Name: Vegan Red Lentil Curry
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups red lentils; 1 tbsp coconut oil; 1 medium yellow onion (diced); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger; 1 serrano pepper (diced); 1/2 tsp turmeric; 1 tsp cumin; 1 tbsp curry powder; 1/2 tsp garam masala; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 15 ounce can coconut milk (I used full fat); 1 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes (see notes); 2 1/2 - 3 cups veggie broth; 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (plus more for garnish); optional: 1 tsp coconut or brown sugar

Looking for the BEST vegan lentil curry recipe?! Well, this is it! This one pot recipe is full of flavor, easy to make with red lentils and gluten free. It’s perfect for meal prep and will be ready in just about 30 minutes!

vegan Red lentil Curry in a bowl on top of a plate with naan on the side.

I usually like to save the curries and comforting foods for Fall/Winter, but I’ve been all about the one pot pantry staple recipes lately and this red lentil curry was too good not to share!

It’s made with a base of red lentils (surprise, surprise), coconut milk for a creamy consistency, crushed tomatoes, onion, fresh herbs and tons of delicious spices like turmeric, cumin and curry powder for lots of flavor.

This vegan lentil curry is gluten free and perfect with some rice, steamed potatoes, gluten free naan or just as is!

Overhead image of the curry close up to show texture.

How to make vegan lentil curry

In a large pot or dutch oven, add the finely diced onion and coconut oil.

I usually like using refined coconut oil since there isn’t a strong coconut flavor, but since we’re already using coconut milk in this recipe, it really doesn’t matter! Olive or avocado oil will also work well.

Saute for about 5 minutes or until the onion starts to look transluscent.

Add in the diced serrano pepper, minced garlic, grated ginger and chopped cilantro. If you like spice, include the pepper seeds, but otherwise leave them out.

Saute for 2-3 minutes or until the garlic starts to brown slightly.

Add in all of the spices- turmeric, cumin, curry powder, garam masala, sugar and salt. Saute to let all of the flavors blend for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Three images showing how to make the recipe.

Add in all remaining ingredients including the lentils, but only 2 1/2 cups worth of veggie broth. Stir well to combine.

Bring to a somewhat rapid boil, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing burns. Make sure the heat is very low so the liquid doesn’t absorb before the lentils are able to cook.

Once it has thickened, taste and adjust seasonings as desired. If you used low sodium veggie broth, you may want some more salt.

Top with chopped cilantro and red pepper flakes & enjoy! I like to serve this with white rice, but it’s also delicious with steamed potatoes or just as is.

Large pot with the final red lentil curry with a gold spoon on the side.

Do you cook the lentils first?

Nope! For this recipe, everything gets cooked together in one pot to allow all of the flavors to really blend and infuse into each other. You don’t even need to (or want to) soak red lentils before cooking either!

Soaking the lentils first can actually make them kind of soggy, but you can just give them a quick rinse before adding them to the pot. But don’t worry, nothing bad will happen if you don’t rinse them!

Red lentils have a different consistency than other types of lentils like brown, green or black, so for this recipe, you don’t want to sub for another variety.

Unlike brown or green ones, red lentils soften a lot more while they cook and have more of a split pea consistency.

They work really well in curries because the lentils are able to absorb so much flavor, so for best results, stick to the recipe as written!

Two bowls with red lentil curry on a marble backdrop.

How to store and freeze

Once prepared, this red lentil curry will keep in the fridge for about 5 days. Let it cool completely then transfer to an air tight container for best results.

You can also freeze lentil curry! Same rules apply, just let it cool then transfer to an air tight container for up to 2 months.

I suggest storing it in individual containers so it’s pre-portioned and you can let it thaw more easily.

One bowl of lentil curry with yogurt and cilantro on top with a spoon on the side.

Instant pot instructions

Follow all of the same initial steps using the saute function, then add in all ingredients and set to manual pressure for about 10 minutes.

I haven’t made this in the instant pot, so 10 minutes is just ball park, you may need closer to 15. If it’s not done after 10, you can just set it to the saute function and let it simmer so you don’t have to wait for it to come to pressure.

Ingredient tips

I sometimes have a hard time finding crushed tomatoes at the grocery store, so if you run into this problem as well, diced tomatoes will be fine.

However, I recommend pulsing them in your blender before adding them to the curry just so you don’t have really large tomato chunks. It also gives a better flavor since the tomato flavor blends better with the curry.

I strongly recommend using fresh grated ginger for the best flavor, but if you don’t have any, you can sub for 1 tsp dried ginger. Add it in with the rest of the spices instead of with the garlic.

Angled view of the red lentil curry with chopped cilantro on the side.

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