1-Pot Lentil Green Curry

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Bowls and pan filled with 1-Pot Vegan Lentil Dal made with green curry paste

Now that we have Green Curry Paste, let’s make delicious eats!

This dish is one I reach for when I’m craving some healthy comfort food. Bonus? It’s crazy easy to make. Let’s curry!

Stirring healing spices into a big pan of gluten-free Vegan Lentil Dal

This recipe requires just 1 pot and comes together in about 40 minutes! Another bonus: You likely have the ingredients on hand right now.

This recipe is inspired by both Thai and Indian cuisine. The base of flavor is Thai-inspired green curry paste. Then we add garlic, ginger, and shallot and simmer in creamy coconut milk. Lentils and a few more spices and seasonings are added, making it sort of like a distant cousin to Indian dal. About 25 minutes later, you have a delicious, hearty, plant-based meal on your hands. Yummm.

Using a ladle to scoop up some Vegan Lentil Dal for a delicious plant-based dinner

We hope you LOVE this dish! It’s:

Easy
Flavorful
Hearty
Comforting
Healthy
Fast
& Delicious

This would make the perfect wholesome weeknight meal served with rice, bread, or a green salad. It also reheats beautifully, which makes it ideal for leftovers.

This dish is delicious on its own, but it would pair especially well with our Samosa Potato Cakes with Green Chutney (also known as Aloo Tiki), Red Curry Cauliflower Wings, Garlic Herb Flatbread, or Coconut Curried Greens!

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. We LOVE seeing what you come up with. Cheers, friends!

A bowl of rice and Vegan Lentil Dal topped with cilantro

*Dal is typically made without curry paste, but I like adding a bit for some extra flavor. To make this recipe without the curry paste, simply omit and instead season with 2-3 tsp garam masala.

1-Pot Lentil Green Curry

Creamy lentil green curry prepared in 1 pot! Easy, quick, healthy, and incredibly flavorful. Serve with rice of choice for a hearty, wholesome, plant-based meal.
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Bowls and pan of Vegan Lentil Dahl and fresh naan
4.58 from 95 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4
Course Entrée
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Indian-Inspired, Thai-Inspired, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 1 month
Does it keep? 4-5 Days

Ingredients

CURRY

  • 2 Tbsp coconut oil*
  • 1 small green chili (optional // I used a serrano pepper // omit for less heat)
  • 1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
  • 1 medium shallot (thinly sliced)
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced // ~1.5 Tbsp as original recipe is written)
  • 4 Tbsp Green Curry Paste (DIY or store-bought)
  • 2 1/4 cups light coconut milk* (canned is best)
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp curry powder (store-bought or DIY)
  • 1 pinch each sea salt + black pepper
  • 1 cup green lentils* (well rinsed and drained)
  • 1 tsp coconut aminos or tamari (or soy sauce if not GF)
  • 1-2 Tbsp coconut sugar or maple syrup (or other sweetener to taste)
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional // for more heat)
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

FOR SERVING optional

  • Cooked white or brown rice or cauliflower rice
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Lemon or lime wedges

Instructions

  • Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add coconut oil, green chili (optional), ginger, shallot, and garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat if browning too quickly.
  • Add curry paste and stir to coat. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Then add coconut milk, turmeric, curry powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
  • Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, add the lentils, coconut aminos (or tamari), and coconut sugar (or maple syrup), cayenne pepper (optional), and stir.
  • Bring the mixture back to a simmer, and then reduce heat to low or medium-low and continue gently simmering for 15-20 minutes or until lentils are tender. Add lemon juice and stir again.
  • Once the lentils are tender, taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more lemon juice for acidity, cayenne for heat (optional), curry powder or paste for more intense curry flavor, salt for saltiness, or coconut sugar or maple syrup for sweetness. The curry should be equally tangy and salty with a hint of sweetness and spice.
  • Serve as is or over rice of choice (I love white or brown rice, but it's also delicious over cauliflower rice). Garnish with lemon or lime wedges and cilantro (optional).
  • Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4-5 days or in the freezer for 1 month.

Notes

*If avoiding oil, omit the coconut oil and sub 2 Tbsp (30 ml) vegetable broth or coconut milk (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
*Sub up to half of the coconut milk with vegetable broth for a lower-fat option.
*To shorten cooking time, you can sub the uncooked lentils for cooked, canned lentils. Simply rinse and drain 1 15-ounce (425 g // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) can lentils and add to the dish. Cook only as long as needed to warm the lentils and meld the flavors together – about 10 minutes.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without rice or garnish.

Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 335 Carbohydrates: 40.2 g Protein: 13.7 g Fat: 14.5 g Saturated Fat: 10.3 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 630 mg Fiber: 14.7 g Sugar: 4 g

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  1. Yvonne says

    Improvising on your lentil green curry, I used 7 lbs. of organic black lentils, which I soaked overnight. I also added some vegetables (celery, carrots, onion, winter squash) which I sautéed before adding them to the pot. And I added jackfruit in the form of “pulled pork” (fear not, I’ve been vegan for 40+ years – I’d never ever go near animal products). One more thing: I used grated fresh turmeric instead of powdered.

    The dish turned out wonderfully – very tasty indeed, though I probably should have used more coconut milk since the curry is quite thick (next time I’ll use 2-3 times the amount of coconut milk). As I eat the leftovers, I’ll dilute the curry with water or vegetable broth.

    Thank you for your delicious recipe! I have about 3+ weeks worth of lentil green curry to look forward to (I froze what I didn’t already eat today).

  2. Ella says

    Excellent!!! I didn’t have green lentils, had brown lentils, yellow curry paste and full fat coconut milk for the milk I use I cup the rest water. Followed the rest of the recipe. I really really enjoyed it. Thank you. I will be making this often. I put it over some black rice. Delicious.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Ella! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo

  3. Lisa says

    Just delicious! I made the following subs without any issues.

    – swapped green lentils for red
    – used one can of coconut milk and the rest vegetable broth (I needed to add more vegetable broth than the recipe called for – likely due to the swap in the type of lentils)
    – one 112g jar of green curry paste
    – added one block of firm tofu cubed

    This is a great make ahead meal. I will be making this again for sure!!! Once again, great job!

  4. Mo says

    I’ve been coming back to this recipe for a long time, and tonight I think I finally perfected it. I had to soak my lentils first because every time I’ve done it in the past, it took triple the time to get the lentils to the proper consistency. I highly suggest soaking the lentils (2 hours worked for me) or pre-cooking them if you can. I would also suggest waiting to add any sweetener. I always add a little too much!

  5. Kelli says

    I am in the middle of making this and have followed the recipe in terms of how long to cook and volume of liquid. I cooked for 15 mins and the lentils are hard. Could that be because I cooked the lentils without covering (not in the instructions) or maybe it’s because the lentils are old?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Kelli, we didn’t find covering necessary. Old lentils do take longer to cook! Cooking longer and adding more liquid as needed should do the trick.

    • Belle says

      Flavor is great but cooking time took double the time for mine. My green lentils are not old. They expire in 2026 and it’s 9-2023. I followed the recipe and cooked for 20 mins, they are still hard. Some are soft but most are hard. I’m I supposed to be constantly stirring? I am cooking them for double the time now and hope they are soft. The recipe on my lentil bag says they don’t need to be presoaked but it says not to add salt until they are done cooking. This recipe said to add salt so that’s probably my mistake there ? Not sure. But I did love the flavor.

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Hi Belle, sorry it’s taking longer! We didn’t have an issue adding the salt before the lentils, but it’s possible that’s an issue if your coconut aminos is on the saltier side?

  6. Zivy says

    I love this recipe. I’ve made many modifications because I don’t eat sugar and am trying to cut down on saturated fat. I leave out the sugar, replace the oil with sunflower seed oil, and replace the coconut milk with whichever alt milk is around. Still delicious — though not quite as decadent as the original :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoy it with some modifications. Thank you for sharing, Zivy! xo

  7. Meg says

    I’m not sure if my review counts because I made some changes, but this was a delicious dish! I used a yellow curry paste and yellow split peas that I had on hand. I also totally forgot about the lemon, but it was perfect without it. I served it with jasmine rice, and I’m sure it depends on the paste you use, but mine was pretty spicy even though I left out the cayenne (also by accident!). I also forgot to soak the split peas, so I ended up cooking it for two hours. Oh, and I used bottled ginger and garlic paste, low-sodium soy sauce, and light brown sugar. So while I’m not sure I even made this recipe, I can’t wait to eat the leftovers!

  8. Kat says

    I normally don’t fancy curries and can only eat a few bites before I get over its richness, but this recipe is something else entirely.
    Its so delicious, its an explosion of flavours and doesn’t really have that heavy overpowering curry flavour although 4 tbsp of curry paste went into it. Maybe its the maple syrup, maybe tamari or a combo of all but it sure is an outstanding dish. Bravo! 20 out of 10!

  9. Jen says

    I’ve made this several times over the past few years, and this is so amazing! Today I couldn’t find lemon grass for the paste so I substituted 1 teaspoon of lemon zest. I also didn’t put the Serrano peppers in the recipe only the paste bc my husband doesn’t like “hot “. It is amazing. Ate it with basamati rice and naan bread and it’s perfect. Thank you for another amazing recipe!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe and love your creative modifications! Thank you for sharing, Jen! xo

  10. Lauren says

    This is a fantastic recipe to use as a base to play around with. I didn’t have everything listed in the ingredients and wasn’t feeling Thai curry flavor, so instead I added tomato paste and doubled the quantity of all the spices. For sweetener I used brown sugar, and though at first I wasn’t convinced about adding soy sauce, I do think that turned out to be a really good addition, especially since I added a bit too much sugar. 😬 That a bit of bouillon helped rebalance things. The only thing is the the green puy lentils I used took way longer to soften up and cook (like 3-4 times as long). I kept adding water and letting it simmer with the lid on. I wonder if I missed a step somewhere?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Lauren! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! We don’t have a lot of experience with Puy lentils, but they are generally more firm so they might take longer to cook. So glad you got good results in the end!

      • Lauren says

        Thanks! I am kind of new to cooking my own lentils, usually we just used the canned kinds, but we had a bunch of dry ones to use up. Good to know I just need to plan a bit more cooking time and liquid. I cooked it for my husband and a friend, and they absolutely loved it. The both took heaping seconds. :)

  11. Faazil Hannif says

    Made this today and can’t believe how delicious it is! Warming and hearty too. I can’t wait for my wife to taste this when she gets home.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Faazil! And we hope your wife loved it just as much! Thank you for the lovely review! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much!

  12. Hilary says

    This may be a silly question, but are the lentils supposed to be cooked covered or uncovered in this recipe?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Hilary, Not a silly question! We didn’t find covering necessary. But if in a hurry, adding a lid will help them cook a bit faster. Hope that helps!

  13. MC says

    This dish was simple but the flavor is phenomenal!!! I couldn’t believe my taste buds when I tried it, I will make it again!!! Thank you so much!!

  14. Rayna says

    Made this last night and it was super tasty! Would likely make it again. I used a 19 oz can of cooked lentils, since that’s what is available in Canada and my can of coconut milk was smaller than called for but it still turned out well. Likely because the lentils did not have to actually cook in the sauce and absorb liquid.

    That being said, if you want authentic green curry flavour, this is not the recipe you’re looking for. The addition of yellow curry powder means that it’s flavourful, but not green curry flavourful. I will keep looking for an actual green curry lentil recipe as I have an eight pound bag of lentils to use.

      • Rayna says

        You’re welcome! It’s actually quite delicious, for sure! Do you have a more “green” green curry recipe to point me at? I am loving your recipes so far and would love to try it if you do!

    • Kath says

      Hi Rayna,
      I live in Canada as well and have never ever seen a CAN of green lentils! Canada is a major producer of green lentils so we wouldn’t need to can them. Glad you have a large bag of dried green lentils as this is more economical and much better tasting than any canned product :)
      Hi Minimalist Baker,
      Thank you for this recipe, it brings so much flavour to lentils that my fussy somewhat lentil averse daughter will actually eat them! Such a delicious tasty lentil dish with the combination of salty, sweet, sour and spicy! And healthy! Much appreciation for your amazing recipes!
      Kath

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Thank you for your kind words and lovely review, Kath! We’re so glad you and your daughter both enjoy it! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo

  15. Shea says

    Hm, this recipe definitely needs some tweaking. I used fresh lentils and it still took about 45 minutes to cook them. I wished I had read the comments *before* attempting this and I think it would have been perfect. However, I have a few complaints – cook time being off the main one. It is also really spicy and I LOVE spicy food/have a high heat tolerance. Easily balanced out with citrus and sweet, though. I used 1 can full fat coconut milk and subbed 1/2 cup of broth.. then added water to help cook the rest of the lentils. I would definitely make again but do it a little bit differently and time it appropriately.

    TLDR; precook the lentils!!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks for the feedback, Shea! Is it possible the lentils were old? They shouldn’t take that long to soften. For the heat, we wonder if the curry paste was on the spicier side? Either way, we’ll take another look and see if we can make improvements.

  16. Shreya says

    This was amazing! I made my own cashew milk (1/2 cup of cashews) and tomatoes to substitute the coconut milk. I also added some kale, cabbage, and green peas, and the flavors were still bold. A splendid twist on dal.

  17. Renee says

    I love this recipe (the curry paste linked here changed my life btw) but I keep having an issue with the lentils. I’ve made it probably four times now, each time with new lentils, and each time it takes over double the time allotted to cook the lentils and even then, they’re still slightly crunchy. I love the flavor profile and I’ll continue to make it, but it’s strange that the cook time is so inconsistent with what the recipe says. Any suggestions?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Renee, that is strange! Is it possible that the lentils you’re buying aren’t fresh? Older lentils take longer to cook and sometimes won’t soften fully. We’ll also take another look at the cook time.

    • Danielle says

      Hey! I am just curious- did you use split peas instead of lentils? The Goya brand are labeled as lentils but If I’m not mistaken I don’t think it’s exactly the same

    • Steph T says

      It’s the sugar! It stops the lentils’ cooking process. It needs to be added at the very end. Or use canned lentils. I made the same mistake. Then I remembered- too late. They never did cook. Had to toss it. I liked the flavour of the sauce.

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Sorry to hear it didn’t turn out, Steph! Is it possible you were using lentils that were older? Lentils have sugar naturally occurring in them, so we wouldn’t think that would cause an issue.

  18. Bobi says

    I liked this very much!

    I used a 13.5 oz can of coconut milk plus 7oz of water.
    2 Tablespoons of lemon juice
    1 Tablespoon of brown sugar
    2 teaspoons of soy sauce

    This would be great with naan bread! I’ll be making this again. Thank you for posting!

  19. Steve says

    Delicious. I made it mostly true to recipe, but added in a tomato, and instead of curry paste I used a blend of curry powder, mustard, coriander, turmeric, cumin, and some other spices.

    I added a couple cups of water, cooked it – simmering rapidly – for at least an hour and a half, and had it covered for most of the time… the lentils were still very crunchy. I’ve made Dal countless other times and have never had this happen, so I did a quick Google to try to figure out. Turns out the likely culprit is the early addition of acid (lemon juice). If you want a more traditional mushy dal recipe, hold off on adding acid [and salt apparently] until the lentils are mostly cooked.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yes! To make this recipe without the curry paste, simply omit and instead season with 2-3 tsp garam masala. It will taste a little different, but still good =)

  20. Gabby says

    This recipe is fantastic! It was my first time making green lentils. I love Indian food and I’m leaning towards eating more meatless meals so I was pleased to find your recipe. I added a bit of shredded carrot in the beginning and some diced tomatoes, kale & spinach at the end. I made it extra spicy with lots of cayenne pepper. My husband loved it and so did I. We topped it with plain yogurt, cilantro and lime. I can’t wait to try your other meatless recipes. Thank you for sharing!

  21. Yvonne Kullberg says

    This recipe is delicious! The only two comments I have is that even with 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, it is too acidic for my tastes. Take it a tsp at a time. Also, I used fresh green lentils and the cook time was 35 minutes. From prep to finish, it took me an hour.

  22. Stephanie says

    Delicious! Loved this recipe! I used one can of full fat coconut milk and vegetable broth as the remaining liquid. No issues with lentils cooking in the time listed in the recipe as others mentioned. I served this dish with naan and cilantro. Next time I will probably use one of the oil substitutions Dana suggests.

  23. Jodie Foreman says

    Delicious. But like all the other people who commented, it took twice as long to cook the lentils. I even left the lid on and boiled the dish towards the end to hurry it up.

  24. Bianca says

    Made with cashew cream due to an allergy to coconut milk. Needed to add at least 4 cups of water to get lentils to finally cook. Highly doubt this could cook lentils in 20min so next time I’ll precook the lentils.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Bianca, sorry to hear the lentils had trouble cooking. Lentils that are old tend to take longer to cook.

  25. Odette says

    My third time making this incredible dish – it is one of my go-tos right now as it is the perfect pantry dinner! Each time I have made it, I have had to add an extra 1-2 cups of water and cook for total of about 45 minutes, however. I just have to remember this so I don’t underestimate the total cook time! Works great with red lentils as well. Yum!

    • Emily says

      To make a lower fat version I substituted the coconut milk for 1 can coconut milk and 1 cup vegetable stock… it was delicious! All 4 of my children loved it (a rare event in my house). Paired with some homemade sourdough Naan and it was the perfect summer meal.

  26. Kelly says

    I made this recipe and found that my lentils needed to cook for much longer than 15-20 min. Took about 45/55 minutes to fully cook the lentils.

    Recipe is absolutely delicious! Thank you!
    Kelly

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks for sharing your experience, Kelly! Sometimes lentils can take longer to cook if they are older.

  27. tracy says

    Hey Dana,
    Love this recipe and have made it as is before.
    But do you think I could use split peas in place of the lentils for this recipe?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Tracy, we haven’t tried it, but maybe! We think they would require a longer cooking time though. Let us know if you try it!

  28. Laurel says

    I love lentil curry but don’t care for coconut milk, so I made this with homemade cashew milk instead. Because cashew milk thickens as it cooks, and because this took longer than expected to cook, I ended up adding a quart of vegetable broth as it cooked. It came out delicious and I will definitely make it again, with these changes: I will just use vegetable broth, will cook with the lid on to minimize evaporation, will be prepared for it to take longer and maybe use more broth, and I will stir some cashew cream in at the end to make it creamy. I’m eating it right now over brown rice. Going back for my second bowl. Sooooo good!

  29. Esen says

    Normally I love Dana’s recipes. This one wasnt that great. It is soo sweet due to the maple syrup. I knew 2 tbsp was too much but added it anyway. I would omit it entirely next time. Also took way longer to cook and I had to add tons of water as the lentils wouldnt soften. My sister who is a chef said you never add salt till the end as it slows lentil cooking time. The lentils probably took at least 40 minutes and 2-3 more cups water. FYI if you decide to make.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks for the feedback, Esen. We haven’t had an issue with adding salt when cooking lentils, but we are aware that some people recommend adding it later. Better luck next time!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      We didn’t find covering necessary. But if in a hurry, adding a lid will help them cook a bit faster.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Sure! Just cook red lentils for less time to prevent mushiness. Let us know how it goes!

  30. Amy s says

    Excellent! Wow! Honey loved this as well. I added some additional lentils and water because they hadn’t softened, but otherwise excellent! Threw in some carrots, next time I’ll add some diced potatoes or spinach.

  31. Asma says

    This was great. I didn’t have, turmeric, ginger or curry powder on hand, but it was still delicious, so I suspect it is heavenly with those ingredients! I used pre-cooked lentils to speed up the process but then just left the pot on a low simmer for a couple hours to let the flavors really meld. This is a keeper!

  32. siobhan says

    Oh my gosh! This recipe is soooo good! I loved the bite of the green curry paste! I did add a little stevia instead of maple syrup. And I didn’t have coconut aminos so I used soy sauce. But otherwise, I stuck to the recipe. My husband adored it! We lived in Pakistan, Bangladesh and India and have eaten a LOT of dahl. This was gorgeous!! Left it on low for about 40 minutes until it got nice and thick! Thanks so much for sharing. And, I’m so glad I found this site as well! I have been scouring it for more healthy options. Love the easy to make options!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Siobhan. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  33. Katie says

    Delicious! I’ve been trying to incorporate more plant-based meals instead of meat-centric ones. I loved the flavors of this dish but wish I had read the comments about the extended cooking time first. I will know for next time, and there absolutely will be a next time. Thank you for your work and this wonderful meal idea! Now, to see if my kiddos will eat it :)

  34. Dee says

    Definitely 5 stars! I used a lesser amount of red curry paste, used sweet peppers instead of serrano (I have kids with delicate palates!), and added an extra cup of veggie broth so I could make it in a slow cooker. It was wonderful-even my picky 5 year old thought so. Every recipe I have gotten from your site has been a winner-thank you and keep up the good work!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you and your kiddos enjoy our recipes, Dee! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo

  35. Erika says

    I love the flavors and ease of this recipe. My boyfriend was a fan, too. We like spicy food so I went all-in with two serranos and a pinch of cayenne, which was perfect for us. The only speed bump was the lentils—I followed the recipe exactly and they were still hard as rocks after 20 minutes (after reading the comments, I’ll try soaking or pre-cooking next time). As the mixture continued to cook, it started to burn to the bottom of the pot. I ended up adding about 2 cups of veggie broth and cooking for a total of 45 minutes, which worked out great. Lentils can be tricky!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Erika, we’re glad you and your boyfriend both enjoyed it! Regarding the lentils, we have also heard that if the lentils aren’t as fresh they can take longer to cook. Better luck next time!

  36. Michelle says

    Absolutely delicious…like all of your recipes! My little one has been refusing anything with tomato lately (we’re thinking allergy or intolerance) and finding a curry dish without tomato has been a challenge. My 1 year old and 3 year old DEVOURED this! I almost cried because it’s been difficult to get my picky baby to eat anything nutritious so this was a major WIN :) Thank you!

  37. Jenn says

    My daughter likes lentils, but I find them unexciting. However, this was a tasty and exciting way to do lentils. I boiled and soaked lentils first, so I wouldn’t have to add more liquid during cooking as other commenters did. I also used full fat coconut milk to make it extra yummy. Served over rice, delish.

  38. Jina says

    Wow. This was amazing! I’ve tried other lentil curry recipes, and was always left disappointed. I thought this was interesting since you add lemon juice and maple syrup. It was the perfect meal for meal prep all week long, and I didn’t get sick of it at all. I also think it has super powers because it helped me crush my running work outs this week.

    A couple of things – I had to let it simmer with some extra water for an additional 45 minutes. I think this was important because it really softened the lentils to my liking and the flavors really stood out. I also added a tablespoon of sriracha and fresh spinach at the end.

    Will be making it again!!

  39. Birte says

    This was insanely delicious! True soul food. I used store bought green curry paste PLUS garam masala and added two medium sized carrots. The lentils I used required 45 minutes cooking time, so I needed a bit more liquid (I just added water). Will do this again soon!

  40. Mary says

    This was excellent. I made a not-spicy version in deference to my 13 year old daughter who is not a fan of spice. It was delicious and satisfying. I will add it to our regular rotation. Trader Joe’s frozen brown rice is a quick cheat, but I love making baked basmati rice with cardamom pods and may do that next time.

  41. Michelle says

    I’ve made this many times and it’s always delicious (and quick, if you have frozen cubes of your green curry paste in the freezer!) Do you think this would be good with your delicious socca bread in lieu of naan?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      So glad you enjoy this recipe, Michelle! We think that sounds delicious! Let us know if you give it a try!

  42. Kate Fulop says

    So delicious! Thank you! It was so flavorful and satisfying.
    I also had to cook the lentils a bit longer and add a little liquid to do so. As mentioned in the recipe, it required a bit of tweaking after the first taste. Initially it was super spicy (I added half a jalapeno in the beginning, but omitted the cayenne) but that was easily tamed by adding a bit more coconut milk and another squeeze of lemon as suggested. Its crazy how much a bit of citrus can take the intensity of the heat down!

  43. Beth says

    I’ve tried 3 different types of lentils with this and I find it’s best to pre-cook the lentils and add to the sauce. Otherwise I have to add extra water or coconut milk as the lentils always take longer than 20 min to cook (more like 40) and the liquid all cooks off before they’re tender. The flavor is incredible though!

    • Jenessa says

      Pro tip! Salt makes beans and lentils tougher. Add the lentils and cook them until tender before adding any salt.

  44. Emira says

    I’ve been making this recipe once a month almost for a year now and I must say that it’s my favorite recipe of all times. It’s easy, it’s fun to make and it always turns out amazing! My friends always ask me to make this recipe for them, it became an instant favorite of cold winter months.

    I parboil the lentils then add them, I also recommend checking the taste first before adding chili peppers, salt or lemon juice if you’re using store bought curry paste, their taste differs a lot. I always serve them with black rice.

    Thanks Dana :)

  45. Lora B says

    Probably dumb question, but do I chop up the chili pepper? Also, anyone saying the lentils took so long to cook-did you use Bob’s Petite French Style green lentils, and they still took extra time? Thank you! Making this tonight!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Lora! Cut off and discard the end piece with the stem attached, cut them into quarters, remove the seeds and pith inside the chili pepper, and cut the quarters into small pieces.

  46. tofutraveler - Carol says

    Hi,

    I prefer Red lentils, will substituting them take away from the dish’s true personality and taste?
    Thanks!

  47. Rameca says

    Hello can i use almond milk instead of coconut milk i am making for a pot luck and a person has tree nut allergy

    • Panya says

      Almonds are tree nuts, coconuts are not.

      “Tree nuts include, but are not limited to, almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, chestnuts, filberts/hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pistachios, pine nuts, shea nuts and walnuts.”

  48. Free auto approve list 8-9-2018 says

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  49. Dave says

    The whole meal was delicious. Thank you, Dana.
    However, I think that not cooking green lentils and simply adding them to the pot with other veggies strongly affects nutritiousness of dal. Just rinsing isn’t a recommended method in case of any legume, as they are rich in antinutrients…

  50. CBaker says

    Wow! This is to gobble, even my short cut version. I started with a packet of deSiam Thai green chili paste cooking it according to package directions (saute in hot canola oil). Then added coco milk and about 1 TBS of grated ginger and simmered a minute or two. These ingredients went in together: French lentils for toothiness, 5 or 6 whole, but crushed cloves of garlic, the tamari, and water. Juice of one lime added a bit later (tossed in spent halves for a while, too). Tasted later in cooking process and agreed it needed maple syrup. The lentils soaked up the oil and flavors, and the result was thick and creamy. Just like the photos. Frenchies might be aghast at flouting their law of cooking de Puys with a saute of carrots, garlic, onion, celery, and bay and thyme, but that’s boring compared to this outcome.

    I’ll be making this again.

  51. Rach says

    Just made this and loved it, just added less lemon juice because I’m not too fond of the citrus flavor. I can’t believe all the controversy over a recipe name, people really have too much free time on their hands lol.