use that instead of the coconut cream? Maybe if I use a little less veggie stock to balance out the amount of liquids?
Hi Kirsten! Coconut milk will be fine, no other changes needed. Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Thank you! It was delicious!!
Wonderful! Thanks Kirsten! 🙂
Can this be made with red lentils? Thank you!
Sure! That will be fine. 🙂
Awesome! Quick follow up: do you think it would be OK to mix and match the lentils? Like use some red and some green? Thank you!
Hi Vivi, the issue is they can cook at different speeds, so it’s usually best to stick to one color for that reason. 🙂