This Indian-inspired Crimson Lentil Curry with Candy Potatoes is creamy, hearty, and prepared in only a few easy steps. Serve it for a satisfying and fast weeknight meal the entire household will adore- vegans and meat eaters alike!
This recipe was initially revealed on January 21, 2021. It was up to date with new recipe info on October 22, 2024.
This purple lentil curry recipe with candy potatoes is a hearty, creamy, and flavorful plant-based meal you may make any day of the week. It’s the definition of crave-able but nutritious consolation meals: tender and creamy lentils simmer with warming spices in coconut milk to heat you up and fulfill from the inside-out.
Although the recipe does name for a handful of spices — a lot of which may be discovered at well-stocked grocery or Indian meals shops — you’ll have them available for months to come back since they retailer nicely, making it simple so as to add this recipe to your weekly recipe rotation. Make this lentil curry with coconut milk on the stovetop or in an Instantaneous Pot, and add your personal twist by adjusting the warmth or stirring in further veggies! For extra tasty lentil recipes, try my Lentil Meatballs, Lentil Taco Meat, and Vegan Candy Potato Shepherd’s Pie recipes.
Substances
Crimson Lentils: The star ingredient of this dish! Crimson lentils are smaller, delicate lentils that don’t should be soaked earlier than cooking. They flip creamy upon cooking, serving to them to meld with the coconut curry sauce. Yow will discover them within the dried items or rice aisle of most well-stocked grocery shops, in Indian groceries, and well being meals shops.
Aromatics: Yellow onion, garlic, and ginger add a dimensional taste base to the purple lentil recipes. Use contemporary substances each time attainable, although you possibly can substitute ginger paste and bottled minced garlic if essential.
Spices: Curry powder, garam masala, cumin, coriander, and turmeric powder add heat, earthy, savory, and spicy notes to the vegan purple lentil curry, making it complicated and satisfying. Yow will discover these spices in Indian meals shops, spice outlets, and most well-stocked grocery shops.
Candy Potatoes: These add heartiness a contact of pure sweetness, balancing the heat and warmth. Peel the potatoes if desired and dice. If desired, use Japanese candy potatoes.
Coconut Milk: For the richest, creamiest vegan lentil curry, use full-fat coconut milk. Shake it nicely earlier than including it, and keep away from utilizing mild coconut milk.
Canned Tomatoes: A typical ingredient in lots of curry dishes, canned chopped or crushed tomatoes impart a naturally candy and jammy taste. You’ll need only one can.
Find out how to Make Crimson Lentil Curry with Candy Potatoes
Instantaneous Pot Instructions
Range Prime directions Beneath.
Save time and fuss by making this recipe within the Instantaneous Pot. Right here’s the right way to make Instantaneous Pot lentil curry:
- Sauté. Flip the Instantaneous Pot to the HIGH sauté setting, and soften the coconut oil. Cut back the warmth to medium warmth and sauté the onions, garlic, and ginger for 3-4 minutes till turning translucent.
- Toast. Add the spices––curry powder, garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, Kashmiri chili, salt, and pepper. Stir to toast for about 30 seconds.
- Add. Add the candy potato, purple lentils, coconut milk, diced tomato, and water. Cancel the sauté setting. No have to stir.
- Strain cook dinner. Lock on the lid and stress cook dinner for 10 minutes. When accomplished cooking, natural-release the stress for 10 minutes. Fast-release the remaining stress.
- Season the curried purple lentils to style with extra salt, and serve garnished with lime wedges and cilantro.
Range Prime Directions
- Sauté aromatics. Add the oil to a big pot and soften it over medium-high warmth. Cut back the warmth to medium and add the onions, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for 3-4 minutes or till the onions are tender and turning translucent.
- Toast Spices. Add the spices — curry powder, garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, Kashmiri chili, salt, and pepper. Stir to toast for 30 seconds till translucent,
- Add candy potatoes and liquids. Add the candy potato, purple lentils, coconut milk, diced tomato, and water. Stir nicely. Enhance the warmth to medium-high and produce the combination to a simmer. Cut back the warmth to medium-low and simmer partially lined for 20-25 minutes, stirring often, till the potatoes are tender.
- Season and serve. Season the curry to style with salt and pepper. If essential, add water to skinny the curry. Serve the vegan curry scorching with steamed rice and garnished with lime wedges and cilantro.
Recipe Professional-Suggestions
- Rinse and kind the lentils. Even sorted lentils can generally include small pebbles or bits of particles collected within the harvesting course of. Type by way of the lentils to take away these components, and rinse them nicely earlier than beginning.
- Simmer partially lined. When cooking stove-top, management the discount of the purple lentil curry recipe by simmering it partly ajar. I prefer to relaxation the pot midway excessive. This additionally permits you to regulate the curry because it simmers.
- Add further water as wanted. If it reduces or will get too thick throughout simmering, add extra water by the 1/4 cup as wanted, stirring it in nicely.
- Alter cooking time for the scale of the pot. Wider pots (assume deep skillets) will cook dinner for much less time as a result of they’ve the next floor space uncovered to warmth, whereas narrower pots (Dutch ovens or saucepans) will cook dinner for longer.
Recipe Variations
Alter this purple lentil coconut curry primarily based on what you’ve got available, making it flavorful and nutritious each time!
- Extremely-Creamy: Stir in 3 tablespoons of cashew or almond butter through the remaining couple of minutes of simmering to boost the graceful and creamy texture of the purple curry lentils and add nutty undertones. Bonus: this provides further plant protein and wholesome fat!
- Butternut Squash: Swap 2 1/2 cups of cubed butternut squash for the candy potatoes for an autumnal twist on this purple lentils recipe!
- Further Veggies: Enhance the vitamin by stirring in a big handful of chopped child spinach or a cup of chopped roasted purple peppers within the final 5 minutes of the cooking time. It’s also possible to stir in 1 cup of frozen inexperienced peas midway by way of simmering.
- Gentle: Cut back the warmth by utilizing Kashmiri chili as an alternative of cayenne, or omitting all of it collectively.
- Spicy: Enhance the Kashmiri chili to 1 teaspoon or use it together with cayenne for further warmth.
Serving Ideas
Serve bowls of scorching candy potato lentil curry topped with lime wedges and chopped cilantro with roti or vegan naan to dip alongside any of the next sides:
Storage Instructions
- Refrigeration: Leftovers hold lined in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days.
- Freezing: As soon as fully cooled, you possibly can freeze the lentil and potato curry in a freezer-safe container for as much as 3 months. Defrost it in a single day within the fridge.
- Reheating: Heat the dish over low warmth on the stovetop, including a splash of vegetable broth to reconstitute, for 5-10 minutes till scorching.
Regularly Requested Questions
No, you do not want to soak purple lentils. They’re delicate and small and cook dinner up inside 20-Half-hour with out soaking. I do advocate that you simply rinse them nicely earlier than cooking, nevertheless.
The purple lentils cook dinner nicely, changing into ultra-tender and scoopable, however you possibly can puree it with a high-speed or immersion blender in case you want a soup-like texture. If utilizing a blender, remember to take away the vent cowl and flippantly drape it with a dish towel earlier than mixing to stop splattering.
Extra Vegan Principal Dish Recipes
Recipe Card
- 2 tbsp avocado oil , or coconut oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 1 inch contemporary ginger, peeled and minced
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder or 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, + extra to style when serving
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 massive candy potato, cubed (peeling is non-obligatory)
- 1 1/2 cup purple lentils, rinsed till water runs clear OR moong dal
- 1 13.5 oz can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes, or crushed tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups water, 1 1/4 cups for the Instantaneous Pot
- lime wedges, for garnish
- chopped contemporary cilantro, for garnish
Stop your display from going darkish
Add the coconut oil to a big pot and soften it over medium-high warmth. Cut back the warmth to medium and add the onions, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for 3-4 minutes or till the onions are tender and turning translucent.
Add the spices — curry powder, garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, Kashmiri chili, salt, and pepper. Stir to toast for 30 seconds till translucent,
Add the candy potato, purple lentils, coconut milk, diced tomato, and water. Stir nicely. Enhance the warmth to medium-high and produce the combination to a simmer. Cut back the warmth to medium-low and simmer partially lined for 20-25 minutes, stirring often, till the potatoes are tender.
FOR THE INSTANT POT: Add the candy potato, purple lentils, coconut milk, diced tomato, and water. Don’t stir. Cancel the sauté setting. Lock on the lid and stress cook dinner for 10 minutes. When accomplished cooking, natural-release the stress for 10 minutes. Fast-release the remaining stress.
Season the curry to style with salt and pepper. If essential, add water to skinny the curry. Serve the curry scorching with steamed rice and garnished with lime wedges and cilantro.
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- Refrigeration: Leftovers hold lined in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days.
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- Freezing: As soon as fully cooled, you possibly can freeze the lentil and potato curry in a freezer-safe container for as much as 3 months. Defrost it in a single day within the fridge.
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- Reheating: Heat the dish over low warmth on the stovetop, including a splash of vegetable broth to reconstitute, for 5-10 minutes till scorching.