Easy Slow Cooker Lentil Curry

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This creamy Slow Cooker Lentil Curry is one of the easiest curries that you can make. You don’t need any complicated spices or paste, just a few everyday staples and minimal prep to the perfect cozy meal.

Peeps, like this Crockpot Tomato Soup, Crockpot Lentil Curry is one of my go-to pantry meals that is filling, tasty, easy and affordable and something the whole family love.

I always have a batch or two in my fridge to pull out for a snack along with some Flatbreads, in a quick lentil wrap, over some Rice or in a bowl along with some roasted veggies or a protein.

Why You’ll Love It

• Uses only everyday store cupboard and freezer ingredients.
• Filling, nutritious, and loved by the whole family.
• Like Crock pot Pinto Beans these are Easy to prep ahead for a freezer-friendly meal.
• It can be easily doubled or tripled to feed a crowd.
• It is vegan, gluten free and dairy free.

Ingredient Notes

• Lentils – this recipe calls for green lentils. Please do not use the orange lentils for this.
• Cooking liquid – use vegetable stock or vegetable broth for this.
• Tomatoes – use diced tomatoes from a can. But you can also use plum also.
• Oil – add flavor with a bit of olive oil.
• Spices – this recipe calls for onion powder, minced ginger, minced garlic, curry powder, garam masala and salt. Feel free to use dry versions of some of these like garlic powder.
• Coconut milk – grab some full fat coconut milk from a can.
• Spinach – you can use thawed frozen spinach, with the water squeezed out or fresh baby spinach

How to Make Slow Cooker Lentil Curry

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

This is one of those awesome slow cooker lentil recipes that everyone loves. What makes this recipe so great is that not only does this Vegan Lentil Curry tastes good because of course, it does. It is actually because it is just soooooooo incredibly easy to make. 

• Put all the ingredients into your slow cooker (crockpot) and cover.
• Cook on high for 4- 5 hours until lentils are cooked through.
• Then stir in the coconut milk and spinach till wilted and serve.

Yeap, that’s all there is to it!

Recipe Tips

• Feel free to use reduced fat coconut milk if you prefer.
• If you have access to fresh green you can add in fresh spinach or fresh arugula (rocket) and a bit of fresh cilantro.
• Do shake the coconut milk properly before opening so that you get a nice homogenous milk before cooking.

Delicious Variations

• Vary the spice – other spices to try include cumin, paprika and ground coriander.
• Vary the curry powder – change it up by using a Jamaican Curry Powder instead.
• Make it more liquid – you could also try it as a tomatoey spicy lentil soup instead. Just add in more chopped tomatoes and extra vegetable stock.
• Add heat – feel free to add in some chili flakes or cayenne pepper.
• Vary the cooking liquid – if not vegan you can use chicken broth or beef broth.

Storage

• Store – Make ahead and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. 
• Reheat – Add to a microwave safe bowl, add a tablespoon or 2 of liquid like water to it and reheat gently at about half power, until warmed through.
• Freeze – Freeze cooled curry in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

What To Serve With Vegan Lentil Curry

• Flatbreads.
• Instant Pot Brown Rice.
• Pressure Cooker Sweet Potatoes.
• Corn Tortillas.

More Vegan Curry Recipes

• Instant Pot Plantain and Pumpkin Curry.
• Instant Pot Dal.

Recommended Tools

• An awesome slow cooker.
• The best ever sea salt flakes.
• Measuring cups and spoons.
• A mixing spatula.
• For the best tools to help make your recipe even easier and more successful, check out my collection of the Best Kitchen Tools on Amazon.

Tip moment here…….

This recipe frees you up to do all the other things you need to do before the guests arrive i.e. a pamper bath, desserts, read, whatever. Or if you are like me you have time to manically shove mini chefs toys behind the sofa, in cupboards and even in the pantry so that the house looks nice and tidy. Yeap, there have been days when I find lego in the baking trays and Dora the explorer in the bread tins.

Now repeat after me – I will go shove everything into my slow cooker and then make time for me, four whole hours for me, me, me………

Weight Watchers Points

There are 3 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving.

Thank you for reading my curry lentil recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue dreaming up recipes, traditional African recipes, African fusion recipes, Sierra Leone recipes, travel plans and much more for you.

First published in Nov 2013. Updated in June 2018.

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