Easy Slow Cooker Lentil Curry (GF, Vegan)

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This Easy Slow Cooker Lentil Curry is simple to make with only pantry staples. It is full of flavor, easy to double up and a perfect make ahead recipe that is freezer friendly.

Crockpot fans check out this Crockpot Tomato Soup.

Suitable for Vegan and Gluten-free diets. Post includes Weight Watchers points.

a bowl of slow cooker lentil curry garnished with cress

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.

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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.
slow cooker lentil curry in a slow cooker

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!

top down view of the finished lentil curry inside the crockpot

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 liquidyou 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.
three bowls of vegan lentil curry on a table

What To Serve With Vegan Lentil Curry

More Vegan Curry Recipes

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………

landscape image of bowl of slow cooker lentil curry with crrss for garnish

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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5 from 4 votes

Slow Cooker Lentil Curry

An easy slow cooker lentil curry recipe.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 5 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: asian, Vegan
Servings: 4
Calories: 325kcal
Author: Bintu Hardy

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 Cups (250g) green lentils washed
  • 4 cups (1 L) vegetable stock
  • 7 oz (200g) diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp minced ginger
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1.5 tsp garam masala
  • salt
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) coconut milk
  • 1 cup thawed frozen spinach, with the water squeezed out or 2 cups (80g) fresh baby spinach

Instructions

  • Put all the ingredients (except the coconut milk and spinach) into your slow cooker and stir them together.
  • Cook on high for 4 – 5 hours until lentils are cooked through. Then stir in the coconut milk, add and spinach and cook till wilted.
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Notes

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.
  • If not vegan you can use chicken broth.

Recipe Variations

  • Feel free to vary the spices you put in. Other spices to try include cumin, paprika and ground coriander.
  • Change it up by using a Jamaican Curry Powder instead.
  • You could also try it as a tomatoey spicy lentil soup instead. Just add in more chopped tomatoes and stock.

Weight Watchers Points

There are 3 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving.

Serving Suggestions

Nutrition

Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 1048mg | Potassium: 860mg | Fiber: 21g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5155IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 7mg

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Recipe Rating




18 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I can’t wait to try this! With the holidays coming up, it seems like we’re doing much more entertaining, but I love the idea of just being able to throw this in and go…perhaps even read a book before the guests come over!;-)

  2. Lovely recipe Bintu and yet another recipe to inspire me to get out there and finally purchase a first ever slow cooker. MUST MUST get one!. Love the idea of being able to chuck everything together and leave it to magically cook all by itself. Big lentil curry fan here too 🙂

    1. I went to my local Debenhams and they had a shiny red slow cooker for sale and I could not resist it.

  3. I love lentils and what’s better than a great dish you can leave to cook itself. GG