Easy Red Lentil Curry

This Easy Red Lentil Curry is packed with veggies and protein. It’s full of flavor and perfect for a cozy dinner or a make-ahead meal prep lunch!

I’m so excited about this Easy Red Lentil Curry! I have a habit of cooking food in my comfort zone (i.e., Mexican food), but this year, I’ve made a goal of challenging myself more in the kitchen. I love eating other cuisines, but I’ve never been very comfortable making them, especially Indian food. I can’t confirm that this Red Lentil Curry is 100 percent authentic, but it is delicious!

I’ve always incorporated a lot of legumes into my diet, but now that I’m on Weight Watchers, I’ve been eating them more than normal. They’re packed with fiber and protein, easy to cook, and so versatile! I’ve wanted to experiment with red Thai curry paste for a while, and these red lentils seem like the perfect way to do that.

Why Your Body Will Love This Curry Recipe

• Fiber – Legumes offer an abundance of fiber, which benefits the digestive system, helps fill us up, and keeps our bodies feeling full for longer.
• Heart Health – They also contain a significant amount of soluble fiber, which helps decrease cholesterol absorption in the bloodstream. Lowering the “bad” cholesterol in the body can greatly reduce the chances of a stroke or heart attack.
• Blood Sugar Regulation – Lentils are high in fiber and protein, giving them a low glycemic index. This means they digest slowly and don’t cause blood sugar levels to spike or rise too quickly. This makes beans a healthy choice for people with diabetes who need to control their blood sugar levels more.

Easy Red Lentil Curry Recipe Ingredients

Below are a few of the main ingredients you may have questions about. For a full list of ingredients, see the recipe card below.

• Red Lentils – You will need to use dry red lentils for this recipe. I usually buy them in the grocery store’s bulk section, but you can also find them in the dry bean section. Red lentils are smaller than green and disintegrate when cooked long enough. For this recipe, I like to cook them until they’re super soft and no longer hold their shape.
• Red Thai Curry Paste—You can usually find this in the Asian section at the grocery store or order it here on Amazon. It is a delicious and fragrant blend of lemongrass, Thai ginger, and fresh red chilis.
• Spices – I used yellow curry powder and garam masala in this Red Lentil Curry. I’m unsure if combining the Thai curry paste and (Indian) yellow curry is super authentic, but it tastes really good, so I went with it. Garam masala is a traditional Indian spice that combines cinnamon, coriander, cumin, and cardamom.
• Coconut Milk – I used canned coconut milk for this recipe. I used light coconut milk instead of full fat to reduce fat. I have also tested this recipe using 1/4 cup coconut cream, and it worked great!

How To Make This Easy Lentil Curry

1. Heat a large pot over medium heat and add coconut oil, onion, and carrots. Cook for 3 minutes, then add garlic and tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes.
2. Next, add the lentils, coconut milk, curry paste, and all the seasonings. Stir well and pour in vegetable broth. Stir again, reduce to a simmer, and cover. Cook until the lentils are soft and most of the liquid has cooked out, 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Red Lentil Curry for Meal Prep

I made this recipe with meal prep in mind. I love recipes that can easily be made for dinner or packed into meal prep containers for a week of lunches. All you need to do is line up four microwave-safe meal prep containers and add an equal amount of the curry and about 3/4 cup of cauliflower rice (or regular rice). I also like to add some fresh lime and cilantro, and you could have our cashews on the side so they don’t get soggy.

Why I Love This Easy Curry Recipe!

• It tastes amazing and will make your house smell fantastic! The warm spices blend together well and create great flavor in this dish. That’s one thing I love about Indian food: the spices always smell amazing.
• It’s really easy to make! I’ve always been intimidated by Indian food, but you just need to make sure you have the correct ingredients. The rest is simply adding things to a pot, stirring, and simmering until the lentils cook fully. So easy and hands-off! This recipe could also be made in the Instant Pot, but I haven’t tried it.

Do you have a question about this curry dish? Ask me in the comments, and I’ll get back to you ASAP.

Looking For More Vegetarian Curry Recipes?

Easy Coconut Curry With Tofu

One Pot Coconut Curry Sweet Potato, Quinoa, and Lentils

Curried Lentil Quinoa Soup

Curried Sweet Potato, Carrot and Red Lentil Soup

Easy Red Lentil Curry

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5 from 6 reviews

• Author: She Likes Food
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

This Easy Red Lentil Curry is so healthy and flavorful!  Enjoy for dinner or a meal prep lunch!

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Ingredients

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• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1/2 diced onion
• 3/4 cup small diced carrots
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup diced fresh tomato
• 1 1/2 cups red lentils, rinsed
• 1/2 cup light coconut milk (from a can)
• 2 tablespoons red Thai curry paste
• 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• For serving: fresh lime juice, cilantro, cashews, Greek Yogurt, cucumber, naan bread

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Instructions

1. Heat a large pot over medium heat and add coconut oil, onion and carrots.  Cook for 3 minutes and then add in garlic and tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes.
2. Next, add in lentils, coconut milk, curry paste and all the seasonings.  Stir well and then pour in vegetable broth.  Stir, reduce to a simmer and cover.  Cook until lentils are soft and most of the liquid has cooked out, 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Notes

The entire pot has 6 freestyle WW points.  If you break it into 4 servings then each serving has about 2 points.

• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 50 mins
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Indian