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This coconut lentil curry is both creamy and filling. A 30-minute healthy plant-based dish that is the perfect budget-friendly vegan dinner!
Frugal Vegan Recipes Please!
I can’t take credit for this dish. This is just one of the many yummy recipes found in Melissa Copeland’s new cookbook 30-Minute Frugal Vegan Recipes.
Melissa is the creator of the blog The Stingy Vegan and her book includes quick and flavourful plant-based meals you can make on a budget.
So you don’t have to worry about hard to find ingredients or expensive processed vegan mock meats.
Melissa will tell you herself that she HATES spending money so you can be sure that these recipes will be friendly on your pocket. Not only that, these recipes are colorful, delicious, healthy plant-based meals!
30 Minute Frugal Vegan Recipes is divided into 8 chapters:
- Cheap-as-Chips Main Meals
- Quick-Fix Pasta and Noodles
- Speedy Soups and Stews
- Plant-Powered Salads
- Irresistible Vegan Sandwiches, Wraps, and Burgers
- Savory Small Bites
- Quick and Easy Morning Munchies
- Snappy Sweet Treats
I chose to feature the Coconut Lentil Curry (located in Cheap-as-Chips Main Meals chapter, page 32) recipe because I can’t resist a good curry! This dish was so delicious! The eggplant in this recipe gives this dish a fleshy meaty like texture and the lentils help make it super filling!
Other Delicious Recipes from 30 Minute Frugal Vegan Cookbook
Black Bean Salsa Burgers, p. 104
Mediterranean Stuffed Mushrooms, p. 122
Cranberry-Oat Breakfast Cookies, p. 151
You can learn more about Melissa book and how to purchase your copy by visiting The Stingy Vegan blog.
How to Make Coconut Lentil Curry
*Please read detailed and printable recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
Cook your Lentils
- First, saute your onions, garlic, and seasonings. (Photo 1 & 2)
- Then add your red lentils, broth, frozen spinach, and crush tomatoes and simmer until lentils are tender. (Photo 3 & 4)
Add Eggplant and Tomatoes
- While the lentils are cooking, saute the eggplant and tomatoes. (Photo 1)
- When the lentils are ready, add the eggplant and tomatoes and coconut milk. Heat for a minute then serve. (Photo 2, 3 & 4)
Substitution, Cook, and Storage Tips:
- This recipe is adaptable to a no-oil lifestyle!
- Frozen spinach and canned tomatoes are used because it’s more affordable than fresh. If you prefer to use fresh, buy locally from a farmer’s market as it’s inexpensive.
- If you want to substitute with brown lentils, note that the cooking time will be a tad bit longer as red lentils cook faster.
- I found that this recipe will keep in the fridge for 4 days so it makes a great meal prep dish!
- Can this be frozen? I was able to freeze a portion of my curry and thaw it out a week later and it was still delicious. Generally, red lentil curry dishes can be kept frozen for up to a month.
I know you are going to love this recipe as much I did. 30-Minute Frugal Vegan Recipes is a wonderful book filled with affordable yummy dishes! I highly recommend adding this cookbook to your vegan collection. Enjoy!
You can purchase Melissa’s cookbook on Amazon: 30-Minute Frugal Vegan Recipes: Fast, Flavorful Plant-Based Meals on a Budgets
More Lentil Recipes You’ll Love
- BBQ Lentil Meatballs
- Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
- Vegan Lentil Loaf
- Red Lentil Spaghetti
- BBQ Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Other Curry Recipes to Try
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Coconut Lentil Curry
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- ½ medium medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
- 2 teaspoon curry powder every curry powder is different so adjust this depending on how strong yours is
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
- 7 ounce frozen spinach
- 2 cups vegetable stock, broth, or water
- 1 canned crushed tomatoes (14 ounces)
- 1 small eggplant, cubed
- 15 cherry tomatoes
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 can coconut milk (14 ounces)
- Rice for serving optional
- Optional garnishes: cilantro lime, plain vegan yogurt, vegan naan
Instructions
- In a large saucepan or pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds, or until they darken in color slightly and are fragrant.
- Add onion and sauté until tender, 5 to 7 minutes, then add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds to 1 minute more, until tender. Finally, add the curry powder and fry for 30 seconds, to release the aroma
- Add the lentils, spinach, stock, and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but not falling apart.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and cherry tomatoes, season with ½ teaspoon of salt and fry until the eggplant is soft and golden brown and the tomatoes blister, about 10 minutes.
- When the lentils are ready, add the eggplant mixture, coconut milk and the remaining teaspoon of salt, or to taste, to the lentils. Heat for a minute, then serve with your choice of garnishes.
Video
Notes
- Frozen spinach and canned tomatoes are used because it’s more affordable than fresh. If you prefer to use fresh, buy locally from a farmer’s market as it’s inexpensive.
- Crushed canned tomatoes help thicken the curry dish but it can give this dish a very strong tomato flavor. If that is not your thing, use ½ or ¾ can of the tomato puree.
- This dish would be super yummy with added sweet potatoes or mushrooms!
- You can use other frozen (or fresh) greens of your choice: kale, swiss chard, etc
- If you want to substitute with brown lentils, note that the cooking time will be a tad bit longer as red lentils cook faster.
- Make sure you use CANNED COCONUT MILK. DO NOT skip it as it helps balance out the acidity of the tomato puree.
- If you still find curry with too much acidity, add a little bit of coconut sugar.
- Depending on the type of curry powder you use(and your tastebuds), you might need more or less.
- I found that this recipe will keep in the fridge for 4 days so it makes a great meal prep dish!
- Can this be frozen? I was able to freeze a portion of my curry and thaw it out a week later and it was still delicious. Generally, red lentil curry dishes can be kept frozen for up to a month.
Nutrition
Reprinted with permission from 30-Minute Frugal Vegan Recipes by Melissa Copeland, Page Street Publishing Co. 2019.
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Very delicious!! I used Japanese eggplant to give a little sweetness & it was excellent. Even got the approval of my 14 yr old son. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it!!!
Hi
May I ask if the cumin seed can be replace with cumin powder? Beside sweet potatoe what other vegetables can I add on?
Yes, that should be fine. You can add any vegetable you desire. There are an abundance of vegetables (too many to list) but whatever you like feel free to add to this dish!
Firstly, thank you for this incredible recipe! I’ve made it twice now (with adjustments) and it is definitely the most delicious vegetarian meal I’ve ever made. I’ve had five other people all report how yummy they found it… after my huge success I made it as a gift for my friend who was moving house, as well as another friend. It is warming and comforting and tasty. Adjustments: I did not have egg plant and we are also not big tomato eaters so I put in the tin of tomatoes but left out the cherry tomatoes. To make up for leaving out the egg plant and cherry tomatoes I doubled the lentils and added a whole cauliflower broken up into bite size florets at the same time as the tin of tomatoes and let it all cook together – one pot wonder. As we like our food on the warmer side I added 2 teaspoons of chili flakes when I added the curry to the pot. It made a huge pot of food heaven. The joy! Thanks so much for your inspiration and for creating such a brilliant base sauce and body that gives one flexibility to add some vegies that might be on the edge.
This is awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!!!!!
Made it again today, this time with sweet potato cut into bite size pieces and added at the same time as the lentils. All cooked together beautifully. My guest devoured it! Happy days!
I also add sweet potatoes in this as I love how the sweetness pairs with the curry spices and how it balances out the acidity of the tomatoes! I’m really happy your guests loved it! People can see just how delicious plantbased meals can be!! Thank you so much for the feedback! ❤