This easy lentil curry made with curry powder, garam masala, and other spices is perfect over white rice or cauliflower rice as a vegan or vegetarian main or side dish.
Lentil Curry
This red lentil curry is more like a soup than a thick stew and can be made on the stove or in the Instant Pot. It’s perfect served over rice or cauliflower rice. Adding a little lime and cilantro at the end improves and brightens the flavor. Best of all, the curry can stay in the fridge all week for leftovers, and it freezes well. I am always trying to eat more lentils throughout the week because they’re a simple way to achieve my fiber goals (at least 25 grams per day). More lentil recipes I love are this lentil soup and lentil salad.
This healthy lentil curry recipe is from the new cookbook Plantifully Lean by Kiki Nelson, which features “more than 125 simple, plant-based, low-fat recipes.” She offers satisfying and delicious plant based dishes, including Shiitake Rice with Thai Peanut Sauce and French Onion Soup. I was fascinated to read about her weight loss journey following a high-carbohydrate, low-fat, plant based diet. So many of her recipes looked amazing, but I was most excited to try this vegan curry, and I’m happy I did.
Lentil Curry Ingredients
- Spices: Cumin seeds, garam masala, curry powder, coriander, salt
- Aromatics: Fresh minced garlic and ginger, diced onion
- Tomatoes: Dice two Roma tomatoes.
- Lentils: I used one cup of red lentils.
- Water for the lentils to cook in
- Garnish: Cilantro leaves and lime wedges
Frequently Asked Questions about Lentils
Do you need to soak red lentils?
The great thing about lentils is that they don’t require soaking like beans do. Plus, they cook much faster than dried beans. You may want to rinse the lentils in a fine mesh strainer to ensure there’s no debris.
Do you have to cook lentils before adding them to curry?
No! The lentils cook in the curry, making this dish a one-pot meal.
How long do lentils take to cook in a curry?
Red lentils take about 20 to 30 minutes on the stove and 20 minutes in the Instant Pot.
Is lentil curry good for you?
This lentil curry without coconut milk is full of fiber and protein and under 300 calories. Lentils are also packed with vitamins and minerals, like iron, B6, and potassium.
How to Make Lentil Curry
- Cumin Seeds: For the Instant Pot, push “Sauté,” and on the stove, heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Toast the cumin seeds for a minute until fragrant and browned.
- Add the other ingredients: tomatoes, onion, garlic, garam masala, curry powder, coriander, salt, and ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, for five minutes.
- Lentils: Stir in the lentils and four cups of water. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and pressure cook for 20 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally. On the stove, bring the water to a boil, cover, and cook on low for 20 to 30 minutes until the lentils are tender.
How to Serve Lentil Curry
I like this lentil curry over white or brown rice or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option. You could also serve it with a piece of naan or roti to scoop up the lentils. If you want a vegetable to go with it, try this Warm Curry Roasted Vegetable Salad, Rainbow Carrots with Ginger, or Roasted Cauliflower.
How to Store Lentil Curry
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for up to a month. The red lentil curry is even more delicious the next day, making it perfect for meal prep! Reheat it in the microwave until warm.
Variations
- Lentils: You can swap red lentils with green or brown ones.
- Vegetables: Add spinach or kale at the end.
- Cumin: If you don’t have cumin seeds, add ground cumin with the other spices.
More Lentil Recipes You’ll Love
- Lebanese Lentil Soup
- Lentil Bowl with Avocado, Eggs, and Cholula
- Chicken and Lentil Soup (Instant Pot)
- Lentils and Rice with Eggs and Bacon
- Lentil Soup with Butternut and Kale
Lentil Curry Recipe (Stove or Instant Pot)
Ingredients
- 1/8 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 Roma, plum tomatoes, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 cup dried red lentils
- 4 cups water
- chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
- fresh lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
Instant Pot Method:
- Select the Sauté setting on your Instant Pot or multicooker.
- Place the cumin seeds in the inner pot and toast until fragrant and browned, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, onion, garlic, garam masala, curry powder, coriander, salt, and ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the lentils plus 4 cups water.
- Seal the pot and pressure-cook for 20 minutes, then allow the pressure to release naturally.
Stove Method:
- Heat a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Place the cumin seeds in the pot and toast until fragrant and browned, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, onion, garlic,
- garam masala, curry powder, coriander, salt, and ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the lentils plus 4 cups water. Bring to a boil then cook covered on low, 20 to 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender and cooked.
To Serve
- Serve the lentils over the rice or cauliflower rice, topped with cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.
Last Step:
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The curry is even more delicious the next day!
Nutrition
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Absolutely delicious! Subbed chicken chicken broth for half the water and added a few jalapenos.
If you want authentic tasting lentils, please don’t use curry powder and use turmeric and good quality garam masala. Curry powder is not used in authentic Indian cooking and was invented for the Colonial British palates.
First of all start by adding only 3 cups water. You can add more later if needed.
Lentils recipe:
In a pot cook the lentils in water with turmeric, salt, ginger and garlic. Add 1 tsp of ginger instead of half teaspoon.
•For the tempering: In a separate pan sauté the cumin in some oil for 30 seconds. To the pan add 3 cloves garlic cut into thin round slices and saute for 30 seconds. Now add the onions and saute till onions are lightly brown for about 5 mins. Now add the garam masala, coriander powder, 1/2 tsp caynee pepper and sautee for two mins. Now add the tomatoes and sautee for 5 mins till tomatoes are cooked and tender.
•Now take half cup of the cooked lentils from the pot and add it to the tempering in the pan and mix. Now add this mixture to the cooked lentils in the pot. Add 2 tbsp boiling water to the plan to scrape up any remaining lentil and tempering mixture and add that to the pot as well. Stir the pot to mix everything and bring lentils to a boil. Let it boil for 5 mins and turn off stove. Stir everything with ladle.
•Taste to adjust salt if needed. (If you want more salt, increase it by adding just a little bit first and then taste to see if you need more. Don’t add too much salt all at once.)
• If you want more heat in the tempering, add half tsp minced green chilli to the tempering. Avoid Thai chillies or other hot chilli pepper varieties, if you don’t want tempering to be supper hot.
•If you want less heat to the tempering, swap smokey paprika for caynee pepper.
•Lastly add 3 tablespoons of chopped cilantro leaves to the pot and mix. (You want to do this when the stove is turned off because you don’t want to cook the cilantro leaves.)
•If you are serving the lentils later on reheat them by bringing to a boil and stir them. (Lentils will absorb water the longer they sit so prepare the meal not long before eating or you will have to add more water and maybe some salt when reheating them.
•When eating squeeze some lime juice in top. (Again, squeeze less lime and add more if needed. Don’t squeeze too much at once.)
Key:
*Tempering for the lentils is always prepared separately. Tempering only takes about 15 mins to prepare and is add while it’s hot of the stove to the lentils. Cooking tempering separately adds to the flavour.
•Start cooking the tempering once your lentils are almost done.
*If you are cooking the lentils in an insta-pot, then cook the tempering separately in a pan.
I just made this dish for dinner tonight . I always scan the comments section before I make a dish to find out if I need to make any tweaks to the recipe. I added additional curry and used cumin powder since that is what I had on hand. I substituted vegetable broth instead of water as others had commented as well. overall turned out really good. Thanks
Wonderful! I’m so happy to have a healthy lentil curry without coconut milk! My husband had 2 servings and my teens enjoyed it! I used brown lentils and marinara sauce instead of tomatoes because I had on hand. I substituted a combo of curry, allspice, and cumin for the garam masala. Very flavorful, and smelled great too.
Thank you for a Lentil Curry WITHOUT coconut milk! I just don’t want all that fat, added calories and cholesterol. I’ve made it with regular brown lentils and even canned chick peas as well and is delicious entry time!
Does the zero point value include the rice?
This is anything BUT bland. Amazing flavor, depth and filled the house with a wonderful aroma. Opted for the stovetop method. Increased the garlic and ginger. And of course curry. Added fresh spinach. Delicious!
This was so easy and so delicious! I followed the recipe exactly as written. My 11 year old son had two servings and raved about dinner. He said it was restaurant quality! I served it with the cilantro lime rice. This will be going on our rotation.
Glad you all enjoyed it!
This is soooooooooo good! I add a little extra garam masala & it’s earned a 5 star review in our regular rotation
Made this for dinner tonight and substituted some of the water for the lentils with coconut milk. The lime juice at the end really makes it. Definitely a hit at my house!
Okay. So. I was very exited to make this. I think the cumin seeds sealed it for me as I have two other types of cumin and I’m there for a third lol. I used all ingredients as is and cooked in my IP. I thought it had a LOT of taste to be honest. It was curry and it was HOT. I used a small amount of brown rice with a small hunk of garlic naan and we loved it. We will absolutely make this again. I will say the garlic measurements were not something I’m use to and I did cut up two cloves. I do get those who don’t feel a lot of taste other than hot but we need more less salt recipes mixed with others so it worked for us!
Delicious and filling and 0 pts on WW! I served this with rice and grilled chicken for a great meal. Even my picky teens liked it.
I’ve made hundreds of recipes from this site and almost all of them are amazing. This one was the first in a long while that was bland and tasted like water. I made exactly as written. If I made it again, I’d probably make it with broth, maybe sauté the ingredients in ghee, and up the spices by a whole lot.
Sorry I was sharing this from her book. Perhaps I should doctor it up and update?
My spouse and I really enjoyed this recipe. We added some chicken broth bouillon to the stock. I was a bit concerned when I read some of the comments about it being bland, be we found it delicious and flavourful!
Made it using the stovetop instructions, followed the recipe exactly, and it was AWESOME! I was afraid that it wouldn’t have much flavor, but it really really did. Adding the squeeze of lime made it absolutely perfect. Looking forward to making it again!
Delish!
Is there a substitute for garam masala?
I enjoyed this recipe! I do agree upon first taste that I wanted a bit more flavor and spice. I increased the amount of seasoning, added in a few tsp of better than bouillon, and a heavy amount of cayenne as my partner refuses to eat anything that isnt spicy. Lovely recipe that I will be using again! Just doctored it a bit for my taste
Bland recipe. I used less water than directed and still terrible. Ended up tossing all of it.
This was so good and easy. It was a nice change to the dinner routine. Your recipes are so good and it helped us succeed in lowering my husband cholesterol by 77 points. Thank w
I am so glad you enjoyed it. AND THAT IS PRETTY INCREDIBLE!
I have made this recipe 3 times now & received rave reviews. I served it over quinoa. Delicious.
Too watery and pretty bland even though I used chicken stock instead of water. The recipe uses the same amount of water and cooking time for both the Instant pot and the stove top methods.
I would use only 3 cups of stock instead of 4 cups of water, add carrots or something else to make it hardier and reduce the cooking time to 12-15 minutes.
I didn’t read the description alluding to the curry’s soupiness until after I made it. For a soupy curry, it’s pretty good. I prefer creamier curries, but I’ll probably make this again and maybe tweak it a bit to make it less soupy – part of it may be on me. I may have added too much tomato – I prefer measurements (ie 1/2 cup) vs number of tomatoes. Not all tomatoes are the same size, and I did use canned (drained) diced tomatoes.
Absolutely delicious! My husband and I loved this dish. I’ll definitely make it again. I did use chicken broth instead of water because I was afraid it might be bland after reading previous reviews. I’m looking forward to the leftovers.
Smelled absolutely delicious when I was making it, but like others said, I too found it quite bland. And it didn’t thicken up like in your photos. Quite watery. I’d be interested in some tips for those who “fixed it up” a bit.
I usually love all your recipes…but I found this one bland… increased all of the spices, but it just didn’t give me that really good, curry spicy flavor.
Same. I had to doctor this up a lot to make it palatable. Shame because I almost always love these recipes.
My kitchen smelled like an Indian restaurant! My friend and I loved this recipe. Made it exactly as written. I might add some naan the next time I make it. Served with basmati rice. I wish it was a bit thicker…but,it was delicious.
The flavor of the lentils was DELICIOUS! Although, mine turned out more like mashed potatoes….
I will definitely make this again, but reduce the time in the instant pot.
Made it for the first time today.
I love it‼️
Definitely a keeper, will make it again.
Twenty minutes sounds like an excessive amout of time for the instapot. Shouldn’t it be less? I usually pressure cook lentils for about 12 minutes. The stove directions also have them for 20 minutes..
I followed the authors directions and they worked fine, but if you usually do less, feel free to try and let us know how they work out.
Love the fact that this is a zero point recipe. It has a very mild flavor. Your other Indian curry dishes have chili powder or chili, so I think I’m used to that extra bit of kick.
Made in pressure cooker, easy and delicious. Loved it! Thickens up as it cools and when reheat. Made it one day and had next. Had with Joseph toasted pita and cauliflower rice that I did in skillet with some lime and cilantro. Great vegetarian option. Thank you!
How do I print your recipes?
This recipe underwhelmed me. I made it exactly as written, but after tasting it the flavour was bland. I think using a broth (vegan or chicken) instead of plain water is one consideration to improve the taste. I ended up randomly adding a lot more seasoning to enhance the flavour. I love lentils and I love curry, so I was super excited to try this one and then disappointed in the lack of flavour. I love to cook, so even a failed recipe is an opportunity to experiment and add some of my own touches.
Sorry you didn’t like it, I made this easy curry from her book twice and thought it was tasty.
Absolutely delicious. The combination of spices is really good. And it’s insanely quick and easy to make (I used the pressure cooker).
Delicious loved it my family loved it ❤️❤️❤️🥰😋
Delicious, aromatic, tangy, just spicy enough.
Made this lentil curry for dinner tonight and OMG was it ever good! I kind of improvised since I didn’t have Roma tomatoes, cumin seeds and fresh ginger…just used vine tomatoes, cumin powder and ground ginger….served on basmati rice! Will definitely make this again!
Loved this recipe, fast, easy and delicious. Would make this again and again. .
Two thumbs up, delicious!
What if I can’t find curry seed? Can I just use more curry powder?
Sure
What if you don’t have a instant pot?
Do you see the stove directions?
I can’t find a way to get the weight watcher’s points for this recipe. It sounds wonderful.
In my recipe builder it’s zero points
Thank you so much. Appreciate answer.
Good catch, they are 0
This sounds delicious! I want to learn to like lentils. Assuming 0 WW points since none are listed? Thanks Gina!
Yes, 0 Weight Watcher Points
Love the recipe. But didn’t you used to give WW points for your recipes? I need that!
Thanks,
Barbra
It says zero points at the top of the recipe