Thai Lentil Curry

A warm and comforting creamy bowl of coconut lentil curry, this Thai lentil curry is packed with nutritious veggies and gentle spice!

It’s almost Easter, which means it’s almost the end of Lent, which means….it’s the perfect time for a LENTil curry. Ha. Ha. I am so funny!!

I love meat, I really do. But I really love lentils too. They’re soooo cheap, fast-cooking and oh, so versatile. You can throw them into so many different dishes, like stews, spaghetti sauce, and of course, curries.

We generally consume our curries around here on a Friday night, kind of a little tradition; however, when the curry is made with lentils, it totally qualifies for a tasty Meatless Monday meal too! Plus, since I’m at home, I’m usually the one eating leftovers, so making a delicious curry like this on a Monday means I get to enjoy it for at least a couple more days at lunch! Sure beats that peanut butter and honey sandwich.

What goes into a Thai lentil curry?

This vegan Thai lentil curry is packed full of nutrition. Not only does it provide the benefits of lentils such as iron and protein, it contains sweet potatoes, carrots and even spinach. Adding coconut milk to the curry makes it creamy and fulfilling, making it just one big, healthy bowl of deliciousness. Yes, please!

What gives this curry the Thai flavor?

This recipe uses curry powder, which can come in a variety of compositions, but any good quality powder will yield a satisfactory flavor to the dish. I have also used yellow curry paste in the recipe, but red curry paste would also be delicious. I often just buy my curry pastes from the store, but if you want to attempt your own and need a great yellow curry paste recipe, try this one from Pinch of Yum.

Sautéed in coconut oil, the carrots should be diced quite small to make sure they’re fully cooked through. The smaller they are, the faster they’ll cook!

The dish takes about 20 minutes of prep time, but most of it can be done the night before. With a 20-25 minute cook time, you can have this curry on the table after a busy workday in half an hour. Perfect!

Add the spinach at the very end; if you’re planning on making this curry to freeze, portion out the amount you wish to freeze prior to adding spinach. When you’re ready to eat it, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove, adding the spinach at the end.

What do you serve with Thai lentil curry?

I serve this curry over my easy coconut rice, but you can easily swap the rice for quinoa or couscous, or go grain-free! The lentils are certainly filling enough.

If you’re looking to expand your recipe box, give this easy and satisfying lentil curry a go for your next Meatless Monday! Oh, and if I don’t talk to you before Easter, have a great one!! Hope the bunny treats you well 🙂

If you love Thai food as much as I do, you’ll definitely love my other curries from the blog:

• easy Thai basil chicken
• red Thai prawn curry with cauliflower rice
• Thai chicken peanut curry

Thai Lentil Curry

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• Author: Katherine
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Description

A warm and comforting creamy bowl of coconut lentil curry, this Thai lentil curry is packed with nutritious veggies and gentle spice!

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Ingredients

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• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 1 cup finely diced carrots (about 2 large)
• 1 1/2 cups diced sweet potato (1 medium)
• 1 cup red lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 1 tbsp Thai yellow curry paste*
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cumin
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 can light coconut milk
• 2 cups fresh spinach

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Instructions

1. Melt the coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic, ginger and diced carrots and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
2. Add in the sweet potato, lentils, curry paste and spices and stir around for about a minute. Pour in the broth and coconut milk, and bring to a boil. Allow the curry to simmer for 20-25 minutes, lightly covered, until the sweet potato is fork-tender. Stir occasionally to prevent the lentils from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
3. Stir in the spinach until it is wilted and incorporated into the curry. Serve immediately over rice, topping with cilantro, pepitas, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Curry makes great leftovers, and will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days in an airtight container. If freezing, prepare steps 1 through 2, cool and place in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove, adding in the spinach before serving.

Notes

1. Yellow curry paste can be hard to find. I’ve made this dish with red curry paste and it is just as delicious, although if you are a fan of spice you may want to increase the quantity of the red paste to 3 tbsp.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: curries
• Method: stovetop

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