Lentil curry

Name: Lentil curry
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Cuisine: Asian, Indian
Ingredients: • 2 tbsp neutral oil (e.g. avocado, canola); • 4 tbsp butter or ghee; • 1/4 onion, finely chopped; • 2 tsp kosher salt, divided; • 1 tsp ground cumin (or 1.5 tsp cumin seeds, lightly crushed after toasting); • 1/4 tsp ground coriander; • 1tsp smoked paprika; • 1 tsp ground turmeric; • 3 tbsp minced garlic (~9 large cloves); • 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger; • 1 minced jalapeño, seeds removed for less heat; • 1 red bell pepper, diced; Optional: zucchini; Optional: celery; Optional: carrots; • 2 tbsp tomato paste; • ½ cup water; • 1 (18 oz) can brown lentils, drained and rinsed; • optional: 1 (18 oz) can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed; • 2–3 handfuls fresh spinach (or 4 oz) optional; • ½ cup full-fat coconut milk or 1/2 can; • Optional: ½ tsp soy sauce or ½ tsp white miso paste (depth); • ½–1 tbsp lemon juice (to taste); • Garnish: Greek yogurt or sour cream; Garnish: Shredded cheese

7 steps

Prep:20minCook:1h

A versatile curry recipe that can be stretched with more beans and veggies (zucchini, carrot, celery) or made smaller for 2-4 people by omitting a can of beans

Updated at: Wed, 27 Aug 2025 23:29:09 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Good

Glycemic Index

Low

Glycemic Load

Low

Nutrition per serving

Calories184.8 kcal (9%)

Total Fat14.3 g (20%)

Carbs9 g (3%)

Sugars2.8 g (3%)

Protein5 g (10%)

Sodium513.2 mg (26%)

Fiber4.4 g (16%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Instructions

Step 1

In a large pan over medium heat, warm oil and butter/ghee. Add onion and 1 tsp salt. Cook ~10 minutes, stirring often, until golden and softened.

neutral oil2 Tbsp

butter4 Tbsp

onion0.25

kosher salt2 tsp

Step 2

Add cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, turmeric, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for 3 minutes until very fragrant and slightly caramelized. Add peppers and sauté for another 3-5 minutes until slightly tender (Optional: zucchini, celery and carrot)

ground cumin1 tsp

ground coriander¼ tsp

smoked paprika1 tsp

ground turmeric1 tsp

garlic3 Tbsp

fresh ginger1 Tbsp

jalapeño1

red bell pepper1

carrots

celery

zucchini

Step 3

Stir in tomato paste; cook for 1–2 minutes to reduce rawness. Add water to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits.

tomato paste2 Tbsp

water½ cup

Step 4

Add lentils and kidney beans. Stir to combine. Simmer on low for 10-60 minutes, letting flavors meld. Add a splash more water if cooking for longer or it’s too thick (can omit can of kidney beans for smaller portions)