Coconut Lentil Curry (Jamaican Style) is absolutely flavorful with the right balance of flavors? Well, you will see that this is the best lentil curry recipe. This lentil coconut curry will be a huge hit among your friends and family.
I make coconut curry recipes at least once a week, so I’m always sharing them, such as these amazing curry recipes: Jamaican Spicy Potato Curry, Vegan Chickpea Curry, Curry Cabbage.
Coconut Lentil Curry (Jamaican Style)
I love how lentil curry is so hearty. It can definitely feed a large crowd and it is so easy to prepare. You can leave out the carrots, potato, and dumplings and serve it with my Gluten-Free Vegan Flatbread or Brown Jasmine Rice.
The next great thing about lentils is that a little goes a long way, it is very economical, versatile and has great nutritional benefits. I only used one cup of lentils to make this incredibly delicious stew.
For the curry powder, you can use my Easy Curry Powder Recipe or you can use Chief Curry Powder for a Caribbean flavor. I used Not Chicken Bouillon Cubes for the vegetable bouillon.
Health Benefits Of Lentils
- High in protein, one cup of cooked lentils contains 18 grams of protein.
- Lentils are high in fiber, one cup of cook lentils contains 15.6 grams of fiber.
- Lentils are a great source of calcium, one cup of cooked lentils contains 38 grams of calcium.
- Lentils are a great source of magnesium, one cup of cooked lentils contains 75 milligrams of magnesium.
- Lentils are a great source of iron, one cup of cooked lentils contains 6.6 milligrams of iron.
How To Make Coconut Lentil Curry?
- Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium-high, add onion and cook until onions are soft. Stir in chopped bell pepper, green onion, ginger, garlic, and thyme, and cook until fragrant.
- Add curry powder, cumin, paprika, allspice, and vegetable bouillon, and stir, cooking for one minute.
- Add lentils and coconut milk, and stir to coat.
- Add 4 cups of water, bring to a boil, cover saucepan and cook for 45 minutes or until lentils are tender.
- Add the remaining cup of water, Scotch bonnet pepper, carrot, potato, and dumplings. Bring to a boil again, reduce to simmer until vegetables and dumplings are cooked, about 15 minutes.
- If the stew is too thick, add extra water or vegetable broth. Check the seasoning, and add more salt if needed. Serve immediately, as lentil curry will thicken as it cools.
Other Lentil Recipes To Try
- Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
- Jamaican Lentil Patties
- Vegan Lentil Stew
- Lentil Meatballs
- Vegan Lentil Loaf
- Instant Pot Vegan Lentil Soup
- Vegan Stuffed Bell Peppers
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Categories
- Categories: Gluten-Free, Vegan
- Course: Main Course
- Cuisine: Jamaican
Nutrition
(Per serving)- Energy: 376 kcal / 1572 kJ
- Fat: 20 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Carbs: 40 g
Cook Time
- Preparation: 15 min
- Cooking: 1 h
- Ready in: 1 h 15 min
- For: 4 Servings
Ingredients
- 1-2 tablespoons oil, I used avocado
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- 2 tablespoons curry powder, *link to recipe
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 2 vegetable bouillon
- 1 cup dried lentils, sorted and washed
- 1 (15-ounces) can coconut milk
- 5 cups water, divided
- 1 medium carrot, chopped
- 1 large potato, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 batch of Dumplings, (optional) *link to recipe
- 1 Scotch Bonnet pepper, or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium high, add onion and cook until onions are soft. Stir in chopped bell pepper, green onion, ginger, garlic, and thyme, and cook until fragrant.
- Add curry powder, cumin, paprika, allspice, and vegetable bouillon, and stir, cooking for one minute.
- Add lentils and coconut milk, and stir to coat.
- Add four cups of water, bring to a boil, cover saucepan and cook for 45 minutes or until lentils are tender.
- Add the remaining cup of water, Scotch bonnet pepper, carrot, potato, and dumplings. Bring to a boil again, reduce to simmer until vegetables and dumplings are cooked, about 15 minutes.
- If the stew is too thick, add extra water or vegetable broth. Check the seasoning, and add more salt if needed. Serve immediately, as lentil curry will thicken as it cools.
I saved this recipe to make and forgot. Now that i am reading it i notice you did not mention pre soaking the lentils. Did you use canned lentils or dried ones. Would the cooking time be less if you pre-soaked them.?
Lentils don’t need soaking June, it only takes about 25 -30 minutes to cook.
This is a very healthy recipe
This looks like something I would definitely try
Btw, I’m doing the vegan gumbo on Wednesday. The Jamaican squash fries on Friday. Can’t wait to share the experience.
Savi, Ooh lovely, I hope you enjoy tham. Thank you for trying!
Ms. Michelle!! Baybehhhh!! When I tell you my whole house smashed this! I’ve got photos too! I cannot say enough about this one hunti! Yum yum and more yum! I doubled this to make a huge pot and I don’t have enough leftovers 😭🥴. Means I gotta cook again today.
But anyway, THIS gets 10 stars for me. I did leave out the scotch bonnet because my twins don’t like the heat but I used a nice curry paste that gave it just the right amount.
I’m super stoked over this one. It’s going in the recipe folder 😋. Since I’m on a quest to have healthier options for I and my family you are my new favourite food blogger.
Not to mention you’re a Florida girl. I live on the West Coast now but I was born and raised in Central Florida. Thank you again. I’m going to share your link on my blog about my experiences with healthier food choices. Thank you so much for your work.
Sorry for the long comment 👑🖤🌹🥰
Hello Savi, I’m so excited that you and your family enjoyed it. It is definitely one of my favorites. I can bet how lovely it is to live in California. I’m having a great time living here in Florida. Thank you very much for your lovely feedback, I really enjoyed reading it.
Delicious recipe.
Thank you Chris, I’m so happy you enjoyed it.
Made this tonight – it was sooo good! I’ve been making quite a few of your recipes lately and I’m always pleased with the result. Thank you for sharing such great dishes ☺️
Can’t find then* link to recipe for dumplings & curry powder?
Looking forward to making this.
Hello Jane, here is the curry recipe https://healthiersteps.com/recipe/easy-curry-powder-recipe/
and the dumplings: https://healthiersteps.com/recipe/jamaican-boiled-dumplings/
Turned out terrific! Thank you for sharing this outstanding recipe!
James, I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Thank you for your feedback.
Looks amazing! What is the nutritional value if I omit the dumplings?
Frankie, thank you very much. Can you please check on MyFitnessPal.com or https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076.
Delicious!
Thank you, I’m so happy you enjoyed it.
This came out delicious! I didn’t have a scotch bonnet so I used two habaneros instead, I also added broccoli and cauliflower to get more veggies in there. This was delicious
Jessica, I’m so happy you enjoyed it, I love how you added extra veggies. Thank you for sharing your feedback.
This is unreal. It’s so good. I’m doing WW so I left out the dumplings and used lite coconut milk. I also didn’t realize I was supposed to put the pepper in whole and chopped it up first so it’s definitely spicy, but man, this is delicious. I’ll definitely be making this over and over again.
Allison, I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing how you made the adjustments. Oh yes, the pepper is very hot so I prefer to add it whole.
If I use canned lentils, how much broth is needed. Also how long to cook. (I am new to cooking with lentils).
Use 2 cans of lentils and 1 cup broth to start, add extra broth is needed.
Can you freeze this.
Yes you can freeze it.
This was soooooo easy and sooooo freaking yummy!!!!!!!! Thank yo so much!!!!
Candias, I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Thank you for your feedback.
Thank you for sharing your recipe. I did have a question instead of the 2 vegetable bouillon cubes could I use instead of 5 cups of water 5 cups of veggie broth?
Hello Vanessa, yes you can use 5 cups of veggie broth instead of water and just check the seasoning at the end. I hope you enjoy.
Hi Michelle! Hope you and yours are doing well.
Question – brown lentils or green? At the beginning of the post you said green, but in the comments you mention brown. Cooking times vary between the 2 and my partner isn’t a fan of mushy lentils.
Thanks in advance!
Suzanne, I use both interchangeably. Green and brown hold their shape well and take roughly the same time to cook. Once you don’t use orange or yellow, those are the mushy kind.
Just wanted to clarify, are the dumplings cooked before adding, or do they cook after you toss them in with the vegetables? Thanks.
No you add them uncooked.
So you prepare the dumplins then add them in 15 mins before finished cooking?
Yes Vanessa, they are tiny dumplings, only need 15 minutes to cook but you could always cook them for longer, won’t hurt just make the grain easier to digest.
Thank you for sharing this healthy recipe, it is delicious.
Rafaela, you are welcome. I’m so happy you enjoyed it.
Anticipating this social distancing and lack of supplies, I stocked up on dried lentils, peas and chickpeas. Now, during the crunch I’m looking for meals like your soup to keep our immune systems high. This soup fits the bill. Thank you. I’m gluten sensitive so appreciation is high
Pat, you are so smart. I’m planning to post more recipes! I hope you enjoy it, stay safe!
I made it, and our family including our two teenage boys loved it. I did not understand the ingredient “2 bouillion” either, maybe a term for something we are not familiar with, in New Zealand, but I guessed it was vegetable stock of some kind, so that is what I used, and it was delicious. Thank you for sharing the recipe, we will be making this again!
Chris, I’m so happy you and your family enjoyed it. Yes bouillon cubes are the same as stock cubes. Thank you for sharing your feedback.
Hello, I have never cooked with lentils before. Can I use canned lentils? if so what’s the measurement?
Also if I buy dried, I think that they sell different colours. Can you confirm what colour do I buy…thank you!
Karen 2 cans will do fine, the one in the cans are usually brown lentils, that’s the same kind I used, I should have mentioned it, but I’m sure any kind will work. Hope you enjoy.
So good. My 6 and 7 yr old boys loved it as well.
Karen that’s wonderful, I’m so happy you and your children enjoyed it. Thank you for your feedback.
Amazing recipe! I LOVE it!!! I’ve made a few things from your site and you never disappoint! Thank you for providing such amazing vegan recipes!
Tammy, thank you so much. I’m so happy you are enjoying my recipes and that you took the time to share your feedback with us.
Hi, I was wondering if you could make this recipe in the instapot, and what adjustments you would recommend with that? Thank you
Rachelle it can be made but I would really need to do it in my Instant Pot first to give you the correct adjustments, otherwise, I would be guessing.
How much veg bullion is in this recipe?
Juanita it says 2, if that’s too much sodium for you use 1.
2 cups? Two bouillion cubes? Two tablespoons?
Renee, I don’t understand the question you are asking. I can’t find where I wrote 2 cups anywhere in the recipe. Yes, 2 vegan bouillons cubes. The only 2 tablespoons in my recipe are the oil and the curry powder. Can you please write your question that you are asking clearer? I’m sure that the readers will also benefit if you need clarification others might also.
My whole family loved this Stew and it was so easy to make!
I’m so happy your family enjoyed it Kenrite, thank you for sharing your feedback.