This deliciously creamy (and deliciously easy, too) lentil curry is made with many staples found in a vegan pantry such as canned lentils, canned pumpkin, and canned coconut milk. This recipe is quick and filling, and will have you coming back for more!

Making Vegan Lentil Curry

This recipe starts off on the right notes, for sure: onion, garlic and ginger.

Allowing time for the onion to slightly caramelize, before you add the ginger and garlic, will lend that nutty, rich flavor to the curry flavors and mix beautifully. 

Good things come to those who wait, as you already know, so your patience with the time it takes to caramelize the onion will be well worth it. 

From there, it’s a quick process. You’re just adding the rest of the ingredients into the same pan: coconut milk, pumpkin puree, a little water, some frozen spinach, coriander, smoked paprika, turmeric, and a can of lentils.

Many cooks prefer using dried beans, for a variety of reasons, but this is a perfect recipe to use up some of those lentils you may have stockpiled in the back of your pantry.

Easy lentil curry is not only delicious and filling, but it is quite versatile too.

Substitutions 

If you don’t have any canned lentils but do have any other canned or frozen beans, use those! You can substitute tomato paste for the pumpkin puree. If you don’t like spinach, leave it out! You could also use kale or any almost other similar green instead. If you’re not into coconut milk, cream or milk would be wonderful too. If you’re vegan, try almond milk.

How To Serve Vegan Lentil Curry

Sri Lankan roti, or Indian naan are both perfect options. Both are middle eastern flatbreads, and are a wonderful compliment (and vehicle) for all that big curry flavor. Rice is another great option.

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 red onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 inch piece of ginger
• 1/2 can coconut milk
• 1/2 can 100% pure pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 can lentils
• 4 tsp coriander
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 cup frozen spinach
• salt and pepper to taste
• cilantro to garnish

Instructions

1. Peel and chop the red onion, ginger and garlic.
2. Over medium heat add oil to a pan and add the chopped onion to it. Saute the onion until it slightly caramelizes, stir often so the onion doesn’t burn.
3. Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and saute for a few more minutes.
4. Add the pumpkin puree, coconut milk, water, coriander, smoked paprika, and turmeric. Stir well.
5. Add the spinach and stir well.
6. Add the lentils and stir well.
7. Let the curry cook together for about a minute or two more.
8. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve alongside flatbread or over a bed of rice.