Red Curry Lentils
Now is a good time to:
- wear cozy sweaters
- get a few candles going
- immerse your house in the flavors and smells of your favorite classic comfort-food-but-still-kinda-healthy simmering stovetop recipes.
For example, RED CURRY LENTILS DUH.
These red curry lentils are one of my all-time favorite recipes. As is usually my vibe, we’re working with very basic pantry ingredients here and simple, straightforward prep. It’s hard to mess this one up.
Just cook your lentils and toss them in up this spicy red curry sauce with sauteed onions and a shot of coconut milk. OH MY PERFECTLY SPICY GOODNESS.
I’ve kind of had a fling with lentils lately. Or wait, like, over the last 8 years. These guys, this one, that other one, and now a walk down memory lane back to the original that started my love affair? I can barely stand it. If you’ve never made lentils before, this is a perfect recipe to introduce you to the magic of the most cheap, healthy, versatile, and absolutely delicious little food in the pantry. The Humble Lentil reigns supreme.
Will you eat a big plate of these red curry lentils with rice? Or will you scoop up a creamy bite with a warm piece of naan? Or will you eat it cold out of the fridge with exactly zero judgement from me?
Only time will tell.
Variations for This Recipe
- Vegan Version: Just sub oil in for the butter!
- How to make in the Instant Pot: We have a recipe for that – follow our Instant Pot Red Curry Lentils here.
- How to make in a slow cooker: Another one for that! You can find our Crockpot Red Curry Lentils here.
Watch How to Make Our Red Curry Lentils
Common Questions About Red Curry Lentils
Yep!
Absolutely!
We’d recommend brown or green lentils for this recipe. We don’t recommend red lentils since they’ll overcook in this case.
Red Curry Lentils
Red curry lentils is my all-time favorite lentil recipe. Thick, creamy, saucy, and perfect as leftovers. Plus it’s healthy and easy!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: dinner
- Method: cook
- Cuisine: Thai-Inspired
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups lentils, rinsed and picked over
- 1/2 large onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1/2 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
- a few good shakes of cayenne pepper
- 1 14-ounce can tomato puree
- 1/4 cup coconut milk or cream
- cilantro for garnishing
- rice for serving
Instructions
- Cook the lentils according to directions. Drain and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute for a few minutes until fragrant and golden. Add all the spices (curry paste, garam masala, curry powder, turmeric, cayenne, sugar, garlic, ginger) and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato puree; stir and simmer until smooth.
- Add the lentils and the cream. Stir to combine and simmer for another 15-20 minutes (the longer, the better)! Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro.
One more thing!
This recipe is part of our delicious lentil recipes page. Check it out!
I’m looking for tasty lunchbox fare at the moment and these look just perfect.
This is the best for a portable lunch! And the leftovers are even better so its a win-win! 🙂
Oh that’s my kind of lunch! Anything that lasts me a few days is a bonus.
Ohhh yes! Love this. Red curry anything has me swooning.
Hmmm sounds delicious! I have some lentils leftover from the soup I made a while ago so will have to try this!
This is going on the dinner list!
This. Is. My. LIIIIEEEFFFEEEEEE.
Honestly, I’m not sure I’ve ever used any math (basics aside) beside cross multiplication in real life. I was an awesome math student and now I realize how damn silly it all was and means nothing in real life! ha.
I made your Thai lentils the other day (with the sweet potato) and loved ’em (so did my husband!). So now these must go on the menu, too!
My boyfriend keeps asking me to make the green curry lentils again (and again, and again). Maybe I’ll make these to mix it up a little! They look yummy!
The coconut green curry lentils were great, can’t wait to try this. I may use some Earth Balance butter instead of oil.
Ooh, I’m always looking for new things to make with lentils, and this looks like it will hit the spot! The curry-coconut-spicy-savory spot, that is. 🙂
oh god, this looks so good. you know what? i was organizing my spice cabinet yesterday at the new house and i came across a package of spice that i have no clue what it is (i always forget to label when i get spices in bulk) and now after reading your ingredient list, you’ve helped me figure out what it is! garam masala! hehe now i have some to make this 🙂 i’ve been looking for a healthy lentils recipe with super packed flavor!
Ohh geez. Spices are so hard to keep track of. I’m glad you remembered because now you HAVE to make this!
I would love to try out this recipe for dinner soon! What would you recommend serving with it…chicken of some sort?
I just had it plain, with cilantro and white rice and some garlic naan bread! But if you want meat, you could totally serve it with chicken. This might be too much but you could try another more creamy Indian dish, like this: http://www.celebrationgeneration.com/blog/2012/05/08/chicken-shahi-korma-recipe/
I’ll be trying these for sure. Love these kind of dishes and the flavors sound perfect 🙂 They look so creamy – love that coconut milk! 😀
I have the worlds biggest love affair with curry. I recently (okay, it was a year or two ago) discovered yellow curry at a local Thai restaurant, and I cannot get enough of it. I like to pretend I don’t know how to make it, so I won’t make it three times a week! I’ve never tried it with lentils, but any excuse will do!
I have never tried lentils before, so am eager to try this. I see you use red curry paste and curry powder. Is the curry powder just the regular yellow kind?
Yep! I’m not really sure it’s necessary to use the curry powder… I was just kind of grabbing spices and dumping them in, so you could probably get by fine with the curry paste because that’s where most of the flavor comes from. 🙂
I am so making this. I love Indian curries and this one is mixed with several of my favorite spices 🙂 I have a few curries up in the blog as well but I am excited to try a new one!!
Just stumbled on your blog and I love it! What an amazing adventure you have ahead! And this recipe looks amazing. I’ve been cooking a lot of beans lately, so I’ll have to give this lentil recipe a try!
Beans are the BEST, in my humble opinion! 🙂
So until I read this post I definitely didn’t know how I felt about lentils. After reading this post I’m convinced that they’re my new favorite food and I just don’t know it yet. I am adding all the ingredients to my grocery list and I WILL be making lentils this week!!
I want this for lunch!
I just had it for lunch (again!) and it was still so good a few days later!
YUM! This look wooonderful! 🙂
is the red curry paste the thai one??
Yep! I used this: https://www.mccormick.com/thai-kitchen
Cheap, vegetarian and healthy – sounds like a winner!
Yummy dish. This is really pure & delicious & can be cooked easily. It is vegetarian & above all, curry is my most favourite. Thanks for this dish.
OMG… Soooo delicious!!! Thanks for sharing!
I do love lentils, and I can make different versions of them. But I have never seen this one being made. Sounds delicious! I just have one question? Can you use any type of lentil?
You could use any kind of lentil, but it will taste different. Brown lentils are firmer and have an earthier flavor. Green lentils can take longer to cook and are also firm. Red and yellow lentils have a soft texture and sweeter flavor so they’re more suited to curries like this.
Thank you for the response to the lentil question. Yet, no matter how long I cook my lentils they are always hard and dry! What am I doing wrong?
Hi, Lydia! First off, were your lentils purchased recently? The older lentils are, the longer they take to cook. After a certain period of time, they don’t cook fully at all. Secondly, make sure you have enough liquid present for the lentils to soak up. Lastly, time. Simmer them on the stovetop for a long time or put them in the crockpot. Hope that helps! Good luck!
Soak your lentils for at least 20-30 mins if you want them to come out perfect every time!
I just got back from (a very indulgent) vaca and was just telling my husband that we need to have a week of eating lentils to recover. This sounds just what we need!
Oh my goodness- I just made these for dinner tonight with some coconut basil jasmine rice, and I was mmm mmm’ing the whole way through! My 9 month old also thought it was delicious! She kept opening her mouth up for more 🙂
Thanks for the great recipe!
How spicy is this. It looks and sounds wonderful but I cannot do spicy. Any suggestions? I really want to try new things.
It’s actually not that hot at all. It has a ton of flavor, but it’s not really that spicy. Skip out on the crushed red pepper just to be safe!
This was insanely spicy! I only used half of the recommended curry paste (did you really mean 2 TABLEspoons?) and NO cayenne and my husband couldn’t stomach it.
I have 3 very little ones that can do a certain amount of heat and they WANTED to eat it (they love lentils) but couldn’t do it.
I suffered through it because it was also insanely delicious!!!
I’ll play around with the amount of red curry paste next time, but this recipe is my new favorite!!!! I used red lentils, and added a few carrots finely chopped. Also, a little plain yogurt on top was a great addition.
Hi, Brandy! I wonder what type of curry paste you used? When we’ve made this, it has been mild or maybe medium.. definitely not hot! The listed 2 Tbsp is the correct amount. Anyway, glad you liked it and hope you try it again! 🙂
Yay! Glad you liked it (and your little one too)!
Tried this recipe this week…LOVED it! I’ve been looking to add more meatless meals. So tasty. Thanks!
Awesome! Glad to hear it Laura! 🙂
Hi Lindsey!
Yes, they do have lentils in the Philippines. I can’t get them on the island where we live, and I don’t know what is available in Cebu – although it is the third largest city in the Philippines, so I imagine they have a wide variety of items available. I buy lentils when we pass through Manila – several of the larger grocery stores carry them, and carry several varieties of lentils. A good local substitute that is readily available are monggo beans (mung beans). There are both green and red varieties. The red monggo beans cook up looking a lot like red lentils. I haven’t been able to find many of the Indian spices anywhere though – I looked in just about every big grocery store in Manila for garam masala! I finally found a little Indian grocery store that carries tons of Indian spices this last week when we were in Manila. That was a fun find. If there is an Indian community in Cebu, they may have a grocery store there, too.
Best of luck to you and your husband on this endeavor of yours! I’ll look forward to seeing your adaptations of Filipino favorites.
By the way, I think everything else in your recipe above would be available in Cebu. Thai food is pretty popular here, so you can find Thai curry packets in the biggest stores.
Thank you so much Donna! I’ve heard that mung beans might be my best bet when it comes to finding lentil-like beans in Cebu. 🙂
When I saw this recipe I knew I had to make it. It is simmering on the stove right now. This is very similar to a chicken tikka masala but without the hassle of marinating and baking the chicken. I have a feeling this recipe will become one of my favorites.
This is delicious. I double the recipe it’s so good! I really like it with a soft boiled egg on top.
Mmm, great idea!
This was so easy and quick, and it was delicious! I didn’t have the curry paste so I left it out and played around with the spices; also I only had a small can of tomato paste but I just used what I had and it still turned out. I’ll definitely be making this again–it’s a great college meal, too!
What type of lentils/ dhal do you use in this recipe?
Regular dry lentils. I don’t know, they weren’t labeled as anything special – just the plain brown kind. 🙂
I’ve been making something similar to this for a while (with far less variety, so I think I’m going to borrow yours…)! I suggest adding some chickpeas and mung beans while cooking it.
In my experience, chickpeas and lentils are perfect no matter what you add them to! c:
I found your website through Pinterest and I’m so glad I did! I just whipped up a batch of red curry lentils and they. are. addicting. The only change I made was sauteing the onion in water as opposed to butter or oil to save some calories. I’m definitely a new follower and can’t wait to explore your recipes. Have a great day!
Woot woot! Gotta love the lentils. Thanks Alisha!
Can this be frozen?
I’m not sure! Haven’t tried it.
I froze my leftovers and they turned out fine reheated on the stove. You may want to add a little water to thin it out when reheating.
This is a great recipe. I made it this afternoon to use for dinner tomorrow but it may not last till tomorrow!
Glad you like it Abby!
I can’t WAIT to try this! Is the white rice included in the nutrional info (I’m guessing not)? Also, do you know how much is a serving? I’m sure once I make it I can break it into 6 servings and measure but thought it would be easier if you knew. I’m doing Weight Watchers so I’ve got to count out everything. 🙂
I found this recipe on Pinterest and can’t wait to try others of yours!!
Thanks Emily! The white rice is not included and I can’t remember how much the serving size is in terms of cups. I usually just use my wooden spoon to slice the whole roughly into sixths (or how ever many servings there are) and scoop out one section. 🙂 I hope you like them!
I usually find lentils pretty boring but this recipe is delicious!! I added some chopped kale for 5 mins at the end for some added nutrients and variety of texture and it tastes great.
Thanks for this! 🙂
this recipe was delicious and full of flavor. thank you!
I made this for dinner tonight and oh my god yum, my almost 5 year old asked to take it for her lunch tomorrow! Only thing I didn’t do was the cayenne pepper, thought it’d be a bit much for the little people in my house.
Yep, that was pretty darn good. Great flavor! Not too spicy for my spice-wary wife. It has officially been added to the rotation. The only disappointing part was that I wasn’t able to find tomato puree in 14 oz cans (only 28 oz), and I only used 1/4 c. of the coconut milk, so I’ve got leftover puree and coconut milk in need of a recipe asap. How long will the coconut last in the fridge after opening? In the mean time, I look forward to trying some of your other recipes!
Rice pudding, excellent way to use up coconut milk! I think it’s only good for a couple days once opened….
This recipe is awesome! I made a few changes based on what was in my pantry and the fact that I can only find 28oz cans (796ml) of crushed tomatoes (it subs fine for the 14oz of pureed tomatoes). I put some cardamon and coriander in with the spices, as well as a diced carrot and chopped cilantro roots with the onion. Perfect for a cold Canadian fall and so adaptable, well done!
I just made this tonight and it’s GREAT. I only used 1 TBSP of red curry paste and it’s still got plenty of heat for me. I only had reduced fat coconut milk in the house and I think the dish would benefit from the full fat … but it’s still really really tasty and will feed me all week. I am new to your site, but I’m going to have to check out some more recipes. Thanks!
I’m glad you liked it Kirsten!
I made this dish the other night and it was AMAZING. The flavours were perfect, and it was the right amount of spice. I am so glad I found your site as there are so many wonderful vegetarian options. I am currently in the process of making the coconut green lentils! Thanks for a great recipe:)
Thanks Meg! Glad you liked it!
YUM. This was so delish. I served it with rice that I made with the extra coconut milk from the can I opened, which added a wonderful sweet contrast, and of course garlic naan. Will definitely make this one again.
I made this last night. O.M.G. soooooooooooo amazingly delicious! If you are on the fence about making this, jump over already! So good!! I served this over grilled eggplant to provide a little kick. WOW.. Just wow. Excellent job, Lindsay!!
Made this for lunch, and I’m excited to have leftovers for lunch this week! I’m not vegetarian, but I have been cutting back on my family’s meat consumption and trying to add more vegetarian dishes to our rotation. This was delish and filling — reminded my husband of our favorite Indian place. The base of this is a wonderful start, and you could really add a number of other veggies — carrots, zucchini, spinach — to ramp up the nutrition and change it up a bit. I did find that the longer I let it simmer, the more tomato puree and coconut milk I needed to add, because I like a thinner consistency. I also added a bit more of each spice and some salt. I planned to serve it over Basmati rice, but my husband and I were both salivating over the aromas, so we just scooped it up with some naan! Thanks for the recipe!
I love your blog!! I am making these right now and can’t wait to take them to lunch tomorrow. My husband and I are heading to Thailand in a few weeks – my first time in Asia! 🙂
Awesome! How long are you going for?
We are leaving Feb 10th and arriving home on the 20th. We’ll be in Koh Lanta. Looking forward to trying all of the new foods!
P.s. My husband’s sister and her family are missionaries and they go to Koh Lanta almost every year for vacation. So we will have people with us who know what’s going on. We just got married in April so this will be my first time meeting them!
I made this tonight and served it with a flatbread and some chicken which I cooked in the sauce. I used red lentils and never having used them before, I wasn’t aware that they would basically fall apart during cooking. It was amazing nonetheless, probably one of the best dishes I have ever made, tastewise. Definitely going to make it more often, great flavours. Thanks for the recipe!
I just wanted to let you know I midnight snacked on these. They were so good that I didn’t go for my standard midnight treats (chocolate, crackers, cookies, etc). I went for the LENTILS. They were so dang good! Thanks for the recipe!
Hahaha! I love it. 🙂
This might sound weird but what kind of red curry paste do you use?
Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste, or something similar, like this. Although it’s not 30 dollars as it says here, but this will at least show you a picture. 🙂 https://www.google.com/shopping/product/10505909850971313555?q=thai%20red%20curry%20paste&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.41248874,d.aGc&biw=1194&bih=645&sa=X&ei=T2cAUcUxj5aJB6r0gagC&ved=0CFYQ8wIwAA
made this tonight… very easy and tasted amazing! can’t wait to eat the leftovers for lunch tomorrow! definitely will be making this often!
Great recipe! 🙂 I usually add some chopped cherrytomatoes too, for some extra veggies.
I stumbled across this recipe looking for easy, tasty lentil recipes. I’ve been collecting slow-carb recipes (only beans and lentils for carbs, no rice, wheat, sugar, etc.). It’s really hard to find stuff that I want to eat all the time.
I LOVE this recipe. I can make it without the sugar or rice and it is wonderful. I can eat it all the time. It is also very easy to make. Thank you so much for this and this site. There are about 100 things on here I want to try.
Thanks Brett! I’m glad you like this one. 🙂
Yum!!!!! I made these Saturday for the first time. I am cooking for just me, so when a recipe says it serves 6, I cut it in half the first time, just in case I don’t like it. Well, I finished them yesterday, and even gave my daughter a (very small) bowl of them. I’m making more right now, and I doubled it this time!!! I’m going to give my daughter some for her family (she is making a dish to share with me as well), and will freeze a couple servings. This recipe is fantastic, and it will be added into my normal rotation!!!! Two thumbs up!!!!
Glad you liked it Becky! 🙂 I was actually going to make this tonight for some guests, too… I love this one!
Hi! I’m excited to make this tonight. Although, I couldn’t find tomato puree at my grocery store … I grabbed some Crushed Tomatoes in place. Would this work? If not, how can I adjust it to work?
Thank you!
Yep! The texture just won’t be as smooth since there will be big chunks of tomato. Purée them first if you don’t want the tomato pieces. You also might need to add a little water for consistency if you decide not to purée.
I found that the tomatos could easily be replaced with mangos which give the whole dish a beutiful and smooth texture.
Stumbled upon your blog last weekend and I’ve been inspired! I didn’t have all the ingredients for this recipe but I did have lentils that were just sitting in the back of my cupboard so I kinda winged it! Used tikka masala paste instead of red curry paste and made my own tomato purée from tomato paste and didn’t have any garam masala (first I’ve heard of it actually)! Anyway, it turned out great! Imagine if I did have everything on the list! And the best part…my hubby’s not so keen on Indian so more for ME!
Thanks for sharing your passion! Will be trying the sweet n sour fish next!
Holy Lentil Goodness! This recipe was amazing….my husband raved over it and can’t wait to bring the leftovers to work for lunch (to impress his coworkers with my mad culinary skills)! we used our new pressure cooker and cut the lentil preparation time down to 10 minutes. thanks for the great recipe, I can’t wait to another one.
Pressure cooker! Genius!
Made these last night and it was my first time using lentils for anything. Delicious!! We did add double the coconut milk plus waaaay more cream than the recipe says. Probably around a cup, cup and a half. Hubby raved that it was as good as any Indian restaurant we’ve been to.
Oh my, this is SO good! Thank you, thank you!
Just made this dish. While it didn’t look like the recipe, the taste is delicious!
Hi lindsay, I’m a foodie from the philippines and I want to say, I really admire your blog and your style in taking photos. plus! this recipe is the bomb! I’m excited and looking forward on trying other recipes you have here. Plus hoping to meet you sometime in cebu. 🙂
Love this recipe! I have been looking for high protein, low fat meals that are also tasty and this is just superb. Great recipes, keep posting!
Thanks! I’m glad you like it. 🙂
I have made this curry three times and absolutely LOVE it! So easy and yummy! I am also a teacher overseas and you are definitely right, this makes a wonderful leftover for lunch. Thank you for this recipe (:
Glad you like it Andrea! 🙂 Keep up the good work with those kids!
I made this today and ate waaaaay too much of it. Ughhhh so good. I used regular cream but I really wish I would have used coconut milk, it would have made it that much better.
I used split red lentils and simmered it for longer than 20 minutes so it was pretty thick. When I warm it up for luch tomorrow I might add a splash of water and some more cream.
It also tastes super good with some tortilla chips, I was standing at the fridge scooping up some cold with my tortilla chips. lol
Thanks for sharing!
Glad you liked it Jessica! I LOVVVVE having the leftovers from this for lunch! Even better the next day!
Do you have a picture of the lentil you used? It would help me choose the right one at the store!
Just made this tonight and it was delicious!! Even better, it was so easy to make and so filling… usually I’m scrounging for a late night snack before bed but not tonight! Think I found a new love… Lentils. Thanks again, Lindsay!
Oh my goodness — I usually don’t comment much on recipe blogs but I just had to for this one. SO, so easy and INCREDIBLY tasty!!! (Not to mention smells like heaven). I added a bit of fenugreek to your suggested spices and it makes for the perfect (not to mention healthy) dish. I think I might add a bit of spinach next time too, for added veggies — why not, this dish is so flexible 🙂
Ate it all week with brown basmati reheated for lunch, was amazing all week long!
Thank you!!!
Yummmmmy! Where do you get your fenugreek? I’ve bought it at Asian food stores before but never seen it at a regular grocery store.
I actually picked mine up at a local Penzy’s Spices, I also haven’t seen it at the regular grocery stores though.
I made this recipe tonight and am scrolling through comments to get to the bottom to compliment and comment. Yum! But saw your Fenugreek question…I order mine from Amazon.com because it is hard to find. The Indus Organics brand is good and comes in a sturdy airtight container. I get the seeds and grind them myself. It’s one of those super foods that lowers cholesterol, blood pressure, blood glucose, aids digestion, increases milk production for nursing moms, enhances libido and makes every day a good hair day. I’m only kidding about the last one! I try to ingest it every day.
Wow – thanks Kristi!
Hi
Thank you so much for this awesome recipe, tried it myself today, but i swapped some of the spices and added some fennel seeds and cardamom pods. It turned out really great, one of the first dishes without meat I have cooked so.
Love your additions! Glad you liked it!
OKAY!!!! This was AWESOME!!! I used this recipe yesterday and it was sooo yummy. I made my own garam masala because I could not find it in the store. I added a bit more spices than you specified but this was one of the best things I ever cooked. My husband’s birthday is coming up and I offered to take him to a fancy restaurant, he declined and asked for JUST this meal! Its that good. Healthy, vegetarian & yummy. Does not get better than that. Thanks for sharing it.
That’s awesome! Thanks Nikky!
Heeeeelp before I just throw it out. 🙁
I accidentally used tomato paste (I think I used tomato sauce last time) and now it’s this giant glob of goo and if I try to simmer it it’s just going to burn.. What can I do to fix it? It’s grossly tomato-e and just overpowered the spices. 🙁
I’m so sad.
I’ve used tomato paste before when I didn’t have anything else and just added quite a bit of water to thin it out (and far less tomato paste than what the recipe calls for since the recipe calls for tomato sauce or puree). But even then, it wasn’t as good. :/
I used a full 14oz can of tomato paste!! I tried to fix it by adding water to thin it out, more coconut milk, and probably 4 times the amount of spices. It still didn’t taste good. lol
I was so sad because it’s sooo good. haha I’ll just have to try again today. 😉
So delicious. I have never attempted a lentil meal and both my husband and I loved it. I’m also curious if my memory serves me correctly…are you an Ole? I tend to remember faces pretty well and think you and your husband look familiar. I’m a teacher too now in St. Paul. Thanks again for the great recipe. I can’t wait to try many more from your site!
So tasty! I actually changed the recipe a bit, added a can more of tomatoes, some roasted veges, spinach, and frozen peas. It was so hearty and filling, and everyone loved it 🙂
There are not enough words to capture exactly how much I loved this. Simple + delicious + healthy = winner! Thanks for the consistently awesome recipes!
Thanks Rachel! Glad you liked it.
Loved this! Three things need to be said:
1. This is delicious.
2. I added spinach and loved it.
3. I’m pretty sure it only makes 1 serving…
Thanks for the “keeper” recipe!!
I made this last night and it was quite tasty. But, did you use 1.5 cups of dry lentils or is that after they were cooked? All nutrition facts for that many lentils is at least 960 calories that I can see, and divided by 6 is 160, which is over what you have listed here for total recipe. It looks like there is more sauce than I had in the pictures, so I was thinking that maybe less lentils were used (as in 1.5 cups cooked). Thanks!
Nope, it was 1.5 cups dry. And I’ll double check the nutrition stats! Sometimes they get a little bit off depending on what I use to generate the labels.
Yeah, I re-did the label using Calorie Count (I was using a different website before) and put the new label in. Thanks for the catch.
I used 14 oz. raw tomato vitamixed to fill in for the canned tomato. It came out tasty.
As an avid crock-pot user how do you feel this recipe would do!?
I just made this for dinner and it is soooo good. 🙂
I like my curry super spicy and smothered in tomato though, so I didn’t add the coconut milk. I also added some extra water and cooked the lentils in the tomato mixture instead of cooking them first.
Absolutely divine 🙂
I absolutely love this recipe!
First time I made it, I accidentally made it with red lentils, which basically get all mushy when you cook them. Stirred them through the curry sauce anyway and it was amazing! They didn’t so much add crunch or texture, so I added some garden peas as well, but the red lentil mush did make the curry gorgeously thick and yummy…
Oh, and I just LOVE this on bread, cold out of the fridge 😉
xoxo
Sounds like a yummy accident! 🙂
Glad you made this mistake too Nila, now I know to not throw it out too. Will continue, thinking of adding chick peas for texture since it’s all mush.
These were delicious. Made them for dinner last night and can’t stop thinking about them. Really really good.
What a great recipe! I started a pot of lentils when I walked in the door tonight after a loooong week and figured I’d ask Pinterest what to do with them from there. This recipe looked the easiest, so it won. LOVE IT! I tweaked it a little, used organic coconut oil for sautéing, eliminated onions and used extra garlic instead. I added cilantro paste, a 6 oz can of tomato paste and closer to a half cup of coconut milk. I served it over gluten free cornbread and grated cheddar cheese. I guess that sounds a little odd, but it was so good. I’m going to make this a lot. Thank you so much.
Glad to hear it Kristi!
I made this last night and it was very yummy! I have a lot of red thai curry powder at home, so instead of buying red curry paste, I made one with equal parts curry powder, olive oil, and water. I also added a pinch of lemongrass curry powder to the paste. I found that I needed to add a little extra coconut milk to balance the flavors, but overall it turned out great!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your posts! Think you don’t like lentils? Well, you do….just totally cracks me up! Thank you for AWEmazing recipes and some very witty entertainment. I love reading a blog when the writers personality really shines through. Keep em coming your hard work is appreciated!
Hey! This recipe looks delicious! Just one quick question – you say tomato purée in your recipe. Thinking of what is available canned in my area, would you use tomato sauce or tomato paste? Thanks!
Tomato sauce!
What type of lentils Dodd you use in this recipe?
Regular brown lentils. I think they are technically called green but they look brown. 🙂
I thought this was great! But mine was a little dry ( I just realized I used tomato paste and not sauce…lol) but I just made a little more of the sauce on the side. I also made some diced up sweet potatoes with the same sauce on the side and it was perfect together! Great recipe
My boyfriend and I made this last night and it was delicious! We used a whole can of coconut milk and next time we’ll try using crushed tomatoes, instead of tomato purée. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Made this tonight and my boyfriend and I both loved it. Notes:
1. Like most of you, I used a can of coconut milk and had a ton left over. Coconut rice guys, seriously.
2. Do not trust recipes that promise you soft brown lentils in just ten minutes. You will become a Lentil Helicopter, hovering around the kitchen with extra water and a burnt mouth from way too much lentil tasting.
3. Use the rest of the coconut milk if your sauce starts to evaporate during the final simmer. As far as I could tell, it didn’t throw off the spices and tasted delicious in the final product.
This recipe is fantastic! We love it! Thank you!
Thanks Kris! Glad you liked it!
Just prepped these for lunch or dinner tomorrow. I snuck a little taste and they were delicious! I can’t wait for all the flavors to meld overnight. I added 1/2 teaspoon salt. Thanks for sharing!
Hi, thanks for the recipe, it was delicious. Wanted to check is the red curry paste you used a Thai Red Curry paste?
Yep! I often use Thai Kitchen brand curry paste.
What kind of rice are you using? Im trying to do cheap vegan meals for 14 days but is this considered a cheap dish?
Yes, definitely! I usually use basmati but long grain white or brown rice would still be good.
Thanks! I love jasmine and basmati rice. its more light and yummy
This was soooo good! I’m vegetarian and my Fiance is not. She’s also on a bit of a cleanse right now which doesn’t allow sugar or carbs, etc…
Anyways, I followed the recipe pretty much by the book (added a bit of salt to taste, and some vindaloo spices to add a bit more) using clarified butter and coconut milk, and no sugar. Before adding lentils, I put some sauce on some chicken that I sauteed in the skillet for her.
She LOVED it. I think it could be converted to a really nice sauce recipe as well!
Thanks Michael! Glad you liked it and were able to adapt it for your fiance!
I cooked this yesterday and OMG it was soooooooo good! I’ve blogged about it, and linked back to your post so that my friends can come along and try it for themselves http://onionsandpaper.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/red-curry-lentils.html
Glad you liked it Jane!
I just prepared this dish. Simply delicious! I found your site via Pinterest, and I’m glad that I did! Your site has been bookmarked!
Thank you Valencia! Glad to hear that.
This was exceptional thank you. I’m a vegetarian & I like lentils & this is the first recipe I have tried that turned out exactly how I hoped. Lots of flavour , spicy without blowing your heard off & you are right, it just improves with time. Unfortunately it didn’t last 24 hours, my husband inhaled it, I did manage to put a little to one side for his lunch, but that was it. I’ll make more next time. Next I’m going to try your recipe for red lentil Dahl.. I live in Switzerland until the end of the year then back home to the UK . I was lucky to find Garam Masala in Switzerland & I was glad I did because it adds quite a unique flavour.
So glad you liked it Jo!
This is the first time I’ve commented on a recipe but it is so good I had to say something! I’ve made this recipe many, many times now. It is incredibly delicious. Today I added cauliflower and peas to change it up. Yum. And for those who come home tired from work, whip this meal up, go to serve it and find they forgot to make rice? (Oops!!!) That frozen, store bought indian flatbread goes well with this 🙂
My husband and I are vegetarians and have made a lot of your dishes and you have never let us down 🙂 Your site is the first place I go to for new, fun, tasty recipes.
I love the addition of peas! Thanks for the comment Cari!
I made this and brought the leftovers for lunch. I work at a school and sponsor the Multicultural Club. We had a lunch meeting that day, and my Indian students said that my lunch smelled SO GOOD. I feel that’s a huge compliment! I served/ate it over a little brown rice and roasted zucchini. It’ll become a regular in our dinner rotation.
How fun! I love hearing that! 🙂
Love this recipe!!! i made mine with cauliflower as the rice. I steamed the cauliflower very slightly , and then put it in the blender, and serve it in place of the rice.
Thats for all the low carb eaters .:)
Oh , and i also added grilled aubergine, or spinach also goes with it quite well:)
Thanks for the tip Nadia!
Hi , In the ingredient list you say tomato paste. In the directions you say tomato sauce… which one is it?
Peace,
Sara
It is indeed yummy!
this was my first “real” curry, i added some veggies, and it is wow!
Thanks for the recipe!
I love hearing that! Thanks for the comment Jennifer!
I had my last leftover (over some quinoa) at school for lunch, it made many collegues jealous!
Seriously I’m addicted and I just can think of when I’ll be doing some again cause I’d eat it endlessly!
I pinned this one a while back…but always found something else to make…yesterday I finally made it!! My boyfriend is from India…he said it was the best “dal” he ever had in Canada!!! I will definitely make it again! Go easy with the red curry paste, mine was reaaaally SPICY! But very good recipe, don’t be afraid of the lentils!
wow – that’s awesome! Thanks Janie (and your boyfriend)!
Oh my goodness, this looks absolutely delicious! Totally pinning to make for dinner next week!
Awesome recipe! Easy and delicious.
What can I use in lieu of the tomato purée?
Thanks!
Tomato sauce? I’m not sure if you’re trying to avoid tomatoes though?
You were not lying – this is fantastic! I cannot wait to have it again tomorrow night.
That’s awesome! I’m so happy to hear that. Thanks so much Jennifer!
So easy and so delicious. approved
That’s awesome! I’m so happy to hear that. Thanks so much Cassis.
I think my grocer has a different idea of tomato puree. It’s *almost* like paste and the whole thing came out really thick. I ended up adding the whole can of coconut milk. I also forgot the cayenne pepper which was good because the curry paste (Mae Ploy) from the Indian market is HOT. I like spicy foods but my kid won’t touch this. The whole can of coconut milk helped balance the spice a little. It’s a great recipe though and I can’t wait to break out the naan when it’s finished.
I just made this tonight and it was SO delicious! The best thing I’ve made in ages! I already can’t wait to have the leftovers for my lunch tomorrow. So spicy and satisfying!!
I love hearing that! Thanks for the comment Kate!
Also wanted to add that this freezes perfectly! I microwaved it straight from the freezer and and added a tiny bit of water and it was just as good as freshly cooked. Thanks again!
Wow, I was kind of nervous making this because I’m not a huge curry fan but wanted to try something new and healthy. This recipe is amazing!!! Not too overpowering, and I left out ginger and cilantro because I’m not a huge fan but the end product was absolutely delicious. I’ll definitely be making this again!!!
Thanks!!
I love hearing that! Thanks for the comment Montana!
Lindsay, did you mean “14 oz of tomato PUREE”, or “14 oz of stewed or diced tomatoes”? Once I cooked the onions and it was time to add the puree, it was dead obvious that there was no way I was going to be able to simmer this for 15-20 minutes, as you described; there was just zero moisture to simmer off!
I wound up having to toss in the whole can of coconut milk, which helped, because all I had was a super-intense, spicy, tomato-flavoured paste. So yeah: did you mean something different than tomato puree (or tomato paste, as we call it in here)?
Tomato puree is like tomato sauce, not tomato paste. Sorry for the language differences! It’s literally tomatoes, pureed. So yes – next time I’d use regular canned tomatoes and just run them through the blender to get them smooth.
My sister got me a crockpot for christmas and invited me over for dinner this week, so I said I’d bring a crockpot meal (I NEVER cook, I’ve only ever made like rice and spaghetti really), so i googled recipes and this came up. It looks delicious, but it doesn’t look like you do it in a crockpot. Can you? and if so, how?
Yes! Here you go: https://pinchofyum.com/crockpot-red-lentil-curry
This is amazing! Thank you so much for this recipe. It’s definitely my new favorite vegetarian meal. Next time I’m going to try adding some zucchini or spinach. Yum!
Thanks for the comment – I’m so glad to hear that you liked it Tami!
My husband and I are eating this right now and it’s delicious! Great recipe!
Thanks for the comment – I’m so glad to hear that you liked it Carolyn!
This is so delicious. But I am having a weird problem with this recipe. This is the second time I’ve tried making it and both times I had to add several cups of water and cook it for nearly 1.5 hours before the lentils finally softened up! Do you have any idea what’s going on? I’m so puzzled by this because it doesn’t seem like anybody else has the same problem! Any help is greatly appreciated 🙂
Hey G – is it possible that your lentils are old? When they are old, they take a lot longer to cook. I know that’s happened to me a few times with other lentil recipes I’ve made when using a package that has been open for a while.
Seriously wow. That was possibly the best, easiest thing I’ve ever made. You are awesome. I can’t wait for someone to invite me to a potluck now, or maybe make a new vegetarian friend. Best. Monday. Ever. And my hands smell like an Indian market.
I modded your lentils a bit – no coconut milk in the house (oddly, for me!), so probably 3/4 cups of cream—or a little more– (as it ended up) and more garam masala, and always more garlic than is called for. I kept eating it off of the spoon as I was cooking.
Also, I found an awesome cooked rice kheer recipe here:
https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/leftover-rice-pudding-kheer/
(my mods to this – 1.5 cups of heavy cream (no milk at all), 1 cup of water, pinch of saffron, rice cooked with cardamom, in addition to the cardamom added during cooking. I chopped some cashews in a spice grinder with some sugar and put them in at the beginning. I also put some rose Monin syrup in it, and it was amazing! Great before the rose too. And I almost always add more spice that is called for, because FOOD!)
They make a wonderful pair. Now I just need a naan recipe!
This will be a staple, like the pioneer woman ziti!
*goes to bed happy*
grace
Sounds like you made some delicious modifications, Grace! I will pass along the link to Lindsay for you. 🙂
Is it ok to use red split lentils for this recipe? Can’t wait to try it!
I think that would work fine, Rachel! Just keep in mind that split lentils generally cook faster. 🙂
This looks awesome! Saw this recipe pop up via Pinterest, I like trying new things so I am making this for my Fiancé and I tonight!
Can’t wait to try it, thanks for the recipe and all the advice!!
Ema
X
Great, Ema! Hope you enjoy it!
I just discovered this recipe and have made it three times in the last week and a half. I LOVE these lentils, and it makes me so happy because they are both tasty and healthy. Thank you!!
That’s great Sandy! We love hearing that. 🙂
I’m planning on making this for some veggie friends, but am a bit confused by ’14oz can tomato purée’ I’m in the U.K and I’ve only every seen tomato purée in small tubes or tubs. I’ve seen Passata (sieved tomatoes) Would that be what you mean? Or should I use chopped tomatoes and wizz them?
Hi, Lorna! You could use a 14 oz can of plain tomato sauce, if that’s available to you! I’m not familiar with Passata, but that would likely work, too. 🙂
I have to finally comment on this recipe. My sister shared it with me probably a year ago, and it has become a go to meal in my house for lazy nights that need a quick supper. My hubby always comments how great it tastes we both live it. There is always some leftover which is perfect because it is soo tasty !!
Awesome, Abi! So glad you enjoy it! 🙂
Made this for the first time tonight and my partner and I loved it! The real test though was our almost 3 year old daughter eating 3 helpings!! In our menu rotation for sure now
Toddlers are always the real test, right? 😉 Glad you liked it!
I just went to the store and bought the ingredients for this recipe. So looking forward to dinner tonight! I had most of the ingredients so it wasn’t very expensive. I tried to find Garam Masala and can’t find it anywhere. So, I looked up a recipe on how to mix it up myself. I think I have everything to make that at home also. (I hope. Do I have ground cloves? hmmm) Anyway, I will let you know how it turns out. I love me some curry! Thanks for sharing.
Enjoy, Marsha! 🙂
I don’t know when I might make these, but I love the way you write. I was actually laughing out loud! I’m convinced…I will love lentils!
Just try it – you will! 😉
Man, I love me some curry and lentils. Looks delicious. Already making my mouth water. 🙂
Hope you enjoy these! 🙂
Hi there! New to cooking lentils and the few times I’ve tried they have not turned out the best! Just wondering if I could use whole green lentils or whole red lentils in this recipe? Thanks so much and love the blog
Hi, Laura! Either type of lentils should work fine – just know that all lentils will have slightly different cooking times depending on variety and how old they are. Enjoy!
Delicious! Thank you! I only had Thai red curry paste and I used a whole can of coconut milk. Definately keeping this recipe.
Glad to hear that, Cynthia!
The calorie count for this recipe is without rice?
That is correct.
This is the best red lentil curry recipe that I have had the pleasure of trying! It’s pretty simple to make, and tastes so delicious. It is in my biweekly recipe rounds!
Thanks for the comment, Lauren!
This is *such* a good recipe! Every time I make it, I think to myself, why don’t I make this more often? Husband and toddler also gobbled it up! First time I made it, it was a bit too spicy for the kiddo, but I just kept out the cayenne and the rest is perfection! Have tried your crockpot version, too, and for some reason, I can’t get the lentils soft enough that way. On the stovetop, though, it’s all deliciousness. Love your blog!
Glad you like it, June!
Just made this for dinner. Yum! It was the perfect combination of spices. I felt like I’d ordered from an Indian restaurant. Thanks so much for the recipe!!!!
Glad you liked it, Stacy!
I just came across your site and I love it.
WOW i made this for dinner tonight absolutely delish. I cooked my lentils in vegetable stock and used coconut cream instead of milk apart from that followed recipe exact and it came out perfect. Thank you.
Glad to hear it, Anna! 🙂
Hi! Can you please tell me the ingredients in grams??? :,(
Just wanted to check everything in this is gluten free?
That’s correct, Jen!
Hey. Loved your photography.. thats what got me here in the first place 🙂 Seems like we share the same interests.. food.photography.travel. moving on to read your photography tips. <3
This is so easy to make and just as delicious! I double the recipe and make it once a month. It freezes very well and is great for lunches! Thank you so much for sharing.
Looking awesome. It would perfect with both rice and chapati. Thanks for sharing
I love this!! My family really enjoyed it!! Thanks for the recipe 🙂 I put coconut oil instead butter and I dice real tomato with a little bit of tomato puree. It come out delicious!!!
Great idea, Andrea! Thanks for the comment!
Made this for dinner last night, was so yummy. Looking forward to the leftovers ^_^
Hi,
Can I know what type of lentil? There are so many different kinds available.
Thanks!
Hi Kareena! This recipe is great with either brown or red lentils. 🙂
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Convex and concave polygons actually play an important role in some computer algorithms to perform object collision detection! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperplane_separation_theorem
Hi. Love cooking your recipes! Thank you. Just wondering what lentils you use in this recipe? Green/brown or red? Thanks
We used brown!
Made this for meatless Monday and we liked! I added a bit more coconut milk than called for. My toddler liked it too!
Awesome, Becca! Glad you both enjoyed it!
When you say red curry paste do you mean thai red curry paste or any red coloured curry paste?
Thai red curry paste. 🙂
Thank you so much for this recipe! The sauce is fantastic! I’ll share this recipe with my curry-loving friends 🙂
You are sooo right, these are just stuff in your face fantastic. Hot or cold. Cannot stop eating them, no time for photos. Thanks for the recipe.
I love this and it’s not too spicy so the whole family can enjoy it! I’ve included it in my Healthy Family Meals post.
Just made this and it was fantastic. Rich sauce with just enough heat. I added some chopped kale. Thank you so much for posting this it will go into my “Family Favourites” cookbook.
Thank you for making this recipe, this was my first time trying lentils and it was delicious! A roaring success, will definitely be making again. Alice xxx
http://www.aliceadventures.co.uk
could you use plain yogurt instead of coconut cream?
We’ve never tried this with yogurt so can’t really say – it would definitely be missing the yummy coconut flavor!
Just made this, seriously amazing and will make more often! Cheap and nutritious!
Thank you so much. 🙂
I have made this recipe a lot and I LOVE IT! It is super easy and is such a crowd pleaser.
Hi. Dying to try this. Any idea what I can use instead of red curry paste?
It’s really the base of the dish so it’s hard to get around it! You could try using curry powder – just won’t be quite the same consistency or taste.
Do you mean tomato Purée or crushed tomatoes or diced tomatoes or tomato paste? I am often unclear which one of these you mean, I am in the US and if you could clarify this for American readers.
It’s tomato puree! 🙂
I have to say you have the best food blog I’ve ever come across. I tell everyone about you because every single thing I’ve made of yours is some of my favorite meals and in our regular meal rotation. I’m vegetarian and my husband is a meat eater. Your blog is perfect for us!! Although I have to admit I’ve only made the vegetarian ones and we both are obsessed. He always asks me if it’s from “that one blog”. Just to name a few of my favorite recipes… Magic green sauce alone, on everything or with the lentil quesadillas, your chocolate chip cookies, all your tofu recipes, this recipe, and now for a request for vegetarian enchilada soup 🙂 a creamy yummy one! Thanks for your talent. I’m clearly jealous and obsessed! 🙂
Could you freeze the red curry lentil.
When it reads 1 1/2 cups lentil is that dried or cooked??
We did cooked and it turned out good
Oh I love lentils! Everyone in my family does and that’s why it’s a staple in our home! Your version looks delish!
I was hesitant since I have my go to food blogs that I love, but this tasted exactly like an Indian restaurant! Thank you so much for a delicious recipe!!
Oh my goodness, I’m in love. This was fantastic. It sounded so good that I was brave enough to use coconut milk! I hate the taste of coconut, but it didn’t stand out at all in this. Thank you so much!
This looks yummy! can i do it in the slow cooker and what would you change?
Hey Amira! We have a recipe of this for the crockpot. You can check it out here: https://pinchofyum.com/crockpot-red-lentil-curry
Made this in the slow cooker. Cut spices a bit and we all loved it– including picky preschoolers!
Glad to hear it, Caitlin!
I just made this for dinner. I am seriously considering living on these, like, forever. Haha. I click on lots of recipes on pinterest and seem to end up at your blog alot. We must have similar food tastes. Great recipe!
Ha! We love hearing that. 🙂 Thanks for the comment, Courtney!
I made this last night and ate THIRDS of this stuff – it was SO GOOD! Yes, that needs to be in all caps. My friend got me some fancy Sri Lankan curry powder for Christmas, and this was the perfect way to use it.
My only adjustment was cooking time. I came across some lovely organic red lentils at the store and used them in this recipe. I’d never cooked red lentils, t after them according to the package, they were VERY done (probably a it overdone). So I added my coconut milk the sauce and simmered it alone for about 15 minutes, then added the lentils at the end. So those using red lentils should definitely reduce the cooking time.
The end result was marvelous, and will definitely make this again!
Glad to hear it, Stacey! Thanks for the tip!
Is that 1 1/2 dry or cooked lentils? I think I put far too man at in, it wasn’t so saucy 🙁 but! The sauce was amazinnggg
It should be dry lentils!
Saw this and it reminds me strongly of a red lentil dish I used to do, the only problem it had premixed spices and I have been looking for an actual recipe as the prebagged product was discontinued a long time ago. I am trying this as it looks way too good to pass up. Especially with the possibility of leftovers.
It is silly that it has taken me so long to comment on here! I have made your recipe steadily for the last 4 years or so. Friends and family know it is one of my staples and love it. My husband is a meat guy and even really enjoys this. Thanks for creating a wonderful dish for me and my community!
We love hearing that, Emily! Thanks for the comment!
This recipe is like crack on a plate. I can’t tell you how much I love it!! So easy to make also.
Ha! Glad to hear it, Shawn. 🙂
Hi Lindsay,
really interested in the sugar intake for the sugar. If 1 teaspoon is lower than 1%, then that means 100 teaspoons is less than 100%. Surely this isnt good.
Thanks,
Foody Spenny
sorry meant intake from the curry
Super delicious and easy. Thank you for the recipe. Love it!
This looks SO good! Could I use a can of tomato sauce instead of the puree?
It might be a little different flavor, but you definitely can!
Hi, I’m making this tonight! Can you use Red Thai Curry paste or does it have to be like a Tikka paste?
You could use red curry paste!
It’s my first time cooking lentils… Love the recipe!!!!
Hi! I just made a Red lentils curry….. it is fabulous ? Thank you
I tried this yesterday and it’s amazing!! So easy to make as well. My kids loved it too. My husband and I like it spicier, so we just added chilli flakes to our portions.
Yummm, I made this with red lentils. I was low on red curry paste, so I added that green curry, which lent a citrusy limey taste to it. The red lentils made this more of a paste / dal texture, perfect for pairing with chapati or rice. Nice as a protein addition to a vegetable dish like steamed cauliflower as well.
Oops, I meant *Thai* green curry
Glad to hear it!
This was the first curry dish I’ve ever made and I loved it!!
This recipe looks delicious! Can I use red lentils for this?
They’ll likely cook a little fast, but you definitely can!
Can I use tomato sauce instead of purée?
Hi Jaci! You should be able to – might just be a slightly different texture. 🙂
I LOVE the way you write!!!! So real! I laughed all the way through reading this….awesomely done! Lentils are a must all the time!
Wow…I know this is an old post but it looks so yummy for an autumn comfort meal…I’m going to make this and use more veg with it, cauliflower, green pepper (capsicum) and carrots….a hearty vegetable and lentil curry, yummmmm, thanks for the recipe
I want to make this tonight but all I have are black, green, and red lentils. Can I substitute?
Thanks!
Yes, that should be fine!
In the end I put it all in a crock pot on low for several hours. Great!
Hi is the tomato puree or tinned as it seems a lot of puree,like 2 200g tubes in England? Thanks in advance,can’t wait to try this ?
Best lentil curry recipe ever!! So delicious and easy to make, tasted even better the next day 🙂
made this last night and it is a winner!
now I am tasked to make this often 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Do you recommend red or green lentils for this recipe? I have both, not sure which to use 🙂
We’d use green or brown!
I LOVE these so much. They are on a pretty consistent rotation in my household of 6. Question, is there any way you could update this for the Instant Pot? I know there’s gotta be a way, maybe even PIP with rice?
I’ve made this recipe 3 times now with split red lentils and only now after reading the comments caught that it’s meant to be the brown or green kind! Even though it’s quite obvious from the photos, now that I know. I am an idiot. Well I can attest to the fact that it’s great with the red lentils, I made it exactly as you directed and found the spice to be perfect. I love your blog and look forward to trying more recipes.
Ha! Glad to hear that, Lisa!
Are red lentils OK to use for this?
I just made it and it’s pretty delicious! I had to double the tomato and coconut milk – I can’t figure out what I did wrong. I didn’t have enough liquid to do any kind of simmering.
I cooked my brown lentils in the instant pot with water (1.5 cups dry lentils) before I added them to the curry.
Is the word ‘simmer’ just throwing me off? Fighting the dryness.
Any advice?
Can’t wait to make this. Over in the UK, lentils are sold as Red, Green and Brown and all have different uses/properties I think. Do you know what type are used in this recipe? Thanks
I have made these in the slow cooker for Christmas Eve dinner the last few years. Always amazing! I serve with salmon
Wow..red curry lentils definitely looks yummi! I love your recipe cuz it contains healthy ingredients! I’m also gonna pin this post on my Pinterest board my followers will love it. Thanks a lot for sharing!
Love! I added a bit of extra cayenne to make it spicier! Also, so simple!
Delicious
I wanted to add some sweet potato or butternut squash to up the vegetable content. If I cut the potatoes/squash in small cubes, do you think they would cook in the same amount of time as the lentils? Or should I just cook them separately and add them in at the end?
Yep! I think that would work just fine.
Has anyone tried this in an Instant Pot? I knew we would need more liquid for the lentils.
Made Curry Lentils twice and I’m in love with this recipe! Perfect both times.
thanks for sharing this is yumm
I made this today. Let me tell you it was so delicious and filling. I will be making again. Thanks for the recipe.
I made this for the first time last night. It is SO GOOD. I threw in some fresh spinach at the end because the flavor reminded me of another dish I make that includes spinach. There was a little leftover after dinner so I stirred in the rest of the can of coconut milk, turning it into an equally delicious soup to eat tomorrow.
How much is lentils would I need if I used canned lentils instead of dried?
So I’ve converted it, is it nearly 400g/ml of tomato purée – thats a lot. Its very dry when I make it. Is it meant to be tomato passata or chopped tomatoes maybe??
Can you swap out the red curry paste for green curry paste and still cook it the same.
Yep, should be just fine!
I made this tonight, and it looks like the picture!
Yuuum, just made this recipie and it’s so easy and delicious! I took a lot of the spices and some more coconut milk, ate it with some kale salad. THANK YOU, amazing dish which saved my day ❤
Perfection!! I topped it with a fried egg 🙂
I made this yesterday and it was/is amazing. It’s delicious over rice and with some naan. I had a bunch of spices (masala, curries, etc) from a recent trip to Dubai and now they are finally being put to use!
Wow..red curry lentils definitely look yummy! I love your recipe cuz it contains healthy ingredients! I’m also gonna pin this post on my Pinterest board my followers will love it. Thanks a lot for sharing!
OMG so delicious! Never made red curry before but this looked so good I bought the paste and it did not disappoint. I used coconut oil instead of butter and half a can of reduced fat coconut milk and it was perfectly creamy. Served it with brown rice and steamed broccoli and fine beans. Thank you so much, I’m definitely going to make it again.
I noticed your comment , do they have lentils in the philippines? And was wondering why you ask since you are living in Minnesota.I have been a missionary in the Philippines, Manila, for 19 years, and yes, they have lentils there but you can not find them in every store, and sometimes even though you found them in one store, you might not find them next time you go looking.
So good! I added a whole can of coconut milk since I doubled the recipe but I am obsessed!
How many grades in 114 ounces
Does it matter what kind or colour lentils to use?
This is delicious and I substituted cream with Greek yogurt! Thank you ?
how much salt?!?!? in this recipe..
I added a lot. It needed it, I thought. But things
always tastes better with salt.
I absolutely love this recipe! I use chicken instead of lentils. I make the sauce and then add the chicken at the end and let it simmer until the chicken is cooked through… than immediately eat the entire skillet myself. Delicious!! Tastes just as good warmed up for lunch the next day, if it makes it that far! Thank you for sharing!
Hi, can this recipe be frozen?
What kind of lentils work best?
We use just standard brown lentils!
Yum!! These sound so tasty!
I LOVE lentils, especially if they’re curry style! I have only tried them with a green or yellow curry seasoning, but with red…yes, that sounds absolutely FAB.
Hope you enjoy it!
I made this for myself tonight, and it was delicious! My husband didn’t want any but he was sorry after he ate and tasted mine. I doubled the dry spices since my garam masala was a little old. And I had opened the red curry paste awhile ago, so it had lost some of its impact. But it was still great, with leftovers! Served it over basmati rice. Thank you for this great recipe.
Love a red curry <3
Rebecca | Peppermint Dolly Blog
This is such a great way to incorporate lentils and spice and a great protein dinner!
Lentils are so good! And I loooove curry dishes but my wife isn’t the biggest fan. Unfortunate, too. She is a vegetarian and curry has so many vegetarian options.
Thank you for sharing!
I have made this MANY times and is one of my very favorites. It freezes really well too. I always double it and then use the whole can a coconut milk just to use it up. I love it.
Eating through my pantry and came across a half bag of lentils. Consulted your recipie index and tried this one. So glad I did.
1. So good and the spice was perfection
2. Made 2 lentil haters into lentil lovers
3. Was complemented by my co-worker on how authentic the smell was (she is of Indian descent)
I’m making this for dinner but it doesn’t seem to have enough liquid to cook that amount of lentils. Should water or vegetable broth be added? I ended up adding 2 cups of vegetable broth and the whole can of coconut milk. I only had diced tomatoes not puree so I’m wondering if that’s why it seems dry….Still smells amazing tho!
I feel so dumb! I apparently skipped over the first step that said “Cook the lentils according to directions. Drain and set aside.” DOH! Making it again, the correct way. The wrong way I made it before was still delicious! Just had to add the extra cups of water….
This looks like a perfect meal prep lunch, thanks!
I just made your recipe for lunch and loved it, thanks so much! We were out of coconut milk, so I just added a glug of soy-based cooking cream instead. It tasted truly wonderful! This will definitely become a new winter staple…
I just made this. It’s delicious, and it came together so quickly! I used canned tomato sauce instead of pureed tomatoes, because I couldn’t find a 14 oz can of puree, but otherwise followed the recipe as written. I will definitely be making this again! Thank you!
So delicious and easy especially if you make the rice and lentils ahead of time. The flavor was on point!
Where is a good place to buy Red Curry Paste? I tried Target, Trader Joes, and Lunds but could not find it. Is there something I could substitute it with?
Thanks!
We typically but ours at Target! We like the Thai Kitchen brand.
Is there a substitute for sugar you could suggest? Thank you
What kind of lentils do you recommend ?!
Hi! Can this be cooked in the instant pot?
P.S. I love every recipe I have tried of yours!!
Looks delicious :\ I want
Nice taste. Good for family party
Its True. Keep it up.
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I just made this recipe with regular cream and a small can of tomato sauce + tomato paste to supplement the tomato purée, and it was phenomenal. I’ve recently tried probably 8-10 curry sauce recipes in the last year or so, all with similar ingredients but different ratios, and this is by far the most similar in flavor to the dishes I get from my neighborhood Indian restaurant. I am so excited about this because I absolutely adore Indian food. I can’t wait to try this sauce with other vegetable/protein combos; perhaps I’ll do cauliflower, potato, pea, carrot combo next time or chick peas!!! Gah, I’m licking my plate as we speak. Haha!
Let me go against the grain here. I see a lot of typical “foodie” comments made by 99% non Asians. “OH my god I love it. This is my life. I’m in love with lentils” Etc. etc. Which makes me doubt any of them has ever tasted a proper Indian or Thai curry, as prepared by grandma Chokchai or auntie Anjali. As someone who has been (and still is) living in Bangkok for a decade, has traveled to India and Nepal on several occasions and goes to Laos and Cambodia at least once a year, I must say this recipe -and that term is a stretch in this case- is quite all over the place. And I know my curries, properly. I doubt that any Thai would call this a red curry. Your spice combination, I have no words for it…. Red curry paste, curry powder, garam masala, turmeric, extra garlic and extra ginger…. What’s the point??? Red curry paste is a centuries old product that reached perfection a LONG time ago. If there was a need for yellow curry powder or garam masala in it, it would also have been added a long time ago. Same goes for the garlic and ginger. It’s there in perfect amounts already. The only reason I can imagine for adding all this extra stuff is that you use those western supermarket “world food rayon” fake and weak curry pastes that you can eat straight from the jar by the spoonful. If you use Thai market curry paste or a good commercial non msg brand like May Ploy there is ZERO reason to add anything. I challenge you to find one single official recipe that uses garam masala, red curry paste, curry powder and extra turmeric, garlic and ginger all in the same dish. You simply can not call this unholy concoction red curry. You just raided your spice cabinet and produced something that seems miraculously edible. But a red curry this is not.
Your red curry lentils were *excellent*. I’m so impressed! I had purchased brown lentils by mistake (not red) and simmered them in the heavy cream. Divine.
This combo of rice and lentils looks really yummy…Will try it on coming weekend
I just made this dish and WOW. It’s even better than I could have imagined! Thanks for the great recipe!
Not sure how I made it to 40 years old before I ever tried Indian food! I have been kinda scared to make it because it is not anything like what I usually cook. Have been spending a fortune buying premise red curry lentils at Costco. On my next set of days off from work I will be making this. I just need to find where I can get the curry paste. Thankyou for the step by step instructions!
I just tried it and it’s so yummy!!!
I made this last night and it is delicious. I’m eating the leftovers right now. I do think it might be better on the second day, as Lindsay said.
The only thing I’m thinking is that the flavors seem almost muddled. It has curry powder, garam masala, AND red curry paste. I almost want to make batches with just garam masala, just curry powder, just red curry and see what the flavors taste like on their own. I love lentils so this may be my next project.
Thanks for another wonderful recipe!
Made this recipe exactly as you made it, Lindsay and it was INCREDIBLE (as always). My hubby and I absolutely loved it. Thank you so much!
Glad to hear it, Sam!
This is the best for a portable lunch
I just tried it and it’s so yummy!!!
I just made this dish and WOW.
Hi I made these and it was delicious!! I love your recipes! Just a quick question, you us only half a cup of cooked lentils or one and a half?
I made this and it was very good! However, I didn’t cook the lentils in advance and simmered them in the sauce. Have you ever done this? I had to add more liquid but the texture was off. Have you ever made in the InstantPot?
I made them in the InstantPot and they were wonderful! Here’s my comment from below –
I tried this recipe this week and it was amazing! I was running low on time to cook my lentils so I ended up doing it as a one pot meal in my Instant Pot. I sauted the onions (and I added a serrano pepper for extra spice) in the butter on the saute function for a few minutes until golden brown, added the spices/curry paste, garlic, and ginger and sauted for a couple more minutes then added the tomato sauce and an extra cup of broth (you could use water too) to have enough liquid for the pressure cooker. I added the rinsed lentils after I scraped the bottom of the pot a little to get all the tasty bits then stirred one more time before putting the lid on. I cooked it on high pressure for 15 minutes with 10 minutes of natural release. The lentils came out perfectly for me – cooked with a little bite in them so it wasn’t complete mush. I stirred in the cream at the end. I’m guessing it would’ve been fine to do it all at once before pressure cooking everything, but I didn’t want to risk it (and I didn’t have coconut cream which is not going to curdle like dairy cream). Wonderful recipe and definitely going in my monthly meal list. Thank you!
This recipe is amazing! Super easy to make and delicious!
I added an entire can of coconut milk and added cauliflower to it. My kids both gave me 2 thumbs up!
What type of nuts are shown in the image? There is no listing of nuts in the ingredient list.
These lentils are delicious!!
Is it really 114 oz of tomato purée or possibly 1 – 14 0z can?? Just seemed like a lot of tomato purée as the cans here are 14 oz each.
It is one 14-ounce can. 🙂
I tried this recipe this week and it was amazing! I was running low on time to cook my lentils so I ended up doing it as a one pot meal in my Instant Pot. I sauted the onions (and I added a serrano pepper for extra spice) in the butter on the saute function for a few minutes until golden brown, added the spices/curry paste, garlic, and ginger and sauted for a couple more minutes then added the tomato sauce and an extra cup of broth (you could use water too) to have enough liquid for the pressure cooker. I added the rinsed lentils after I scraped the bottom of the pot a little to get all the tasty bits then stirred one more time before putting the lid on. I cooked it on high pressure for 15 minutes with 10 minutes of natural release. The lentils came out perfectly for me – cooked with a little bite in them so it wasn’t complete mush. I stirred in the cream at the end. I’m guessing it would’ve been fine to do it all at once before pressure cooking everything, but I didn’t want to risk it (and I didn’t have coconut cream which is not going to curdle like dairy cream). Wonderful recipe and definitely going in my monthly meal list. Thank you!
114 ounce tomato puree???????
ok 1 can
It’s one 14-oz can!
I just made your recipe !! It’s delicious!! I shared it with all my friends. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes.
I actually just made this to go with some Tandoori Chicken that I have marinating for tomorrow night…my dad’s requested dinner. I am shocked at how much I like this lentil dish, I can’t wait for my dad to have a taste. I’m off to make a batch of Naan to go with it all now. Thanks for the awesome recipe.
Glad to hear it, Karen! 🙂
A GREAT recipe. i added a cardamom pod, hint of clove, and bay leaf to round it out. AWESOMEEEEEE, will probably throw in some chicken pieces next time. Thanks for the recipe!
Hello…love this recipe!!
Does the nutritional information for ‘total carbs’ mean per serving or for the total recipe? Thanks
This recipe was so good and so easy to make. Perfect consistency and great flavors. I’m a curry fiend, so I should know. 🙂
Looks like I’m late to the game with this recipe.. haha!
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Tasty! but I wish Id used brown lentils. I used red and they kind of became mush
This is my favorite red lentil recipe! I used a whole bag of lentils, about 2 cups, but remembered to adjust the seasonings so it came out super delicious, spicy but not too….. Thanks for sharing!
I think I’ve done this recipe 4-5 times, and each time it’s come out differently (I definitely improvise half the time), but each time my boyfriend asks for it again hahaha.
This time I used red lentils (thinking I was supposed to), and instead of tomato puree I used a can of diced tomatoes and 1 small can of tomato puree, along with 1/2 a an of coconut milk. Oh my goodness! This is the best version that I’ve made! One day I’ll actually follow the real recipe and see how it’s intended to taste! Thank you!!!
Glad to hear it, Montana!
Great recipe. Also good without the tomato purée Just add about 1cup water
Hey! It looks yummy, and I’m making it now.
You forgot to add salt in your list of ingredients. I almost forgot to add some!
I made this recipe tonight and I love it. I used the whole can of coconut milk just because I was afraid it would go bad in the fridge. I also added a couple of dashes of fish sauce and soy sauce and a couple more shakes of the yellow curry powder, since I diluted my seasonings a bit. It is so yummy and just what I needed tonight! Thank you!
My daughter has been trying to eat more plant based dishes and is really enjoying lentils lately so thanks for this fun new way to cook them! Pinning now to try soon!
clean plates all round. I was cooking for kids so I halved the spice for a gentler palet and threw in some peas so they would recognise something as they are more likely to eat if it looks familiar. ended up with requests for seconds. Also used oil not butter as we are exploring veganism this month.
So glad to hear everyone enjoyed this, Stacey!
Really delicious! Definitely a keeper, thanks for sharing this deliciously tasty recipe 🙂
Glad you enjoyed this, Rita!
My husband is a meat eater, but I convinced him to try this recipe because he is a big fan of Indian cuisine. We both loved it! The leftovers were even better. I even gave some to our ten month old, who gobbled it up. Definitely going in our rotation!
Happy to hear you enjoyed the lentils, Kate!
Would tomato puree be passata in the UK?
Hi, Mitzi! We’re not too familiar with passata, so we’re not totally sure how it’ll turn out. If you can’t find tomato puree in the stores, you could blitz up some canned whole tomatoes in your blender or use tomato or use tomato sauce.
This recipe is AMAZING! So delicious and simple. I ended up using a whole can of coconut milk because I wanted more sauce and doubled up on some spices. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Glad you enjoyed this, Zoe!
what means that ?
1 14-ounce can Tomato puree
means this 114 ounces or 1 1/4 ounces or is there a mistake ? we have mililiters or gramm in switzerland, so i am not good in ounces
Hi, Kerstin! It’s just one 14 ounce can of tomato puree. We’d guess this to be about 400 grams.
Absolutely phenomenal. I have been vegan one day and I have to say this was my favourite vegan dish… i am joking one of my favourite dishes ever! Amazing (I didn’t use butter).
Glad to hear you enjoyed this, Ross!
Ohhh Baby!!! This pot right here!! YUMMY!!
This looks so yummy! I can’t wait to try it. I’m a big lentil lover and I also love these spices. Just a question about the tomato purée; is that tomato sauce? Thanks!
Yep, just tomato sauce will work here. 🙂
Thanks, Lindsay.
This recipe made me and my friends so delighted. I love the fact that your recipe includes a lot of spices. The spices are so important..!
So glad you enjoyed this!
SO good. One of the most flavorful curries I have ever made!! Learning to love lentils and this totally helped!
Yay! So happy to hear this!
This recipe is number 1 since I’ve discovered it it and shared to my three kids who usually don’t agree not even in a simple breakfast choice. Not to mention it succesfully ntroduced lentils and variius soices to them. It really should receive a prize, it saved dinners amd lunches too, it’s absolutely delicious, as well as perfectly balanced. I already cook it for a 6 months now amd never had enough. Kudos!
This is the best lentil curry I’ve ever made! I added a little bit of honey for some sweetness, extra garlic and ginger, plus a sprinkle of salt. I used red lentils which cook very quickly, so I actually added them to the sauce as the last step (plus some water) and then let the whole mixture simmer. Very delicious!
So happy to hear this, Brittney!
I didn’t read through all the comments but what kind of lentils are best?
We typically use brown lentils. Enjoy!
My husband is allergic to coconut in any form. Do you think almond milk would work in this recipe? I’m thinking it may be a little thin for this. It looks amazing and I can’t wait to try!
You could leave out the milk component altogether, and the lentils will still taste great! But if you’d like to include it, almond or oat milk are good options. I wouldn’t worry about the consistency of the milk since it’s just 1/4 cup. Enjoy Peggy!
Can I substitute tomato paste for the tomato puree?
Great question Melissa! We haven’t tested this recipe with tomato paste so it’s hard to say for sure. Since the tomato puree gives the dish most of its sauciness, I think you’d have to add in more liquid, like water, broth, or more coconut milk. Crushed tomatoes would probably be the best substitute for puree.
I love lentils in any form, and this recipe looks fantastic and so warming during the winter months!
I made this recipe today. It came out okay just that i had to half the recjpe as it’s only two persons. The red curry paste was too peppery. Will try it again but certainly reduced the amount of red curry
Thanks for the feedback, June!
Absolutely stunning I can not explain in words how delicious this is. amazing and 5-star and thanks for sharing.
So happy to hear this!
Thank you for sharing this wonderful post keep your awesome work
Food Blog
Somehow the cosmos aligned in such a way that I happened to have leftover lentils, tomato sauce and coconut milk all at the same time. This recipe could not have popped up on my instagram at a more perfect time! And its really delicious too 😀 .
So happy to hear that, Haley! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
So good and so easy! Great as left overs too. I tried the lentils with rice and toasted naan bread. Both equally yummy!
Thanks for writing this blog
I feel so good now that I’ve changed my diet and committed to eating healthy most days of the week. it’s not only help me to feel better about myself and lose weight, but also gives me extra energy to keep going in my business. Keep the healthy food blogs coming, Lindsay. 🙂