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This coconut lentil curry is a fast and easy dinner idea that’s both healthy and full of flavor. It’s perfect for weeknight meals! Over the years, it’s become a fan favorite recipe that’s highly-rated by readers.
Alex and I have been working on our repertoire of fast and easy dinner ideas for years. It’s a constant challenge, trying to figure out those standbys that are quick, healthy, and delicious at the same time!
This coconut lentil curry comes from an idea I had one night trying to decide how to use some kale from the garden. I ad-libbed with some lentils and a can of coconut milk we had on-hand, threw in some curry paste, and voila! It turned out so tasty that we had to share it here. Fast forward a few years and this coconut lentil curry recipe has gone on to become a fan favorite, with loads of positive reader reviews!
Featured reader comment
“All I can say is MMMMM, MMMMM, MMMMM!!! Served it over rice…. absolutely AMAZING!!! Thank you for this recipe, I will definitely be using it often.” -Chrissy
“Great recipe. Simple but super flavorful, always have the ingredients in the pantry. I go back to this often for weeknight dinners.” -Jen
Tips for making coconut lentil curry
This coconut lentil curry is a quick way to get to something on the table that tastes like it’s been cooking all evening! This is not an authentic Indian or Thai curry, just a coconut lentil curry inspired dish that’s a fast dinner idea.
It has a fairly short ingredient list, so it’s feasible to make on a weeknight. The base of the curry is simple: just lentils, coconut milk, Thai curry paste, and tomato paste. (If you need a sub for coconut milk, head to our substitutes for coconut milk in curry.)
It’s also a great way to eat your dark leafy greens! You can throw in handfuls of any of your favorite greens. The easiest is throwing in handfuls of baby spinach that’s prewashed and boxed: or you can also add chopped kale or Swiss chard. When we talk to people about delicious ways to eat leafy greens, a curry is one of our top recs because the greens pick up all flavor of the lentil curry!
A key ingredient: Thai curry paste
The secret to this coconut lentil curry is using Thai red curry paste. Thai curry paste has beautifully fresh flavors: garlic, lemongrass, and ginger to make whipping up curry recipes a breeze. Grab a jar from the store in the international aisle, and it keeps for months in the refrigerator.
Some Thai curry pastes are spicy and some don’t have too much heat. Our favorite brand of Thai curry paste is Thai Kitchen, and it doesn’t add much heat to the overall dish. If you can’t find it at your local grocery, here’s a link to Thai Kitchen red curry paste on Amazon.
More great curry recipes? Vegetable Curry, Chickpea Curry or Quick Vegan Curry
Dietary notes
This lentil curry recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free.
Coconut Lentil Curry with Greens
This Coconut Lentil Curry is a 30 minute easy dinner idea that’s healthy and full of flavor; it’s a plant based recipe flavored with Thai curry paste.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai Inspired
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked white or brown basmati rice, to serve (or Instant Pot basmati rice)
- 2 cups brown or green lentils
- 8 cups chopped leafy greens: spinach, kale, or chard
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 13.5-ounce can coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make the rice according to How to Cook Basmati Rice (or Instant Pot Rice).
- Place the lentils in a saucepan with 6 cups warm water. Bring to a low boil, then boil for about 20 minutes until tender (taste to assess doneness). Drain, then add a few pinches of salt.
- Meanwhile, wash the greens, remove the stems and chop the leaves. (If using prewashed baby spinach, you can skip this step.) In your largest skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the greens and sauté for several minutes until tender and bright green.
- When the lentils are done, add them to the skillet with the greens. Over medium high heat, stir in the coconut milk, Thai red curry paste, tomato paste, kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper. Cook for a few minutes until heated through and the sauce is thickened.
- Taste and add a few pinches of salt if desired. Serve with rice.
More fast and easy dinner recipes
Looking for more easy dinner recipes? Here are a few quick and easy ideas:
- Go for mac and cheese with broccoli or pesto tortellini
- Mix up blackened tilapia, sauteed shrimp or honey garlic shrimp
- Opt for quick chickpea tacos or an easy quesadilla
Yummy, easy to make and versatile for substituting other ingredients. A fav in our house!
Is the nutritional information per serving?
What is the serving size?
The info is below the card! We don’t have a cup size for servings, sorry!
Due to health issues I’ve been looking for some more recipes that have a good, hearty, amount of protein. This recipe with the added benefits of iron and other nutrients is definitely a winner!! I made this with spinach, cut the Thai chili paste down to about half of what the recipe called for and added in some sliced, sauteed shitake mushrooms and all I can say is MMMMM, MMMMM, MMMMM!!! Served it over rice cooked in broth instead of water…. absolutely AMAZING!!! Thank you for this recipe, I will definitely be using it often. Btw… tastes just as good, if not better, the next day.
I just made this for lunch. Yum! I did find that I wanted a more punchy flavor so. I made lemon rice by tossing in a squeeze of lemon and a bit of peel to my cooking rice. I also used half brown rice and half wild rice for a chewy texture. To the lentils I added some curry powder since the Thai curry is very mild. To that some cardamom, garlic powder and smoky paprika. Delicious! I topped it with diced snacking tomatoes in various colors. It was fresh and flavorful with a nicely light, aromatic curry flavor. My husband who isn’t a fan of curry anything gave it 2 thumbs up.!
YUM! I drizzled pomegranate molasses over this! A fantastic meatless meal!! Thank You! Merry Christmas!
🎉🎄🎅🎁⛄️❄️🎄🎉
I think this would have turned out better with half the lentils. the proportions are off… for my taste. i’m gonna let it sit until tomorrow and go back in. :) thanks for making your recipes available. :)
Could I sub in 2 tablespoons of yellow curry powder for the red curry paste?
The flavor would be very different, but still taste good!
Thank you
Eating this right now. DELICIOUS! Added some grated ginger for an additional punch – highly recommend!
I only had red lentils and I should have red the directions first, as they apparently only take 9-13 minutes. This was kinda mushy. BUT, it was still good! I cooked my lentils with a clove of garlic and a sprig of rosemary and could have eaten the lentils straight.