This recipe for Curried Lentils is a spin-off of the ever-popular Quick Curried Chickpeas. It always amazes me how a recipe with so few ingredients can have such big flavor! For this version, I subbed out chickpeas for lentils, added some diced carrot for color and sweetness (and because my New Year’s resolution is VEGETABLES!), and increased the curry powder. The result, although not exactly pretty, was so good that I couldn’t stop piling forkfuls into my mouth while I took the photos. Seriously, I couldn’t stop.
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There are so many ways you can eat these Curried Lentils that I decided to present the recipe as the lentils themselves. They’d be great as part of an Indian platter with some creamed spinach and naan. You could stuff them into a pita as sort of a sloppy joe-like sandwich (but vegetarian, of course), or you could build a “bowl” meal with brown rice, a fried egg, and maybe even some spinach. Options, options, options!
This recipe made about four cups and depending on how you serve it, that should be at minimum four servings. Pretty stinking cheap. If you happen to have any left over, these lentils should freeze quite well.
Curried Lentils
Servings 4 1 cup eachIngredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.16)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 1 medium onion ($0.32)
- 3 medium carrots (1/2 lb.) ($0.55)
- 1 cup uncooked brown lentils ($0.68)
- 2 Tbsp curry powder hot or mild ($0.60)
- 15 oz can tomato sauce* ($0.59)
- Salt to taste ($0.02)
- 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro (optional) ($0.40)
Instructions
- Spread the lentils out on a baking sheet to make them easier to see. Pick out any stones or debris. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a sauce pot, then add the lentils. Allow the pot to come back up to a boil, then turn the heat to low, place a lid on top, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Drain the cooked lentils in a colander.
- Meanwhile, mince the garlic and finely dice the onion and carrots. Sauté the onion, garlic, and carrots in a large skillet with olive oil over medium heat until the onions are transparent (about 5 minutes). Add the curry powder and sauté for one minute more.
- Add the cooked and drained lentils to the skillet, along with the tomato sauce. Stir and heat through (about 5 minutes). Turn the heat off, taste the lentils, and add salt if needed (I added about 1/2 tsp).
- Top with fresh cilantro and serve over a bed of rice, with naan, or crusty bread.
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Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Curried Lentils – Step by Step Photos
For this recipe I used brown lentils because they cook quickly and hold their shape. Brown lentils cook in about 20 minutes, whereas French or green lentils take closer to 45 minutes. Red and yellow lentils also cook quickly, but they tend to break down and turn into mush when cooked. I definitely wanted the lentils to stay whole.
To cook the lentils, bring a pot with about 3 cups of water to a boil (the amount of water isn’t so crucial, just as long as there is enough for the lentils to move about freely, kind of like when cooking pasta. It will be drained off later). Once boiling, add 1 cup of dry lentils. Let the pot come back up to a boil, then turn the heat down to low, place a lid on top, and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, test a lentil to see if it’s tender. If not, let it simmer for about 5 more minutes. Drain the lentils in colander once finished cooking.
Meanwhile, prep and cook the vegetables. Mince two cloves of garlic and finely dice one medium onion and three medium carrots (about 1/2 lb.).
Add the garlic, onions, and carrots to a large skillet along with one tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté over medium heat until the onions become transparent, about 5 minutes.
Add two tablespoons of curry powder and sauté for one minute more (this toasts the spices and helps bring out their flavor). All curry powders are a little different, so you can start with one tablespoon and increase it to your liking.
Add the cooked and drained lentils, plus one 15oz. can of tomato sauce. Stir to combine and then heat through (about five minutes). Taste the lentils and add salt if needed. I added about 1/2 teaspoon.
Serve them hot topped with fresh cilantro (if you’re a cilantro person).
There are a lot of different ways you can eat these Curried Lentils, this yummy bowl being one of them. I added a bed of brown jasmine rice, the lentils, a fried egg, and some fresh cilantro. SO GOOD.
Never feel compelled to leave comments but OMG THIS WAS AMAZING. I am just starting to cook more frequently and this is one of the best recipes I’ve ever made!!!! As I write this I’m struggling not to get seconds (and thirds). This would be really great with a mango chutney (something I’m sure everyone has lying around lol ;)). Also I used red lentils and they held up really well! However I’d like to try with brown lentils next time. Everyone make this!!!!!!!!
Fantastic. This is SO good. I love curry, and this is subtle and not overpowering for someone you want to introduce into it.
Hi! This looks good, but the recipe card is missing its photo link. Any way to fix so I can print & archive? Thanks!
All fixed! Thanks for letting me know! :)
This recipe is amazing! It fed me with so many different sides for a week at work. Vegetable samosa, butter chicken, with naan, soooooo good!
thank you again for all your hard work and beautiful recipes Beth! Saved me during Uni and now in the real world :)
can also serve with soy sauce. LEGENDARY.
Very simple and very good!
So delicious and sooooo easy. My 11 year old loved it and so did my spouse (both are enthusiastic meat eaters).
What am I dong wrong because my carrots are not very tender after only cooking them for five minutes with the onion. Please help! Thanks
Cooking time will vary with the size of the carrots, the type of pot used, and the heat of your stove top. If they’re not tender yet, just cook a little bit longer. :)
Great recipe thanks for sharing it! I’ve tried so many and this is one of my favorites :-) Super cheap and tasty!
I made this tonight with green lentils. It was so yummy. My husband loves Indian food and I’ve been apprehensive to try making it, but I’m not anymore! Your site is awesome, thank you so much!
Just wanted to let you know that this is one of my favorite recipes, I’ve made it at least 3 times and I am eating it again tonight. I also sub the carrots for sweet potatoes, yum!
Mmmmmm sweet potatoes are anazing ♡♡♡ and these lentils are addictive
Does anyone know what the diabetic exchanges or nutritional values are on this?
Hi DROz,
1 cup=1.5 Nonstarchy vegetables
1 Starch (Legume)
1 Fat
I am a dietitian and type 1 diabetic and just figured this out for myself (although I just count the carb grams outright).
Mmmmmmm. Who knew lentils could taste so good? I added a dollop of plain greek yogurt to my serving. Would recommend.
This was great. I had to modify it a tad because I was out of onions (how on earth does that happen?), but what I ended up with was delicious. Today I used the leftovers, with rice, to stuff some bell peppers (roasted them for a bit first) and that was amazing.
so good! i made this with a side of dill rice. plenty for dinner and lunch and dinner for the next day!