Red Lentil Curry
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Sep 24, 2026 
My red lentil curry is a hearty, delicious, Asian-inspired, vegan, and gluten-free recipe that the whole family loves, meat eaters and plant-based eaters alike! I make a big batch of it with soft red lentils, creamy coconut milk, and Thai red curry paste for just the right amount of spicy heat. And one of my favorite things about this recipe? It all comes together in one pot!
I love just about any curry you put in front of me… Asian curry, Jamaican curry, Indian curries, or one of my favorites, crockpot chickpea curry. What’s perfect about my red lentil curry though is the combo of flavors. The lentils cook and fuse with the coconut milk and tomatoes, turning this into a nice thick and hearty meal. The simple ingredients always surprise me with how rich they end up tasting. What’s even more exciting is that this dish keeps everyone full, which is ideal for families. That’s right, no snooping around the kitchen a couple of hours later, everyone is full all evening.
AC – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was my first time making a curry and cooking with many of the ingredients (including lentils), and it was easier than I thought. The flavor is AMAZING, it’s so filling, and is perfect for the cool fall weather in Minnesota. Thank you for such a simple and flavorful recipe! I feel so confident in knowing that I can make a delicious curry at home.
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Friend of All Diets – A great perk about this Thai red curry lentils recipe is that it is relatively moldable. As I have it in the recipe below, it’s gluten free and vegan, so it’s a great dish for all.
Quick Meal Prep Dish – If you need a meal prep recipe to add to your rotation, this one is for you. One of the (many) best things about this recipe is that I can make a large batch and it tastes even better after several days in the fridge.
Protein Goals – Even without adding additional meat to this dish, I can still hit my protein goals with this curry dish. Like my Tuscan lentil soup recipe, there is plenty of plant-based protein to keep the calories and fat fairly low, and yay for fiber! But if you are in need of even more protein, you can always add in chicken or pair it with spice rubbed meats.
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Produce – I’m keeping this recipe veggie-forward with carrots, onions, garlic, crushed tomatoes, and ginger. The onions and garlic I not only peel, but dice and mince. The carrots are chopped well. I highly suggest using freshly grated ginger, rather than the store bought squeeze bottles. The freshness is more pungent and flavorful.
- Broth – I am reaching for my vegetable broth here, though chicken broth is acceptable if you aren’t looking to keep this recipe vegan.
- Coconut essentials – Unsweetened full-fat coconut milk creates the creamy texture and flavor. If your unsweetened coconut milk looks super thick on the top, don’t worry, it has separated. So just give it a good shake before using. Coconut oil is my preferred oil for my recipe, however if you do not have that on hand you can use olive oil or avocado oil.
- Red lentils – I use dried red lentils that are hulled to make this red lentil curry recipe. The reason I look for and prefer red hulled lentils is because I want them to lose their lentil-like shape a little bit, so the curry thickens. But if you cannot find red lentils, buy yellow lentils instead.
- Spice – Thai red curry paste is the most important spice ingredient of this recipe. I have my favorites but you can use your preferred brand here, especially if you are looking for a certain spice (I’m talking heat now) level. Next up, I am also reaching for my ground cumin to help bring out the smokey flavor that you get with curry.
- Garnishes – These are optional, but adding them really hits it home. Try my pickled red onion recipes to garnish; it will help cut through some of the heaviness of the curry. Some raw cashews add a great crunchy texture, and chopped fresh cilantro is always wonderful to brighten a savory curry.
How to Make
Find the full recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Prep – Before I get started with the actual cooking I chop the onions and carrots, mince the garlic, and grate my fresh ginger. Getting all of this prep work out of the way helps me to move a little faster during the cooking process. Then I get out a large cooking pot and place it on the stove over medium heat.
Cook the Veggies – I add oil to the pot, and once it gets hot, good news, I add all of the handy-dandy prepped produce (wink, wink – see I told you) into the pot… Chopped onion, carrots, garlic, and grated ginger with my 2-5 tablespoons of curry paste* and spices. I sauté it all over medium heat until the onions are soft and slightly tender.
*If your curry paste tastes/smells very spicy, add only 2 tablespoons. You can always add more later.
Simmer the Lentils – Next I pour in my red lentils, the vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes and coconut milk and stir well. I let it simmer and stir every couple of minutes so that my lentils aren’t sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning. Don’t let it boil!
After the curry simmers in the pot for about 20 minutes it will become more soft and thick. You will know it’s ready when the lentils start to break apart and are almost mushy. In fact, the curry should be thick like pancake or brownie batter at this point. Once you get there, your curry is ready to be topped with your optional, but I totally think you should try garnishes, and ready to be served!
Expert Tips
All brands of red curry paste are different. Some are much saltier and spicier than others. Taste your red curry paste so you know what you’re dealing with before adding it to the curry recipe. If you are concerned about overpowering spicy-heat, you can add a small amount of curry paste at first, then add more later.
Two of the things I love most about this recipe, other than the deep tantalizing spicy flavor, is that it makes a large batch of 8+ hearty servings, and it tastes fabulous days later. However, if you don’t want such a large batch, you can easily halve the recipe to 4 servings using the serving slider in the recipe form below. (I’d personally rather have yummy leftovers than half-used cans of tomato and coconut milk in my fridge.)
Serving Suggestions
As I shared above, I personally love my red lentil curry served with warm flatbreads and topped with pickled red onions, raw cashews, and fresh chopped cilantro. I insist you have to try it “my way” at least once, to get the truly best combinations of flavors and textures.
While this is a one pot dinner all on its own, there are also great dishes to add on the side and make it a an even heartier meal. My family has also tried these sides and give them two thumbs up.
- Rice or low carb cauliflower rice
- Quinoa
- Fresh baby spinach
- Chopped fresh kale
Oh, I also have to share that our family loves to eat this curry as a non-vegetarian meal. So one thing I will often pair it with is my spice-rubbed grilled chicken I briefly mentioned above. Give that a whirl and let me know what you think!
Storage Notes
You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week in an airtight container. This is what makes my red curry a perfect meal prep recipe! You can cook it on Sunday and box it up for the whole week, with cashews, pickled onions, and rice (or with greens if you are cutting out grains.) It tastes just as lovely on day 4, 5, and 6 as it did on the first day. Some might even argue it tastes better as the spices have had a longer time to mix and mingle!
And I have great news for those of you who hate wasting food like I do… Curries will freeze well for up to 2 months in an airtight container! Then just thaw it in the fridge overnight before rewarming on the stovetop or in a microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, actually you do not need to soak your lentils. Using red lentils that are hulled works perfectly for cooking directly in the curry.
You can swap the oil for any kind of oil you prefer. You can also substitute the coconut milk in this red lentil curry recipe for half & half or heavy cream, although I would add it at the end, instead of the beginning. Please note, this will change the flavor of the dish.
You can stir in a little additional broth or water to loosen it up, if it needs more cooking time. This will not affect the overall flavor.
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More Vegetarian Recipes
Red Lentil Curry
Ingredients
For the Red Lentil Curry:
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil (or olive oil)
- 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 cups diced carrots
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
- 2+ tablespoons thai red curry paste
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 16 ounce dried red lentils
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 14 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
For the Pickled Onions:
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar (or your preferred sweetener)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Additional Garnishes:
- 1 cup cashews
- 1 cup cilantro
Instructions
- For the Pickled Onions: In a small microwave-safe bowl mix the water, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Microwave for 60-90 seconds to dissolve the sugar. Slice the onions thin. Then mix them into the pickling water. Allow them to soak as you make the lentil curry.
- For the Red Lentil Curry: Chop the onions, carrots, garlic and grate the ginger. Set a large 6-8 quart pot over medium heat. Add the oil.
- Once hot, add the onions, carrots, garlic, ginger, 2-5 tablespoons curry paste, cumin, and salt. Saute until the onions are soft and tender. *If your curry paste tastes/smells very spicy, add only 2 tablespoons. You can always add more later.
- Pour in the dried red lentils, chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, and coconut milk. Stir well. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring every 3-5 minutes, so the lentils don’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
- If the liquid seems to absorb before the lentils are fully cooked, add some water to loosen up the mixture. After 20 minutes, the lentil curry should be soft and thick.
- Drain the pickled onions. Serve the lentil curry warm, on its own, with rice, or with baby spinach. Top with pickled onions, cashews, and cilantro leaves.
Super Great best ever curry
This was my first time making a curry and cooking with many of the ingredients (including lentils), and it was easier than I thought. The flavor is AMAZING, it’s so filling, and is perfect for the cool fall weather in Minnesota. Thank you for such a simple and flavorful recipe! I feel so confident in knowing that I can make a delicious curry at home.
Super flavorful! Easy to follow instructions, great recipe!
I made this last night absolutely delicious. Thank you, please keep your healthy recipies coming.
Could this be done in a slow cooker instead ?
Hi Georgia,
I’m sure you can, but since I haven’t tested it, I cannot give you the exact cook time. If you try it, please report back. :)