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.
Can you freeze this? I love it, especially for my work lunches, but a little goes such a long way!
Yes, this will freeze very well. :)
Wow! I just finished making this dish, but I only used one pan, frying The garlic and onion and spices, with the lentils, then added the liquid. I didn’t even have to drain the lentils! It was so delicious I couldn’t wait for the rice. Lol! Thank u. Alisa M. PS. Also added 2 Tbs. Garam Masala. Yum!
Thank you so much. flavors amazing with jasmine rice and i can eat it all week. very satisfying. Made it with pinto beans for my daughter who cant have lentils and just as good.
HI,
iIS IT REALLY TOMATO SAUCE OR CANNED TOMATOES WITH HERBS AND SPICES IN THEM PLEASE?
The product is simply called “tomato sauce” on the label. Here is a link to one popular brand of tomato sauce so you can see what it looks like and look at the ingredients.
I added some kale to this and used ready made lentils from Trader Joe’s. It was so delicious and quick! Served as recommended with rice a fried egg and naan. The whole family loved it.
Hi! When did you add the kale to the pot?
This is now a staple in our house! Thank you!
anyone have any ideas on how this could be translated to a pressure cooker?
This was delicious .. I used half brown and half yellow lentils and substituted beef broth for the tomatoes and it still turned out super good. Recipe makes quite a bit so we will keep some out for tomorrow and freeze the rest. Family of two.
Hi did this recipe and it is really tasty. Will do it again
Wow! Just made this, and it was DELICIOUS! I added some coconut milk, and it was so yummy! This will definitely be a staple in my house!
Made this tonight when I was looking for something easy to make with things I already had.
I added a bit of red pepper and it was amazing!
Thanks for the recipe!
We really like this, thanks for sharing!
Tomatoes give me stomach aches, any substitute ideas?
Unfortunately tomatoes are a pillar ingredient in this recipe, I don’t think there would be an adequate substitute for this recipe.
I made this last night and I didn’t have tomatoes in the house. So I skipped tomatoes all together. It still turned out pretty good and my husband loved it!
Try using coconut milk instead, that’s what I did because I don’t like tomato sauce tastes awesome! Also added a teaspoon of turmeric.
This is a very tasty nutritious dish, can you advise if it can be frozen please?
This one should freeze well.
I made this tonight for a quick fix and it turned out to be so good! My husband loved it! The best part is it’s so easy and quick to make!