Cozy Lentil Curry

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

McCormick Gourmet Organic Ground Coriander, 1.25 Oz

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!

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 Janet’s Munch Meals

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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.

Yield 4-6

Author Jennyblogs

Prep time

5 Min

Cook time

45 Min

Total time

50 Min

Print

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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

• 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

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.

https://jennyblogs.com/blog/2024/4/2/lentil-spinach-curry

curried lentils, vegetarian, vegan, cheap meals, budget meals, curry

dinner

Asian

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Coconut Curry Lentil Soup

Last Updated September 6, 2024

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

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Coconut Curry Lentil Soup

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 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.

Yield 4-6

Author Jennyblogs

Prep time

15 Min

Cook time

35 Min

Total time

50 Min

Print

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Coconut Curry Lentil Soup

Creamy coconut curry lentil soup with lemon and cilantro

Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

• 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

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.

https://jennyblogs.com/blog/2020/10/31/1v9wrzjq3xlv7z7b9eachzdw3n5isn

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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White Bean Potato Soup

Last Updated August 30, 2024

This soup is packed full. Packed full of flavor, packed full of vegetables and good stuff, and therefore packed full of nutrients. Did I mention it’s also vegan? Because it is, at least if you don’t sprinkle any of that wonderful cheese over the soup at the end.

While I love beans, and I love potatoes, and just about everything else in this soup, I honestly wasn’t expecting it to be as good as it was. It is so full of flavor and so satisfying, and I didn’t even have any wine on hand to add!

This soup boasts, besides beans and potatoes, onions, carrots, garlic, kale, with a hint of rosemary, spice, and white wine to tie it all together.

While the main soup season might be coming to an end, I decided to finally post this recipe because

1. during these crazy coronavirus times it seems everyone and their brother are baking bread up the wazoo and revving their sourdough starters, at least judging by social media and the shortage of flours and yeast in the stores…and this soup pairs wonderfully with some good homebaked bread!!

2. this soup has many ingredients, but most are pantry staples which makes this ideal to whip up for dinner without having to go to the store. Even if you’re missing one or two things, this soup is so flavorful you can easily swap out vegetables or omit one with a still tasty result.

3. many of these ingredients are also cheap, which means you get a hardy meal for just a few dollars, which is helpful in these uncertain financial times

4. we’ve had an unusually cold few nights and days for April here in Florence, which made me think of this soup..

5. soups are so easy, and recipes like this are rewarding for my friends who may be deciding to expand their cooking skills with all the newfound time on their hands.

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 slightly adapted from Clever Eats

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White Bean Potato Soup

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp oil

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 1 stalk of celery, diced

• 1 carrot, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 15oz / 400g cans of white beans, drained (any kind, such as cannellini or navy)

• 2 potatoes, cut into small chunks

• 1 Tbsp / 16g tomato paste

• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary or 1 Tbsp chopped fresh

• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika

• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional

• 1/2 cup / 119g white wine, or more broth or water

• 7oz / 200g fresh or frozen spinach or kale, lightly chopped

• 2 cups / 474g vegetable broth

• salt and pepper, to taste

• extra virgin olive oil and parmesan or pecorino cheese, for finishing

Directions:

1. In a large stockpot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot and cook, stirring occasionaly, until onion begins to turn translucent.

2. Add the garlic, then add the beans, potatoes, tomato paste, rosemary, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Cook for a minute or two, stirring frequently.

3. Add the wine and stir until it is almost evaporated.

4. Add kale, broth, and salt and pepper to taste.

5. Raise heat and bring soup to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

6. Ladle soup into serving bowls, top with parmesan or pecorino cheese and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with warm, crusty bread. Buon appetito!

Jenny’s Notes:

• If you prefer to cook dry beans instead of using canned, as I do, a good rule of thumb is to take half the weight of called for canned beans and cook that amount of dry beans. Different dry beans absorb slightly different amounts of water, but generally speaking they double in weight when cooked. So if you need 800g as in this recipe, I would cook 400g of dry beans.

• You can choose to peel your potatoes before chopping or leave skin on, either way is fine if you ask me! Leaving skin on is easier and more nutritious (more fiber!), just be sure to wash them well before using.

• If you have a rosemary plant, you can also add a clean sprig straight to the soup, then remove when you are ready to serve the soup.

• In a pinch, you can always just use water instead of broth, although you will lose some flavor depth. If you have any bouillon cubes, you can also dissolve those into the soup following the bouillon dosing instructions.

Yield 4-6

Author Jennyblogs

Prep time

15 Min

Cook time

35 Min

Total time

50 Min

Print

With ImageWithout Image

White Bean Potato Soup

A hearty and nutritious soup bursting with flavor, featuring white beans, potato, kale, onion, garlic, carrots, and celery with a touch of rosemary and a splash of white wine.

Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 stalk of celery, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 15oz / 400g cans of white beans, drained (any kind, such as cannellini or navy)
• 2 potatoes, cut into small chunks
• 1 Tbsp / 16g tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary or 1 Tbsp chopped fresh
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
• 1/2 cup / 119g white wine, or more broth or water
• 7oz / 200g fresh or frozen spinach or kale, lightly chopped
• 2 cups / 474g vegetable broth
• salt and pepper, to taste
• extra virgin olive oil and parmesan or pecorino cheese, for finishing

Instructions

1. In a large stockpot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot and cook, stirring occasionaly, until onion begins to turn translucent.
2. Add the garlic, then add the beans, potatoes, tomato paste, rosemary, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Cook for a minute or two, stirring frequently.
3. Add the wine and stir until it is almost evaporated.
4. Add kale, broth, and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Raise heat and bring soup to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
6. Ladle soup into serving bowls, top with parmesan or pecorino cheese and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with warm, crusty bread. Buon appetito!

Notes

If you prefer to cook dry beans instead of using canned, as I do, a good rule of thumb is to take half the weight of called for canned beans and cook that amount of dry beans. Different dry beans absorb slightly different amounts of water, but generally speaking they double in weight when cooked. So if you need 800g as in this recipe, I would cook 400g of dry beans. You can choose to peel your potatoes before chopping or leave skin on, either way is fine if you ask me! Leaving skin on is easier and more nutritious (more fiber!), just be sure to wash them well before using. If you have a rosemary plant, you can also add a clean sprig straight to the soup, then remove when you are ready to serve the soup.In a pinch, you can always just use water instead of broth, although you will lose some flavor depth. If you have any bouillon cubes, you can also dissolve those into the soup following the bouillon dosing instructions.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

426.89

Fat

8.57 g

Sat. Fat

1.21 g

Carbs

65.80 g

Fiber

14.44 g

Net carbs

51.36 g

Sugar

5.02 g

Protein

20.23 g

Sodium

542.01 mg

Cholesterol

1.07 mg

Nutritional information is approximate. Based on 4 servings and includes using wine and toppings.

https://jennyblogs.com/blog/2020/4/4/white-bean-potato-soup

white bean soup, potatoes, kale, spinach, vegan, healthy, vegetarian, carrots, white wine, spinach, celery, onion, garlic

Soup, Dinner

American

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @jennyblogsandbakes on instagram and hashtag it #jennyblogs

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Homemade Eggnog

Last Updated July 16, 2024

Do you know what 2 weeks from today is?  Yes, Thanksgiving!  A big feast requires lots of food, lots of planning, and of course lots of shopping, preparing, and cooking.  There are of course all the traditional dishes to make, but sometimes you want to throw in something new and delicious.  Since many of you, my smart friends, break out the eggnog for the first time on Thanksgiving, why not try making it homemade this year?  No high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavor, or "Holly"-ness about it. It's very simple to make, and can easily be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled (Hello, Morris family) to fit your needs. 'Tis the season to be jolly, not drink Hollynog.  

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 American companies and products made in the USA for American readers. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

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Homemade Eggnog

Makes 8 Servings

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs

• 1/2 cup / 100g sugar

• 2 tsp / 10g vanilla extract

• 4 cups / 948g milk

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg, plus more for sprinkling

• 1/4 cup / 56g brandy, bourbon, or rum, optional

Directions: 

1. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until light in color and the sugar has dissolved. 

2. Whisk in vanilla, nutmeg, milk, and alcohol.  Strain into a pitcher or serving dish of choice and chill until ready to serve. Sprinkle with additional nutmeg. 

Jenny's Notes:

• Halve, double, or triple this recipe as needed.

• So easy and delicious!  If you are worried about the raw eggs in this, simply use pasteurized eggs. 

• If you are serving this to children and/or people who don't drink, obviously don't add any alcohol. What I like to do is add the alcohol to only half so everyone is happy, or let people add their own. But not the children.

• Serve in a punch bowl with dollops of vanilla ice cream for an extra decadent treat! 

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