My Coconut Curry Lentils is a delicious vegan meal. Lentils, chickpeas, and veggies make this flavorful dish a one pot meal!
Vegan Coconut Curry Lentils
January 14, 2020 Updated May 2, 2021 Jump to Recipe
I love lentils. You may have tried two of my favorite lentil recipes here and here.
My Coconut Curry Lentils is yet another of my family’s favorite lentil dishes. In this recipe, I cook the lentils in coconut milk and curry powder, making for some really flavorful lentils. Throw in some chickpeas, broccoli, roasted potatoes, fresh mint, and a hint of lime, and you’ve got a really healthy and quite addicting dish!
If you didn’t think it could get any better, this recipe is also vegan, gluten free, and basically a one-pot meal. You do have to pull out a sheet pan to roast the potatoes, but that’s the only additional dish! Definitely nothing to complain about.
Why I Love Lentils
So why should we all be crazy about lentils?
- They’re affordable. One of my favorite qualities in any food!
- In ½ cup cooked lentils, there are 9 grams of fiber, 12 grams of protein, and 0.5 grams of fat. Does it get much healthier?
- Because of all that fiber, lentils get you full and keep you full. Always a plus!
- Lentils are naturally gluten free, and of course, vegan!
- They’re versatile—lentils are a great vehicle for endless flavor combinations! You can pull them basically any direction you can think of—Italian, French, Latin American, Thai, and Indian cuisines all work great with lentils. Lentils also make a great meat substitute.
In this dish, I pull the lentils towards Indian and Thai flavors with the curry powder, coconut milk, mint, and lime.
The Best Curry for Coconut Curry Lentils
Your favorite curry powder will work great in this recipe. If you’re looking to try a new curry powder, here is my absolute favorite [aff. link].
I started using Simply Organic Curry Powder a few years ago, and it quickly became my go-to curry powder. Actually, I pretty much don’t even experiment with other curry powders anymore because nothing beats the slightly sweet and incredibly comforting flavor of Simply Organic Curry Powder. I highly recommend giving it a try! This curry powder compliments my Coconut Curry Lentils beautifully.
Also, I usually use a potato here that does not need peeling, such as Red or Yukon Gold. Any potato will compliment this dish though, so feel free to use whatever potato you have on hand.
Should you use a potato that requires peeling, be sure to check out my favorite Y-peeler on Amazon [aff. link]. I’ve got this cute (yes, this peeler is cute!) one in pink, but it comes in so many colors. Choose your favorite, and enjoy the precision of a Y-peeler. I absolutely love mine.
Incorporate some lentils into your eating this week, and make my delicious Coconut Curry Lentils!
Vegan Coconut Curry Lentils
This is one of my very favorite lentil dishes! Cooking the lentils in coconut milk and curry powder infuses them with so much flavor, making this easy meal the perfect way to eat healthy without sacrificing flavor.
Servings: 4
Print RecipeIngredients
For the lentils:
- 1 ½ cup lentils, rinsed
- 13.5 oz coconut milk, (one can)
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp curry powder
- ½ tsp sea salt
For the potatoes:
- 4 medium sized potatoes, diced to 1/3 inch pieces (I like to use Red Potatoes or Yukon Gold so I don't have to peel them!)
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
Everything else:
- 15 oz chickpeas, drained (one can)
- 1 ½ cups broccoli florets, (or mix of broccoli and cauliflower)
- 2 Tbsp fresh mint, minced
- Additional curry powder, to taste
- 1 tsp fresh lime juice, or to taste
Instructions
Roast the potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
- On a large baking sheet, add the potatoes, ½ tsp sea salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, and 2-3 Tbsp olive oil. Toss to coat the potatoes in the oil and seasonings.
- Roast the potatoes for 15 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven, flip the potatoes, and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
- Potatoes are done! Set them aside for now.
Cook the lentils
- While the potatoes are roasting, cook the lentils.
- In a large pot, add the lentils, coconut milk, water, and curry powder over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, turn the heat down to low, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the broccoli and chickpeas
- Now add in the ½ tsp sea salt, drained chickpeas, and broccoli. Cover the pot, and cook on low heat for 10 minutes.
- Now uncover the pot, and cook for a final 5-10 minutes on low heat, until the liquid is almost completely absorbed.
- You will know the lentils are done if when you taste a few, they are cooked through, but not mushy.
Bring it all together
- Once the lentils and the potatoes are done, add the potatoes to the pot with the lentils, chickpeas, and broccoli.
- Now add in the fresh mint and a few squeezes of fresh lime juice. Mix it all together and taste. Add additional salt, curry powder, or lime juice as desired.
Serve and enjoy!
- This (almost!) one pot meal is delicious and filling all by itself.
Notes
This dish is vegan and gluten free!
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This Post Has 12 Comments
You know, I really should cook lentils around here more often. I have no idea why, but they just aren’t on my regular rotation. I need to fix that, though, as this recipe looks and sounds delicious! Oh, and I totally agree with you about the Y-peeler. So much easier than a ‘traditional’ peeler!
Thanks so much David! Oh I know what you mean, it was quite a long time before lentils became a staple in our home. And yes! Y-peelers are just the best! Never going back haha.
I could definitely go for more lentils. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks so much Jeff! I agree, lentils are an excellent food to incorporate in more meals!
Oh my!!! I bet this gorgeous veggie dish just sings! I love all the different flavours you’ve got included in that delicious coconut curry. Yum! This is definitely making its way onto my “to make soon” list!
Aww thank you so much Katerina! It’s definitely a meal we enjoy frequently in our home!
This is fabulous. I love all of the seasoning and the ingredients. I’m not vegetarian, but I’d be really happy with this as a meal!
Thank you so much Mimi! Definitely some of my very favorite flavors in this dish!
Lentils are a favorite around these parts as well and your Coconut Curry Lentils sounds divine. Thanks for a great recipe.
Thank you so much Ron! Oh that is so awesome! Lentils are truly loved the world over, aren’t they? Such a versatile ingredient!
What a coincidence! I was raised on Southern Country cooking . Hubby and I make a slow cooker full of dried Beans each week using pinto, navy or black eyed peas (or a combo of 2 of them .) We cook them with ham steak. And we make cornbread to serve with them.
We are sole caregivers of my 88 year old invalid mother . She loves them and they are so healthy (& easy!)
Well … .. I smelled something cooking day before yesterday . It smelled like our usual beans … but a bit different . Thought it was just my smell “off.” 😃
I finally went into the kitchen and checked . I asked my husband what he was cooking . He replied : LENTILS!
My goodness, he had used the same process, but with lentils, and the cornbread was ready also . First time ever cooking lentils for us & we are 64! They were delicious!
So … lentils can be used in Southern cuisine also ! 😊
We make all different types and styles of food; we have three family members that are vegan & we’ve come to enjoy many vegan recipes . I can’t wait to try your recipe ! Thank you ! Sounds and looks delicious! 💛
That is AWESOME that you and your husband cooked with lentils to such amazing results! I can see how they would be delicious with cornbread as well, yum! 😋 You are so right, lentils and beans are so so healthy, your mother is lucky to have caregivers that make such healthy and delicious food! Love that you have some family that is vegan, that is always a great way to experiment with new plant-based recipes. 💗 Thank you so much for your comment, hope you have a lovely day!