This creamy red lentil curry is a one-pot recipe that delivers lots of cozy comfort. Sweet potatoes, rich coconut milk, and protein-packed lentils make it a satisfying vegan dinner!
I love ending a long, chilly day with something cozy and comforting. And this red lentil curry does just the trick. It's easy to make, it's got an ultra thick, creamy texture and has just the right amount of spice. We're using hearty sweet potatoes with high-protein, creamy red lentils for what I think might just be the ultimate vegan curry recipe!
Why You’ll Love This Lentil Curry Recipe
- The perfect way to use red lentils. Red lentils cook faster than other varieties and they don’t hold their shape when cooked. This makes them ideal for this lentil curry, giving it a rich, creamy texture.
- Quick and easy. Because the lentils cook so quickly, this entire dish is ready to eat in 35 minutes, including the prep time. In fact, most of the time involved in this recipe is hands-off cooking time!
- Hearty and satisfying. The combination of healthy fats from the coconut milk, sweet potatoes, and protein-rich red lentils makes for a filling meal.
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Olive oil
- White onion
- Ginger – This adds warmth to the curry; use fresh, not ground ginger.
- Garlic – I use 3 cloves, but you can add extra for a more garlic-forward flavor.
- Curry powder – Curry powders can go from mild to incredibly spicy, so choose whichever you like.
- Tomato Paste
- Red curry paste – Make sure it's vegan––some curry pastes contain fish sauce.
- Sweet potato
- Red lentils – Don’t swap in another variety. Only red lentils break apart when cooked to give this curry the right texture.
- Coconut milk – I recommend full-fat for the richest, creamiest curry, but light coconut milk also works.
- Vegetable broth
- Salt and pepper
- Cauliflower rice and cilantro – For serving.
How to Make Lentil Curry
- Cook the aromatics. Warm the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven, then add the onion. Once it’s beginning to soften, stir in the ginger, garlic, and curry powder; cook until the trio is fragrant.
- Cook the tomato and curry pastes. Stir them into the onion mixture and cook until they darken slightly. This deepens their flavor.
- Simmer. Add the sweet potatoes and lentils; stir to coat, then pour in the coconut milk. Bring the lentil curry to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Keep simmering. Remove the lid and stir in the broth, salt, and pepper. Cover again and cook for 15 minutes more, or until the potatoes are so tender, they’re practically creamy.
- Serve. Add the lentil curry to a bowl of cooked quinoa, rice, or cauliflower rice with cilantro.
Tips and Variations
- Adjust the consistency to your liking. As written, the sweet potatoes get super tender, but they still hold their shape. If you’d like the potatoes to become one with the curry (i.e., break up entirely!), you can simmer the lentil curry longer.
- Swap out the sweet potato. Winter squash or pumpkin would be excellent substitutes for the sweet potato. Cut them into cubes or buy cubed butternut squash at the grocery store.
- Add more veggies. For some extra veggies, add cauliflower florets when you stir in the vegetable broth. Or stir baby spinach into the curry near the end of the cooking time.
Serving Suggestions
In addition to the serving options mentioned above, I also love serving this lentil curry with a side of sauteed spinach or kale. Naan and other Indian flatbreads are great for soaking up the curry too!
How to Store
- Refrigerator: Transfer the lentil curry to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Store the curry in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- To reheat: Warm the curry on the stove or in the microwave. You may need to add a little extra broth because it can thicken in the fridge.
More Healthy One-Pot Meal Recipes
Lentil Curry
This creamy red lentil curry with sweet potatoes is a one-pot recipe that delivers lots of cozy comfort. It's an easy, filling vegan dinner!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 white onion , diced
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon grated garlic (about 3 cloves)
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste (I like this one)
- 4 cups cubed sweet potato (2 medium)
- 3/4 cup red lentils
- 1 (14.5 oz) can lite coconut milk (or full fat)
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or water)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Cauliflower rice to serve
- Cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet or dutch oven. Add the onions and cook for 2 – 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the ginger, garlic and curry powder and cook for another minute.
- Once the mixture is starting to be fragrant, add the tomato and red curry pastes. Stir everything together until combined.
- Stir in sweet potato and lentils and cook for another 30 seconds before adding the coconut milk. Bring this mixture to a boil then cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid and stir in vegetable broth, then season with salt and pepper. Cover again and cook for another 15 minutes.
- Serve warm with rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, etc., as well as some cilantro. I also love serving this with a side of sauteed spinach or kale!
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 412kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 578mg | Potassium: 871mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 20375IU | Vitamin C: 8.7mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 3.9mg
I absolutely love this recipe, and it has been a big hit with everyone who has tasted it. So easy to prepare, delicious, and nutritious, especially with quinoa.
For friends sensitive to coconut milk, I use unsweetened oat or almond milk.
Looks good, but the sweet potatoes are rock-hard after the 30 minutes cooking??
This recipe was absolutely delicious. I added some smokey Chipotle seasoning, smoked paprika and used vegan chicken cubes in place of vegetable broth. Omg…my husband is a meat lover, and he really liked this, I served it with jasmine rice also slightly flavored with the vegan chicken cube. So easy and delicious.
So flavorful, I liked it a lot. I also added some tofu and served over salad. Thanks for sharing!
Yum. This recipe was easy, not expensive and very tasty. Recommended.
Forgot to rate it- sorry!
Thank you for this recipe- delicious! I didn’t have any cilantro so used Parsley for colour. I cut the recipe in half (only had one sweet potato) but used the whole tin of coconut milk and hardly any broth. I will be making this again.
So delicious! Only wish I had naan bread to go with it. Next time!
This roasted butternut squash soup sounds absolutely divine! I love how the combination of apple, fennel, and squash creates a perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors, especially for cozy fall evenings. The addition of walnut oil is such a wonderful touch, adding a subtle nuttiness to the soup. I can’t wait to give this a try—thank you for sharing this heartwarming recipe!
If you’re looking for more delicious meal ideas and pricing information, be sure to check out Food Menu Price. Happy cooking.
Love this recipe! It turned out so good. I know it’s supposed to be vegan, but I’m curious if I can add chicken? If I do, when is a good step to add it in?
I made this minus the garlic and onion. Added a little sugar and lime juice and extra of everything else…didn’t have cilantro. Cut sweet potato into small pieces so would cook faster. Very good 👍🏽
This recipe is absolutely delicious, really easy to make and I had a go at making the cauliflower rice and it was perfect with it. Also lovely with brown rice.
OMG I can’t tell you how much this pleased me!!! My husband doesn’t eat what I eat so I got to eat this six days in a row. I loved it on the first day, but the longer it sat in the fridge the better it got. The creamy sweetness of the sweet potato contrasted perfectly with the spicy curry. I served it over rice and it was exquisite. As someone who didn’t cook the first 45 years of my life, I am blown away by what I can create in the kitchen given the right recipe. This recipe is going on repeat at my house. Thank you!!!
Simple and tasty will try it with different curry’s but sweet potatoes never seen that before but very good combo highly recommended
Although I didn’t have any cilantro, this was delicious. I will definitely make it again.
It definitely takes more than five minutes of prep to make this recipe but it is worth it! So delicious. Even my toddler loves it.
I tried making this today. I added some string beans (chopped into pieces) to make it more colorful and I added a little more broth so that it had a less dense consistency. It was really delicious.
So good
Made this the other day. Delicious!!!
Vorsicht beim Oliven öl! Das kann sehr schnell anbrennen!
This curry is amazing!! I also love the coconut quinoa curry- it’s in my regular meal rotation- and I’m so happy I found another fantastic recipe that I’ll be making regularly! Very tasty, flavorful, and filling! My boyfriend and I enjoyed it with sticky rice and pita bread.
Can I just check that the nutritional value info is for the curry only and does not include the cauliflower rice, just that I am strictly to a very strict diet so just need to check. Thanks
Yes, that’s correct!
Approximately how large is a serving? Tried to eyeball it but monitoring blood sugar would appreciate if I can go by an approx measurement 🙂
you could try separating it out equally into four containers or if you are looking for something more exact you could weigh your curry and then divide it by how many servings you want it to last so you know exactly how much each serving should have:)
This tastes so good. My partner even tried it and usually he dislikes anything with curry. A brilliant, easy recipe.
yay!! so glad you both loved it 🙂
Very easy to make and very delicious. Like another reader, I tossed some spinach into the bowls before adding the soup and it wilted perfectly and was one less pan to clean! I also had some pre-cooked quinoa on hand and added that to the bowl straight from the fridge. Love the flavors and texture. Thanks!
I have done this recipe a few times and it’s delicious, everyone loves it! So thanks for that. And I was wondering if I could just mix all the ingredients and cook in the slow cooker? What do you think? If so, how long? Thanks
Delicious family hit! This is taking Vegan to a new level for me. Thank you!!
YAY! So happy you enjoyed it!
Delish! I added some kale to it! One of my favorites!
YUM!
I didn’t see anywhere in the instructions that the sweet potato should be pre-cooked/baked which seems to be the case. Been cooking it for 40min and the sweet potato cubes are still a bit too hard. I don’t think they’re too big so I’m a tad bit confused
HMM strange! The sweet potato is definitely uncooked and shouldn’t be taking that long. Usually sweet potato cooks in about 20 minutes. Maybe next time turn up the heat a bit and get it boiling/simmering harder!
Made this recipe today so good, thank you Alyssa
You’re so welcome!
This is now in our weekly meal plan . it’s so good! We serve it on a bed of spinach that wilts due to the warmth of the curry. We also half the potato so it’s a little more runny to serve with rice. Perfect recipe!
Oh good!! I’m so glad 🙂
found this recipe on a Saturday. Looked so yummy that I made it on Sunday. It was so yummy that I shared it with everyone I know. My niece made it Monday night and also loved it.
Yay!!! I’m so happy to hear that 🙂
I made this last night and it was delicious!!!
I’m not full plant based diet, but after a few surgeries and stomach problems I eat as good as I can. My red curry paste was extremely spicy so I added another tin of coconut and some more lentils and let that gently simmer for a while to bring the heat down. Served with coconut rice and so good! My partner also had it with pork and he loved it! Took the leftovers with him today for work lunch
YAY! So happy you found it and it’s helping you 🙂 xox
Just delicious!!! Made this for dinner tonight and it’s a must for this winter now. I did cheat and used tinned lentils – was all I had. Thank you for sharing with us!!!
Oh fabulous!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
So good!
YAY! xx
I made this last night-my husband and I both really enjoyed it. Thank you! I’ll be making this one again.
Hooray! That’s so exciting 🙂 thank you!
I made it last night and it was delicious. Thank you for all your great healthy recipies.
Yay! I’m so glad 🙂
This curry was SO good ! Thank you so much for the recipe, loved it 🙂 I added some cubed butternut squash as well and it was perfect. So creamy and flavorful 🙂
YAY! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it 🙂 Thanks for sharing! xo
The red curry paste has shrimp paste in it. Should this dish still be considered vegan?
The wrong one was linked, sorry about that! Here’s the one I buy: https://amzn.to/2F4GgYk (it’s gf & vegan)
Hello! I’m new to the world of plant-based eating and this meal was one of the first I made. I can say it was an absolute joy to create and tasted SO delicious. I paired it with black rice and was in love! I followed the recipe quantities and was able to share with my housemates + have three meals left over for lunch and dinner. Will definitely make again and keep exploring your page further! Thanks xx
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Yay!! I’m so so happy you enjoyed it, Ayla! xx
Hi, I made this today, it’s absolutely delicious and very quick and so easy to make. I used beluga lentils with sweet potatoes as they are the only ones I had and it worked out great. Thank you!!!
So glad you enjoyed it! The beluga lentils sound amazing 🙂 Would love for you to give it a star rating when you get a chance! xx
I have been watching and following your recipes for a while, but this is the first I’ve tried making and it is really delicious. I swapped the sweet potatoes for left-over roasted squash though and left out the curry powder, because my digestion appears to be very sensitive to it. Loved the outcome anyways.
Thank you for sharing this. I truly appreciate all the hard work you are putting into your channel and your blog. Keep up the good work. I am looking forward to trying many more recipes of yours.
YAY! I’m so so glad you enjoyed it, Sadie 🙂 And yum with the squash, SO good!
My daughter-in-law made this and I enjoyed it so much. So I am now trying to make the recipe. My only comment at this point is that you talk way too fast on your you tube video…….difficult for me to keep up.
Oh yay! I’m so happy you both enjoyed it 🙂 Would love for you to give it a star rating when you have a sec! xox
SO good! Tastes like restaurant quality Indian food.
WOW! Thank you so much! That’s an amazing review <3
Omg this is so delicious! Super easy and perfect for meal prep! I’m so happy I found your site!
Yay! So happy to have you here 🙂 If you have a minute to leave a star rating, I would so appreciate it!
Amazing! Even my husband loved it! I didn’t have fresh ginger so subbed ginger powder. Still, this was absolutely delicious. I served mine over steamed riced cauliflower and my husband had his over pork. The flavors are spot on…my new fav curry recipe. Thanks!
Oh I’m SO glad!! Thank you Maureen 🙂 Glad you both enjoyed it too!
Delicious! I used Trader Joe’s reduced fat coconut milk. This is a keeper!