Curried Lentils
Curried Lentils are delicious and easy to make, and if you like Indian food you’ll love this for a vegetarian lentil side dish! And see suggestions for other things you could add to this to make variations of this recipe that are lower in carbs.
PIN Indian Spiced Lentils to try them later!
I remember the first time I ever tasted lentils, in a soup that was served at a Mexican restaurant where I had my first job. Certainly my mother never cooked them so I have no idea how I became such a lentil fan, but now if a recipe contains lentils, it’s pretty much a sure thing I’ll like it, even though I might use portion control when I eat them to make them a carb-conscious choice.
This favorite recipe for Curried Lentils is a lentil side dish that I first posted as an after-thought added to another recipe. I’ve made this many times since then, and this dish is so tasty and easy-to-make that I finally decided it deserves a post of its own. This week I made it again and took some photos, and I’m hoping I an entice you to try it if you’re also a fan of lentils.
What ingredients do you need?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- Olive Oil (affiliate link)
- onion
- Minced Garlic (affiliate link)
- Sweet Curry Powder (affiliate link)
- Hot Curry Powder (affiliate link) (see notes)
- brown lentils (affiliate link)
- vegetable broth
- water
- chopped parsley
- salt/pepper to taste
What gives these Curried Lentils the Indian flavors?
I use onions, garlic, sweet curry powder, and hot curry powder to add Indian flavors to this tasty lentil side dish.
Are the Curried Lentils high in carbs?
Lentils do have some carbs but they are also high in fiber so this Indian lentil dish only has 10 net carbs for a side dish serving.
What could you add to Curried Lentils to make them even lower in carbs?
If you wanted to make a version of curried lentils with even fewer carbs, here are some things that could be added (either cooked with the onions or stirred in raw at the end);
- chopped red bell pepper
- chopped celery
- chopped fresh cucumber (best added raw)
- finely-chopped spinach
- chopped turnips
- chopped jicama
- chopped zucchini
How to Make Curried Lentils:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- I’ve become fond of the small lentils from the middle eastern grocery store for dishes where I want the lentils to keep their shape, so that’s what I used, but use any brown lentils you have.
- Heat the oil in a heavy pan and cook the onions until they’re starting to get some color, about five minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more. Add the curry powder and cook with the onions and garlic for about 2 minutes more.
- Then add the lentils and vegetable stock, bring to a simmer, cover pan, and cook until lentils are tender and liquid is absorbed, about 30-40 minutes.
- Start checking after about 30 minutes; it’s done when lentils are tender and the liquid is absorbed.
- (If you don’t have your stove at a low enough simmer, you may need to add a little more liquid before the lentils are tender. The cooking time of lentils will depend on how old they are; I cooked the lentils in these photos about 38 minutes and then let them sit for 5 minutes with the lid on.)
- When lentils are done, chop up a generous amount of parsley. (I used curly parsley, but I think cilantro would also be good in this.)
- When lentils are soft but still slightly chewy, stir in parley, season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper, and serve hot.
- This is a perfect dish to make ahead, freeze in individual portions, and take for a grab-and-go lunch for work.
10 More Tasty Recipes with Lentils:
- Mujadarra (Middle Eastern Lentils and Rice)
- Mexican Red Lentil Stew
- Sausage and Lentil Soup
- Lentil Salad with Green Olives
- Moroccan Chickpea Stew
- Lebanese Lentil Salad
- Lentil Soup with Ground Beef
- Slow Cooker Greek Lentil Soup
- Sausage and Lentils with Fried Sage
- Lentil and Barley Greek Style Salad
Weekend Food Prep:
This recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep to help you find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!
Curried Lentils
Curried Lentils are delicious and easy to make and this recipe is also vegan if you care about plant-based eating!
Ingredients
- 4 tsp. olive oil
- 1 onion, diced in 1/4 inch pieces
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- 1 tsp. sweet curry powder
- 1 tsp. hot curry powder (see notes)
- 1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
- one 14.5 oz can vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup water, plus more as needed
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley (or less)
- salt/pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in medium sized heavy pan, add onions, and saute 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and saute 1-2 minutes. Add curry powder to onion-garlic mixture and saute about 2 minutes more.
- Add lentils and broth plus 1/4 cup water, bring to a low simmer, then cover pan and cook until lentils are tender and liquid is absorbed.
- Cooking time will depend on how old the lentils are, but after 30 minutes I would start to check every few minutes. You may need to add a little water towards the end if your stove doesn’t keep the simmer low enough. (I cooked the lentils in the photos for 38 minutes and then let them sit about 5 minutes with the lid on.)
- When lentils are done (soft but still slightly chewy), remove from heat, and let sit covered for 5 minutes while you chop the parsley.
- Stir in parsley, season with salt and pepper and serve hot.
Notes
Use more or less hot curry, depending on how spicy you like it. You can also use your favorite curry powder blend instead of the sweet and hot curry powder.
This recipe was adapted from The South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 123Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 486mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 5gSugar: 3gProtein: 5g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Lentils are a great low-glycemic legume, and this recipe for Curried Lentils is suitable for any phase of the original South Beach Diet. Lentils are somewhat high in carbs for a low-carb diet, but if you check the nutritional information you might be surprised to find this recipe only has ten net carbs per serving.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Check out Side Dishes to find more recipes like this one! Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe for Curried Lentils was first posted in 2010. It was last updated with more information in 2023.
Curried Lentils
Curried Lentils are delicious and easy to make and this recipe is also vegan if you care about plant-based eating!
Ingredients
- 4 tsp. olive oil
- 1 onion, diced in 1/4 inch pieces
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- 1 tsp. sweet curry powder
- 1 tsp. hot curry powder (see notes)
- 1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
- one 14.5 oz can vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup water, plus more as needed
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley (or less)
- salt/pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in medium sized heavy pan, add onions, and saute 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and saute 1-2 minutes. Add curry powder to onion-garlic mixture and saute about 2 minutes more.
- Add lentils and broth plus 1/4 cup water, bring to a low simmer, then cover pan and cook until lentils are tender and liquid is absorbed.
- Cooking time will depend on how old the lentils are, but after 30 minutes I would start to check every few minutes. You may need to add a little water towards the end if your stove doesn’t keep the simmer low enough. (I cooked the lentils in the photos for 38 minutes and then let them sit about 5 minutes with the lid on.)
- When lentils are done (soft but still slightly chewy), remove from heat, and let sit covered for 5 minutes while you chop the parsley.
- Stir in parsley, season with salt and pepper and serve hot.
Notes
Use more or less hot curry, depending on how spicy you like it. You can also use your favorite curry powder blend instead of the sweet and hot curry powder.
This recipe was adapted from The South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 123Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 486mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 5gSugar: 3gProtein: 5g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
40 Comments on “Curried Lentils”
Could this recipe be done in an Instant Pot? If so, how would I do it. Looking forward to trying this- thank you for sharing!
I’m sure it *can* be done in the Instant Pot, but I haven’t made it for years and years and haven’t even cooked lentils in the Instant Pot, so I would recommend looking at Google to find a similar recipe to help you adapt it. I hope that works out for you! (And I will put it on my list of recipes to update, but unfortunately it is a VERY long list.)
Made this a couple of weeks ago and although I doubled the recipe, we (2 adults, a 4-yr old and an 18-mo) still only ended up with a little left over because everyone LOVED it! Tonight I'm quadrupling the recipe so I can have some to freeze and I've added 1lb chopped frozen spinach for a little extra nutrition.
I wouldn't make this without curry powder but type "lentils" into the search bar and you will find a lot of other lentil recipes.
This sounds delicious! And am very excited about adding lentils to my diet. However, my husband & I aren't fans of curry…can you recommend another spice that might work? Thanks!
PJ, I do love the French green lentils too. Those and these small brown ones are my favorites for lentil salads and side dishes, but I love the red lentils and plain brown ones for soup.
This lentil dish sounds delicious! Thats true for me too – I am very likely to enjoy any dish as long as it has lentils as the main ingredient. Recently I have started ordering french green lentils which are just great in terms of keeping their shape after cooking.
I'd eat it as a side dish, or maybe as a small lunch. Nothing to be scared about; lentils are delicious!
Do you eat this as a meal or a side dish? I know lentils are supposed to be super healthy and I want to cook with them more, but I'm still scared 🙂
Nati, that sound delicious! I like lentils no matter how they're cooked; just love the flavor of them.
Hi Kalyn
Lentils make me hungry.
My way of making them is, I cook them and dispose of any liquid left if any, then add a few drops of lemon juice, garlic, chopped cilantro, tabasco, salt and a good amount of extra virgin olive oil….Nati
Hi ChicaJo,
Just moved your blog to Google Reader since Bloglines is closing! Glad you like it; an easy way to have lentils as a side dish.
Love lentils too and this post has got me craving!
Gina, definitely my favorite of all the beans and legumes too!
Mom made lentil soup when I was a kid, it was the first legume I ever liked. They are probably my favorite!
Nilima, I don't want to soak for this recipe, but thanks for the tip.
Ann, glad you like it.
the best quick recipe ever found, specially for health enthusiast like me, I just love this stuff, I made a copy of it,thanks for sharing Kalyn,
Best,
Ann
Hi,
You may try soaking lentils for a while that will reduce cooking time.
Warm water also can be used for soaking.
Nilima
Dana, actually it's not a soup. This is a lentil side dish, but definitely very tasty.
This soup looks great… it's supposed to get cooler around here this week… and this tasty soup is the perfect cool weather soup!
Brenda, potato would taste good (but not good for South Beach Dieters!) I'm sure there are endless variations.
Lisa L., I'm so glad you're finding the blog to be helpful. I promise you, the diet will work if you stick with it. Good luck with that and with the new job.
Hi Kalyn,
Thank you so much for taking the time to publish this blog. I appreciate all of your beautiful pictures and crystal clear directions. I am new to your blog– I found it last night when I Googled South Beach Diet recipes. Your recipes makes the diet seem so approachable. I was laid off from a great job 16 months ago. I finally found a new job with the Department of Defense and I can't fit in any of my gorgeous suits (nor can I afford to buy new clothes in the next size up)! So, I am doing South Beach and I hope to make it a lifestyle change. Thanks for this wonderful recipe!
I make a dish like this almost weekly, but I throw in a potato and something spicy. Sometimes I serve it with rice and sometimes we just eat it. Delicious!
Tanvi, I do like the idea of eating this with rice. Planning to try it.
That looks perfect and the way Indian lentils are made.Good Job done!
We eat these lentils with rice more often than as a soup.Makes a wholesome meal.
Nupur, I haven't tried sprouting them, but I'm guessing I'd like it!
That looks so good! Lentils are wonderful- how can something so cheap be tasty AND good for you? Have you ever tried sprouting them?
Dara, we must have been commenting at the same time! I do love the curry flavor in this.
Kulsum, there are black lentils too, but these are definitely brown.
YUM! Its almost like a salad. And I have a post on my blog, where I actually called them Black Lentils. Oouch! now I guess I was wrong, will have to change it to brown. We make it more soup to go with rice or bread and something like this to go on side with a vegetable curry.
Carol, it's definitely a winner with me. So easy and tasty.
Mahek, I know this isn't an authentic Indian dish, but it's definitely good. I love your idea of combining this with rice; I will definitely try that!
This is a wonderful vegetarian meal. Curry is such a comforting flavor for me and I can imagine it makes these lentils really come alive.
hi
Kalyn
lovely to see an Indian recipe on Your blog , I feel good
You can try this thing… I think I will too make a post on my blog..
You can add these lentils you have made to rice and cook them together or you can make rice and then stir in the lentils and garnish with coriander leaves.. It makes a great rice dish….
I love lentils and I sure didn't grow up eating them either. This looks like a winner with the curry and parsley!
Simona, glad you like it. This really does freeze perfectly.
I love lentils! I bookmarked this recipe: it is indeed quick to make, and I like you idea of freezing it in individual portions.
Jeanette, thank you! I do always have that in mind when I'm picking recipes.
TW, I love that lentil dish with rice and caramelized onions (Mujadarra). For years I used to order it at a little place in Salt Lake which sadly went out of business.
I feel the same about lentils. I think my first experience was a Frugal Gourmet recipe of lentils, rice and caramelized onions, and I was hooked. I've had to practice to make sure they are cooked firm. The curry seasoning sounds wonderful here.
Thanks for another tasty recipe Kaylyn. I love dals, and your recipe is an easy way to make dals without having all the Indian spices on hand. I am a big fan of your blog, you make cooking so approachable.
Thanks Lydia. This is such a simple dish, but perfect as a side with so many things.
Like you, I've seldom met a lentil dish I didn't love. Curry and lentils are such a surprisingly good combination. I love the vibrant color the parsley brings to this dish, too.