Vegan coconut curried lentils

Written by
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Jolinda Hackett
Updated 08/29/19
Vegetarian curried lentils with coconut milk, a vegetarian and vegan Indian meal

Jolinda Hackett 
  • Total: 30 mins
  • Prep: 5 mins
  • Cook: 25 mins
  • Yield: 4 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
315 Calories
12g Fat
39g Carbs
16g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 servings
Amount per serving
Calories 315
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 16%
Saturated Fat 10g 49%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 631mg 27%
Total Carbohydrate 39g 14%
Dietary Fiber 8g 30%
Protein 16g
Calcium 68mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Inspired by more traditional Indian vegetarian curried lentils or dahl, this simple homemade lentil dish adds coconut milk for a deeply flavorful meal. You might find that a chopped sweet potato or perhaps some fresh tomatoes would add a bit more texture to liven up these lentils if you'd like.

Serve your curried lentils with rice or another whole grain. A coconut Jasmine rice or a fluffy couscous might be nice.

This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free.

Ingredients

  • ½ large onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 3 cups water or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup lentils
  • 3/4 cup coconut milk
  • Salt, to taste
  • Optional: red pepper flakes, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. In a large saute pan or medium stockpot, heat onion in oil for 3 to 5 minutes, until onions are soft. Add spices (curry powder, cumin, and cloves) and heat for another minute, stirring to prevent spices from burning.

  2. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add water or vegetable broth and lentils. Cover and cook until lentils are soft, about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  3. Uncover and stir in coconut milk, cooking just until well heated through. Season with salt and red pepper flakes, and adjust other seasonings to taste.

  4. Serve your coconut curried lentils paired with rice or another whole grain for a simple vegetarian and vegan Indian-inspired meal.

Recipe Tags: