One-Pot Red Lentil Curry
This red lentil curry is classic vegan comfort food! It’s a one-pot recipe that comes together in under an hour and it’s ideal for meal prep too.

If you love my coconut chickpea curry and Thai green curry, you’re going to flip for this red lentil curry. It’s every bit as flavourful, just as easy, and it comes together lickety-split. What’s not to love?!
When it comes to vegan proteins, lentils might not have the same excitement factor as those over-hyped supermarket faux meats, but this humble little legume brings a whole lot of goodness to this curry.
Of course, all the other ingredients here lend a helping hand—the spices, the tomatoes and onions, the coconut milk, the lime. Everything comes together to create a dish you’ll want to make (and eat) again and again.
And if you like to get creative in the kitchen, the world is your oyster with this dish. Feel free to try this red lentil curry with spinach, tofu, cauliflower, and even potatoes! It’s easily customisable, but also absolutely amazing just as it is.
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Coconut oil – I love using coconut oil in curries, but another neutral-flavoured cooking oil can be used instead.
- Yellow or red onion
- Fresh tomatoes – Or substitute canned.
- Sea salt
- Ground black pepper
- Garlic cloves
- Ginger
- Garam masala
- Curry powder – Use a mild curry powder if you’re not a fan of spicy food; hot or Madras curry powder is perfect for palates that can handle a little more heat!
- Red curry paste – Some brands contain shrimp paste or fish sauce, so be sure to check the ingredients.
- Cumin
- Dry red lentils
- Filtered water
- Coconut milk – Full-fat coconut will give you the creamiest red lentil curry, but you can substitute lite if you want.
- Lime
- Red pepper flakes and chopped parsley – For garnish.
Can I Substitute Brown Lentils for Red?
Technically speaking, you can substitute brown lentils for red in a curry like this. That said, brown lentils will require more cooking time to reach the smooth, creamy consistency of red lentils; they’ll also have a less appetizing colour in the curry.
How to Make Red Lentil Curry
Once you’ve created a mise en place for your ingredients, the rest of this recipe is a cinch!
Cook the onions. Melt the coconut oil in a deep pot set over medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Stir, then lower the heat to medium and cook for about 6 minutes, or until the onions are translucent and the ginger and garlic are fragrant.
Add the spices and lentils. Add in all the remaining dry ingredients and stir to combine to keep the lentils from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Pour in the water and coconut milk and stir again.
Simmer. Bring the curry to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Partially cover the pot and simmer for about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Finish. Season to taste and remove the curry from the heat. Stir in a squeeze of lime juice, cool slightly, then serve.
Tips for Success
Here are some tips and pointers for perfect red lentil curry:
- Check your lentils at the 20 minute mark. Like all pulses, the cooking time of lentils depends on how long they’ve been sitting on the store shelf! Some may be finished cooking in as little as 20 minutes, while older lentils may need longer.
- Add more water if needed. If the liquid has cooked off before the lentils soften—or if you prefer a more soup-like curry—you can add more water to the pot.
- Take some shortcuts. To save time, you can use pre-minced garlic and ginger from the store.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your red lentil curry with basmati rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa, or homemade vegan naan. You can also stir a handful of baby spinach into the curry when you serve it for some extra veggies!
How to Store
Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Red lentil curry will keep fresh for up to a week. Reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave until it’s warmed through.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
Yes, you can easily freeze this red lentil curry for up to a month. Make sure it’s stored in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and defrost overnight in the refrigerator before reheating according to the instructions above.
Enjoy friends! If you make this red lentil curry, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
P.S. This is what I used for this recipe!
Vegan Red Lentil Curry
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 red onion, diced, or yellow onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 2 tablespoons garam masala
- 1 tablespoon red curry paste
- 1 cup dry red lentils, rinsed
- 2 cups filtered water
- 14 ounces fresh tomatoes, diced (if using canned, do not drain) – 400g – BLEND for a smoother curry
- 13.5 ounces can of coconut milk, 383g
- 1 small lime
- garnish with red pepper flakes & chopped parsley
Instructions
- In a deep pot over medium high heat, add the coconut oil.
- Once the oil is heated, add in the onion, garlic, and ginger. Reduce to medium heat. Saute until the onions are translucent and the ginger and garlic are fragrant, about 6 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add in the sea salt, ground black pepper, ground cumin, curry powder and garam masala. Stir into the onion mix to combine. Add in the red curry paste and sauté it all together, heating up the spices to bring out more flavour, for about 3-4 minutes. Feel free to add a splash of water to keep it moving.
- Add in the lentils and stir to combine. Grind some sea salt and ground black pepper over the mixture and stir together. Now add the tomatoes (blended for a smoother curry), water and coconut milk and stir again to combine thoroughly.
- Bring the curry to a boil, and then reduce to medium-low so that the mixture continues to simmer for 35 minutes, cover slightly but allowing steam to escape. Stir occasionally to ensure the lentils don’t stick to the bottom. Depending on the kind of lentils you’re using, you can check around the 20 minute mark to see if your lentils have finished cooking.
- Taste the curry and season with salt and pepper if you desire. Remove the curry from the heat and squeeze a lime lightly over the top of the curry, stirring to combine. Don’t skip this step!! Allow to cool slightly and then serve. Enjoy!
Notes
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Love, live, love this recipe. It’s the first of the website I’ve tried and it was delicious! I added some chilli paste (just before the summer stage) and it really impressed my guests. It makes a great amount too so I don’t have to cook again today!
Can’t wait to try more recipes
Hi Carys,
Yay I’m so so happy to hear this!! Love your addition and I agree – it makes a great amount! Thanks so much for sharing with me!!
Oh. My. God!!!!! Winner!!!!!
This was ridiculously delicious, and such a major yum for my guy who seriously would have eaten three (pasta sized) bowls of it if there was any more left. Thank you, Jessica!
Hi Amy,
Oh yay haha SO happy to hear you both enjoyed!! Wanting three pasta sized bowls is a HUGE compliment haha! You’re SO welcome and thanks so much for sharing your feedback with me!!
Hi thank you for your awesome recipes I loved the flavors of this lentil curry but my lentils disintegrated perhaps my simmer was too high but maybe best to remind cooks to check lentils when soft and stop cooking between 20-30 minutes. Otherwise love your recipes and thank you ?
This lentil recipe is soooo delicious! I didn’t have fresh tomatoes on hand so I used canned fire-roasted tomatoes instead and it was amazing. Served with brown rice and my hubby said he could eat it everyday. Well guess what…he has ate the leftovers for the past 3 days straight and has loved it! I doubled the recipe btw ? thanks so much for your delicious recipes that you create and share. I have made 3 of your recipes in the last week and all were wonderful. Much love!
Hi Corinne,
Sorry I’m just seeing your comment! I am so so happy to hear that you and your hubby both enjoyed so much!! You’re SO very welcome and thank you so much for your comment!!
Have you tried this in a crock pot? If so, what is the cooking time?
Hi Z,
No I haven’t, sorry Z! It might help to use a recipe already suited for a slow cooker, I hope that helps!
As you’re my go-to curry expert at the moment, since the chickpea curry two weeks ago was divine (!), this is cooking as we speak and I can’t wait to try it. Even the hubby, who is trying out a vegan diet, loved the other one, so here’s hoping this will be added to our frequent recipes. Judging by the smell, I have no doubt it will! ?☺️
Hi Romy,
Sorry that I’m just seeing your comment! I hope you both enjoyed so much and thank you for your kind words!!
So delicious!!! Best curry I’ve ever made. I did add some chicken thighs and grated cauliflower and zucchini. I garnished with cilantro and fresh cherry tomatoes. I serves with short grain turmeric rice!!! The dish is totally yellow, looks nice w the garnish!!
Hi Lana,
I’m so happy to hear and thanks so much for letting me know!! Love your additions!!
I made this red coconut curry tonight and it was absolutely divine. I had a few bites after our meal ended for a delicious dessert, too! My whole family LOVED it. Yum!!!
Hi Maeve,
I’m so happy to hear that!! Thanks so much for letting me know!!
YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. Will be cooking again it was delish!! Thank you for your hard work getting this recipe together!
You’re so welcome Brodie!! So glad you enjoyed it so much!!
This was absolutely delicious! My two meat eaters gobbled it up with nothing but praise. And it fed 3 of us (including two grown men) with plenty of leftovers. I plan to add it into my monthly menu. Thank you!
Hey Michelle,
Yay I’m so happy to hear that!! You’re so welcome and thanks for sharing your feedback with me!!