Working as a private chef has its drawbacks and its perks. One of the positives was that my clients would often pass along interesting dishes that I might not have otherwise tried, including this red lentil curry recipe with spinach.
When I was cooking for more than one family on a weekly basis, I would get completely burnt out. My biceps constantly ached from lugging groceries. I began resenting perfectly nice people who I’d built a relationship with over the years for being difficult to communicate with or making fussy, last minute requests. Worse, I was so exhausted by the time I got home that I rarely had the energy to give myself similar levels of self-care in the kitchen.
If you’ve read my book, then you know these were the pre-Wellness Project years when I really let myself unravel.
But once I was able to recognize my descent from Health Mountain for what it was, I quickly started taking measures to limit my professional cooking. This was no easy feat, considering I needed these odd food jobs to make a living.
Keeping this quadrant of my professional patchwork quilt to one client a week was necessary though for my own self-preservation. It allowed me to truly embrace some of those other perks, mainly using the time commitment as a way to structure my week, try new things in the kitchen and be creative on someone else’s dime. And by pairing back my professional cooking, I was able to create more time in my own routine to meal prep like a pro (my free guide here).
This red lentil recipe from Naturally Ella was one of the dishes that my weekly client requested I make for her once, and it has become a lifelong fan favorite of this site. I’ve been following Erin’s work for years and love her beautiful aesthetic and eye towards healthy dishes. We were also both featured in Food & Wine in the same issue for our healthy takes on comfort food, so there’s no surprise that this simple lentil curry was such a hit for me and my clients.
I made the one pot red lentil recipe even easier by using ground spices. I’m really terrible about keeping whole cumin seeds in my spice cabinet, even though I know the ground versions aren’t as flavorful. One of my tricks, which I’m always teaching in my cooking classes, is to make sure you’re giving the dried spices a little bit of time to toast on the bottom of the pan before you add the liquid, in this case coconut milk. The direct heat will invigorate their flavor in a way that adding them directly to water or broth never will.
In this case, the end result tastes so great, I continue to go with convenience over authenticity for the masala spice blend. There’s an new video below showing you exactly how to make the lentil curry from start to finish. I can’t wait for you to try it for yourself.
My jar of red lentils has gone untouched for a few months since I’ve been off FODMAPs. But as soon as I reincorporate legumes, this masala red lentil recipe will be the first that I return to. Even with the wilted spinach, the dish keeps really well in the fridge as a make-ahead meal. I usually eat it alongside quinoa or veggie patties. It’s just the kind of stick-to-your ribs without clogging your heart comfort food that I love this time of year.
If you’re looking for more ideas for those stray red lentils, this Moroccan red lentil soup is always a winner, as is this Harira Detox Soup and these gluten-free red lentil burgers!
With health and hedonism,
Phoebe
p.s. enrollment for 4 Weeks to Wellness. is back open! If you want to join me for a little reset, you can grab one of the last few spots.
p.p.s. If you’re looking to save time in your low FODMAP kitchen, check out my new collection of recipes here.
Filling & Nourishing Red Lentil Curry with Spinach
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive or coconut oil
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1- inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 1 serrano chili pepper, seeded and minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon coriander
- One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- One 15-ounce can unsweetened full fat coconut milk
- 1 cup red lentils
- 5 ounces baby spinach
Instructions
- In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil. Saute the onion over medium-high heat until soft, 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, serrano, cumin, garam masala, and coriander. Cook until very fragrant, 2 minutes. Carefully pour in the tomatoes and add the salt, scraping up any brown bits that formed on the bottom of the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced and the tomato chunks have softened, 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the lentils and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until the lentils are tender, 25-35 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the lentils from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Fold in the spinach and cook until wilted, 3 minutes. Serve alongside coconut rice.
Notes
Nutrition
If you make this, tag @phoebelapine and #feedmephoebe – I’d love to see it!Need help finding lifestyle changes that last? Let’s work together to find your path forward. My 4 Weeks to Wellness Course might just change your life. With 4-weeks worth of recipes that are gluten, dairy, corn, soy and refined sugar free, not to mention tasty AF, it’s a perfect way to explore your food sensitivities and heal inner and outer chaos.
You cooked for 100?! I feel faint at the idea. Great recipe btw, red lentils are the only kind of legume I can eat without, um, producing fumes.
Try chewing 2-3 Beano tablets before eating “fumy” foods. They really work!
I love lentils. This looks perfect for the 100th snow storm we are in the midst of in Chicago.
I hear ya sister. Definitely a good snow day option. Especially if you have the ingredients in your pantry and don’t have to brave the weather! Stay warm xxx
Yum. I just made it for breakfast! Delicious.
So quick!!! yay!
Phoebs- this was insanely delicious! Thank you! XO
yay hel! thank you for making it!
This looks like a real keeper. Looking foward to trying it. I just discovered your blog & spent the evening reading & pinning your recipes. So artfully photographed too. Love it.
Thanks Donna! Really appreciate the kind words. Hope you’ll make this and others! Report back! xo
This was incredibly tasty! Will defo make again such a great store cupboard recipe, thanks!
glad you loved it!
My new favorite recipe! Hearty, fragrant, delicious and even loved by my six year old. Definitely made with love! I am now making it for a second time and I almost always just try recipes once for creative fun. Thank you!
That’s so wonderful to hear jamine!! I need to do more lentil recipes. This one is such a winner. xo
Oh, my. This was so delicious. Especially reheated!
yay! I’m so glad! thanks for making!
Can you provide the amounts if we have cumin and coriander seeds please? Thank you.
I’d get those from Naturally Ella’s post on spinach and lentil masala. My recipe is doubled, so just check there for the spice measurements and double them. Enjoy!
Very delicious! I didn’t have red lentils, but it was great with green (just took longer to cook). Will be making again very soon. I even liked the left overs, and I’m very picky about leftovers. Microwave was fine for that. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for making and reporting back! So good to know it worked with green lentils too. Did you have to use more liquid? Glad you’re enjoying leftovers!
I did end up having to add half a cup more liquid since the cook time was so much more. In making it again, I just precooked the green lentils, and that was much better!
Great! So thrilled you made it again! xo
absolutely delicious, just cooked it and can’t wait to re-heat it tomorrow for lunch!
amazing! so glad you tried this red lentil recipe! it’s great for make ahead / brown bagging for lunch the next day! lucky you.
Thank you for this fantastic recipe! I had it on my to-make list for quite a while; finally got around to making it today and it was a huge hit! We like spicy, so I added 2 teaspoons of red chili flakes in with the spices. So delicious! I will definitely be making this again.
wooohooo!! So glad you enjoyed Racine! Thrilled you tried it. Thanks for reporting back xo
I made this for dinner tonight, it was FABULOUS! Even my picky kids ate it! This recipe will definitely be going into my dinner rotation!
When you say coriander, do you mean fresh or ground?
Great question: ground! Enjoy!
Thank you, thank you. You already know this is a great receipe but let me tell you why it is one of the best. I have Multiple Scerosis which, as i’m sure you know, affects my body (hands specifically) and my short term memory. So No i don’t have a stove but i do have an electric wok. This is a perfect receipe for the wok. I buy my veggies cut up and everything else is a staple in my pantry with the exception of the coconut milk. No problem it will be from now on. I can’t remember the last time i actually cooked something so thank you for that. I hope to see more receipes that i can make….my children will be so greatfull.
Wow LaVina, your note made my day. That’s so wonderful to hear that you’re able to make the lentils and enjoy them. Check out the lentil soup I posted today. any thicker soup/stew should be ok in the wok. Here are a few more ideas:
https://feedmephoebe.com/2014/10/balanced-diet-moroccan-lamb-chili-sweet-potatoes-chickpeas-kale/
https://feedmephoebe.com/2014/09/sesame-shrimp-stir-fry-recipe-with-summer-vegetables-hemp-seeds/
Thank you for commenting and wishing you the best of luck with more recipes xoxox
Would it be possible to make this in the slow cooker?
Probably! I’m not sure of the timing though. If you give it a try, report back!
Absolutely delicious! Probably my favorite soup recipe. ❤️
I made this exactly as you prescribed and it was completely delicious! Thank you so much. It is going to become a staple! I have the idea to substitute the coconut milk which is highly calorific for almond milk for a change and up the spice a bit. I want to make it more often and can’t face the coconut milk calories every single time even though it is fabulous! Ha….. I am looking forward to making it with almond milk later. Thank you so much for a gorgeous recipe and photos!
I’m so glad you liked it Lisa! One of my favorite red lentil recipes. Coconut has lots of benefits to make up for the calories, but I’m sure this would be interesting with almond milk too. Let me know how it goes! xo
Have you tried it with almond milk? I’m with you, want to cut calories!
Yes! It works brilliantly. Also with low fat creme fraiche. I drizzled a tablespoon of coconut oil over the rice and it ups the flavour, it’s amazing. <3
This looks so yummy! I’m planning on trying it this week 😀
Can I substitute the dry lentils for canned lentils? Or does it need that longer cooking time for the liquids/flavours to thicken/absorb?
Absolutely! I would let some of the sauce thicken though before adding them. Simmer it without the lentils for at least half the time mentioned or it will be too soupy. Good luck!
The recipe says 1 cup red lentils. Does that mean dry or canned? I bought dry today. Should I soak and cook them before making this recipe? The recipe looks AMAZING!
I, too, made this with green lentils tonight. (It took 35 minutes to cook – not bad at all.) And it was great! I actually use a half a can of tomato paste instead of diced tomatoes out of necessity, and it was still very tasty and filling.
That’s so great Sarah! Thrilled you liked it. Hope you’ll try more recipes soon! xo
Something I have been curious about: when a recipe calls for lentils, do they expect them to have been soaked overnight? I never know when cooking with lentils, and I can never seem to get my lentils soft enough, even when following recipes. Is there something I should be doing to prepare lentils before cooking with them?
Thanks!
not usually, but you certainly can! if you soak they will cook slightly faster and require a bit less liquid. I didn’t soak mine for this one. To get them soft you might just have to simmer a little longer. Lentils are tough to judge – you’ll always want to cook to taste.
This was amazingly delicious! Will be making it again for sure! Thanks for the recipe
yay! i’m so glad Jillian!
I have a go-to red lentil recipe, but it was getting a little stale. Found this on Pinterest and made it last night. I increased the amount of spices a bit and used a jalepeno pepper instead of a serrano because that’s what I had. Served it with a garnish of cilantro and avocado. It was delicious. I set the sriracha on the table because it wasn’t very hot (and we like to breathe fire), but it was so delicious that we didn’t even use any sriracha! One of your commenters mentioned that they added red chili flakes, which I might do next time, but like I said, it’s delicious without the heat! And I think the best part is that I always have all of the ingredients on hand, so I can make it without a special trip to the grocery store or additional line item on the grocery list!
THanks for the feedback Charity! Serranos are usually a lot spicier than jalapeno, so I’m not surprised you needed a little extra kick. Love sriracha on everything, so totally approve 🙂
This recipe is ridiculously delicious, thanks Phoebe!
I’m so glad hannah!
Good morning Phoebe, i’m making this wonderful recipe again. Thought you might like to know of some changes i made this time. Since frozen veggies seem to be the order of the month, both inside and outside, i added frozen california blend. It might need to cook a little longer. I have also put in some tumeric. If it tastes as good as it looks it should be outstanding. I’ll let you know how it goes. Stay warm.
Looks beautiful, dying to make, but was wondering about using dried lentils… I’m not that experienced with lentils & just wanted to know if they should be pre-cooked or just added dried?
Thanks in advance 🙂
nope – super simple! just add the dried 🙂
This is a delicious, wholesome dish that the whole family loves! I Left out the Ginger and chilli when served to the kids but added it when my hubby and I ate it later.
I am single and living in HOT SW Florida. This will freeze won’t it?
I make any kind of recipe. Doesn’t have to be for cold weather.
definitely! stay cool down there! I’m with you though, I love stews in summer 🙂
so glad I stumbled upon this recipe. I have already made it twice and we love it! I used half and half the first time and just 2% milk the second time and each time was very good. I love the creaminess of the recipe and the spice combination! Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! xoxo
I loved this dish! I took a shortcut by using an already made Ginger & Garlic paste (mine was by Smith & Jones product of India). It saves a lot of time when I prepare Indian dishes! This is the 2nd time I’m making this dish in a week. The coconut gives great flavors. I covered the dish the entire cooking time which made the steam give softness to the tomatoes and then the spinach. Bravo on such a great dish!
Thanks Lenore! I’m so glad you liked it! Never used one of those premade pastes before but will have to look out for one at the market!
Made this last night. It was fantastic!
Hooray Roberta!! Thanks so much for reporting back xoxo
Made this for dinner tonight; it was delicious. We have enough leftovers for tomorrow night also and I’m sure it will be even better. This is definitely going in the rotation. Thanks!
Yay Brenda!! The perfect pre-Thanksgiving meal with plenty of spice! Happy happy holidays xo
My first foray into cooking with lentils. A very easy recipe to follow, can’t wait to try it tonight when my hungry husband comes home.
yay! I hope he loved it! xo
I’m making this now – should have asked earlier! Using split lentils. It does not specify whole vs split so in wondering if I should cut down the cook time!
So I cooked it about the same time as the recipe said with split lentils (I tasted part way thru to check). This turned out delicious!! I’m still eating it from Sunday! Great easy cold weather dish!
yay Anna! I’m so glad you followed your instincts since I was a slow poke to reply. Most of the time the red lentils come split, and I assume this is what I used. It’s hard to tell from the photos after the fact. If you had used whole it probably just would have taken a little longer. This recipe is so versatile though, I don’t think you could have gone wrong 🙂 So glad you are enjoying leftovers! xoxo
just to add to the accolades for this amazing recipe … I made this tonight and it definitely ranks in my top 5 favorites of my entire dinner recipe rotation. I used light coconut milk and upped the spinach to 8 oz. This tastes exactly like a dish at our favorite Indian restaurant. Love it, thank you so much!!
High praise Moriah!!! So thrilled. And good for you for adding more spinach 🙂 xo
This was soooo good!! My boyfriend and I, who are total meat fiends, both said it was one of the best meals we’ve ever made. I don’t even really like lentils, and I still want to eat it every day. Thanks so much for sharing!!!!
that is a seal of approval if i ever heard one! thank you for taking a chance on this veggie recipe! xoxo
Mine came out a bit too sweet. Added a tablespoon of lemon juice and voila! Delicious!
really? did you per chance use sweetened coconut milk? If so, I’ll make a note on the recipe. Nothing in there should be sweet!
I’m a vegan college student and have made this 2-3 times a month since I found it! Delicious, quick, cheap, and healthy. Thank you for this staple in my meal prep routine!
I’m so happy to hear that Rae! It’s one of my favorite cheap meals too xo
Allergy to coconut milk. Can you substitute yogurt for the coconut milk?
definitely! it will just be a little tangier. I would add 1/2 a cup and see how it tastes. You can add more depending on color and taste. I would sub 1 1/2 cups veggie stock for the coconut and just add the yogurt off the heat at the end. Hope this helps!
Just made this for dinner tomorrow. So simple and so so so delicious! Yum. Can’t wait for tomorrow.
woohoo!!! the best leftovers too. xo
Did you have to soak the lentils? If so, how long?
Also, think I can use a crockpot for this?!
definitely! i’m not an expert but i would say cook on low for 4 hours or so. you don’t need to soak the red lentils – they cook quickly as is!
This is a delicious dish & easy to prepare. Thanks for sharing a great recipe !!
So glad you liked it!
Made this for my family yesterday , looking foreword too the leftover tonight.! Greathings From the Netherlands x Linda
We were just discussing about a big jar of red lentils we have in the pantry last night and while catching up with our favorite blogger friends after our Easter break, BOOM; we stumbled upon this majestic recipe! Never had them with coconut milk,and are definitely trying them within the next couple of days!
Thanx so much for this dear Phoebe!
Sending you our love from sunny Athens,
Mirella and Panos
This is so amazing! I’ve been making a double batch and then having it for a super healthy lunch. Makes enough for nearly two weeks, unless my husband gets into it. I’ve been adding whatever greens we have in the garden, lately cabbage and kale. Works beautifully in this recipe. Thanks!
great additions!
Have you made this in the insta pot? I’m a beginner with the insta pot but I love it… but don’t know how to convert times…. etc. Also not sure coconut milk would work in insta pot?
sorry I’m no expert either. coconut milk should be fine though! I’d guess it takes about 10 minutes.
I just made this in the instant pot and cooled it like I have other dal recipes. I soak lentils in hot water for an hour and rinse well with cold water before cooking to keep the foaming down and reduce gassiness. Sautéed everything in the instant pot first and ressure cooked for 20mins, quick released, then whisked for texture before adding spinach and letting sit until wilted. No problems.
wonderful! thanks for sharing!
Thanks for a terrific recipe!! Made it as is, except I added an extra 1/2 tsp of each of the spices…because we like bold flavours. I thought that it looked like soooooo much spinach but it cooked down to the perfect amount! It’s a keeper for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
awesome! and totally agree re: breakfast 🙂
Phoebe, your blog has become my go to page to try out new dishes. So far the ones I’ve tried, have been so delicious. Thank you so much!
I’m so so glad!!
Just found this recipe. Looks good, will give it a whirl. Usually just throw spices in but I will follow this one properly. John from Australia.
Today I tried this recipe for lunch. In under an hour and with very little skill, this recipe was accomplished, emerging gloriously satisfying and healthy. Served with homemade naan roti, this is a perfect recipe.
awesome!! so happy you loved it
I love this recipe but when do you add the salt? I can’t seem to find it in the instructions.
wow – you are so right Stephanie! Can’t believe hundreds of people have made this and never pointed it out. Adding now. you can’t go wrong though.
Phoebe, so glad I found this recipe! We have made it (double batch) a few times now, varying between the vegetarian recipe and adding chicken. We sent it to both of our kids…they report that apparently lamb is pretty amazing in it as well. I spend a lot of time in the gym, and this dish is not only full of everything I need to fuel my body, but it is absolutely delish. I heat up the leftovers at work and everyone in the office is curious as to what smells so amazing. Def a staple in our (and our kids’) household.
yay! I’m so thrilled greg!
Wonderfull. I cannot resist, I’m going to prepare it.! Thank you very much
Made this last night in the instant pot and it was fantastic. Have not made dal with coconut milk before and it gave it a richness and slight creaminess that everyone loved. The added spinach made me feel better about our Indian dinners, that often lack vegetables of feel like they are superfluous. I did change it up with some extra traditional Indian spices, and added 1/2 T cumin seed, 1/2 T mustard seed, and 1/4 t Asafetida just before sautéing the onion and 1T of fenugreek just after adding tomato. I’m sure it would be delicious without, but these are what has given my past efforts at dal the real Indian restaurant aroma and taste.
if you have those spices on hand, that’s wonderful!! my audience doesn’t usually have such a robust pantry but glad you made it more authentic!!
This has become a go-to. I love it, make it once a month. Thank you so much for posting it!
yay!!
Purchased Red Lentil first time a couple of months ago as I needed 1/2 cup to include in a Healing Turmeric Cauliflower Soup. So I’m left with a 2 lb bag and had to find a recipe in which to use them. Came across yours on my search; as my husband and I enjoy curry, and are trying to eat healthier in our later years, I decided to try it last night. Made a couple of substitutes with what I had in, i.e. Thai Chili peppers (2) and frozen spinach but I’m sure I did not change the integrity of the recipe.
This is definitely one I will make again. YUM!!!
Cheers from Suzanne in Ontario, Canada.
OMG! This is nothing short of amazing!!! Thank you for the fabulous recipe 🙂
Perfect ingredients. Perfect taste. I enjoyed the recipe very much. Great meatless option too.
This was delicious!!! I didn’t add onion, but I don’t think it made much of a difference.
awesome!!
I just wanted to say today will be the 3rd time I have made this recipe. Every time I make it I like it a little more. It is a new favorite of mine. If you try it you will not be disappointed. Such a yummy recipe.
such great news david!
Do I need to soak the lentils?
Made this the other night on the stove, so easy to make and super flavoursome. I had it with brown rice. Thanks for the recipe! I would definitely make this again especially if I have guests round for dinner!
No just cook them
This was so BOMB! I’ve made red lentils before that were pretty good, but this knocks the socks off of that recipe. I used two jalapeño peppers instead of the one serrano, and the spice level was just right (great if you like hot). Went very well with rice. Can’t wait to make this again!
I loved this so much I then started playing with the recipe! If you’d like to try increasing the Coriander to 1 tsp and adding 1/2 tsp Tumeric it was good for me…
I confess, I have made this recipe consistently since I ran across it three months ago. Its flavorful and foolproof. When I take this to work everyone comments on how tasty and healthy it looks. The taste is great and it is delicious alone or on the side with baked salmon.
Great Job Phoebe, Im a fan♡
Yashica
yay thank you for the wonderful feedback!
This was delicious! We enjoyed it tonight, and will definitely make it again. I was afraid the Serrano pepper might be too spicy for me, but it wasn’t. I did use about 1/2 kale and 1/2 spinach, but just added the kale earlier than the spinach.
yay!
Making this for my wife as a Friday night special with coconut rice. Fingers -crossed she enjoys it!
Phil
So easy to make and delicious. Thank you Phoebe Lapine for sharing.
I love lentils, any color, and can’t wait to try this recipe. It sounds delicious. I was wondering if I could leave out the hot pepper because we don’t like hot,spicy food. Would that affect the recipe flavor? Also, I have an allergy to garlic but I could substitute shallots. I will use the ginger but am not fond of it. I definitely don’t want to change the outcome of the recipe. Thank you for your reply.
Fantastic recipe. Truly delicious! I doubled the recipe (family of 5 and we love leftovers) plus added 1 extra can of tomatoes, 1 extra Serrano chili (we like spicy), and 1 pound of Crimini mushrooms (to add some meatiness to the recipe). We are working on cutting back on meat so vegan dishes like this really serve us well. Thank you!
If i double this recipe (serving for 8) do I also double the coconut milk and diced tomatoes? The website does not automatically change the measurements for those two items.
yes, you double everything.
This recipe is fantastic. I’m so happy I stumbled across it.
I made these lentils and the only thing I didn’t have was the ginger and coriander. I subbed curry powder for the coriander. But this is so good. I wish my Mom was alive. She would have loved it. I will try so many of your recipes, you’ll probably get tired of my comments. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and talent.
Turned out great! Husband and baby approved. I mostly went by the recipe (which us rare for me lol), I just used homemade turkey broth instead of water, and a poblano instead of serrano. I also had most of the spices whole, so I briefly roasted them first and ground with mortar and pestle. So flavorful!
Just made this on a snowy day. Oh my goodness. It is so delicious!!!! I am not a fan of hot spicy food so I didn’t use the pepper but did add just a tiny dash of chili powder. I served it over basmati rice. I cant wait to eat the leftovers throughout the week. So good! Thank you!!
I accidentally over cooked the lentils, ops was my first time. But this was still delicious. Very much enjoyed it and am excited to make it again.
Thanks for the recipe!
This was my first time using Garam Masala. I didn’t know what to expect. This was a really yummy recipe. I have printed the recipe and I will be using it again and again. Thank you!
Made this dish tonight for dinner– it was delicious! I love the warm spices and it all came together so easily. I didn’t have any tomatoes so I had to take those out but I did add a dollop of greek yogurt and some lime juice at the end as a garnish.
Thanks for sharing a great recipe idea, I’ll try it on this weekend.
This was delicious!!! So you know if you can freeze it??
absolutely. any stew or soup freezes very well.
This looks so good. I just bought a bunch of red lentils, and keep staring at them, with no ideas. So I will have to give this a go.
You mention fodmaps and I am currently on on low fodmap program so I’m guessing this recipe is not for me as it contains onions and garlic which are a big no no for someone on this program for IBS. Substitutes?
Great recipe!!
I’m not of fan of lentils but my husband is, so I was on the search for a great recipe and I found it! I actually really enjoyed eating them! Thanks so much for sharing! ❤️❤️
Excellent and easy to make. My whole family loved it. Added to my regular menu. Thank you so much.
Delicious!
I’ve made this for my non-vegan family multiple times and it is a hit every time. SO delicious. We like to serve it with naan bread. 10/10 AMAZING
That turned out beautifully rich, creamy, fragrant and in the same time light. I was looking for a new way of preparing red lentils (got tired of cream soup…), and it was just fenomenal… Now, I saw some comment about freezing this, and i think a better way to preserve it would be to pour it while still hot in a jar and pop the lid on it, so it sort of vacuums. I did that for my brother, who is in uni, and who i look after supplying with home cooked meals, and he said it was fresh for over a week, sitting in the fridge. Maybe try this instead of freezing.
Again, thank you for the recipe, it will become a regular in my house!
I am making this dish right now..would love to know if the coconut milk is the stuff like cow milk or coconut cream…to thicken up the dish.
It’s not cow milk, don’t use that. You can use coconut cream, but loosen it up a bit with water. Coconut milk comes in a tin can usually, and it is usually creamy, but sometimes can break i to coconut cream and coconut water in the can itself.
I have been making this recipe regularly for more than 5 years now. Decided to be a good citizen and give the more than well deserved rating. I have also done it with green lentils and tastes just as amazing, I just leave it simmering for longer
I am literally obsessed with this recipe. I have been looking for new things to cook since quarantine started and I this is the first lentil dish I have ever made. I doubled the garlic and ginger and used 1/2 a jalapeño and the flavor was delicious. I dont have garam masala but i used a dash of cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg. also added frozen kale to the dish. Using full fat coconut milk is non-negotiable. I have sent this to many people in the past few weeks. It’s really good!
Is it considered a vegetarian dish? I really like this recipe
my favorite recipe ever. I will try this.
I have never commented on a recipe, and this was so fantastic, that I just had to write. A new favorite. And next time I’ll try to remember the avocado. Red lentils cook so fast, that you should definitely not make it in a slow cooker. THANK YOU!
Looks yummy! I’m sure it wil taste yummy too! Gonna make in dinner today. Thanks for this great recipe.
My whole family loved this! It was delicious and felt heartier than a lot of other lentil recipes we have had.
Great guide! I made it according to your recipe and the taste is great! Everyone in the family likes it, it makes me happy. Thank you.
Easy to prepare and make it. Thanks for sharing !!
Looks great! The recipe is quite simple and easy to prepare, added to the menu for this weekend. Hope to enjoy the best Red Lentil and Spinach Masala with my family. Thanks and have a nice day!
Delicious, even though I over cooked it by 10-20 minutes (didn’t hear the timer go off). Removing 1 star for unrealistic prep time, only 5 minutes to chop onion, peel and mince ginger, peel and mince garlic, de-seed and mince serrano pepper? Really? I know I am a slow cook but this seems excessively unrealistic.
I’ve made this for my non-vegan family multiple times and it is a hit every time. SO delicious. We like to serve it with naan bread. 10/10 AMAZING
I’ve made this for my non-vegan family multiple times and it is a hit every time. SO delicious!!!
dishes that I might not have otherwise tried
so delicious, That good idea, I will make again and again, Thank you so much!
The recipe says 1 cup red lentils. Does that mean dry or canned? I bought dry today. Should I soak and cook them before making this recipe? The recipe looks AMAZING!
I’ve never eaten red lentil, but I will try to cook it cause your dish looks so colourful and delicious.
Loved it! Put plenty of piquín chiles, seeds is, I like it hot. Delicious with homemade mango chutney and basmati rice.
This recipe turned out nice and tasty, but I really needed to give the lentils more time as they were a bit under done… but I was hungry! That 25-30 minutes cooking time is definitely needed after adding the lentils.
Hello,
I’m Jackson, I’m a chef who loves food, I’m always interested in new foods. Red Lentil and Spinach Masala is great! I just finished them tonight, taste is great and i had a great dinner with my little family. Thanks for your sharing.
Sincerely grateful!
I am in LOVE with this recipe! Thanks so much. It was so delish–will be making it again next week.
It was delicious!
This has become a go-to meal in our house. I often sub a sweet onion for red onion and a dash of chipotle powder for the serano, since I always have those around.
Everyone loves this dish, even the vegetarian who hates beans because of the texture adores this. And the meat eating husband asks for it regularly! The best part of this page was that you have the Jump To Recipe button!
That’s definitely a huge win!!
I’ve made this for my non-vegan family multiple times and it is a hit every time. SO delicious!
yay!
I crave this dish! I have made it many times. Thank you for this delicious recipe. BTW, I never comment on recipes but this deserves recognition. Best wishes.
A great combination of red lentils and spinach. I usually modify this dish according to each person’s taste. Your recipe is very mouth-watering for everyone in my house compared to the one I’ve learned online. Thank you very much.