Coconut Curried Golden Lentils (20 Minutes!)

Delicious served with rice! I used yellow split peas and added carrots. I wanted to add cayenne, but didn’t have any & I was glad I omitted it, as my curry powder was much more spicy than I had anticipated.

1st time making this and my family absolutely loved it!! Only changes I made was used a regular yellow onion, the full fat coconut milk that’s all I had on hand and added chopped broccoli and string beans to the liquid before adding the cooked lentils. Definitely making it again…and again… thank you!!

Turned out great on change I’ll make in the future is grating the ginger instead of mincing

Perfectly spiced, so so cozy. I added some raw cashews for a bit of a texture difference, but they’re not necessary. Will definitely make this recipe again and again.

I love this recipe – freezes well, so warming now autumn is here ! I used powdered ginger but kept everything else as its written…just gorgeous! Pairs so well with the flatbread recipe here too! 10/10 AGAIN these recipes always turn put so perfectly for me !

I make a big batch of this every week to eat as leftovers when life gets too busy to cook. I always sub water for oil with no issues. Sometimes I’ll add red pepper in as the onions, ginger, and garlic cook for some extra veggies.

Served with rice, steamed kale, and baked sweet potato for a complete meal.

The best curry ever and so easy! unbelievably tasty, rich, and comforting. I put only tbsp of ginger, though after reading some reviews and for my taste it was perfect. thank you Dana! xo

I used full fat coconut milk, 2 tbsp coconut oil, 1.5 tbsp ginger, and 2 tbsp curry powder. Everything else was per the recipe. We had it over rice and it was DELICIOUS! This was my first time cooking yellow lentils and I found them at an Indian market. They were good and held their shape well. I soaked them for 8 hours changing the water and rinsing them twice in that time. Skimming the foam off the top while they cook helps with digestibility too.

This recipe was pretty good! I think it would have been perfect with slightly less ginger- 3 tablespoons overwhelms the other flavors in my opinion. That said, it has a great texture and is really quick to whip together :)

Simple, filling, and delicious. I like mine spooned over rice with extra cayenne sprinkled on top. The hotter, the better. Thanks for the recipe!

What a delicious dinner! I was all out of a few of the add-ins the recipe called for (garlic, ginger & turmeric) but it still tasted wonderful without them. I subbed red lentils, mixed in some kale, and served over rice. My husband said we should add this to our regular rotation. Thanks, Minimalist Baker! Love finding easy, plant-based recipes.

Sooo tasty! Made it with full fat coconut milk and tomatoes. Served with naan bread and green beans. Will be making this again :)

This recipe is truly phenomenal – simple, easy to prepare with any variety or mix of lentils, and what great, authentic flavor! Perfect for small or large batch recipes, indiviuals or large families, easy to freeze and reheat. Great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner as main dish or a side! Thank you for sharing!

this was quick, easy, and absolutely delicious! the taste is a perfect combination of sweet, spicy, nutty, and earthy, and vibrant. this will be my new go-to curry; thanks so much for posting this!

I love everything from MB and this is no exception! I added broccoli, chopped cashews and cherry tomatoes to the sauce, and made coconut brown rice on the side. DELICIOUS!

This is a simple, quick and flavorful recipe. I used red lentils and experimented with cooking them in my instant pot. I halved the recipe so I used 3/4 cup red lentils + 1 cup water, 2 minutes high pressure, quick release and they came out great – meaning they still retained some structure and weren’t complete mush. I recommend this recipe! Thank you!

Tasty, easy, and perfect rainy day easy dinner. I would cut the ginger way back, though. Perhaps half as much and then add more to suit your preference.

So good! Made this tonight and had it with naan. Everyone in my family absolutely loved it- especially that sauce! Next time might make a little more sauce so you can dip the naan in it. Will definitely make again!

I made this with brown lentils, added cilantro instead of shallots, it came out very delicious. My husband who is a huge meat eater wants to eat this every day for dinner now and it’s so easy to make. I’m so happy to have found a vegetarian dish that we both enjoy

This recipe is amazing! It reminds me of Mussaman Thai Curry, which is one of my favorite things ever. I had standard brown lentils (which I definitely overcooked) but the sauce is so good it didn’t matter! I folded in some fresh, massaged kale towards the end to give it a little something extra and it was delish. I agree with other reviews that the lemon really seals the deal. Will definitely be making this again!

Delicious! Made this tonight with red lentils. Cooked them for 6-7 min. Added about 1/2 TBS extra curry powder with spices. Added 1/2 bag of frozen peas at the end. So tasty!

Absolutely delicious, thank you so much! The sauce itself is perfect–you can add almost anything in your fridge or pantry. Chicken, potatoes, chick peas, greens, sweet potatoes whatever–I only had an old bag of green lentils that probably would never have been eaten and they were fantastic!
I added peeled/cubed Yukon potatoes (to make it more appealing to my family who frowns at straight-up lentils)–added the potatoes after sautéing the spices, put in a bit of water in the pan and covered til the potatoes were soft then added everything else as directed. I keep frozen chunked ginger and turmeric in my freezer so I just grated that up. Thanks so much for this recipe, its going into my regular rotation!

Delightful! We’ve used the sauce on brown lentils, red lentils, and rice, and I’m pretty sure this is my favorite curry sauce. I sub green curry paste in for the curry powder, and I never remember to buy shallots. Cooking chicken in the sauce is lovely as well. I’m considering trying it with with yellow curry paste.

Simple, nourishing and delicious! I love that it can be made with pantry staples.

I made this with brown lentils – because that was what in my pantry- and delish! I made some fresh bread to go with it. Whole family loved it and asked for it again. Thanks!

This is my favorite way to eat lentils! I often sauté vegetables in my pan before adding the garlic and ginger. Favorites include cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, and/or green beans.

Yesterday I was craving this dish, but I couldn’t find any coconut milk in my cupboards. I substituted a can of Campbell’s Cream of Potato soup, and although it didn’t have the same sweetness of the coconut milk, it was really rich and creamy (not vegan!). The onion and celery flavors of the soup really added to the curry, plus there were little potato cubes in addition to the red bell pepper and green beans I’d already added.

Thanks for a great recipe!

Just made this! It’s wonderful and even made the brown rice we had with it taste good.. The lemon juice to finish definitely set it off. Thanks so much for the recipe.

Incredibly easy and delicious. Really love your recipes. Especially the Chana masala. I made it twice last week!

I love these! Very flavourful and comforting and so fast to prepare. They are great for meal prepping on Sunday. I really like taking them to work with some rice and veggies. Thanks for your great recipes, everything I’ve made so far has been delicious.

Greetings from Germany :)

This was so delicious! I used brown lentils so I soaked ahead of time and increased the cooking time. I realized that I forgot the lemon at the end because we were too excited to sit down and eat! Served with basmati rice and roasted veggies. Thank you for another awesome recipe – I’ll definitely be adding this one into the regular rotation!

I have never eaten lentils more delicious! I followed recipe exactly, just skipped cayenne pepper, cut amount of ingredients in half and now regret cos ate it almost all at once. Next time will prepare at least for 2 days. Flavour was quite spicy, so I didn’t add anything extra at the end. Its important to add lemon juice cos without it its still good but lemon makes it much better. Will use this sauce for rice next time.

Deelish x1000! I subbed the lentils with moong dal (because of an allergy) and it was oh so yummy. Just make sure to cook the moog dal for 10 minutes beforehand. I turned this into a side dish using 1 can of full fat coconut milk to reduce the liquid and up the creaminess. Serve it with steamed broccoli or your fave greens and you’re all set! Sending virtual hugs to the MB Team for making all my food dreams come true. xo <3

This is so delicious, Dana! I’ve made it for my family twice now while on lockdown since I had all the ingredients (although my lentils were brown). It was sooooo good. It’s become a favourite. Everyone loved it. Thank you for posting this!

Excellent recipe. I’ve never cooked dried lentils or made a coconut curry before but love Indian flavors. Thank you, once again, for an incredible (better than restaurant) quality meal. Your recipes are keeping me going right now!

This was so delicious! Thank you for such an easy quarantine recipe!

This was amazing. I made it and at first I was unsure- but then my husband and grew addicted. People at work would comment on how tasty it smelled. Comforting and nutritious meal.

This is a staple in my meal rotation. Do not skip the lemon juice!

Thank you for your hard work!

First time I comment on a recipe – that’s a lovely lentil dish. I added some cardamon which complement the coconut flavour, and it was da bomb. Will definitely make it again.

This is a staple in our house. My husband (who isn’t a fan of any coconut flavour) and my 2 and 4 year olds all gobble this up like it’s going out of style. Whenever anyone is looking for a quick, delicious recipe this is where I direct them.

Super yummy! I doubled it for my family of 6 (three teens) and even though everyone had seconds, we had a little bit leftover. I used 1 can regular coconut milk and a cup of water (instead of light coconut milk). Also, I used a few tsps of white sugar instead of maple syrup. We served it with lemon wedges and everyone said to make it again. Thanks, Dana!

Cook lentils for 4-5 minutes? Well, they’ve been cooking for 15 minutes and aren’t even close to being done. Please stop sharing false information. Very frustrating.

Wonderful flavor! Did this in the instant pot, sautéed everything first then added in lentils (I only had green in the pantry so we upped the cook time a bit) and veggie broth. Cooked on high for 8 min and then did slow release for about 15 min. Then added in coconut milk, sweetener and some extra salt. Excited to eat our leftovers today!

Delicious!!! Perfect with roasted veggies, green beans and basmati rice.

I made this and loved it, I substituted lemon for lime juice, and added more curry powder, Garam masarla. Delicious!
I tasted before and after lime juice, the acidity made it even better, don’t be sure to add some.

These turned out to be the best homemade lentils I have ever made! I will definitely put these in the rotation. I made them with the sweet potato bowl and the whole meal was amazing.

Even though I messed up and made my lentils a little mushy, they still taste amazing! Though to be fair, I’m a sucker for anything with curry powder. To avoid having leftovers of the canned coconut milk, I adjusted the serving sizes and used 2 cups of red lentils. I also substituted brown sugar. The fresh ginger makes it pleasantly spicy. I garnished with cilantro and plan to eat it with quinoa, over mixed greens, and with spiralized squash “noodles.” Yummy!

I tried this for the first time tonight, served with brown basmati, & it was lovely :) DEFINITELY DON’T MISS THE LEMON!!

I use 100% maple syrup as a sweetener in most things, however I decided to try cooking with coconut sugar for the first time this time, as well.

Next time I’ll start with half (1/2) TBSP Coconut sugar or syrup & ease into the sweetening process – rookie error!!

Will be making this again :)

Hi! I made this for dinner tonight exactly (sub honey for maple syrup, which is hard to find in Italy) the way you wrote it and it was AMAZING. We are converting to vegetarian 4 days a week and have been searching for new lentil recipes. This knocked our socks off and we both licked the bowls clean. Thank you!

Delicious. This will be a regular at our house. Used red lentils, red onion, ground ginger, stevia instead of maple syrup, and tossed in approximately 1-1/2 cups of baby spinach that had no particular event planned for the week.
YUM!

This is so delicious, I’ve made it countless times! It comes out best when I follow the recipe as closely as possible in terms of cooking time!! However, I have never included the maple syrup, and it is always perfect to me!

This was really delicious. I used green lentils until they were almost a soft mash, around 90 minutes, cuz that’s how I like them. I more than doubled the cayenne and used sweet onion since I don’t normally have shallots on hand. I had about 3/4 cup whole coconut milk and added water to make 1 1/3 cup. They don’t sell light coconut milk in Spain and, at any rate, it’s just watered down. I used the tiniest bit of stevia, certainly not enough to make it sweet and cut down on the lemon juice a little. I had to make myself stop eating but it’s all for me because my husband can’t stand curry. I already know what’s for lunch tomorrow!

I made this using tinned yellow lentils, some red skinned potatoes, spinach and kumara (precooked). Absolutely delicious – thank you.

My lord this is gooooood. I adapted it for the instant pot so used the whole can of lite coconut milk and added 2-3 cups of veggie broth. I sautéed all the aromatics before dumping the lentils and liquids in then cooked on high pressure for 3 minutes and natural release for close to 15 minutes. I couldn’t find yellow lentils so used red. They turned a wee bit mushy but it’s seriously delicious mush. Topped it with cilantro and served with brown rice and naan. This recipe is a keeper.

This is so easy and delicious!! I love the color and flavor. I didn’t have curry powder so I added some similar spices and a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg. I’m making this again today to take to work this week for lunch!

I love this recipe! I add a good scoop of tomato paste right before the coconut milk & cook in some cauliflower florets. Also the second time I made it I cooked in the lemon slices (added them when I added the lentils to the curry) and they got so sweet and caramelized! Mm! This is such a good, easy base recipe— I’ll be adding in some peas for more sweetness next time!

Excellent flavors. I LOVE the idea of making my own curry…I never even realized this was a mixture like Garam Masala. I thought there was a Curry Plant! D’OH!
The only problem is that I overcooked my lentils so it came a bit soupy. I wonder why we need to add lemon at the end…to preserve it?

Delish! Served it with spinach and basmati and used lime instead of lemon. I think it would be fabulous with a raita. Thank you!

I really enjoyed this recipe both because it was really quick to make and really delicious. I didn’t have all the same ingredients. Instead of shallots, I sauteed onion, carrots and bell peppers and instead of coconut sugar I used honey. And I topped it with yogurt and cilantro. I’ll definitely be making this again soon!

So so good! Thank you for this recipe.
I pre-soaked the lentils for just about 30 minutes, but it seemed to help. I stuck to the recommendations for spices but used more shallots and less garlic, mostly based on what I had on hand. Topped with cilantro and yogurt.

This recipe is insanely good. I don’t have premixed curry powder so I just sort of wing it with my spice rack– ginger, garlic power, cayenne, cumin, turmeric… I will say that this recipe needs VERY little added salt as the spices have a saltiness to them already. The flavor is super rich and I feel like FINALLY I’ve found a way to enjoy lentils.

Soooo good!!!!!

Flavor is amazing!! Used split chickpeas the first time without soaking or cooking long enough because well, I thought they were yellow lentils. Definitely too crunchy but tasty enough to try again which is when I realized I had the wrong ingredient. Second time with Red lentils and added some diced yellow squash and peppers. This is an easy recipe, I will make again! Thanks!!

I ordered some organic moong dal (yellow) lentils and couldn’t wait to cook them when I found this recipe. I made this last night for dinner and it was good however the lentils do not cook in 4-5 minutes and the recipe said nothing about soaking them. This to me is a vital part of the recipe. While the (you’ll need to add more seasonings) part is frustrating because in a recipe your looking for “specific measurements” I do understand that we Americans as a whole tend to prefer less spicy dishes although I like mine with a big kick.

Overall I like the flavor and will make this again but I’ll definitely soak the lentils first.

Made this for dinner tonight, I did not have any coconut milk on hand, but had half & half which worked very well too.
Thanks for sharing, this is definitely a do over.

I made this recipe so that I could have lunch ready for the week and I’m so glad I did – quick, easy and hearty! I served this over rice and added some sauteed sweet potato and mushrooms, then the day I was going to eat it I would chop in some cherry tomatoes, cilantro and arugula on top. Will be making again for sure! Also to note, I used green lentils as I already had them.

So good. I’m making this again for sure.

We added zucchini, carrots, snap peas, peppers, and spinach to the lentils and curry and served over quinoa. It was absolutely delicious and felt so cozy and nourishing to eat. Definitely will be making again soon.

Didn’t have fresh ginger so used ground ginger instead, apple cider vinegar and tangelo juice for the lemon, and full fat coconut milk. It turned out beautifully.

Thanks for another delicious recipe, Dana!

I was trying to figure out what to do for dinner: go to the store or be creative? I looked in my pantry and saw lentils and remembered this recipe. I had everything I needed to make it, and it turned out so yummy!! My adjustments were: used green lentils (cooked for 15-20 mins), didn’t have a shallot and opted out of the cayenne, used only 1/4 tsp of ground ginger since I don’t like it very much, and used canned unsweetened regular coconut milk and real sugar. I ate it over rice. I will definitely make this again!

Wasn’t a fan of the sweetener, may omit or use a very small amount next time. Otherwise it was good!!

Crowd pleaser! Should have doubled the recipe, great taste and easy to make. Thanks for the DIY curry powder, saved me as I live far away from a grocery store. I used green lentils and turned out great. ??

I made this, except I completed the recipe in a different order. I also didn’t have ginger, so I left it out. I basically cooked the shallot and the spices first and then added the water, coconut milk, and lentils. Came out great. My boyfriend loved it. It tasted like Thai curry to me (I used garam masala for the “curry”…so I’m not sure why that is). A little Thai basil on top took it to another level. My boyfriend wants me to make it again soon.

TO DIE FOR

Also- THIS IS AMAZING!!

Easy to make and very flavorful! Great recipe!

SUCH an AMAZING recipe! As a student on a budget with not a lot of time on my hands, this meal is perfect. Love meal prepping it with rice and enjoying all week. The lemon and ginger add amazing flavor. Thanks so much!

I made this tonight and it turned out fantastic. Forgot fresh ginger so subbed some ground ginger. Paired it with cauliflower rice and slow roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli. Delicious!

This was ridiculously delicious!! It really tastes like a dish that took waaaay more time to prepare. I went with 1 Tbs of ginger and skipped the cayenne because my toddler can’t handle spice. I added half a Tbs of curry powder and 1 Tbs of lemon juice at the end to suit my taste.

Regarding bitterness issue, I have read that overcooking the spices can make them taste bitter. I kept a timer and stuck to Dana’s suggested times and saw no bitterness. Hope this helps!

Thanks for another easy-peasy and super delicious recipe! Since discovering it last year, your website has been my cookbook. Thanks!

I made this yesterday and it was tooo delicious, I can’t wait for the leftovers tonight. The only change I made was substituting gochujang for cayenne. It was served it over cauliflower rice and steamed brussel sprouts. This will be a regular in my food repertoire.

I made this (w/ red lentils) for my weekly lunch prep and it turned out delicious. Spicy and comforting, and so easy to make. I definitely anticipate making this regularly throughout the winter. Thanks for instructions for lentil cooking time. I’ve struggled with mushy red lentils in the past by using the package directions, which tell you to boil about 12 min. 4-5 min. resulted in a perfect al dente texture.

I made this for dinner tonight, and both my husband and I loved it. I added some steamed green beans and roasted cauliflower and served it over basmati rice. Since I didn’t have a shallot, I used a leek that needed to go and subbed red lentils. This recipe is a keeper!

I just made this as a meal prep for lunch this week! I wanted something a bit more hearty, so I added a diced potato, diced butternut squash, and diced carrots, as well as lots of finely chopped sweet peppers! It tastes great and ended up coming out more like a thick stew, perfect for this fall weather <3 Thanks so much for this incredible recipe!

I just made this to have throughout the week as a quick and nourishing meal while i’m at college! I made the recipe with 1/2 diced small sweet onion instead of a shallot and added chopped carrots from the farmer’s market. Was going to add in some butternut squash cubes too but totally forgot. It turned out amazingly delicious and came together SO quickly. Having a bowl right now. Thank you for this lovely recipe!!

O H MY these are the most delicious lentils I have ever made! I’ve had a bag of green lentil in my cupboard that I bought in a whim, with no idea what to do with them. So when I saw this recipe, I could not wait to try it. The flavor is all the warm and spicy sweet I was hoping to find! I swapped for the green lentils (cooked about 15 min, drained, and then covered in the pot while making the rest) then served over sautéed spinach and chopped sweet potato, with you’re cilantro chutney on top. I’m craving more of them just writing this post :) Sooo good!

This is now on our regualar meal lost. It is delightful and my daughter loves it too.

I made this recipe yesterday. BRAVO ! Delicious as always

I have cooked this three times now and it is a favorite in my house! I substituted the coconut sugar for brown sugar and added sesame and chia seeds on top for extra fiber. So amazing! Love this recipe.

This curry was so good, I could not believe it. The only thing I substituted was full fat coconut milk instead of lite coconut milk because it was all I had. My whole family loved it.

I made this tonight. Lentils needed cooking for longer. Followed the recipe and it was delicious!