Vegan Crockpot Coconut-Lentil Curry
4 h 20 min
|
easy
|
Mediterranean diet,
vegan,
vegetarian
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
This vegan crockpot coconut-lentil curry brings South Asian dal vibes to your slow cooker, with creamy coconut, fire-roasted tomatoes, curry, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic and ginger, a little bouillon for depth, spinach for color, and a squeeze of lime to wake it up.
Perfect for hands-off weeknights or meal prep, this properly seasoned, hearty curry is budget friendly and satisfying even for the meat lovers, especially over fluffy rice or with warm naan.
Ingredients (6 servings)
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Ingredients
- 1½ cups red lentils, rinsed, drained red lentils 0.63 lb
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped onion 1 ct medium
- 3 cloves garlic, minced garlic 0.27 head
- 1 Tbsp fresh ginger root, grated fresh ginger root 0.21 oz
- 2 medium carrots, diced carrots 0.21 lb medium
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled, cubed sweet potatoes 0.33 lb medium
- 1 red bell pepper, diced red bell pepper 1 ct
- 1 can (13.5 oz) unsweetened full-fat coconut milk unsweetened full-fat coconut milk 1 can (13.5 oz)
- 1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes fire-roasted diced tomatoes 1 can (14.5 oz)
- 3 cups vegetable broth vegetable broth 1.5 lb
- 1 Tbsp granulated vegetable bouillon granulated vegetable bouillon 0.42 oz
- 2 Tbsp curry powder curry powder 0.43 oz
- 1 tsp ground cumin ground cumin 0.08 oz
- 1 tsp smoked paprika smoked paprika 0.08 oz
- 1½ tsp sea salt sea salt 0.32 oz
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper black peppercorns (for freshly ground black pepper)
- 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped fresh spinach 2.13 oz
- 1 lime, juiced lime 1 ct
- fresh cilantro leaves, chopped fresh cilantro leaves 0.25 oz
How to Make Vegan Crockpot Coconut-Lentil Curry
-
Rinse and prep
Rinse the red lentils under cool water until it runs mostly clear and set aside to drain.
Finely chop the onion, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and dice the carrots, sweet potato, and red bell pepper into even pieces so they cook at the same rate.
-
Optional but worth it: bloom the aromatics
Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a skillet over medium and sauté the onion with a pinch of salt until translucent, 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the garlic and ginger and cook 30 seconds until fragrant, then stir in curry powder, cumin, and smoked paprika for 30 seconds to wake up the spices.
This extra step adds depth, but if you are in a rush, move on and the curry will still be delicious.
-
Load the slow cooker
Add the lentils, carrots, sweet potato, red bell pepper, and fire-roasted tomatoes with their juices to a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker.
Whisk the vegetable bouillon into the vegetable broth until dissolved to avoid salty pockets, then pour it in.
Scrape in the sautéed onion, garlic, and spice mixture, or add the raw onion, garlic, ginger, curry powder, cumin, and smoked paprika directly if skipping the skillet step.
Add 1 teaspoon of the sea salt and the black pepper, then hold back the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt for later since bouillon salt levels vary.
-
Slow cook to tender
Cook on High for about 4 hours or on Low for 7 to 8 hours until the lentils are tender and the vegetables are silky.
Stir once halfway through so nothing sticks to the sides and the lentils cook evenly.
-
Finish creamy and bright
Stir in the coconut milk and the chopped spinach, then cook on High for 15 to 30 minutes until the spinach wilts and the curry turns glossy.
Add the lime juice and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon sea salt if needed, tasting as you go.
-
Taste check and adjust
If it tastes flat, add another squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt to wake it up.
If it is too thick, loosen with a splash of hot broth or water, and if it is too thin, remove the lid and cook on High for 15 to 20 minutes to reduce or mash a few ladles of lentils back into the pot.
-
Garnish and serve
Finish with fresh cilantro and an extra crack of black pepper.
Serve over fluffy basmati rice, quinoa, or warm flatbread, and keep leftovers in glass containers in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for 2 months.
Substitutions
- Coconut milk replaced with cashew cream
- Blend 1 cup raw cashews with 1 1/4 cups hot water until silky and stir in at the end for the same lush body with a slightly nutty finish that plays nicely with curry.
- Red lentils replaced with split yellow moong dal
- Use the same volume and add 30 to 45 minutes to the cook time since moong dal holds shape a bit longer, giving a slightly less creamy but beautifully hearty texture.
- Vegetable bouillon replaced with white miso
- Whisk 1 1/2 tablespoons white miso into a cup of hot broth and add at the end to keep its delicate umami intact, which gives deep savoriness without extra sodium harshness.
Tips
- Add coconut milk near the end
- Coconut milk can split with long slow cooking, so stirring it in for the final 15 to 30 minutes keeps the sauce satin smooth.
- Size your veg for even cooking
- Cut sweet potatoes and carrots to about 1/2 inch dice so they reach tender right when the lentils turn creamy.
- Bloom the spices
- Heating curry powder, cumin, and smoked paprika in a little oil before they hit the crockpot unlocks fat soluble aromatics that make the curry taste like it simmered all day in a restaurant kitchen.
- Control salt smartly
- Bouillon varies in salinity, so start with less salt and finish to taste after the coconut milk and lime go in to avoid oversalting.
- Texture tune-up
- For extra body, purée one cup of the curry and stir it back, or mash a ladleful of lentils in the pot with the back of a spoon.
- Batch and freeze like a pro
- Cool quickly in shallow glass containers, label, and freeze in meal-size portions so weeknight you can act like you had a private chef on call.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 323 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 7 | g |
| Total Fat | 20 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 30 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 9 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- Can I make this on the stovetop?
- Yes, simmer everything except the coconut milk and spinach in a covered pot for 25 to 30 minutes until lentils are tender, then add coconut milk and spinach for 3 to 5 minutes and finish with lime.
- My lentils went mushy, what happened?
- Red lentils naturally break down into a creamy texture, so if you want more bite, use moong dal or green lentils and reduce the High cook time by 30 minutes while cutting vegetables a bit larger.
- How do I fix curry that is too thin?
- Cook uncovered on High for 15 to 20 minutes or blend a cup of the curry and stir it back to thicken without flour or starch.
- How can I make it spicy?
- Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne with the dry spices or finish with chili crisp or sliced fresh chilies to bring heat without burying the other flavors.
- Can I use green or brown lentils instead of red?
- Yes, add about 45 to 60 minutes to the slow cook time and expect a firmer, stew-like texture that holds individual lentils more clearly.
- How long will it keep and how should I store it?
- Refrigerate in airtight glass containers for up to 5 days or freeze up to 2 months, and rewarm gently with a splash of water to keep the texture silky.
Serving Suggestions
Think warm basmati rice, a shard of charred lime on the side, and a sprinkle of toasted coconut or peanuts for crunch that plays against the creamy sauce.
If you want a little swagger, swirl in a spoon of chili crisp at the table, or serve with a simple cucumber and red onion salad to cut through the richness without stealing the spotlight.
More pairings:
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