Cozy Lentil Curry

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Cozy lentils cooked to perfection with flavors of ginger, garlic, and curry, served over rice. Easy, nutritious, and filling for when you want a comforting meal.

Something about August sits different. It’s still summer, yet somehow, inexplicably, you can feel that maybe before you’re ready, fall will be here. School starting, shorter evenings, cooler weather. Curries are one of my favorite cozy weather dishes. They’re easy to make and there are so many! While I love summer and all the summer no-cook or grilled dishes that go along with the season, I do start to miss cooking and hearty dishes. Those hot days where it’s too hot to turn on the oven are hard on me! Michigan summers are mild compared to Florentine summers, but I was still excited that this week held some cooler days that felt perfect for this lentil curry with rice.

I first started making this curry in Florence, I think it was during 2020 and have been making it regularly ever since. I love to add spinach to get in some vegetables, and I would often make it in a crockpot while also adding rice and more water straight to the crockpot; curried lentils and rice all cooked up together!

A note about ground coriander

While most of the ingredients in this recipe would be considered pantry staples, the biggest exception for me would be ground coriander. (Coconut milk might not be a staple for everyone, but if you make Asian dishes frequently it is!!) Now, a little pet peeve of mine is recipes that sound wonderful but call for one or more obscure ingredients that are “essential”, but also ones you’ll never use again. You know what I’m talking about, right? Well, normally I would be tempted to skip or find a substitute for ground coriander since that has never been a spice I’ve really used. The first time I made this recipe I somehow had coriander seeds in a spice grinder. It was a labor of love to hand grind 1 1/2 tsps, but I was surprised at how good it was! It’s not that you can taste the coriander itself, but the one time I didn’t have enough I could actually tell and missed the depth of flavor it lended. Bottom line, you can make this curry without it, but if you plan on making this again I would get yourself a bottle of ground coriander!

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Recipe adapted from Janet’s Munch Meals

Cozy Lentil Curry

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp oil

  • 1 onion or shallot, diced small

  • 4 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

  • 1 Tbsp curry powder

  • 1 Tbsp cumin

  • 2 tsp chili powder or paprika

  • 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander

  • 1 cup / 210g dry lentils

  • 1 (15 oz) can diced or crushed tomatoes

  • 1 (14 oz) can coconut milk

  • 2 cups / 474g vegetable broth or water

  • salt and pepper to taste

  • Several handfuls of spinach, 100-200g spinach, finely chopped, optional

  • Rice, cilantro, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, for serving, optional

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook for several minutes, until translucent.

  2. Add garlic, ginger, curry, cumin, chili powder, and coriander and cook for about 3 minutes, until toasted and fragrant.

  3. Add lentils, tomatoes, coconut milk, broth, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.

  4. Lower heat, cover, and allow to simmer for 25-30 minutes or until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Add more liquid at any point, if necessary.

  5. Stir in spinach and cook for another minute or two.

  6. Serve over rice with cilantro and red pepper flakes, as desired.

Jenny’s Notes:

  • This lentil curry can also be made in a crockpot: Place all ingredients in crockpot and stir. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours, or until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally and adding any extra liquid as necessary.

Cozy Lentil Curry
Yield 4-6
Author
Prep time
5 Min
Cook time
45 Min
Total time
50 Min

Cozy Lentil Curry

Cozy lentils cooked to perfection with flavors of curry, ginger, and garlic, served over rice for a meal that is quick, nutritious, filling, and easy on the budget!
Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook for several minutes, until translucent.
  2. Add garlic, ginger, curry, cumin, chili powder, and coriander and cook for about 3 minutes, until toasted and fragrant.
  3. Add lentils, tomatoes, coconut milk, broth, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.
  4. Lower heat, cover, and allow to simmer for 25-30 minutes or until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Add more liquid at any point, if necessary.
  5. Stir in spinach and cook for another minute or two.
  6. Serve over rice with cilantro and red pepper flakes, as desired.

Notes

  • This lentil curry can also be made in a crockpot: Place all ingredients in crockpot and stir. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours, or until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally and adding any extra liquid as necessary.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

497.79

Fat

29.02 g

Sat. Fat

21.57 g

Carbs

48.62 g

Fiber

20.69 g

Net carbs

27.95 g

Sugar

10.59 g

Protein

17.68 g

Sodium

705.08 mg

Cholesterol

0 mg

Nutritional information is approximate. Based on 4 servings, not including rice.

curried lentils, vegetarian, vegan, cheap meals, budget meals, curry
dinner
Asian
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Green Tofu and Vegetable Curry

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This Green Tofu and Vegetable Curry is one of the easiest in our repertoire. A good green curry paste and coconut milk carry the flavor in the sauce, while a quick sauté on some green vegetables of choice and baked tofu bring this quick and tasty meal together in no time.

You can use just about any vegetable you choose in this dish, but I love keeping it all green. Goes with the green curry paste, and keeps it feeling fresh and spring-like, you know?

Tofu: to bake or to pan-fry?

You have the option of pan-frying or baking the tofu. Baking overall takes longer, but it’s less hands on, so may save you time in the end. It’s also a healthier alternative to pan-frying. Pan-frying, though, will always give you the edge on perfectly crispy, golden tofu. Baking can also get you crispy tofu, don’t get me wrong, but it’s just a little different. Baking is my preferred method!

If you choose to bake, there are actually two different ways you can go about this. Normally, after the water has been pressed out of the tofu, it would be lightly breaded in cornstarch and oil before being baked. This way is delicious and I highly recommend it.

Another way, as in the recipe below, is simply baking the tofu, no coating no fuss. This results in a crisp, almost chewy tofu that is another great option. I choose this method when crunched for time or cooking for people who prefer to eat lighter.

I paired the bake method with this particular curry recipe to keep it as simple and straightforward as possible. However, feel free to bake/fry tofu in your favorite way before tossing in the sauce with the veggies!

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. Where possible, links are prioritized to small businesses and ethically and responsibly made items. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Recipe adapted from New York Times

Green Tofu and Vegetable Curry

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

  • 1 14oz / 400g block of firm or extra-firm tofu

  • 1 Tbsp / 14g cooking oil

  • 1 onion, sliced

  • 1 bunch of asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

  • 1 cup snow peas

  • 1 14oz / 400g can of coconut milk

  • 2-4 Tbsp / 36-72g green curry paste

  • Juice of 1 lime

  • Rice, lime wedges, cilantro, sesame seeds, etc. as desired, for serving

Directions:

Prepare the Tofu

Oven preheated to 400°F / 205°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat.

  1. Place tofu block between some paper towels and press to absorb extra water. Repeat until tofu feels dry and no more water comes out. You can also do this ahead of time by placing something heavy over the tofu and paper towels, such as a bowl or pot, and leave it for several minutes.

  2. Slice tofu into 1-inch cubes. Disperse tofu cubes evenly onto prepared baking sheet.

  3. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until light golden.

Cook Vegetables and Sauce

  1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add onions, asparagus, and snow peas; cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to get some color, about 2-3 minutes.

  2. Add coconut milk and green curry paste to pan and stir to combine. Simmer until sauce starts to thicken.

  3. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and tofu.

  4. Serve over rice with desired garnishes.

Jenny’s Notes:

  • Use whichever vegetables you like best, the recipe as written above is the winning combo of veggies that we liked, while keeping it a fun green theme. Some ideas include using corn kernels, carrots, broccoli, kale, bell peppers, fennel, etc. Just keep in mind the approximate cooking length of the veggies you’re adding. Hardy root vegetables like carrots will take a bit longer, while veggies like broccoli, especially if you like them with a bit of a crunch like I do, will take just a few minutes until al dente perfection.

  • Certain veggies like broccoli and kale tend to “absorb” the sauce more than others, so if using these you might find your dish overall less saucy.

  • To avoid soggy vegetables, make sure not to cook them all the way through before you add the sauce, as they will still cook once you add the sauce.

  • Green curry pastes can vary in spiciness, so I would advise starting with just 2 Tbsp of curry and tasting for spice level before adding more.

Green Tofu and Vegetable Curry
Yield 2-3
Author
Prep time
15 Min
Cook time
30 Min
Total time
45 Min

Green Tofu and Vegetable Curry

Creamy, spicy, springy curry with tofy and green veggies served over rice. A quick and simple curry!

Ingredients

Instructions

Prepare the Tofu
  1. Oven preheated to 400°F / 205°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat.
  2. Place tofu block between some paper towels and press to absorb extra water. Repeat until tofu feels dry and no more water comes out. You can also do this ahead of time by placing something heavy over the tofu and paper towels, such as a bowl or pot, and leave it for several minutes.
  3. Slice tofu into 1-inch cubes. Disperse tofu cubes evenly onto prepared baking sheet.
  4. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until light golden.
Cook Vegetables and Sauce
  1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add onions, asparagus, and snow peas; cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to get some color, about 2-3 minutes.
  2. Add coconut milk and green curry paste to pan and stir to combine. Simmer until sauce starts to thicken.
  3. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and tofu.
  4. Serve over rice with desired garnishes.

Notes

  • Use whichever vegetables you like best, the recipe as written above is the winning combo of veggies that we liked, while keeping it a fun green theme. Some ideas include using corn kernels, carrots, broccoli, kale, bell peppers, fennel, etc. Just keep in mind the approximate cooking length of the veggies you’re adding. Hardy root vegetables like carrots will take a bit longer, while veggies like broccoli, especially if you like them with a bit of a crunch like I do, will take just a few minutes until al dente perfection.
  • Certain veggies like broccoli and kale tend to “absorb” the sauce more than others, so if using these you might find your dish overall less saucy.
  • To avoid soggy vegetables, make sure not to cook them all the way through before you add the sauce, as they will still cook once you add the sauce.
  • Green curry pastes can vary in spiciness, so I would advise starting with just 2 Tbsp of curry and tasting for spice level before adding more.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

736.72

Fat

60.15 g

Sat. Fat

39.85 g

Carbs

30.97 g

Fiber

9.42 g

Net carbs

21.55 g

Sugar

10.97 g

Protein

29.01 g

Sodium

43.1 mg

Cholesterol

0 mg

Nutritional information is approximate, based on 2 servings, not including rice or garnishes.

Green curry, spring curry, coconut milk curry
dinner
Asian
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Coconut Curry Lentil Soup

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Last Updated September 6, 2024

Adjustments.jpeg

I was never a big fan of lentils growing up, but the past couple of years I’ve really been appreciating their nutritious versatility. So when I saw a recipe called “Best Lentil Soup” I wanted to try it. At the same time I was very skeptical. Best? In the whole wide world? I kinda doubt it. But now I want to try it to see just how good it is, because it probably is good. But best is a really big word.

Do you know what? This is a really good lentil soup. I’m taking out that word “best” because I certainly have not tried all the lentil soups in the world, and don’t feel that this soup could accurately make that claim without trying hundreds more lentil soups. But it IS delicious. It’s creamy, comforting, and leaves your tummy feeling all warm and fuzzy and satisfied. It has a bit of zing from ginger and curry, and a bit of acidity from fresh lemon to round off the creamy coconut base. Plus it comes together quickly and is freezer friendly.

So if you, like me, are craving and enjoying all the comforting food and clothes and activities that come with fall, then you should try out this soup!

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Recipe lightly adapted from Love and Lemons

Coconut Curry Lentil Soup

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

Adjustments.jpeg

  • 2 Tbsp / 28g oil

  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped

  • 4 garlic cloves, minced

  • 3 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated

  • 1 Tbsp mild curry powder

  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

  • 28oz / 800g canned fire-roasted or regular diced tomatoes

  • 1 cup dry lentils

  • 2 1/2 cups / 593g water

  • 1 14oz / 400g can coconut milk

  • Salt and pepper to taste

  • Generous handful of cilantro, roughly chopped

  • Lemon or lime wedges, for serving

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  2. Add garlic, ginger, curry powder, and red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.

  3. Add in the tomatoes, lentils, water, coconut milk, a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then turn down heat. Cover and simmer for 25-35 minutes, or until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, as desired.

  4. Turn off heat and stir in cilantro. Serve with lemon wedges and crusty bread, rice, or your choice of side.

Jenny’s Notes:

  • This can also be made in the crockpot! Simply add all ingredients except for cilantro and lemon to a slowcooker and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours, until lentils are tender. Stir in cilantro just before serving.

  • The length of time until lentils are tender will depend on the type you are using, whether brown, green, red, etc., and all work just fine in this recipe.

  • If soup becomes too thick, add more water as needed to thin it out.

Coconut Curry Lentil Soup
Yield 4-6
Author
Prep time
15 Min
Cook time
35 Min
Total time
50 Min

Coconut Curry Lentil Soup

Creamy coconut curry lentil soup with lemon and cilantro
Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Add garlic, ginger, curry powder, and red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
  3. Add in the tomatoes, lentils, water, coconut milk, a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then turn down heat. Cover and simmer for 25-35 minutes, or until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, as desired.
  4. Turn off heat and stir in cilantro. Serve with lemon wedges and crusty bread, rice, or your choice of side.

Notes

  • This can also be made in the crockpot! Simply add all ingredients except for cilantro and lemon to a slowcooker and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours, until lentils are tender. Stir in cilantro just before serving.
  • The length of time until lentils are tender will depend on the type you are using, whether brown, green, red, etc., and all work just fine in this recipe.
  • If soup becomes too thick, add more water as needed to thin it out.


Nutrition Facts

Calories

470.36

Fat

29.45 g

Sat. Fat

19.52 g

Carbs

42.84 g

Fiber

8.43 g

Net carbs

34.41 g

Sugar

4.14 g

Protein

15.62 g

Cholesterol

0.00 mg

Sodium

160.15 mg

Nutritional information is approximate. Based on 4 servings.

Vegan, gluten-free, curry, best lentil soup
Dinner, soup
American
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @jennyblogsandbakes on instagram and hashtag it #jennyblogs
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